Blacks within reach of rugby heaven

Blacks within reach of rugby heaven

16 Oct 2011

RYAN VREDE watched the All Blacks take a step closer to ending their World Cup misery with a 20-6 victory over Australia at Eden Park.

Surely now. Surely the suffering will end. Surely the team that has so often betrayed the faithfulness of their long-suffering fans, nay, disciples, will claim the one prize they most covet.

France lie in wait in the final. On the evidence of their woeful performance in victory over Wales last night they will not live with this flawed but formidable team and its superlative players – Israel Dagg chief among those.

On current form Dagg is without peer in the game, possessing every technical gift on offer, and, more pertinently, the temperament for the biggest occasions. All those qualities were on show as he crafted their only try, beating three would-be tacklers then defying the laws of physics to offload a pass to Ma’a Nonu while plummeting into touch. Breathtaking is a word too liberally used to describe mediocre feats. It is inadequate for that inspired action.

Dagg was the headline act in a play with a range of compelling sub-plots, none more so than the vendetta against a son of New Zealand’s soil, Quade Cooper. It took 32 minutes for the flyhalf to do something right (a drop-goal), the preceding period being spent chastising himself for errors or peeling himself off the canvas from statement hits.

While Cooper’s star waned, his counterpart Aaron Cruden’s shone brightly. In the context of his Test career – its genesis seeing coach Graham Henry hailing him as the natural successor to Daniel Carter, and its nadir coming when he was unceremoniously dumped shortly thereafter, before being recently recalled – his was a mature effort, particularly in light of the magnitude of the occasion and the quality of the opposition.

But in a game shaped by the principle of cause and effect, Cruden’s ability to rock rested heavily on the shift put in by his roadies in shirts one through eight. Immovable at the gainline on defence and irresistible on attack, the Blacks’ heavies were mighty. Their spirit was encapsulated in the superb performance of Richie McCaw, who excelled despite his foot being held together by hope and some items found in a mechanic’s toolbox. ‘I know he will try to be modest and give credit to the tight five [for laying the platform], but he was just outstanding,’ coach Graham Henry said of McCaw.

Australia boast a player of Dagg’s calibre in openside flank David Pocock, who appears to possess the supernatural gift of omnipresence. But he was rendered a non-factor at the breakdown thanks to the efficiency of the Blacks’ strike runners and cleaners.

It would be remiss not to acknowledge the Wallabies’ unkillable spirit in the face of incessant pressure. It was the outstanding feature of their game against the Springboks last week, and they exhibited that again tonight. To restrict the Blacks to one try is a notable achievement given the hosts’ surfeit of territory and possession. However, they lacked a clinical edge in the 22m, which was decisive to their fortunes.

That they were in touch at half-time – trailing 14-6 – bore testament to their resolve as much as it did the Blacks’ frequent impatience on attack. But they did little more than survive, when reopening the psychological wounds the Blacks sport from previous failures in this tournament required considerably more.

Just after the restart Piri Weepu kicked his third penalty to go with a Cruden drop goal, extending the lead to 11 points. There was a observable change in focus from the Blacks thereafter, with panache giving way to pragmatism on attack and granitic defence being the bedrock of their resistance.

Australia succumbed, albeit not meekly, to a team who have no equal in the game. France are vastly inferior opponents. For the Blacks, ending their suffering will be more a test of exorcising their own demons than it will be about vanquishing Lievremont’s mad mob.

By Ryan Vrede, at Eden Park
Follow Ryan’s World Cup coverage on Twitter


1,170 Comments

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  • 51.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:54 am

    @HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-43: @ufo(ufo)-44: its because Robbie is still on the AB payroll… come on guys, Ive been telling you all for the last couple of years that we have agents everywhere… did none of you take me seriously?

  • 52.TahRoo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:54 am

    Come on Wallabies. Lets continue to dish out Rugby lessons to our lesser cousins today

  • 53.surreyshark4: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:55 am

    @grant10(grant10)-30: i wish you were right squire, but on this occasion i think you are wrong, this french team should buy a few lottery tickets, they are the luckiest team alive!

  • 54.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:55 am

    @ufo(ufo)-44: I don’t get that either. He’d be in my starting team most days.

