In fact, it wasn’t even after the game that this became obvious.
Within the first ten or fifteen minutes, it was noticeable that both the All Blacks and Springboks were looking to play with space as often as they could.
It felt like there was more long and wide passing in those first fifteen minutes than the Wallabies showed in their last two games.
Both flyhalves were throwing the wide pass from the outset, and the All Blacks certainly seemed intent on running the big South African defenders around the ground.
The big difference, though, was that while Morne Steyn would link with whichever Springbok player was in the space he aimed for, Dan Carter was almost exclusively playing for centres Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith.
Width, length, height, angles run from depth. Space was there wherever you looked.
Before too long, New Zealand had turned this space into attacking dominance, and that’s pretty much how the game played out.
Even before their first try, it was abundantly clear that the All Blacks were making and breaking the advantage line almost at will, while the Springboks were still content to make their ground through the slow pick-and-drive and from Steyn’s rather large boot.
But the kick didn’t always go to plan. From a poor Ricky Januarie box-kick, fullback Mils Muliaina found himself in copious space, and with winger Cory Jane in support, he cut a swathe through the South African midfield, found captain Richie McCaw who headed wide, and in doing so was able to hold the Springbok cover up for long enough to send Smith to the corner.
It seemed that whatever the All Blacks tried there was space available, though admittedly, they did have a numbers advantage at one point during the first half with Bakkies Botha given a yellow card and ten minutes to consider the consequences of his cynical actions.
After halftime, it was more of the same too, with the All Blacks able to string the phases together quite regularly, and their back three of Muliaina, Jane, and Joe Rokocoko providing excellent service in both counter-attack and general kick returns.
No.8 Kieran Read’s try was another notable use of space, but of a different variety. With scrumhalf Piri Weepu now on, and with New Zealand pressing the South African try line, Weepu rather than handing off for the pick-and-drive from the base of the ruck, instead drifted wider, while Read came from a wider “outside-in” angle as the commentators described it.
It was perfect execution, and the use of space made it all the better.
With Weepu getting outside the defensive channel at the ruck, and Read able to run at a wider gap, it just became a matter of momentum versus technique, with the result being a converted try.
New Zealand used similar tactics throughout the game too, where rather than just driving the ball back into the ruck defenders, they ran the one-off runners wider, which also had the effect of engaging new defenders. And with new defenders drawn in, the space was there out wide. Rugby really can be a simple game sometimes.
So what does this mean for the Wallabies?
Well, for starters, by the time they play their first game, they could be taking on a Springbok side hell-bent on redemption in the Tri-Nations.
That’s a worry. Not nearly as worrying, though, as how red-hot the All Blacks might be by then.
What the Wallabies have to do is use space to their advantage. In some respects, it will just mean going back to the same attacking mindset from the first Test against England, but generally it’s going to mean playing a whole lot wider than they did in the June Tests.
For Luke Burgess and Will Genia, it’s going to mean taking a leaf out of the All Black No.9’s book, and play the pick-and-drive runner one defender wider.
Likewise, the forward runners can’t just lope at the back of the ruck and charge into the defence off flat feet. Use the space; find the width and depth, and trust the pass.
And on that topic, trusting the pass is something Matt Giteau needs to do if he manages to hold his inside centre spot. Whether it’s Giteau, Berrick Barnes, or even Wallaby squad newbie Anthony Faingaa at inside, they all need to find the space out wider and let flyhalf Quade Cooper hit them with his outstanding long pass.
And once Cooper does find them, do the right thing by the pass and stay straight, rather than running laterally.
If Kurtley Beale is reading this (and I can’t think why he wouldn’t be) ‘use the space’ does not give you licence to fluff through pointless little kicks, like the one you bombed a certain try against Ireland with.
For you, it means finding yourself in the correct position at fullback (assuming that’s where you play), running at gaps, and utilising the space with your wingers on counter-attack and kick return.
I wrote some months back about the Australian Super 14 teams needing “a dose of the Reds”, and this could easily apply to the Wallabies now too, as they start developing their Tri-Nations game plans. This is actually a point many Roarers – especially the Queenslanders amongst us – have been quick to make since watching the All Blacks’ impressive Springbok-demolition on Saturday night.
And with good reason too. All the best games of rugby this season have been those where teams have used the space available. We’ve seen glimpses of it from the Wallabies, but of late, they’ve reverted to the same play of finding the inside runner.
Use the space, look to the outside too.
Space may well be the final frontier for the Wallabies, but it is already playing a major role in the Tri-Nations. If the Wallabies are to be a chance, let’s just hope it doesn’t take a lifetime to find it.
darwin stubby
Guest
Not at all RR - merely trying to point out the facts - this is wHat Wayne Smith (AB coach, not the one in the Australian) has said: "No-one had taken their eye off Saturday's test against South Africa, but Smith said the side's performance in the Tri-Nations opener had not been conjured up in a week. "We had a vision of how we want to play and we held true to that all of last year and it didn't come off all of the time," he said. "I remember we were branded reckless and irresponsible over in South Africa. "We knew what we wanted to do, but we didn't come up to the levels. The laws weren't helping us, but we had a feeling about where the game needed to go. "It was never going to survive as it was and we didn't think it would motivate our players anyway, so we swam against the current to an extent."
