How the All Blacks can stop the bleeding
Roar Guru By ohtani\'s jacket, 28 Jul 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Daniel Braid, Daniel Carter
Let’s face it, the All Blacks aren’t very good. Whether that’s because of Henry, rebuilding or papering the cracks, they haven’t been this bad in a while.
I don’t expect much of a turnaround, but we can at least stop the bleeding.
If McCaw plays, we can’t expect him to be any more match fit than Daniel Braid was.
If Henry is belligerent, he’ll play So’oialo at blindside and Kaino at Number Eight. How about admitting the right and left flanker combination is a mistake and reverting to the traditional set-up?
These weren’t the positions So’oialo and Kaino played in this year’s Super 14.
We’re playing for pride, not to judge whether it was McCaw holding things together in the earlier Tests. McCaw will have enough on his plate trying to organise the defence.
In the backs, MacDonald and Muliaina simply have to play together. One of them needs to switch to the right wing. It’s a specialist Test position and we need a stop gap measure. If Nonu is the second five, then MacDonald should start at fullback.
Nonu and Smith need to play as the midfield combination, no ifs and buts. It’s the only option we have. Without Luke McAlister or Nick Evans, there’s no way we can switch Daniel Carter to second five.
Whoever plays at halfback, we simply have to persevere and give him better support at the breakdown.
There will be all sorts of talk about the All Blacks re-gathering this week, but they want this Test match about as much as Roger Federer wants to play Nadal in a Grand Slam final.
Henry will talk about the need for structure and spending time in the opposition 22, but he actually needs to do some coaching this week.
By all means look at the tactics and where the game plan went wrong, but the wolves are at the door and they’re ready and waiting to rip this team to shreds.
Saturday’s Test isn’t about McCaw and whether he’s the difference maker. It’s not about his ability to lead from the front. It’s about everyone stepping up.
It starts in defence and in the commitment to the tackle. It’s about hitting the breakdown, cleaning out the rucks and driving hard on the pick and go. It’s about timing in the scrum and clearing the ball from your own 22.
These are simple, basic things that the All Blacks have been doing well for years. It’s about building a platform and controlling the tempo.
The passes stick better when you’re on the front foot.
Henry was a kingmaker. Now it’s time to convince these boys that they can still win a Test match.
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- All Blacks, Daniel Braid, Daniel Carter
July 29th 2008 @ 6:50am
Jerry said | July 29th 2008 @ 6:50am | Report comment
OJ – Holah was a step up from Braid, and probably would have started every test with McCaw injured. Rico Gear would be in the squad also. Realistically Howlett or Gear, McAlister, Collins (I simply don’t believe Henry wouldn’t have picked him), Kelleher and Hayman would likely have been starters, so that’s a possible 5 of the first XV, with more good experience on the bench (eg Jack could have stepped up when Thorn was suspended). But, as you say, the Wallabies have lost some experience also and Henry has also added to the inexperience by ignoring experienced players like Eaton, Weepu and Masoe. Masoe isn’t a genuine starting test match 7, but would have been a great option for the bench instead of Lauaki and would have actually hit some bloody rucks.
July 29th 2008 @ 7:24am
Benjamin said | July 29th 2008 @ 7:24am | Report comment
The Australians have Giteau and Mortlock though OJ. That’s vast experience in two key positions. Baxter also has a vast set of caps, so apart from Burgess the spine of the team is experienced; Moore, Sharpe, Paul, Smith, Burgess, Giteau, Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper.
July 29th 2008 @ 7:32am
Jerry said | July 29th 2008 @ 7:32am | Report comment
Moore and Ashley-Cooper aren’t exactly experienced, either. They’re a bit like Nonu/Hore etc – been around a while but not that much test experience. You could also say the AB’s have an experienced spine also – the real weakness is the loose trio which is not only inexperienced but unbalanced. If Henry can get a better showing from Kaino and Braid (and I’d like to see him switch Kaino and Rodney positionally) and shore up the scrambling defence, the AB’s would go a long way towards reversing the result.
July 29th 2008 @ 7:46am
Benjamin said | July 29th 2008 @ 7:46am | Report comment
They both have big game experience though. For example Moore played in the WC QF, a pressure game, Hore hasn’t had those experiences and has always been behind Oliver, Mealamu… even Witcombe.
I would argue the AB spine is inexperienced Jerry – Hore, Thorn, Kaino, Braid, Ellis, Carter, Nonu, Muliaina.