  • 55.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:56 am

    Grant

    agree completely, lets hope the players decide the result… think both teams know what theyll get with joubert, so should be quite a flowing game imo… Wallaby scrum will be targeted big time..

  • 56.HongKongSlong: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:56 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-51: Was P-Divvy on the payroll? Or was he just encouraged to keep up the hard work!!!

  • 57.RL: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:57 am

    This is going to be another close low scoring match which will come down to one kick kick or one mistake.

    QC has had a very ordinary WC to date but he gets his tail up when ever he sees McCheat. I think he is going to stand on McCheats foot rather early in the game to end that threat, if he does not cause damage then some other convict will target McCheat just like they did to Brussow.

  • 58.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:58 am

    @HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-34:
    OH yeah sure, we planed for the O’Driscoll tackle.

    lol i can imagine the Bok game plan book.
    Right Bakkies, look for the smallest guy on the field and wait tell he has his back turned , while on the ground and head butt him, after that i want Schalk to go for the eyes, we will all wear armbands, and me PDV will say its not Ballet.Thats a win.

  • 59.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:59 am

    @HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-56:

    Could have saved a lot of money…

  • 60.ufo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 08:59 am

    @Mr Black(Mr Black)-50:

    no…. dropped…

    deans said doesn’t take sentiment into account… so does care that it would’ve been his 100th cap…

    buy sharpe is one of their most consistent guys… and by all accounts a good guy too… and as said above… aus need to get parity in the tight five… so to drop him just doesn’t make sense to me… same with giteau… never really liked him but hell… he should be in the squad if not the run-on team

  • 61.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:00 am

    I see Eddie Jones has stated he wants Bok top Job….

    But feels someone has already been told they are a shoo in…

  • 62.ufo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:00 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-51:

    hehehe pops…

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-54:

    for sure bud…

    he’d be my captain…

  • 63.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:00 am

    @TahRoo(TahRoo)-46:
    damn did the world champs lose?

  • 64.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:01 am

    @HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-56: we supplied him with a new canon for his canoe..

    There’s no pill for stupid, because people don’t keep South Africans in high regard. They look down on us and think we’re a bunch of hooligans and that there are elephants running in the street. You can see it when referees make decisions … it’s always a kind of biased thing

    we did offer elocution lessons, but we couldnt understand his answer :D

  • 65.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:01 am

    @Hurricane(Hurricane)-58:

    Carefull Hurri, you post has just gone viral on twitter…

  • 66.ufo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:01 am

    @ufo(ufo)-60:

    sorry… so doesn’t care…

  • 67.dermie: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:02 am

    @RL(RL)-57: don’t worry about McCaw what about Pocheat?

  • 68.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:03 am

    @ufo(ufo)-60:

    Maybe its part of the “Let NZ win the WC conspiracy”

    :lol:

  • 69.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:04 am

    bloody WP scrum turboed yesterday ……wake up Rassie and AC….

    gONE…cj…F Louw…Sadie…Whitehead….Engelbrecht…..

    word on the street J Fourie and habana leaving…..

    ***** teeth….

    oops…sorry…wrong thread!

  • 70.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:05 am

    @RL(RL)-57:

    Agree, it will be a close game, not a pakslae like we saw last night. :lol:

  • 71.ufo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:06 am

    @Mr Black(Mr Black)-68:

    :lol:

    no wonder tew is bleating about money… they’ve paid EVERYONE to get their hands on that cup…!!

    :wink:

  • 72.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:06 am

    yip poppa…..kiwis will target the aussie scrum….no doubt…
    alexader and the converted kiwi better vasbyt

  • 73.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:06 am

    @grant10(grant10)-69: Little Birdy tols me that Alberts might be wearing the hoops soon.

  • 74.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:06 am

    @Mr Black(Mr Black)-68: its “MAKE NZ win the WC conspiracy”..

    one wrong word makes all the same :D

  • 75.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:07 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-73: willem alberts?

  • 76.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:07 am

    @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-65:
    lol

  • 77.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:08 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-73: I was at game yesterday……blooody scrum was manhandled again….we simply have to fix it or the super 15 will be a pipe dream again

  • 78.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:08 am

    @ufo(ufo)-71:

    Ha ha ha, i nearly ripped myself a new one laughing like the Sharks ripped the Lions a new one last night. :lol:

  • 79.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:09 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-74:

    Sorry buddy, second language and all that.

