I read something somewhere that went something like this: “It isn’t violence that scares people, but the degree of violence. How far are you willing to go to achieve your goal?”
If anyone can source the original quote, I will give you 26% of the internet.
Despite my butchering of that quote, I believe the original essence is there.
The US Army gave a very public demonstration of this very same sentiment with their shock and awe campaigns and it also more or less encapsulates the Springbok mantra.
This, I believe, is the short term way forward for the Wallabies.
There are quite a few battlegrounds in our beautiful game and I tried to present as many of them as I could for the first Bledisloe.
That said, there is none more important than the breakdown. We can argue about who dominated the scrums, who bossed the lineouts, who made more linebreaks etc until the cows come home but none of them have the same influence on a game as consistently as the breakdowns do.
When people talk about 80 minute performances, this is what they are talking about.
The ability to hit a breakdown in the 81st minute with the same aggression as in the third minute is a priceless one and not many have it.
The reason why the All Blacks have been respected and feared in world rugby for over a hundred years is because of this one particular quality.
Until the ref blows for fulltime, they are coming and they are going to keep coming. Hard.
Due to a grievous miscalculation of both the traffic conditions downtown (heavier than thought) and my own driving ability (more Postman Pat than Fernando Alonso), I managed to miss the first 27mins of the game.
Completely missed Stephen Moore’s non-try and therefore cannot comment on it. What I can do though is offer this thought.
There are two ways you can approach the problem of having a overenthusiastic No.8 at the base of ruck with his hands all over your scrum half.
Raise your hand and complain to the referee when he gives you permission to do so, or you can drop your shoulder and the belt the No.8. Hard.
The degree of violence you are willing to inflict, within the laws of the game of course, on your opponent announces that you are here to play. The desire you have to win.
The lengths you would go to help your mates.
The absolute determination you have to bring that cup home.
The pride you have when you wear your country’s jersey.
The All Blacks have distilled these values and concentrated them into the blackness of that jersey and this is one of the main reasons why they are so successful.
Case in point? The biggest difference for me in that second half was what happened with the loose ball.
The ABs chased every single loose ball down and secured possession regardless of where the ball was lost. I was super impressed and so proud to see that.
The way forward for the Wallabies is fairly clear.
England had the right of it last year when they smashed the All Blacks off their own ball and I am absolutely staggered that McKenzie has not even tried to bring in parts of that English gameplan.
It is essentially a very simple plan, pick at least four forwards with the heart to go flat out for the 80 mins or be replaced by someone on the bench who can replicate it.
Get the forwards working together in a coordinated fashion and see the difference it’ll make.
Garth
Guest
If you remember how England celebrated that draw, you'd think they HAD won.
atlas
Guest
don't exaggerate! Seventh win from 35 played (one draw)
atlas
Guest
don't leave out the props - they have three for 2014 all currently playing in NZ's ITM Cup Hawke's Bay: Max Lahiff (ex London Irish) Waikato: Toby Smith (4 seasons Chiefs, 5 seasons Waikato) and Paul Alo-Emile (Rebels) Since Ged Robinson left - who are the hookers? Though suspect he may return to them.
Garth
Guest
“Remember thou it is far holier to give than to receive.” - AB legend, Michael Jones, in an interview after being asked how his religious beliefs interacted with his playing rugby. Whereas most of his opponents seemed to be saying (praying?): "For what we are about to receive, may we be truly grateful."
Wardad
Guest
Kevin Skinner in the 56' Boks tour of NZ was the ultimate enforcer ,bought in after the deliberate crippling of a young NZ forward in the 1st test , the culprits were both sorted within the first 2 scrums in the 2nd .
Ra
Guest
Tana Umaga bleated it first bro
Minz
Guest
As I recall, the mature and adult McCaw got his own back with a sly elbow to Cooper's head some time later. Why people believe the ABs don't engage in niggle is beyond me!
