Okay, that was incredibly stressful.
With ten minutes to go my nephew allegedly knocked out the modem and I couldn’t reset it so we watched the final ten on the phone.
(Stefan disputes this and we have a full forensic inquiry being carried out which is undetermined at this stage)
Jordie Barrett delivered a boy’s own moment that was the stuff dreams are made of.
When Jordie scored within the first five minutes, the All Blacks looked on point, alas that was the most fluent they were for the remainder of the match…
The Springboks did exactly what they said they were going to do, got the All Blacks into an arm wrestle and almost pulled off a miracle.
The All Blacks handling errors and lineout were a shambles but you have to give it to the Springboks for applying a vice-like pressure.
I see the Springboks are getting it in the neck for such negative tactics but hell, you get away with what you can within the laws of the game and if it wasn’t for Tupaea’s crucial turnover and Jordie’s stunning pressure kick then the All Blacks would have been lambasted from pillar to post.
The All Blacks are receiving plenty of harsh press by the scribes and much of it is justified but the Springboks got to play most of the Test on their terms and the All Blacks played into it but won.
If I am mistaken, then winning is still what the game is all about and the All Blacks found a way. Yes, winning ugly seems to be the catchphrase around the traps.
If pressure makes diamonds then Jordie Barrett is the jewel in the All Blacks crown for this occasion.
I’d like to point out that the All Blacks were missing Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith, Anton Lienert-Brown, Dane Coles, Luke Jacobsen, Sam Cane and Richie Mo’unga.
The stats are not pretty reading for the All Blacks but again, they found a way to win when they couldn’t play much worse against a Springbok team that was suffocating and yes, their negative tactics were difficult to stomach but you play to your strengths and did what they felt was necessary to stifle the All Blacks high tempo style.
I could say the All Blacks will prove how good they are against the Springboks next week now that the enormous pressure is off them but it’s easy to say such things in predicting something that has been promised but did not happen last night…
For now, the All Blacks will take a win and some valuable lessons instead of a loss and back to the drawing board.
My of my, that was an intense edge of the seat watch, which was almost a horror story of Stephen King proportions.
Instead, the Test climaxed in a fairy tale with the prince in Jordie walking off into the sunset with the chalice in hand.
Thank you Jordie, goodnight kids, all is alright in the kingdom tonight…
docrugby
Roar Rookie
Hahaha no but nice try Horse
docrugby
Roar Rookie
Prince of pressure there sunshine. Jordie was found not guilty and the card was expunged from his record as much as that obviously upsets you...
Horseflesh
Guest
Did anyone else notice that the kick to win the game was taken by Barrett a metre or so inside of where the infringement occurred (right on the 5m tram track). Made the kick just a little bit easier. Bad miss by the ref.
Stu
Guest
Good to see JB just as good at kicking goals, as he is at kicking heads. The Barrets must be close to being the most red carded family in the history of international rugby. Is the the prince of hearts or diamonds Doc?
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Credit to JB for nailing it under great pressure. I must say that as I watched it (live) I was watching his face as he composed himself. He did not look at all confident or comfortable and I said to myself, “There’s no way he’s going to kick this.” I think a Boys’ Own finish would have seen him stride confidently back to his mark and unhesitatingly slot the deciding goal. But this was reality.
docrugby
Roar Rookie
I don't know, it's only the second piece I've ever sent in and I also titled it 'The Prince of Pressure', I also did not add 'Jordie Barrett does it again'. The piece culminated in the prince and the chalice about the fact Jordie kicked a difficult kick under incredible pressure on this momentous occasion. !00th Test over a hundred years and he is faced with that kind of pressure with a couple of minutes to go. Outstanding composure to deliver. Cheers
Tom
Guest
Probably more like a world cup finals Game. Loser would be out. Abs scraped through bit of pressure 100 th and all that. Good experience for new batch of players with couple late changes etc. Different ref interpretations.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
Just as a side note. Brumby and Hurricane fans are either laughing or cringing at the headline. He missed 2 shots at goal in the final 5 minutes in Canberra this year…
Ben
Guest
The new editor?
docrugby
Roar Rookie
I sent this in with Jordan as the try scorer but someone at their end changed it to Jordie. I don’t make mistakes like that…I was miffed too
Ben
Guest
"When Jordie scored within the first five minutes,..." Do you mean Jordan?
Bluffboy
Roar Rookie
Well said Doc. It would have made for another epic game this week for the Championship if we had of lost. But JB put an end to that concern with calm composure. Great for him but I hope he's not in that position again for my sake. But that's in the bag now, but playing the Safa's boys is always epic for me . I do wonder if the All Blacks can create a bit of a lead, would they force the Bokkes into playing with ball in hand and how much of a lead would create the forced transition.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Does Jordie play next week? Ian Foster said that no one is likely to play all 5 games in Australia. He has started all 4. Personally he is out best fullback and is the best equipped at handling South Africa's tactics so we need him to play. He can have a good rest after as we do not play again till 23rd October against USA.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Good stuff Doc. Hats off to Jordie, just the custodian and goal kicker we need against the Boks.