All Blacks on upward curve
17 Jul 2010
SA Rugby magazine editor SIMON BORCHARDT says a 50-point score for the All Blacks would have been more reflective of their performance on Saturday.
The big question leading up to the Wellington Test was whether New Zealand could match the intensity of their display in Auckland, now that the Boks had shaken off the effects of jet lag. The answer: Hell, yes.
The All Blacks set the tone for the game in the first couple of minutes when Dan Carter’s kick-off sailed past Victor Matfield and was reclaimed by Tom Donnelly. The hosts then dominated the first scrum, before being given another boost when more Bok indiscipline, this time from Danie Rossouw, allowed them to score 10 points against 14 men for the second consecutive week.
Had Carter not failed with five attempts at goal, the All Blacks would have had 26 points by the break, and the 50-mark would surely have been breached.
As they did in Auckland, the All Blacks kept the ball in hand and built momentum by running good lines and off-loading well in the tackle. Graham Henry’s selection of Piri Weepu at scrumhalf was justified as the home-town boy made several strong runs, including one that led to Mils Muliaina’s try. The other new selection, Rene Ranger, added zipp to the All Blacks’ attack in his first Test start and must surely have moved ahead of the out-of-sorts Joe Rokocoko in the left-wing pecking order. He showed outstanding finishing to score in the left-hand corner, although he was lucky not to have been yellow carded for a shoulder charge a few minutes earlier.
The All Blacks forwards again matched the physicality of the Boks, which allowed Carter time with the ball. Ma’a Nonu made eight ball carries in the first half (compared to one by opposite number Wynand Olivier), which shows just how dominant the hosts were.
The All Blacks emptied their bench in the second half when the game was won, with Israel Dagg making the biggest impact. The fullback stepped past three Bok defenders (Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger and Zane Kirchner) to show why he’s drawn comparisons to a young Christian Cullen. Surely he’ll have made the No 15 jersey his own by the end of the Tri-Nations.
However, while Henry and his coaching staff have every right to smile and enjoy another win against the world champions, they’ll know there’s room for improvement. In a 10-minute period in the first half (from the 16th to the 26th), they lost the ball four times in contact. Muliaina also dropped two up-and-unders in the first half, the forwards lost a lineout in the second when they went to the back, while Richie McCaw conceded too many penalties at the breakdown, as he admitted afterwards.
But those are minor concerns. The fact is you can’t fault two performances that have resulted in 10 log points.
The All Blacks are clearly on an upward curve a year out from the World Cup. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for the Boks.
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23 Comments
17 Jul 2010, 12:17 pm
Building nicely week after week towards the peak in the RWC in Auckland! Lots of strength in all positions; cover for almost everyone…
Meanwhile the Bok camp is in utter disarray. Several old veterans won’t last until the RWC over a year ago. Many key positions are still undecided — scrumhalf, one wing, one centre, both props, two of the three loosies…
17 Jul 2010, 12:19 pm
To be fair we say this every time before a World Cup
“All Blacks on an upward curve”….
17 Jul 2010, 12:22 pm
Let me guess is Tackler one of those no front teeth specials that originate from certain parts of Cape Town
17 Jul 2010, 12:29 pm
that yellow card was a joke
wasnt even anything bad. cept the spear tackle by jdv will hurt us thats sure ot be a ban
abs peak every year tackler only to lose the wc in the knock out rounds
17 Jul 2010, 12:35 pm
Don’t peak too early ABs you do have a history of this
17 Jul 2010, 12:37 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-5:
We do but surely we cant lose every RWC……..can we?
17 Jul 2010, 13:16 pm
As much as the All Blacks could have put 50 points on the Boks, had the Boks not lost Dannie unfairly for 10 minutes, and had the Boks made some first-time tackles, the score could have been a lot closer. So really, a bit of an inane statement to make. All Blacks deserved to win though and the score line was an accurate reflection of that.
17 Jul 2010, 14:39 pm
Well said, Goodthing, All Black fan’s shouldn’t get too excited for next years world cup. Though, it has to be said, this time the AB’s are in their own backyard.
17 Jul 2010, 14:41 pm
Surely he (Dagg) will have made the no xv jersey his own by the end of the 3N. You forget Mils. Outstanding as well .
17 Jul 2010, 14:47 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1: I’m very interested in what makes you tick, Tackler. Superficially ou sound like an intelligent man. And I’ll give you this: if I emigrated I would also do my best to integrate into the culture of my adopted country. But I’m not sure that I’d be able to gloat whenever the Springboks lose a rugby match. It just seems so small-minded and twisted. A bit unnatural even. Does it serve as justification in your mind for having left? Or are you simply winding up the stupid people on the blog? In which case, don’t you have anything better to do? Like writing a dissertation on the uncouth nature of South African English or something?
17 Jul 2010, 17:20 pm
@oscarthedawg(oscarthedawg)-10: Save your breath, mate. You’ve hit the operative word as far as it pertains to this guy: superficial.
17 Jul 2010, 18:32 pm
The South Africans do look like a team in decline whether or not this can be remedied remains by dropping a couple of the poor performers remains to be seen. The All Blacks are not what they seem. The play a simple form of rugby. They avoid scrum and line outs for good reason. They are superb at the counter attack, rucking and counter-rucking. What became apparent though, especially towards the end of the game, is that their set piece play is poor. They are as if not more one dimensional that the lead footed Africans. They play a brand of rugby not unlike 7 aside. For good reason, the new laws favour and they have definite weakness in the set pieces. The novelty of their frenetic style of play will win them games for now but they wont the World Cup with that team.
