'Far too predictable': Carlos Spencer slams All Blacks after 'frustrating' performance

Rugby legend Carlos Spencer has slammed the All Blacks after a “frustrating” attacking display during their 38-31 win over Japan on Saturday.

The All Blacks were the heavy favourites ahead of the the fifth official Test match between the two nations, and carried that belief into the Test – racing out to a commanding 18-point lead in just over half an hour.

But tries to Takuya Yamasawa and Yutaka Nagare before half-time fight their way back into the contest, as they trailed by just four points at the break.

New Zealand then scored two tries to one before star lock Brodie Retallick was sent off for a dangerous clean-out in the 66^th minute.

While Japan scored once more through Kazuki Himeno, they fell just short of a result which would’ve arguably eclipsed their famous win over South Africa in 2015.

The All Blacks dominated with 62 per cent possession, but the territory battle was relatively even as the visitors struggled to make the most of their opportunities.

Speaking on Sky Sport after the Test, Spencer criticised the All Blacks for being too “one dimensional” in their attack.

“So predictable around our attack, it’s frustrating,” Spencer said. “We’re one dimensional, our attack is 90 per cent inside the 15s, we’ve got no options off our back door, we’re so direct.

“Scott McLeod said at half-time, he said ‘we want to go back to being direct’, I’m not sure that’s the answer. We tried to be direct but we’re actually making it easy for them defensively.

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“We’ve just got to have a little bit more innovation around trying to have numbers off our back door with maybe another back door, and trying to attack down that 15-metre channel a bit more.

“Far too predictable.”

Since losing to Argentina in Christchurch, the All Blacks ended their Rugby Championship triumph with three consecutive wins, including two against the Wallabies.

But even though they hadn’t played in over a month, and with disruptions during the week, Spencer called on the playing group to take some responsibility.

“I think you’ve got to (consider the disruptions) a degree. Coaches and players have got to take a bit on their shoulders as well, cause we’re a far better team than that and we’re far better individuals than that,” Spencer added.

“I just think our mindset’s wrong. When we’ve got coaches talking about being direct after we’ve just spent 30 minutes being direct, we’ve got to have that ability to change in the moment.

“I’ve got the put the onus back on the players, they’ve got to start reading pitches and opportunities out on the pitch. They can’t reply on coaches getting those messages to them all the time.

“Our mindsets got to change I think.”

Next up for the All Blacks is a trip to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium where they’ll take on Wales for the first time in over a year.

The last time the two proud rugby nations met in Cardiff, New Zealand earned themselves a convincing 54-16 win.

The All Blacks then round out their Autumn Internationals with Test matches against Scotland at Murrayfield, and England at Twickenham.