It is easy to death ride the Ian Foster All Blacks and across the last couple of seasons they have made it straightforward for all and sundry to do so.
Yet again this week we watched an All Black side with little heart, zero discipline and an attitude that belies all the comments about respecting the opposition.
Last season I wrote that deep inside this All Black coaching group, and now playing squad, there was an inherent belief that they could play their own brand of free-flowing rugby without the need to set a platform to play off and that they were good enough to outscore anyone.
The opening weekend of the Ireland Test series flattered to deceive that they may learnt a few lessons from the prior year’s debacles and had reverted to a focus on the core elements of the game.
Compete at the gain line and ruck time, be patient with the ball when they have it and have plans to move the opposition around and be rock solid at set piece time. All sorts of premature declaration from me.
At the end of last week’s seriously over-optimistic piece however sat this conclusion: can you play like that every week? Probably not, as teams will adjust quickly.
Can you use the tactic again, interspersed with a mix of kicking off 10 or 15? Absolutely.
How that thinking does not permeate the Blacks coaching team I don’t know, as again the All Blacks starting slowly and conceded points while managing to find ways to get themselves a space on the naughty step while still constantly pushing passes that led to errors when it was clear Ireland had adjusted their defensive pattern.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Blatant disregard for the Universal Law of Holes (when you find yourself in one, stop digging), the All Blacks set up their demise at the selection table and compounded error upon error as soon as referee Jaco Peyper got us underway.
I can kind of understand the thinking around the selection of Dalton Papalii, he’s a big guy, normally shows up with a huge work rate, but in practice, and when his mates really needed it with Ardie Savea marooned on the bench (someone needs to answer for that too), he went missing, totally unable to find himself a way into the game.
No matter the player numbers you end up with on the park, the basics of the game do not change and work rate will always be at the heart of that.
Ask any decent businessperson, and they will tell you that compounding errors, sticking to an ideology in the face of all logic, and not following Occam’s Razor is normally a pretty good recipe for your business going out the back door. Same applies to elite sport.
So, surely calling for the purpose-built Cullen Grace was the best way to go or leave Scott Barrett where he played so well and simply insert an in-form lock, such as Josh Dickson. But no, the compounding errors model was the option of choice.
Thank God for captain Sam Cane who pretty much ended up playing back row all by himself.
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What is surprising is that the remaining forwards put in one hell of shift; New Zealand had 52 per cent possession across the match, made fewer tackles than Ireland, conceded fewer turnovers and despite all odds, somehow avoided a total decimation at set piece time.
Broken record time: even with 52 per cent possession, the All Blacks could not turn this into any kind of territory because they have a five first eight who spends an inexplicable amount of time at fullback, and simply does not have either the length of kicking game nor the tactical nous and patience to step up and take the responsibility of driving his side around the park.
If this were an isolated incident, maybe we could write it off, but I cannot recall how many times I have written this over the last two years. No kicking from 12, an average effort from Jordie Barrett at fullback, and it all compounds up a position where Ireland was never under any pressure in their own half for a period of time.
Does anyone else see the irony in Beauden Barrett declaring publicly that he wants to compete for the 10 shirt, stating he does not consider himself to be a fullback, and then when handed the cutter for this series, just heads off and stands at… fullback, or is that just me?
This All Black side is playing with zero control, everything looks hurried, trying to score every time they get the ball and not playing the longer game of building pressure until your opposition cracks.
We all saw in the Super Rugby Pacific final which model works the best. The Razor Robertson constrictor model chocked the very life out of the hit-and-run Blues side, but at international level, the All Black coaching team chooses to ignore basic tenets and revert to the Helter Skelter model as their default. It may well work on occasion, but it sure is not the way to be a consistently successful international rugby team.
If a board of directors were analysing the performance of their CEO and executive management team, now would be the time to take serious action. We have a Rugby World Cup only 16 matches away so now is the time for root-and-branch cuts in the coaching, strategy and playing staff of this All Black organisation.
What really rankles the most is watching an Irish side mirror back to us all the things that have made New Zealand successful over the years.
They are patient, organised, calm and controlled, while always making sure they play in the right areas of park, but mainly, they bring it every week, work hard for their mates around them, and are just downright tough.
I'm a Kiwi, but prefer League. However, I know Rugby (how can you not being a New Zealander) and I know what the All Blacks can do when written off...and boy have they been written off. Some of the stuff I am reading from Europe, you would think the All Blacks would be struggling to beat Namibia at the moment. The Media world has written the All Blacks pre-game speech for them this week - watch out.
WEST
Roar Guru
Feels like it could be coming.. France put points on the board against us last year. Ireland still have a lot more improvement as well, they let us off the hook with a few unforced errors, they could of easily beat us by 20 points or more.. They know it, the ABs know it too. Wellington isn’t a great place for the ABs.. Think we’ve lost 4 tests there in recent history, so we don’t have a great record there either.
James in NZ
Roar Rookie
Maybe we need our 57-0 moment too. I don't feel us building, or maintaining even, that just leaves one direction left.
WEST
Roar Guru
A lot questions should be targeting at the ABs coaching staff. Their attack is weak and predictable. The ABs defence is also poor! Why aren’t they improving? How long does it take to make adjustments? I think they’ve had long enough. Time to wipe them out.. Look at how the Boks turned it around with Rassie, for example. Getting smashed by 50 odd points to winning the RWC. So it is possible.
