All Blacks frustrated by opposition go-slow

Fair call Birdy and I think fundamentally we agree here. For what it's worth though, Kiwi Rugby fans don't need Steve Hansen to wind them up about the frustration surrounding slowing down a game. Super Rugby is played at pace and generally is fast open Rugby hence the reason the SH Teams like to play the game at pace, it's what they are used too and as a fan of SH Rugby it's what I like to watch. Therefore when I see the constant cynical going down for injuries, little conferences prior to the Line Out, doing up boot laces prior to Scrums etc I get annoyed with it. It's as much about the spoiling of the game for me as any annoyance for the All Blacks

Can understand it being a tactic though. If theres enough 'slowing down' during a match that '80 minutes' that few teams can stay with the AB's becomes 60 as a result. But I agree it can backfie. If all 15 are constantly thinking of ways to slow the game down they could find themselves standing behind the goal line with that train of thought.

Yes OB, it's a whinge. The ABs and their fans are getting rather good at it, heaven forbid that they actually lose a match...

I think there are a few different things all wrapped up in one, here WQ. If you watch the NH club games the teams throwing in tend to have a quick 'conference' before hand - it's not something wheeled out only when the ABs are in town. I suspect, though, that many teams seek to slow the tempo of the game down against the ABs, particularly if they sense it annoys them. Every team seeks any advantage they can. The ABs, for example, have come to the sensible conclusion that maintaining a high tempo game is to their advantage as they think they can profit from it in the last 10 against most teams. Hence, they'll try to keep the game fast until it's not to their advantage like when a team scores a try to bring the scores close with 1 min left. Then they'll limp back to the half way line like their feet have ben nailed to the turf - and fair play to them, If they tried to restart the game in those circumstances at normal speed they'd be mad. The wider point is the pattern that this latest 'row' reveals again. Steve Hansen at the start and end of a big series always identifies the latest 'blight on the game'. Strangely enough these are always issues that the ABs find inconvenient at particular times. He's a good coach and knows he can rely on the fruitcakes and obsessives that form a proportion of the Kiwi rugby media and fan base to work themselves up into a frenzy so that whatever the ABs find mildly inconvenient at any particular time escalates to the 'biggest issue facing the game'. He's a smart cookie.

8:20 time stopped for lock I think about a minute before scrum. 10:30 time stoped for number 9 for about 40 seconds before scrum. 13:43 time stopped for number 4 for about 1 minute before lineout. 24:11 time stopped for what seems like number 9 time not started for about 50 seconds not untill scrum is set first time stopped while Ab's have ball still wales injury break. 27:39 time stopped for number 2 for About 36 seconds New Zealand feed into the scrum. 28:42 time stopped to have a chat to1 for repeated scrum infringements probably first legit stoppage. So I didn't time. 30:43 time stopped 3 about scrum might be legit . 35:31 time stopped 3 Second time his knee is rubbed with ice for a few seconds stopped for 50 seconds stays on field. 8 stoppages first half 4 could be legit involve Prop and hooker but seems a bit strange the timing of the injuries. 49:52 time stopped to check foul play. 51:25 time stopped for 10 and 9 for 43 seconds. 55:38 time stopped subs 56:12 time stopped for 9 he goes off 61:42 time stopped for subs. 70:20 time stopped for subs 72:01 time stopped for subs 73:50 time stopped for subs 75:00 time stopped for ref gives warning to 21 for foul language. 76:01 time stopped for 17 who has injury is taken off. 76:32 time stopped to check try In the second half their are 11 stoppages, 1 of those seems 10 of which are legit.

Yes it doesnt just give the team slowing down a break , but it does break up momentum and rhythm . Still gets them beat though ,when playing the ABS anyway .Notice when England beat NZ they were all hustle when they were on the attack ? Nobody lying around ''injured ''' no long huddles and the like.

Poor non ABS ,too fat slow or tired to get on with the game .

Good one Shane ! Make em hang their heads too .....

Its not as though they go into a huddle for every line pout , more like taking the line out rather than the quick throw in kinda thang .. This feigning injury is really on the bloody nose though and belongs back on a soccer pitch ,one of the reasons I loathe that game .

Birdy if I didn't know you better I would suspect you are trying to compare the ridiculous amount of time wasting that the NH Teams have layed on in the last 3 weeks of Test Rugby to the occasional occurrence offered by the All Blacks. Quite simply the NH Teams see this as an opportunity to upset the All Blacks rhythm and slow the game down to a pace that allows them to compete for 80mins. It's smart Birdy and so far the Referees have allowed it to go on so why not? They either need to be able to go hard at the All Blacks and play Rugby like the Springboks do and beat them at their own game, or spoil and slow the game down to a pace they can handle. It's not rocket science and I guess given their skill set and fitness levels they choose to try the later. I'd like to see the Referees identify this for exactly what it is, cynical play and subsequently penalise them for it.

I thought the Scotland game was actually noticeably worse.

I think Dagg is on the outer and for good reason. His form has been too patchy. A kicking game isn't enough, when Ben Smith is more than competent with the boot.

Alternatively, they could have been doing what every team in international rugby has always done which is waste time when it suits them.

the IRB implimented changes to make the game faster, oh well suck it up brothers these crybabies don't want to play ball , so do it their way and beat them at their game, because the rest also gives you's a rest and that's more dangerous then their non compliance.

Birdy, they were just struggling to come to grips with the lottery that was happening at that point with the Referee and the decisions he was making!

It frustrates me when teams huddle and then walk to the line out. Ireland did this against us. It frustrates me when there is an injury before every set phase, Argentina do this to us every year in their home game. It frustrates me when certain opponents collapse their scrums almost every time

Ok Chris any chance to have a crack at Mccaw pure class mate.

I have no problem with teams slowing the game 'legally', i.e. keep the ball in the ruck for as long as they can, use and abuse of pick and gos, rolling mauls and so on. If you know you cant keep up with your opponents pace, play to your strength. On the other hand, cynically slowing the game at the scrum, line out etc should be punished. Its a very grey area cause players can fake an injury or talk to the ref just to gain a few precious seconds but I think refs and the WR have to be aware of these dirty tactics and keep an eye on it. And if you're caught you pay for it, dearly.

yes ,when these teams suddenly have to up-tempo they go to pieces, karma strikes back.

a little from column A and a little from column B???