'Good lessons': All Blacks 'over-anxious' in ill-disciplined performance

The All Blacks‘ first match on European soil in 2023 did not go how the team would have wanted, falling to a 35-7 loss at the hands of a clinical Springboks team.

The match was driven into New Zealand’s 22 within the opening minutes and stayed there for an extended period, as the All Blacks were called for 12 penalties in the opening 10 minutes.

Two yellow cards were the result and while the Springboks were kept at bay until the 17th minute, there was never any question over who was in control of the match.

Reacting to the performance, All Blacks head coach Ian Foster pinpointed some areas where his side fell short.

“I think rugby’s quite a simple game,” he said “You’ve got to get your platforms right and we didn’t. That’s in attack and defence.

“Defensively, we were over-anxious, over-keen. We got warned for going early on the lineout mauls all the time and we’ll have another good look at that but clearly, we were a little bit too keen and anxious. So, good lessons.

“Then in the second half, we made a whole lot of changes. It was a young pack and you could see them trying hard but we lost our cohesion. So, I’d rather have those lessons today, a couple of weeks out than in a fortnight.”

The lineout penalties set the tone for the match as the Springboks relentlessly attacked the set piece throughout. After being called for two straight infringements in that area, All Blacks captain Sam Cane could be seen pleading his case with the referee over the Springbok execution.

“It’s also hard to not go early when jumpers are being thrown across the line all day,” Foster said.

His words were expanded on by Cane, who confirmed that was the point had had made during the match.

“We identified on their second maul that they’re bringing the jumper across,” Cane said. “So I let the referee know that’s what we were feeling.

“We made adjustments after that, I don’t think we gave another one away after that.”