I’m not sure what the AB’s are going to do, they made line breaks but at other times looked clueless. Even if So’oialo didn’t say ‘let’s slow down, put the ball into the corners’, then Carter should have taken those options himself. Henry has had the perfect opportunity to string together some combos and he hasn’t. Rokocoko and Leonard will make a difference and McAlister is due back at the end of this coming season. At least now the AB’s have two outside centres but at some point in the future I think they need to bite the bullet and either Hansen needs to go, due to the lineout, or they need to get rid of any hooker who cannot throw straight. They simply cannot go on without a top lineout. I fancy Hayman to come home early too. Newcastle are all over the place.
July 29th 2008 @ 8:15am
Justin said | July 29th 2008 @ 8:15am | Report comment
Yes and no Benjamin. Hore with 31 Tests?, Thorn? Give me a break he has played WC and how many GFs for the Broncos let alone S14 for Crusaders, thats big time pressure experience. Kaino and Braid yes but I dont think either are up to it either way. Ellis yes, Carter no, Nonu been a round a long time (over 20 tests) dont think you could say he is inexperienced (more ex than Ash-Coop) and Mils is very experienced. Rodney is also very experienced and really is their 8 when McCaw is playing.
How about Barnes with only 8 or 9 tests let alone Hynes with a handful. Horwill?
Without trying to sound argumentative it s a pretty floored argument IMO. The stats dont back it up.
I agree that NZ played well enough for 11 linebreaks but they just played too much in their own half and couldnt finish off. I have said all year their support play is ordinary. Agree with the summation of the players potentially coming back but I really believe Henry has just got it badly wrong in selection and gameplan.
With some players back NZ will naturally improve next year. This year though every 3N test is a potential loss.
July 29th 2008 @ 8:25am
Benjamin said | July 29th 2008 @ 8:25am | Report comment
How many tests did Hore start though? There is a big difference getting 8 minutes here and there and real tangible game time. Hore has been a sub in 20 tests. Likewise Nonu. Nonu has played Italy twice, and Canada and Tonga once. The rest of his caps have been games where the AB’s have smashed the oppo and in 12 of those tests he was a sub. The stats do back it up Justin. Horwill and Hynes aside Barnes also played in that QF. What game of importance has Nonu ever played in to match that intensity? Tuitivake and Hynes cancel each other out and then Tuqiri has played twice as many tests as Sivivatu. The back row isn’t worth comparing, but if we talk about the spine of the team Australia do have far greater experience. I want to emphasise that that doesn’t detract from their victory in any way though.
July 29th 2008 @ 8:42am
Justin said | July 29th 2008 @ 8:42am | Report comment
1 WC QF doesnt make you experienced. A bit selective with the examples but I agree it shouldnt detract from the win.
What changes would you make for this week Benjamin? Presuming McCaw plays I would have Rod at 8, Weepu in at 9 , he is more combative and has more to his game than Ellis. Smith at 13. I think MacDonald should be 15 but what do you do with Mils? Wing potentially. Best players on the park is crucial and Mils has no weakness on a wing. Immediately that is a 5-8 point better side IMO.
July 29th 2008 @ 8:52am
Benjamin said | July 29th 2008 @ 8:52am | Report comment
My point about starting the QF is that it was a massively intense game and every player barr Robinson, Horwill, Burgess and Hynes experienced that game.
I’m not a big fan of So’oialo but it’s a bit late in the day to be making changes so I tend to agree with your selection; I’d like to see Kaino at 6 and have Braid on the bench. Nonu and Smith for the continuity. I’m not sure about Muliaina, I rate him and MacDonald massively. I would consider dropping Sivivatu and playing Wulf and Muliaina as the wingers. Ellis has to go, so Weepu in, a bit more combatative. I’m not sure about the front row either, I’d like Tialata on the bench so it’s a toss up between Somerville and Afoa to start. I’d also give Mealamu a start, let him blow some cobwebs out.
July 29th 2008 @ 10:31am
ohtani's jacket said | July 29th 2008 @ 10:31am | Report comment
This is the team we have. It’s the squad Henry chose and it’s not going to change until the end of year tour.
On one hand you have Deans saying inexperience helped the Wallabies win, on the other hand you have the Sean Fitzpatricks saying lack of experience and depth is hurting the All Blacks.
The All Blavks need to play better in the forwards and work a more balanced attack in the backs. Everyone needs to account for their performance in Sydney.
July 29th 2008 @ 10:34am
Benjamin said | July 29th 2008 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Individual players do need to be accountable but I lay the blame aside the captain and Henry.
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