Heat on All Blacks stars

Just stating the facts really. They will win their pool, quite likely win their quarter final and then anything could happen. If it doesn't then I for one will stand and thank them for the best 10 years of being a Rugby fane that any supporters have ever enjoyed!

The team was rotated over four tests. If this had been a regular RC year we would have played a more consistent line-up and probably won.

RT I agree but that non-commitment allowed the pack, to overcome their opposition, from the 60min mark. You must realise that it was par for the course if, the ABs came second, in the possession stats - what was more important IMO, was their aerobic and physical fitness for those last 20mins or so. It has been a winning formula that very few opposing teams have tried to overcome - 3 losses and a couple of draws in 50+ matches, bear testament to that. What I believe happened last weekend is we went in with an aerobic intent but forgot or perhaps, were instructed to down-play, the physicality, to succeed in those last 20mins. That was the wrong plan if the ABs had intentions of dominating the last 20mins because you also gain an aerobic advantage, if you go out with an intention to knock the stuffing, out of your opposition. The ABs didn't do that - they played the game with loose intent and quite frankly, they got spanked because they did not have any physicality, to achieve front foot ball. You can't play this game to succeed when you're retiring behind the gain-line in the whole match....and, that's exactly what we saw - the ABs being caught,behind the gain-line. Anyway, the WBs are bracing themselves for some AB physicality - so, it is now in the laps of the blokes numbered 1 to 8, for both sides, because I do believe, the winning of this match will be with the team that wins the physical battle, this weekend. Everything else, will be like a formality, after that battle.

OB, good comment and you are right. I had put a lot of faith in DC but there is something not clicking ... dunno what is it. I believe his injury issues are behind him when he dropped off those extra kilos the Coaches asked him to put on, stressing his body (he never got injured in his early days at his natural playing weight). I also don't believe he has lost his vision but .... but...

Haha! .. He was the coach of the Chiefs forever! But you are right RO, he never achieved anything at the level that I am aware of.

OB, The AB's adopted the game plan of not committing too many players to the ruck pre 2011, mounting offensive from defence. They really haven't changed, so they have played the same or similar game plan for a few years and unless that 'target is moving' the opposition can pick it to bits it they have the cattle (which most of the tier one countries do). I don't think it is a coincidence that we were taken to the cleaners by the Boks and the Wallabies this year and even the Puma's had their moments. Last year we were beaten by the Boks and should have lost at Suncorp because of the breakdown battles. What are our 'progressive coaches' thinking? Sir Graham Henry was an innovator, a thinker and strategist ... his strength. Lets face it. a bad loss (and it was that) signals a time to review as to why ...

When guys are obviously on the steady decline and haven't played to All Black standards in 12 months and have lost an RC in that period you have to question why

Interesting loyalty argument there WQ. Should the pressure to drop Carter be tempered with sentiment? If so , the 10 on the bench should be Hansen's first choice for the cup. Wow, I can't believe I'm on the Roar, giving sage, unsolicited advice on NZ team selections.

A quick note to All Black supporters, be real we cannot win every Test Match forever!! When we lose a Test Match as long as we force our opposition to play their very best then we will continue to win more than we lose. The All Blacks have quality right across the paddock, in every position. If the likes of Ritchie McCaw, Dan Carter, Tony Woodcock, Kevin Mealamu, Conrad Smith etc are in fact in decline well too bad. They will win their pool regardless and who knows from there they will only be two wins away from a RWC2015 final and I would back them to win it against any Team that they potentially could face. If they don't then who cares they deserve the right to play out their careers however they want given the absolute pleasure they have provided over a decade or more.

Agreed

"If we head into the world cup with the plan being to play the tried n true regardless of form we will not come close." Yes, you will. NZ'ers are getting a bit hysterical here. It's one single loss. The All Blacks are still the top team. Almost every NZ player would stroll into every other countries first xv. The "tried n true" have lost what? Twice in 2 years?, Both away, to the 2 teams who have beaten you more than anyone else. I think you guys need a bit of perspective. It's not as if you're being beaten mid-season by England, Wales or Ireland.

RF I firmly believe that if the ABs played a game plan that endeavoured to remove the twins impact, that endeavoured to monitor and overcome the rush defence that the WBs brought to the match and endeavoured to provide a physical response to the WBs tactics and they still lost, then I also believe the AB supporters would not be so critical but, more concerned than anything else. Concerned because we would've seen the ABs playing their best without success and hence the worry would be what can the coaching group do about it. However, what we saw last Saturday was an AB response that lacked venom, lacked intention, lacked physicality and lacked smarts because the WBs played with all of those and pressured the ABs, throughout. AB supporters are critical of not only the AB game plan, overall response but possibly, the sheer arrogance to try and run the ball against a WB loose forward combination, that attacked and defended across the park, like there was no tomorrow. That is why IMO, most kiwis are critical of the ABs - they were getting a lesson in tactics, that they have shown previously, they are quite capable of responding to.....except, they just did't look like they could hence, the criticism.