Ai Rui Sheng
Guest
As the All Blacks will play in Australia twice, you will need to find and employ Suzie. Mind you, given that they were poisoned, they should have won but for a couple of poor kicks by Merhts.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
RW, Thanks
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
Isn't it the mantra of all good coaches?.........deny the opposition time and space.
Jason
Guest
For sure you're both correct about counter attacking. But the Springbok were remarkably lazy last weekend. Their kick chase was unusually bad and they had poor discipline in maintaining a line. I expect to see a much more disciplined effort from them this weekend. They won't afford the All Blacks that time and space again.
Ben S
Roar Guru
'Besides I think unorthodox selections can be very effective, and seem pretty rare these days. No one would have thought Hook would move to 13' James Hook played 10, 12, 13 & 15 for the Ospreys before he ever did for Wales.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Am I to believe that the Wallaby forwards aren't good enough to beat the All Blacks? If that's the case, then why don't the Wallabies forfeit the rest of their games this season?
sheek
Guest
Brett, While I understand where Gregan was coming from re passion being over-rated, his was a bad look on the rugby pitch. The problem with Gregan is that he didn't appear to enjoy his rugby anymore. It was a job - clock-on at the start, clock-off at full-time. He had played the game long enough to do his job efficiently, but not one iota more. The experts talk about "controlled aggression". Controlled passion is basically the same principle.
sheek
Guest
Jason, Just to be difficult (or play devil's advocate), counter-attacking isn't technically done from a front-foot situation. Counter-attacking is either done from the deep, or when flat-footed in defence. Either way, it's about quickly seizing the initiative. But essentially, you're right - basically go-forward eventually creates the space.
sheek
Guest
And to think Sam, Both teams will have to start from scratch again this Saturday. Each different game is a new opportunity, where the team that learns its lessons the best, will prevail.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
The loop is alive and well with the Irish team. I counted at least 3 in the test match against Australia last June.
Jason
Guest
I agree with the rest of your article Brett, just the premise that is at fault. There's no space without front foot ball.
Brett McKay
Expert
Jason, at least you read the first paragraph....
Jason
Guest
"After watching the first Tri-Nations game on Saturday night from Auckland, it became apparent to me that the key to winning the hardest rugby tournament in the world is something of which we’ve all been craving to see more: Space." No, the key to winning is forward dominance. Passing the ball from one side to the other means nothing if you aren't going forward.
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Chrisa that is all that I feel is missing from this Wallaby side, which is big uncomprimising forwards. Take Horwill, Palu and Polata, these guys hurt when they tackle and certainly don't take a backward step. Combining those three with Elsom and Simmons or Samo the Wallabies would have have a dramatic turnaround and although we won't see that until the NH tour you can be gauranteed they will make up the pack with Robinson and Alexander followed by the reserves of Slipper, Daley, Moore, Sharpe and either Van Humphries or the ghost, Vickerman. The positive I take from these guys not being in presently is that they would have had a good six months off rugby more than their counterparts so expect them to be chomping come NH tour and 2011. You also have some young guys getting internationals way earlier than you expected but when is the right time to blood someone?
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Greg Growden, the only person cooler than him is his reflection. Just ask one off Greg's friends and they will tell you, you know, the ones that give him all the good oil on things negative about the Aussie rugby scene.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Brett,mark my words..."is a simple game" will come back to haunt you when you are older. At the elite level it(rugby,cricket) becomes a game of high precision, skill and doing the same thing under pressure..again and again. It is simple when it all comes together and it can be a little thing like the kick chase or backing up the throw from a fielder. Both Rugby and Cricket played at high intensity levels between two evenly matched teams(contest) for the right reasons(and I'm not talking tv rights) gives it the context. A really good thread this and full of considered and thoughtful opinion. A credit to you and the posters. I was specially impressed by Sheek and Sam. Very edifying.
Red Rooster
Guest
Darwin - I smiled when i read this - Other people keep saying it and you are determined to not give anyone any credit, unless they are kiwis of course
sheek
Guest
Wix, True. It was 1927/28 Waratahs Cyril Towers & Wally Meagher who brought back the blueprint of the running game to Randwick. However, the flat backline has many potential fathers claiming paternity. I think Otago may have been the first to try it on a regular, organised scale. It was reprised by Randwick with the Ellas. Towers & Meagher were aware of the flat backline theory, & Towers constantly preached it, but until the Ellas came along, there probably wasn't anyone game enough to play it consistently! Indeed, I read somewhere that the original genesis of the flat backline probably originated in Scotland of all places. Who would have believed that! However, the Scots were also the original architects of 7s rugby.....
sheek
Guest
Hoy, Unfortunately, historically, we've been weak at the scrum. A strong Wallaby scrum has usually been the exception rather than the rule. Australian rugby needs a massive cultural shift. Sad but true.....