This feels like a formidable All Blacks squad but the benchmark is perfection

The nature of the new – and I have to say exciting – Nations Championship is that the show quickly moves on.

For a tournament starting from scratch, it’s already generated quite a following. I don’t just base that on the reaction to it here in New Zealand, but the stuff I listen to from overseas.

It almost feels a bit like we’re in the midst of world cup fever, which is no mean feat given FIFA’s got their flagship event on at the moment.

The attention of All Black fans now turns towards Italy, but I’d hate the coaching staff to overlook what happened against France.

First, credit to New Zealand for their 34-32 win in Christchurch. It was an entertaining game, in which both teams performed creditably.

The All Blacks’ explosiveness and athleticism enabled them to overcome the French and I’d be disappointed if that obscured the disparity in skill.

I thought France taught New Zealand a lesson in using the ball to beat the man and committing defenders.

I’m not knocking the All Blacks for having great athletes at their disposal. It’s a nice thing to possess.

But there are times when I think that dumbs down our rugby and we revert to giving the ball to the fast kid or the big kid and hoping they can conjure something out of nothing.

Time and again in Christchurch, I saw the All Blacks ship the ball sideways. It wasn’t draw and pass or anything of the sort, just the shifting of the ball for shifting’s sake.

France, meanwhile, played more direct and used more subtlety in their passing, exposing the All Blacks’ defence on regular occasions. I have to say I found that very pleasing on the eye and it made me recall the skill Ireland showed during their series win on these shores back in 2022.

I hope the All Blacks and their coaches take something from what France showed us and look to integrate it into their own repertoire.

Again, I definitely don’t want to diminish the outstanding ability of Will Jordan or minimise Damien McKenzie or Ruben Love’s ability to see chinks in a defensive line and exploit them.

It’s just that what happens when a hole doesn’t open up or you aren’t confronted by a front rower that you can easily run around?

I’m not convinced we genuinely know how to manufacture space or put people through gaps in the way Ireland so memorably did here and France managed last Saturday.

It’s not a criticism of anyone or necessarily even a glaring failing in the All Blacks. But the benchmark with this team is perfection and, to me, this is an obvious area in which they can improve.

This feels like a formidable All Blacks squad. There’s brilliance, there’s grafters and there’s depth.

Going and winning in South Africa later this season seems like a tough assignment, but I continue to be heartened by what I see and hear from the coaching staff.

They’re realists and they won’t get carried away by anything that happens in these opening Nations Championship encounters.

I’d like to think that includes taking heed of how France opened them up defensively. Athleticism is an asset, but it’s not a guarantee of success. Every All Black team possesses plenty, but not all of them are given opportunities when they can demonstrate it.

For as good as France was with the ball on Saturday, they weren’t so impressive without it.

Not every team is going to be so generous.