'We need to be better': All Blacks stars reveal what needs to change to bounce back from Wallabies defeat
As the Bledisloe Cup IV post mortem moves into the new test week, the All Blacks are beginning to turn their focus to the upcoming task of squaring off against Argentina.
The Pumas stand as somewhat of an unknown entity in the context of the Tri-Nations given they haven’t played an official test match since they were bundled out of last year’s World Cup in pool play.
In fact, the All Blacks have just two warm-up matches to analyse a team mostly made up of players who, until just over a week ago, hadn’t played a game of rugby since March.
That doesn’t mean All Blacks hooker Dane Coles, who was absent from New Zealand’s 24-22 defeat to the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday, isn’t expecting anything different from a side renowned for their aggressive playing style.
“Very physical forward pack, so we’re expecting a big, physical battle,” Coles said of what he anticipates when the All Blacks face off against the South Americans at Bankwest Stadium in Sydney.
Teammate and experienced midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, who started at centre at Suncorp Stadium, appeared to agree, pointing to Argentina’s passion as something his side will have to contain this weekend.
“They’re a passionate country and they’re passionate men, so they’re going to want to put their best foot forward and I think they’ll be excited about versing us,” Lienert-Brown said.
“I have no doubt that they’ll turn up, ready and raring to go.”
It seems the Pumas turned up and were raring to go when they faced a Rugby Australia XV, which featured fringe Wallabies like Isi Naisarani, Joe Powell and Fraser McReight, at Leichhardt Oval two days ago.
Mario Ledesma’s side emerged 57-24 victors in that clash, a week after they pipped the same opposition 19-15 without their hefty contingent of European-based players.
Coles revealed the All Blacks squad were starting to assess the footage from those matches, but Lienert-Brown said the presence of former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who has joined the Pumas as an assistant coach, wasn’t noticeable in their play.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has given a blunt assessment of his team's performance in their loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday night. #AUSvNZL #BledisloeCup https://t.co/x0Xh1O8mhv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2020
“In all honesty, I probably wasn’t thinking like that when I was watching the footage, but I’m sure he has had an influence in that environment,” the 47-test star said.
“He probably quite likes his forward pack because he likes to play a fast-tempo game with big ball-carrying forwards, so I’m sure he’ll influence that way.”
Regardless, the All Blacks will need to return to their best after struggling in Queensland, but they might have to do so without prop Ofa Tuungafasi, who is awaiting the verdict of a judicial hearing after being red-carded for a dangerous tackle.
The 28-year-old was sent from the field for a high tackle on Wallabies debutant Tom Wright in the first half, instigating a downward spiral which led to a defeat that has blown the Tri-Nations title race open.
Coles conceded his front row partner was “gutted” in the wake of the incident, but was insistent that the entire team’s mentality around defence – not just Tuungafasi’s – needs to change if they’re to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s result.
“It’s not just Ofa’s thing, it’s all of us. We’ve got a few penalties around head-highs, so we need to be way better in that department,” Coles said.
“I suppose discipline was a bit of a let down on the weekend, so it’s one on the chin for all of us to get on the tackle bags, lower our height and make sure we’re better.
“Even if we’ve got a split second, we’ve just got to make sure we get under the ball and not get tackled in the air.”
With that in mind, the Argentines should brace themselves from a more polished defensive performance from their counterparts, if Coles’ comments are anything to go by.
“Ofa’s a big lad, but we’ve just got to be better,” the veteran rake said.
“We do a lot of tackling practice during the week, and it’s only a split second to make that decision, but we’ve just got to lower our sights and our target to not get those red cards again because us tackling the same way ain’t going to change things, so we need to be better than that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments