Another ‘get out of jail free’ card was used by the All Blacks on Saturday night, as once again they somehow managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
It was an escape Harry Houdini himself would have been proud of, and eerily similar to the victory against the Irish in Dublin last year.
One thing is for certain when watching this All Blacks side play, and that is no matter how long is left on the clock, you can never count them out. However Saturday night’s victory risks overshadowing a very ordinary display by the men in black.
That’s not taking anything away from the Wallabies, who fought tooth and nail for the victory, however the All Black display had all the hallmarks of just going through the motions.
The All Blacks looked flat. Their was a tendency to just shovel the ball, which played into Wallaby hands. In rugby, you have to earn the right to go wide and in the first 60 minutes the All Blacks didn’t earn that right. Aggression at the breakdown was lacking, the collisions were weak and there was no directness in their play. Sure, the All Blacks have the arsenal to strike from anywhere, but that doesn’t mean that they have to try from everywhere.
Malakai Fekitoa has been one of the finds of the season but he struggled massively in Brisbane and it’s hard to recall a time when the All Black midfield has looked so listless. Ma’a Nonu has plenty of detractors but Saturday was case in point of how valuable he has been and will continue to be in 2015 for this All Black side.
They say great teams win even when they play poorly, and to some extent this rings true. Over the past few seasons, the All Blacks have mastered the art of winning, pulling out plenty of seemingly unlikely victories even when playing decidedly sub par. The 2014 season has shown however that the gap between the All Blacks and the chasing pack is narrowing.
Sure the All Blacks have only lost once this year but there have been numerous close calls. The first Test versus England, South Africa in Wellington, Australia in Sydney and in Brisbane could all have easily gone the other way. In fact a win to the Wallabies on Saturday would have meant a drawn Bledisloe series, and when you consider the strength of this current Australian side, what does that say about the All Blacks?
With 12 months to go until the World Cup New Zealand, England, South Africa and Ireland are the front runners. Of course France can never be counted out, nor can Australia or Wales, but the group of death will be too much for the latter two, with the runner-up of that pool then going on to likely face the Springboks in the quarter final, stuff of nightmares.
The spring internationals will be fascinating. Despite the disarray in the Wallaby camp, they should get up and beat the Welsh first up. They will be battle hardened and up against a rusty Welsh side, albeit buoyed on by a fan-base desperate to strike a blow before 2015.
It will get harder from there for the Wallabies and I expect them to lose to the English at home. France and Ireland will be difficult and those games will not just be titanic but revealing also.
The All Blacks have an easier tour than their Rugby Championship rivals, with the USA and Scotland thrown in among England and Wales. The Test against England will be monumental but the All Blacks should get in what will be England’s first Test of the season.
The English will be targeting the Springboks in what is the only scalp they have yet to claim in Stuart Lancaster’s reign. The Springboks, as they showed in Wellington and Johannesburg this year, are breathing down the All Blacks’ necks at the summit of world rugby; they will want to continue on their rise.
Rugby World Cups are growing closer and closer, teams are now equally prepared and margins between winning and losing can be minuscule. As we saw during the course of this season while the All Blacks still lead the way, the gap is closing at the top.
frisky
Guest
Is it my imagination? or did the AB play better with 14 men?
Aidan Loveridge
Roar Pro
He was the one doing the smashing his defence was immense. Although i prefer Kaino also. Hes a proffesional rugby player i think he knows how to run with the ball and whether your upright or not even the biggest men get smashed sometimes its part of the sport
Hmmm, those last 15 minutes suggest otherwise.
Mike
Guest
Ah right. And what did they do in Sydney? I do wish you coached the All Blacks :)
His Bobness
Guest
They hit rucks in Auckland. They didn't in Brisbane because it was a meaningless test. Why is that hard to understand. Oh, and they won. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Mike
Guest
"They weren’t commiting to rucks because they have an eye on the end of year tour...." So.... something like this: R: Hey Kieran, let's hit that ruck. K: What? Oh sorry, Richie, I was thinking about the end of year tour. R; I know what you mean mate. Every time there's a ruck I just have to force myself to concentrate - its so hard! All I can think about is when we play USA in Chicago. K. Yeah. I just can't concentrate on the Wallabies when I know we've got that tour coming up. Seriously, his Bobness, you have got to pass around whatever you are smoking.
His Bobness
Guest
That's 2003 when the Wallabies last held the Bledisloe?
His Bobness
Guest
Oh please. The All Blacks were listless in Brisbane because it was a dead rubber and the third Bledisloe is a money making event for the ARU. They weren't commiting to rucks because they have an eye on the end of year tour. You saw when the yellow card was given how they rallied and stepped up three gears. The Wallabies, by contrast, had everything to play for after the week from hell. Yes, there have been some close games in recent months, but you always have the feeling they have the capacity to intensitfy their efforts if required. Consider also the absence of key people like Woodcock, Nonu, Carter and (in Brisbane) Ben Smith.. They had it in them to win the game and win the game they did, albeit only just.
Wii
Guest
The only thing oddly thought out was your interpretation of what I wrote. What I mentioned was the Wallabies played at the best we have seen them all year and with the current team I doubt they could play much better.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
There is a famous saying that "You are only as good as your last game" How many games since Australia won anything? Right I thought so
Phantom
Roar Rookie
1 in a row.
djackedinc
Guest
How about you win one at home.
djackedinc
Guest
No team will stay with this. 15. B.Smith. 14. Piatau. 13. C.Smith. 12. Nonu/. 11. Savea. 10. Cater. 9. Smith. 8. Reid. 7. McCaw. 6. Kaino. 5. Whitelock. 4. retallick. 3. Franks. 2.coles. 1. Woodcock. Reserves. SBW. Romano. Crockett. Cane. Etc. No team in light years. Gap closed my left buttock!!
Toadflax
Guest
Oh - and once you mange to win a RWC away from home we might listen. Once you do it twice we'll respect you in the morning
Toadflax
Guest
Yes, Yes, Keep on saying it boys - and then think back to 2003
ohtani's jacket
Guest
One foot on the plane for the EOYT or the RWC that's the question. We seem bored.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
The only thing that needs to change is more focus on ball retention and less selection based on personal relationships over form.
Chan Wee
Guest
@ DC-NZ : I think it was Stephen Waugh who said that it is very had to get motivated for a dead - rubber. He went on to say the mindset at the begining odf a series was to not let the opposition in or give the slightest sniff of even a draw; just make sure the series is secure first and foremost. after that the experimenting and capping young players and all that happened. no doubt NZ want to win each and every match but knowing they got RC and BC in the cupboard may just make them relax that much...
Chan Wee
Guest
Kaino may be not in the same form as 2011 but he is still better than any other 6 in NZ - including Messa , Whitelock , Shields, Edwards , Luatua.... it was unfortunate he got a bad injury. same goes for Read - after injury he has been bettered by Vermulean. Romano if it will be tamong the top 3. again a bad injury when he was the starter. the guys NZ leave at home could play for most other nations - likes of Matt Todd, Dom Bird, Slade, Saili, Halai.....
Chan Wee
Guest
not correct to say Cane and Piutau and others are "C" team players. they are the reserves so maybe "B". "C" team would be those left behind and called up if there is an emergency - Like Stephen Donald :)