RT I don't know if Hansen's game plan is floored - you maybe right but, I'd like to think it was just the wrong plan against an opposition team, that was named. He knew Simmons wasn't going to play. He anticipated the twins both on the field. So surely, between the coaching team, they must've realised that the WB's would need to choose a locking pair that would at the very least, try for line-out & scrum parity. If he anticipated a Horwill/Mumm pair, then surely he could anticipate that the ABs had to play a physical forward game to take the potentially light-weight WB pack, out of the match. Well, what we saw was a loose game from the ABs with their first intent being to move the ball and subsequent point of contact amongst the forwards, away from the set-pieces and rucks. In hindsight, that plan actually played right into the WB's defence mechanism and enabled their defence screen, to slide and tackle, at will. It also clogged the mid-field and when the WB's performed an outside-inward defence plan, all of a sudden, the ABs were running into themselves and providing opportunities for the WB tacklers to choose their moments, before committing to the inevitable ruck. So, what's his plans for this coming weekend......that's simple - they will not want to be embarrassed a second time, so my guess is they will improve their physical approach, across the paddock and irrespective of who he chooses, to play. Stay aware to play whats in front and if the opportunity arises, then give the ball some air. But, they have to remove the potential threat of the twins impact and that can only come IMO, from a physical game plan.

I think everyone in NZ needs to chill. So they lose 10% of their games, winning about 95% of their home games. We're not talking about cyborgs here, they are human and they're humans from just 5 super rugby teams who get beaten plenty of times during the season. I very much think the wallabies brought the game down to their level and made it a scrappy affair. Good on the wallabies for doing this, but not a bad thing for the AB's.

A dead rubber. We had the must win test on the weekend and lost. Now we have another must win test and will now miss out on giving much needed opportunities to form players in preparation for selecting a suitable 31 man squad in favor of letting players who don't need game timetable a chance to redeem themselves. We are in this situation because we lost on the weekend, only Skudder and Romano were what can be argued as second string and Romano is now in our top 23 so he needs game time. Skudder was arguably the best AB on the paddock. So basically ur blaming Romano for our loss.

Jokerman how many of those core players are playing better rugby now then three years ago or even last year? Nonu. That's it. It wouldn't be an issue if we had seen glimpses of form from some of our key players but sadly a few of them haven't shown they can still reach those heights. Seriously when do we take the hint? Losing the RC and jeopardizing the Bledisloe and possibly inclusion in the WC squad wasn't enough for many of them to lift, short of a smack over the head what more of a sign do we need?

If we head into the world cup with the plan being to play the tried n true regardless of form we will not come close. I don't care who is in our team names don't mean a thing its all about who are currently the best 31 and then 23 players in NZ. Currently names are making the majority of this side not form. This is when everyone should be peaking we are one game out from the WC. Hansen has effectively shown his hand already with so many fresher legs unseen or underutilized it's obvious what the plan is.

Under achieving and turning forwards into extra backs.

RT/t-man You both know how much I've been in Cruden's corner especially last year when we had "Alarm-gate", that saw him drop from Hansen's playing list. If that didn't knock the stuffing out of any player's confidence, let alone Cruden's, then I'll go back to work instead of enjoying, some retirement. But having said that, Hansen has given all but Slade, a chance to prove themselves e.g. BB last year and DC recently. He has never gone out on a limb and announced that Slade will be the "anointed one", which perhaps, is one reason why Slade decided on the NH league after RWC.....who knows?? So, once Cruden went down, he's now left with DC and BB and Sopa flying down the outside. We all know now that BB is not a starting FH but DC....?? I can't put my finger on it but surely, it can't be a skills issue. If not, then is it temperament or just down right "father time" catching up?? Whatever it is, he hasn't shown any consistency to convince me that he is deserving of leading this side around the traps. If he was able to put together 2 maybe 3 matches of consistent play to lead the ABs around, then I would be in his corner, swatting away all and sundry.....IMO, he hasn't done that and consequently, I have difficulty arguing his position. If he gets an opportunity this week, then his forward pack needs to show some physicality and front foot ball for DC to express his abilities otherwise, if the forwards have another lame showing as they did last weekend, then I can see DC having no effect at all on leading the side, across the paddock. Fair critique or not...?? It doesn't really matter whether I blow my trumpet, blow wind in his sails or otherwise - the important factor is DC needs to show consistency to convince himself, Hansen and the team, that he can lead this side from FH. I'm sure he's very much aware of this aspect of his play so if he does run-on, then good luck DC but for everyone's sake, good luck to the pack who will just as importantly, need to step up and be counted.

What is Foster's background?