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.
JimmyB
Guest
Funny..we absolutely saw Hansen come out going on about the opposition and trying to influence the ref. not sure if it's his usual BS or if he's genuinely rattled. Can't help feeling that it wouldn't matter what words come out of the poms mouths they'd be the wrong ones. Right?!
JimmyB
Guest
You make a valid point, someone should look into that.
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
My bad Sam. Point is they don't put two shockers in a row together and expect a backlash from the bad press and cocky English players who think AB rugby is wavering.
One eyed jack
Guest
The real conspiracy is how NZ with its vast resources and huge population is in a postion to influence and corrupt IRB officialdom to the extent that all referees feel obligated to ensure that the All Blacks win every match. No win, no envelope stuffed with cash and the referes career will be prompmtly terminated. it is truely unfair that such a colossus can use it's wealth and tv market to guarantee wins against the smaller, weaker, poorer rugby nations like Eng and SA. It's rort I tell yah!
Old Bugger
Guest
always have one after me daily round of golf and a couple of handles in the club after me round. btw, did you see the AB side for this weekend?? Shag's loyalty and last chance saloon for some selections.
kelefua
Guest
Yep another game where only thing ABs dominated was the scoreboard.. hopeless bunch ;)
Jerry
Guest
"However I do have a problem with describing the inclusion of the ethnic south sea islanders as “hypocracy”: the world is full of people who are born somewhere and grow up somewhere else. I have no issue with players playing for their new countries in these circumstances." He's not saying it's hypocrisy to use those players, he's saying it's hypocrisy for people who had criticised the likes of NZ & Aus for playing players of PI ethnicity to be now accepting such players in the English squad without question.
richard
Guest
The schools that offer scholarships are not sanctioned by the NZRU.There is no deliberate policy to poach talent,in the hope that they could become available for NZ.Case in point,Fekitoa came to NZ of his own volition,and went to school here to make a school team.He was never enticed here.Sivivatu came to NZ on a football scholarship,so the NZRU had nothing to do with him either.
richard
Guest
That may be,but he's pandering to an audience that can't see past the union jack.He's a mong.
Sam Taulelei
Roar Guru
Think you may have your games mixed up there KiwiDave. Last year France came close in the 1st test and then lost the second 30-0. Ireland in 2012 were towelled up in the 1st and 3rd tests but came very close to snatching a win in the second. It took a later Carter drop goal to secure the win.
Colin N
Guest
Fotuali'i chose to play for Samoa over New Zealand simply because he wasn't selected for New Zealand. He opened the season very well for the Crusaders in 2010 but Henry decided not to select him and, with him getting on in years, he knew international opportunities might be limited if he didn't opt for Samoa.
Colin N
Guest
"for reasons that have been explained so many times its beyond ridiculous, they DONT POACH from the islands" Well, I would consider offering 'rugby scholarships' for the likes of Fekitoa and Sivivatu poaching, but jt's no different to pretty much every other nation. Clermont Auvergne have a link to a Fijian club I believe and will have players who will eventually qualify for France. However, Scotland are by far the worse for poaching.
Firstxv
Guest
Funny..we didnt see Owen Franks coming out going on about the opposition, rubbishing Lancasters comments and generally finding the need to downplay the opposition. All I got from that is 'Here I am, the dumb oaf with the big 'X' on my back'
JimmyB
Guest
Get over yourself KD, if anyone needs a lesson in humility, it's you mate.
JimmyB
Guest
Well I sincerely hope so Richard, but without wishing to sound like I'm getting my excuses in early. I actually am more interested in the performances than the results in this series, although if they can marry performances with results, I'll be a very happy chappy. I also hope that we don't have to talk about the bloody referee!!
Chan Wee
Guest
with a handle like that , i'm sure u know about napping :P
DavidG
Guest
Really exciting match in prospect well previewed. However I do have a problem with describing the inclusion of the ethnic south sea islanders as "hypocracy": the world is full of people who are born somewhere and grow up somewhere else. I have no issue with players playing for their new countries in these circumstances. The vunipolas have been in the uk since age 6 and 7, tuilagi age 13. Sadly mako is unavailable on Saturday so you will have to wait for November to see him. Their rugby development is as British as it could have been - the vunipolas first moved to wales before settling in england so maybe it is the welsh who should be aggrieved. I am much less happy (Hape?) when adult professionals qualify on the grounds of residence........this stifles player development and is ultimately self defeating.
JimmyB
Guest
Those Machiavellian English, will they ever stop? I'm sure somehow they must be controlling FIFA, too, Sebb Blather is just a puppet.
Chan Wee
Guest
"" All Blacks myth exposed 11th June 2014 07:53 England prop Joe Marler says that last weekend's close result has exposed New Zealand's vulnerability ahead of the second Test in Dunedin. The Harlequins loosehead admits that he arrived in New Zealand with the perception that the All Blacks were invincible on home soil. But after England outplayed their opponents for large parts of the first Test at Eden Park, he truly believes in his team's chances of ending the hosts' 15-game unbeaten streak this weekend. "From a personal point of view I probably had the idea in my head that they're invincible," said Marler. "I've always looked on the All Blacks as year-on-year the best team in the world. "Automatically you believe they have the best players in the world from one to 15 because that's how you think. That's how I thought as a player. "When you break it down and look at them as individuals and collectively, there are 15 blokes on a field trying to do the same as you. "We went into the game at Eden Park having spent the build-up trying to get rid of this All Black myth or aura of how they are invincible. "We respect them as a team, know they have several world-class players and know they are world champions. "But Saturday helped us even further. Now we can go toe-to-toe with these guys and if we want to win we need to go that extra step. "We have to win this weekend to take it down to the last Test. We're confident that if we fine tune a few things we can push the All Blacks even closer." Marler also rubbished comments by All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen, who claimed that England had deliberately slowed the tempo on the game in Auckland by taking their time in forming scrums and line-outs. "We want to play at a high tempo and we showed that in the Six Nations when we took France, Ireland and Wales on at that sort of game," he said. "Of course they've come out and said we slow the game down. I didn't see them running to any of the scrums or line-outs quicker than us. It's not a tactic of ours to slow the game down. "As a spectator or a neutral you'd probably look at it and say it wasn't a great game to watch because there were a lot of dropped balls and set-pieces. "That's why the game was slow. It's nonsense." ""
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
Handshake video is on YouTube but my link keeps breaking down and as I don't need 30% off of animal husbandry products I didn't chase it up. How hirsute and what the dress code of the panel are not my pay grade (and I hope I never sink that low ever again) but I have to concur, they are a percipient and august gathering. Religion is Rugby, services are held most Saturdays between the Winter and Summer solstices. And that is all I am allowed to tell any Muggle.