Crombie Brett
Guest
Are you looking atvtge same game, Sam Kane moves like a snail, Dalton missing at times but was moving,no ardie Sam was shown up to be off the pace heeded at this level again!
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Why Cullum Grace when Pita-Gus and Hoskins have not been given a chance to start? Very annoyed Brumbie supporter who is Irish, but by adoption culturally a Pasifika man.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
i don’t know what i find more bizzare – watching the AB’s play so poorly and regularly (love it), or listening to Jeff Wilson on “the Breakdown” say “Aren’t we allowed to lose? aren’t other teams allowed to improve blah blah?” – in the past he would have ripped shreds off a poor AB performance never once acknowledging that the opposition played better than the Un Zud side. Who’s starting the pools for another Bronze for the team across the dutch @ RWC2023, or maybe out in the QF again?
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
PS I assumed certain KPIs in contract and scope to review - See Oz Ch 7 suing Cricket Australia
Marto
Guest
aww you poor dear, you cant win them all. :laughing: :laughing:
kiwineil
Guest
Great article. Sad but true. Read a great quote today " As a leader your job is to get the organisation fit for purpose and then take advantage of your strengths and stay away from your weaknesses'. Im completely confused about what the All Blacks strategy to be fit for purpose is. Players are continually selected out of position - on Sat Kieran Read pre-game said something like "Our backrow may well have the 3 best players in it but Im not sure how they fit together". Playing 2 7's in the Pooper era was one of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika's failings, and Fozzie has one upped him by playing three. There's a reason the team looked better with a real 6 at 6 in the first test?. So for test 2 we have our best #7 at #8 (where he's undersized), our second best 7 at 6 (where he's undersized), our best 6 at 5 (wheres hes a little undersized), and we lose the breakdown. Go figure. Players are selected on the basis of past performance, not current form - Ofa, Codie, Cane (who tries his butt off however is he our best 7?. Put those two together and you could argue only 2 of the starting pack - Retallick and Bower - should have started and or started in the jerseys they ran on in. Game management, so many questions - where was the plan B when it became apparent the Irish had a solution for the Game 1 strategy ... had this not been prepared for ? - Where are the onfield generals to identify "Plan A not working fellas" ? - Why did nothing change tactically or in terms of personnel after halftime ? - Why the constant aimless kicking especially short box kicks from inside the 22 which gives possession to the opposition around half way. They rumble forward, breakdown penalty, take the 3 or kick to the corner and go for the lineout drive ... - When did territory stop being important ? A reset is needed. Fresh blood and fresh ideas. Time to grasp the nettle.
Dom245
Guest
Ireland dominated the second half in first test in territory 75/25 and possession 64/36. They actually dominated almost every stat other than the score. They also scored 14 points with Caberry on so I think sexton would have made no difference last week. The Irish lost only because of the 10 minutes before halftime. They we loose on d for a few minutes in the game and paid the price. The writing was on the wall after the first test imo for the all blacks purely because we were not in the game for most of the match other than the scoreboard! Tupaea, Barrett and Gus tries were the only ones created with pressure and phases. The rest were just blatant miss tackles/ errors.
Faith
Roar Rookie
Here's some great analysis on lack of ABs structure: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-all-blacks-biggest-issues-were-on-show-well-before-red-card/ Both games Ireland has scored in first 10 mins. Worth watching in coming game.
Grahame
Guest
Yes, I basically agree with your comments. Sadly this has been a problem for some time - but to be honest I feel that in this day and age many new players do not have the depth of experience and appear too raw when the going gets tough. Basically I feel the only team in NZ that consistently rolls out typical NZ type rugby both efficiently and effectively are the Crusaders. I think with the world cup coming up we desperately should turn to their attitude and style going forward. There is a lot that should be said about our current rugby structure and how we do not bring on our young players, but that can keep for later on. Cheers
Nick
Roar Rookie
I’m looking to WC not next Saturday. Give Leicester time to bed & they could be a really complementary combo.
Highlander
Roar Guru
I can’t see them dropping Jordie so Sevu prob loses his place Think we need someone who can read the game at centre and stop this ireland midfield switches and Goodhue prob the way to go
Tom
Guest
Most of the international teams have 3 or5 like Ireland kiwi boys playing or coaching so that doesn't help when we get a few injuries. Look at the warriors one player in kiwis. And most of them have gone through warriors system and not wanted. Get best team on paddock and we will match any team.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Yeah I'm torn about Cane but I think it's time to give Ardie a fair crack at his best position. What do you think of the rest of the team. I'd probably spell old Sam with TV or Dickson every so often as well.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
You fullas have a kiwi coach, I’m not against us having an Aussie if he comes with the right ideas :happy:
Highlander
Roar Guru
Just dont have the confidence in others to drop Cane. Samisoni at 2 now I think
Highlander
Roar Guru
WE cant keep Reiko at centre - Ronan O'Gara (La Rochelle Coach and ex crusaders) said again with week How many times has RI been caught watching the man when the ball has gone behind him Caleb Clarke looks like a hope over evidence call for me I would put RI to left wing They surely have to start Mounga and Havili together now