Henry laments missed chances
20 Aug 2011
Graham Henry says Saturday’s result may have been different had the All Blacks converted more of their early try-scoring opportunities.
The All Blacks went down 18-5 to the Springboks in Port Elizabeth despite scoring the game’s only try. Henry believes there were plenty of positives to take from what was essentially a final trial before the World Cup, but at the same time the All Blacks coach lamented the visitors’ poor finishing.
‘It may have been a different situation at the end of the game had we taken our chances,’ said Henry. ‘The Boks were very good; they scrambled well on defence and played with a lot of passion, and kicked their goals. But we had six opportunities to score and only took one of them.’
Captain Keven Mealamu believes the contest was closer than the scoreline suggests, and was disappointed that the All Blacks couldn’t strike that momentum-swinging blow. All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said it was a combination of great Bok defence and All Black blunders that prevented the visitors from crossing the tryline on more than one occasion.
‘It’s not often that you break the line 23 times and you lose,’ Smith said. ‘It says a lot for the Boks’ scrambling defence. We perhaps lacked patience in those try-scoring situations. Maybe it’s the new combinations or the youth, or maybe South Africa were just too good.’
Henry picked several players returning from serious injury and experimented with a few new combinations. While this effected the All Blacks’ synergy in the backline, Henry also felt the visitors were too frantic on attack.
‘I don’t think there is anything wrong with our game plan. We created plenty of opportunities. When we get a few of the more experienced players back, I expect things will settle down a bit.’
Henry also stood by his decision to bring a team missing as many as eight big names to South Africa.
‘We decided that the Crusaders players needed a rest with a view to the World Cup, and we also needed to give a few players [returning from injury] game time. It wasn’t a case of disrespecting the Boks [by experimenting with a second-string team].’
15 Comments
20 Aug 2011, 21:11 pm
Losing dragons.
20 Aug 2011, 21:29 pm
Henry is no fool. He knows that the Boks deliberately played a conservative game to create a platform. He also knows that the Boks have kept their cards close to their chests. The tricks are still up the sleeve.
He’s thinking hard.
20 Aug 2011, 23:10 pm
23 line-breaks? that indicates some pretty poor first-up defence
21 Aug 2011, 05:31 am
Henry has deliberately worked a real-live “worst case scenario” into his planning and — in this worst case — the outcome was not an irreversible disaster. This NZ B team could well beat the Boks if they were to meet again in a week’s time — in SA, or anywhere.
21 Aug 2011, 05:33 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-4:
Just like three All Black sides could have won the 2007 world cup, hey?
21 Aug 2011, 05:34 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-4:
yeah, yeah yeah, whatever……………… 18-5
you too can suck it up Tackler
21 Aug 2011, 05:42 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-5: they would’ve if they had this TMO.
21 Aug 2011, 07:50 am
@dermie(dermie)-7:
No, they would have been molested in the final.
21 Aug 2011, 09:52 am
“Captain Keven Mealamu believes the contest was closer than the scoreline suggests”
Kevin quoting from the PdV book of match analysis now?
21 Aug 2011, 10:27 am
Nice one Craven
Guess when it comes from anyone bt Div it has sum credibility
Rich.
21 Aug 2011, 12:54 pm
Who got “Man of the Match” ?
That friggen TMO!
21 Aug 2011, 15:12 pm
Seems like the Kiwi’s are whinging in the local papers about the disallowed TMO try. TMO can only make calls over the try line. Surely you can except that allowing that ‘try’ would not be good for rugby…
22 Aug 2011, 01:50 am
Well, Graham Henry’s team not only won 40-7 but .. if all goes to plan .. wins the tenth Tri-Nations title as well while Divvy’s sad team has already collected yet another wooden spoon — second in a row — to add to the huge collection. The trophy cabinet is getting pretty crowded in Wellington.
22 Aug 2011, 02:41 am
@Craven(Craven)-9:
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-10:
Of course, Ladies, that would apply in the case where the “speech marks”, as added by Craven, actually alluded to a quote from the Player. Which, in the case of Mealamu, it did not. These were the words of the journo of this article, were they not ?!
In contrast, somewhat, to when Krusty Burger ACTUALLY said “not on the scoreboard”.
Rich’er
22 Aug 2011, 05:36 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-13:
Yes, because the Tri-Nations is oh so very important, especially in a world cup year. Durrrrrrrrrrrr.
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