  • 80.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:09 am

    @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-65: league WC’s Slarti..

    we’ve won two games in the last 16 or 17 in the league versus Aussie, just happened to be the WC final and the 4Nations final.. guess they choked huh Tahroo?

  • 81.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:10 am

    @grant10(grant10)-75: Is there anyone else? :D

    I’m sure he wasn’t talking about Albert “toks” Van Der Linde making a comeback ;)

  • 82.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:10 am

    Game should be a cracker. But AB’s don’t stuff it up now. Not in the semis. Otherwise there’ll be no place to hide.

  • 83.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:12 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-81:

    That would be one of their best buys ever. :sad:

  • 84.David: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:12 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-81:
    Rassie tried to sign him when he was still at the Lions, long before the Sharks were interested. He ended up signing Duane instead, a season later.

  • 85.ufo: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:12 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-73:

    wow….!! :shock:

  • 86.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

    @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-82:
    If that happened can we join in on the cheating,corruption and matching fixing claims :-)

  • 87.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

    There’s little difference between winning and losing, except you feel better after winning..

    rugby is going to be so much poorer for the lack of this mans insights..

  • 88.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-73:

    I’ll get Sharkslover to shoot that little birdie you’re talking to.

  • 89.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

    @stormersboy(stormersboy)-81: interesting! Not sure where he would slot in…..maybe as a 4 lock?

    Vermeulen ….Schalk and a fetcher [Kitshoff]?

    But depth so key….so what a pleasure if he does come across….

    Kolisi getting better and better and I am a Nizaam Carr fan as well….watch that kid become a star going forward!

  • 90.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:15 am

    @Hurricane(Hurricane)-86:

    :lol:

  • 91.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:15 am

    would rather wp / stormers got SOME BLOODY PROPS!

  • 92.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:16 am

    @Hurricane(Hurricane)-86:

    There is nothing like a good conspiricy theory. :wink:

  • 93.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:17 am

    @Mr Black(Mr Black)-92:
    But if we win, lets just this conversation between me and you ok :-)

  • 94.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:18 am

    @Hurricane(Hurricane)-86:

    No mate. You’re in good hands. You’ve got a saffa ref. :D

  • 95.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:18 am

    Ok, good luck All Blacks, i’m off to watch the game at friends house.

    AB by 15.

    Don’t get a heart attack AB fans, it’s only a game.

  • 96.grant10: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:19 am

    ANYWAY…..Enjoy gents…..I am , from a neutral perspective, looking forward to 2 class teams doing there thing out there….

    I have no allegiances at all so what a relaxing pleasure to pour a good cup of coffee and relax …..

    cheers

    till later

    outta here

  • 97.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:19 am

    @grant10(grant10)-77: Yes. It looked bad on occasion. Having said that, the Loosehead prop from the Pumas is a very good scrummager. He’s just been signed by the Blue Bulls.

    I wish we could Identify talent like that and actually sign them.

    @ufo(ufo)-85: @Mr Black(Mr Black)-83: Yeah. Don’t take it to the bank yet though.

    I think since we couldn’t get Ratel we turned our attention to Alberts.

    Problem is that it doesn’t solve our fetcher issue.

    Pieter Louw is a great fetcher, but if you have Duanne, Schalk and Willem as your first choices you aren’t going to get much game time.

    Koster, kolis, Louw, etc will be rotation players at best, which is probably the way it should be……

    I’d still put my money behind a really good loosehead. Kitshoff is still very young, Malherbe too.

    No one else it up to it in the WP setup.

  • 98.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:19 am

    This is gong to be a epic game.
    Hope the ref calls it fair and straight down the middle so that rugby can be the winner at the end.

  • 99.David: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:19 am

    @grant10(grant10)-89:
    I’m with you about where he’d fit in. We need some genuine openside depth, rather than another 7 or 8, with Schalk changing roles recently.
    Yes, props are in short supply.

  • 100.RL: Reply to this comment
    16 Oct 2011, 09:19 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-87: indeed, Divvy will be missed, a week ago this time he said to some commentator this classic line, when asked why Plod is starting ahead of Bissy.

    “If John was in your country he would be your number 1 number 2 too”

    Poor guy looked smashed after that Divvy moered him with that line.

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