All Blacks must heed lessons of past defeats

 
James Mortimer Roar Guru

By James Mortimer, 27 Jul 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Guru

Tagged:
 , , , , ,

53 Have your say

Related coverage




And again the inquisitions begin! As Graham Henry suffered just his tenth defeat as coach of New Zealand, the team that had just defied their critics again will have the hounds baying at their door.

This is the caveat of being an All Black team.

Suffering just their 98th (not including losses to the Barbarians and Rhodesia) defeat in 106 years of international rugby isn’t what will have the masses asking questions about their team.

Unfortunately for New Zealand, despite being against a very good Springbok unit – Henry believes this is the best South African side he has ever seen – and being outplayed at key areas, the All Blacks still could have won this match.

Even worse is the fact that at times it was not so much Springbok dominance that had the All Blacks on the back foot, as much as the All Blacks themselves.

To call them arrogant would not be fitting. If anything this New Zealand side, despite being one of the best teams consistently in world rugby, is humble to the point of being disarming.

But on the field, there is condescension to their play.

One cannot help but admire Graham Henry and his coaching team; year after year they have tried specific formulas or techniques that have by and large allowed them to overshadow other sides.

However, components of their play is unbecoming of a team that still can lay claim to being the best side on the planet at the end of this Tri Nations, their pet tournament if there was one.

Certainly a team with the record of Henry’s troops should give more respect, especially to such vaunted opponents as the World Champions. The South Africans are the only team throughout history to consistently challenge the All Blacks for global supremacy.

Hail back to the 2nd September, 2006.

The All Blacks had won the Lions series the year before, a Grand Slam, and had just won their second consecutive Tri Nations (at the time their seventh), whitewashed the Bledisloe Cup 3-0, and were sitting on a 15 match winning streak.

They entered the Royal Bafokeng Stadium indisputably the best team in the world.

South Africa would not bring a complex game plan to the table, but would rely on simple pillars to their game, committing rolling maul after rolling maul, and using the boots of Butch James and Andre Pretorius to enable them to launch their lineout.

While these aspects then, as seemingly now, appeared to rattle the All Blacks, these factors alone would not conspire to defeat them.

Henry’s men would try to be too clever, a mix perhaps of confessed superiority or a coaching team that knew they had the tournament wrapped up so thought they would try a few new features to their play.

They would take short 22 kick offs, instead of committing the traditional “clearing of lines” and kicking the ball long.

They would take an inordinate time to get into position after securing the ruck; ignoring the classic doctrine that quick phase ball is the best offence against modern defensive walls.

They would, with possession secured, kick the ball high into a Garryowen even if within the oppositions half. Ironically, they would not do this if near the opponents try line.

The All Blacks would lose despite being overwhelming favourites, 20-21.

They tried these plays against South Africa in the second match of the 2009 Tri Nations.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw would remark that the All Blacks would put pressure on themselves, and consistently try to play too much rugby in their own half.

Often throughout McCaw’s and Henry’s reign, these tactics have worked.

But South Africa showed that for all its complexities, rugby is a marvellously simple game, and that you don’t need to be elaborate to win a match, no matter how decorated the enemy.

Thankfully, it is far from a lost cause for the All Blacks. Equally, it is no shame to lose on the Highveld to arguably the best South African team in history.

Despite being on the back foot early with both possession and territory heavily against them, they showed a fair amount of class to come back against a team that was truly throwing the proverbial kitchen sink against them.

And, for as long or as short as the list of negatives is, it is a list that can be overcome.

There will be no jet lag or altitude in Durban.

They now know what to expect from South Africa.

They should now know that they will have to grind, as they did against the Wallabies at Eden Park, to beat this impressive South African team.

For despite all the plaudits being showed on the World Champions now, lose to this All Blacks team next week, and with an away win on the register, suddenly the defending champions will be in the box seat again.

Get a daily rugby union email

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it.

We value privacy. More.