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Hopefully now we all realise that the All Blacks are in a Test series.
The match on Saturday could have gone either way and the All Blacks will be feeling rather relieved that their record at the fortress of Eden Park remains intact.
The English on the other hand will probably be feeling the opportunity of a lifetime has been missed.
Let’s be honest though, for all the talk of it being a classic Test match – close scoreline, rugged defence and all – it was actually a rather ordinary game. Both sides made plenty of uncharacteristically handling errors and both struggled to create any real continuity in attack. It’s not often you see All Black backs drop the ball clean on first phase but it happened on more than one occasion on Saturday night.
Both teams will want to improve significantly for the second Test. England will have some notable additions to their squad, with Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood and Billy Vunipola likely to add plenty of sting to an already formidable forward pack.
Danny Care and Owen Farrell will likely come back into the halves, with both Luther Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees, the first choice midfield during the Six Nations, also available. The depth in the English squad is starting to look very impressive indeed.
Judging by the news coming out of the All Black camp, it’s unlikely Kieran Read will be available for the second Test. This would be a big blow to the All Blacks as they seek some sort of response to the English forward pack. Read is the type of player that sets the All Blacks apart, as he did at Twickenham in 2013.
Good news for the All Blacks is that Julian Savea looks like he will be ready for action this weekend. Savea is now truly world class and will provide a huge boost for the All Blacks with his strong running and power game able to get his side over the advantage line and suck in defenders.
Expect to see the All Blacks introduce new tactics in an attempt to counter the stifling English umbrella defence in the backs. The English outside backs rush up in an attempt to cut off the opposition outside backs and force them back into the narrow channels close to the rucks. The All Blacks will use Savea in particular to run the inside line from the first five in order to change the line of attack and find gaps in the English close quarter defence.
We will likely also see the pick-and-go employed more regularly by the All Black forwards, with a view to sucking in fringe English players to create chances out wide.
Speaking of Savea, isn’t it interesting to see the rise of the Pacific Island player in northern hemisphere sides. For so long the English criticised New Zealand rugby for pilfering Pacific Island talent, not taking into account that the majority of Pacific Island players in New Zealand were either born or at least raised there from a young age.
Now the likes of the Vunipola brothers and Manu Tuilagi are wearing the English rose, and those English cries seem to have disappeared. A good old serving of English hypocrisy there I’m afraid.
Back to the rugby then. With both sides strengthened, the All Blacks determined to put in a significantly better performance, the English fuelled by greater self-belief, and the New Zealand public’s lethargy shaken off, the second Test promises to be a real humdinger.
Both sides’ attack and execution will be greatly sharpened and with a dry ball and track under the roof of Forsyth Barr stadium, it should be far more of a spectacle than the first Test.
With both sides fairly evenly matched across the park, I’m predicting a single score to settle the game, with perhaps the bounce of the ball, a referee’s decision or goal-kicking accuracy to influence the final outcome.
I can’t remember anticipating a Test match in June in New Zealand this much since the Lions series in 2005. It’s all on the line, this is what Test match rugby is all about.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.