Chan Wee
Guest
Reid is too small to be a 6. look at the corresponding in NZ - Messam , Luatua , Whitelock SA - Alberts , Kruger . they make brock lesner look small. fardy did play well at 6 in patches, but his 2nd row instincts came out much more. mowen played at 6 well against the BILs. problem again is he plays at 8 for S15. only highly skilled can switch to different roles. best example i have is read; the best 8 by a country ile in world rugby hardly plays at 6 or 2nd row , even when the bench is used. in a simillar vein look at carter and dagg. carter definitely can be a full back and dagg a fly half but have u seen it in televised rugby? if players stick to limited options they can improve their skills set and reduce the confusion. best example is freddi michelak, plys as fly half and scrum half but always comes out the second best. and cops all the blame the most important point is what is between the ears. lutua for example is not violent uthe showed the skills in the build up to 2nd try. broke thru and got tackled by joc; reeased the ball got up and picked it up, then turned to AB side and presented the ball o oncoming smith. all that just 2m out from try line. that is skill and using the brain more to suit the situation.
Peugeot
Guest
I don't think S Timani has it between the ears, unfortunately. He's been tried at both lock and 6 and doesn't get through anywhere near enough work. Nor is he any sort of pack leader. He doesn't have the "mental" drive to be authoritative. Potential is worthless unless it's realised. I didn't see the Uni game, but mentioned J Reid as a standout the week before. No here's a young man with drive, mongrel AND smarts. I wonder whether he could be a 6 since we have a few decent 7's. Just on that club game the week before last, while Reid was everywhere, L Timani and C Neville looked ponderous and unproductive. Maybe the Rebels can draw something positive from them that isn't evident at the moment.. Australian rugby needs these guys to grow.
Ralph
Guest
Even consistently slow possession can cause a real problem.
peterlala
Guest
Bruticus, you are right. Rugby is violence. Years ago I saw a T-shirt that said, Rugby: elegant violence.
Ian
Guest
Was thinking Faingaa would out Fuglistaller, but now after Reid against a Super Rugby filled Uni team, I'm leaning towards him outing them both.
Mike
Guest
Jokerman, when you write stuff like this: "The All Blacks are amazing. One of those reasons is the depth in their psyche. ... It’s their depth of a true warrior and it derives from the heart, a far deeper place than the mind. ... McCaw played it out like an evolved true gladiator." I just have visions of Gerard Butler in '300' parading around in a loin cloth with CGI enhanced abs. Or Sean Maquire in 'Meet the Spartans'.
Markus
Guest
I'd expect both to struggle to get a start at 7 over Colby Faingaa.
I think perhaps the more prudent word is aggression and not violence. But either way, without aggression you have no chance at the breakdowns, simple as that.
Bryce went the other way, he made no rulings. ;)
Dsat24
Guest
No excuses hey... so Bryce Lawrence was right in his rulings in that quarter final in 2011. OK pretty extreme example :)
Mike
Guest
Why compare Cooper with McCaw? Not that I am suggesting that you would skew your comparison in order to arrive at a pre-determined result.... ;) If you are going to draw comparison, why not McCaw to Horwill (captain to captain), or McCaw to Pocock (flanker to flanker)? Where does your comparison stand then? Anyway, I thought we were discussing "violence"? You apparently want to define the V-word to mean something more than hard rucking by Thorn, Bakkies or Vicks, in which case even the most ardent Cooper-critic would have to admit that his niggles just don't rate (insult to Thornie et al to suggest that they do). "The All Blacks are amazing. One of those reasons is the depth in their psyche. And even that is too surface, as psych refers to mind. It’s their depth of a true warrior ..." Oh give me a break. I'm not an American tourist. I have plenty of respect for the ABs as you would be aware, but they are not gods. Although I suppose if we are doing comparisons we could, e.g. compare Brian O'Driscoll to Tana Umaga. Or Richard Loe to Paul Carozza. ;)
Jokerman
Guest
I understand, Mike you have to have enforcers. But it is like the Police, they have to exert their authority and physicality in the situations that call for it. But they are not violent. The All Blacks are amazing. One of those reasons is the depth in their psyche. And even that is too surface, as psych refers to mind. It's their depth of a true warrior and it derives from the heart, a far deeper place than the mind. The best comparison I can give is Cooper vs McCaw, boy vs man. One was in his head and ego. McCaw played it out like an evolved true gladiator.
Daz
Guest
Maybe it's time our boys went back to basics and took some solace and wisdom from the original rugby manual. "Remember thou it is far holier to give than to receive." Failing that a more caring, environmentally friendly approach might work. As a schoollboy coach who was more than a handy footballer for Australia himself used to say "blood makes the grass grow."