17 Jul 2010, 18:34 pm
@heboric(heboric)-2:
Two years out but never one year out! Spain won the no bones in your wrist diving world cup in the RSA because for a minute they tried to play football. These Kiwi Bast ards do it for eighty!!!
17 Jul 2010, 18:35 pm
@heboric(heboric)-3:
Better to have no teeth than no brain?
17 Jul 2010, 21:31 pm
After the match Dagg was asked for his reaction after scoring his try. Mate, I couldn’t believe my luck. I ran past 4 or 5 statues on my way to the chalk. What I’m more worried about, is I might get dropped for the next game. You see, there was no real opposition for me to test my array of skills. It’s just not fair. It’s not my fault I was up against Madamme Tussauds wax dummies.
17 Jul 2010, 23:21 pm
@Cyperus(Cyperus)-12: A bit of straw clutching perhaps? How does a team ‘avoid scrums’(which weren’t a weakness anyway)?
The AB’s may avoid lineouts against SA, but that is as much to do with playing the game fast as it is to do with concerns about losing a lineout. Last week they dominated the SA lineout, but didn’t chnage the game plan to keep the ball alive and the game played at pace.
18 Jul 2010, 06:42 am
@Cyperus(Cyperus)-12: You can play a frenetic style and win if you front up up in the tight stuff. NZ did that. Henry and co know that set piece and the tackle area are still crucial and they won those battles over the last two games.
18 Jul 2010, 06:55 am
I wil say this again. The Boks have only looked strong in the 3N is due to the AB’s and the Wallabies have been building.
The AB’s stocks have matured and the Wallabies still have some time to go.
Under pressure and in a one off pressure cooker a team needs fit players not old gentlemen.
The Boks have peaked…the AB’s are on the road to peaking and the Wallabies are still in Peking eating Chinese chop suey!!
18 Jul 2010, 08:30 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-6: I hope not Cane, bit sad if you lose at home. Can’t see it happening but if it does, it will actually be a sad day for rugby.
I predict a darker and gloomier period for South Africa though, I think the combination of coaches and over the hill players are starting to catch up with us.
The chaps are so old they can’t remember Jake’s plays anymore
18 Jul 2010, 10:28 am
I just re-watched the game on RugbyZone with the Saffa commentary. I like Skinstad, met him once, nice guy. But a rubbish commentator. You expect a level of one-eyedness but his whinging was childish. At half time, you can hear the saffa commentators whinging like stuck pigs, not realising the sound was still on. They were spewing about Ranger not getting a card. Having watched it again, Rene didn’t even lead with the shoulder. They clattered fully front on and chest height. Arms were coming into play. The goal in every tackle is to try get some shoulder behind it. It’s somewhat irrelevant where the arms are. This is where rugby league has it right. they celebrate hits with shoulders. So long as its not malicious, late or aimed at the melon, I say bring it on.
Kirscner was later guilty of a worse tackle on Jane but Skinstad glossed over that with some one-eyedness. To say that Roland was “keeping the AB’s ahead” is simple nonsense. Commentators need to some discipline in their whinging. I far prefer the other Yarpie commentator who does S14 but relegated from test matches. He’s not without his bias but he’s more measured and he gets more respect
Bok fans that are searching for reasons should resist the old “Richie’s a cheat, the refs a cheat, politics, travel, yellow cards” excuses and face the reality that they are, for now, being outclassed across the paddock and from 1 to 15 by a dominant and positive NZ side. Simple as that. You need to get your game plan right. When Boks did try to run the ball they threw 2 forward passes and a knock on down Alpons wing. Jacques Fourie not know for his passing abilities. Basics.
Many teams have played with 14 and even 13 men for ten minutes and not conceded points. You cannot blame categorically those 10 points on being a man down.
I hope the Aussies give the Boks a dusting in Brizzy next week too. And I’m picking the AB’s to pip the Boks in SA also. Relishing that contest.
Regards to NZ peaking, I don’t think so. There’s no June tests next year, so you have to be close to peaking by the end of this year. I’d say we’re on track, looking hungry.
18 Jul 2010, 19:02 pm
@boozer(boozer)-20:
Hugh Bladen ? an absolutely superb commentator. Far too objective to get the top job, obviously.
19 Jul 2010, 10:22 am
100 years of winning (and yes ‘peaking’ between WCs a bummer for us kiwis)….but what do you saffa’s suggest? that we lose for a few years and wait for a WC, for WC sake? what a joke. The ABs record is dominant in every way possible (against any nation, home or away, lions, grand slams, super 12/14, trinations, bledisloe). but yes, you are correct that we have ‘choked’ at WCs (BTW, thats a backhanded compliment. translated it reads “you should have won, but thru your own “choking” let the other team win”…personally I thought the opposition were better on the day, but hey, thanks for the compliment).
In reality, we are one title (at home don’t forget) from evening the WC score up as well! it will then read as follows: every rugby record PLUS two WCs (same as SA and wallabies, but with every other record bolted on). when we do that, the complete package is rectified.
Footnote. there have only been 6 WCs. ABs and England have 1, SA and wallabies have 2. hardly enough data to form a definitive long term opinion on domination just yet. if WCs ran since the 1930′ (like football), the ABS abd SA would probalaby have 8-10 titles each, with a sprinkling to France, England and Aussie
and if ya just can’t stand this post, at least consider this: did you like being thrashed twice or not? of course not (WC or no WC). unless bok rugby has gone soft
19 Jul 2010, 13:11 pm
@boozer(boozer)-20: Are you a AB or Bok supporter?
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