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It seems the All Blacks have reclaimed their ruthless edge
You can only beat who’s put in front of you.
Now, I might quibble about the way New Zealand beat Australia 38-7 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last Saturday.
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I thought the All Blacks kicked too much. Both teams did, for that matter.
It was just that the Wallabies’ attempts on that front were so inept, as to make New Zealand’s look effective.
When you’re demonstrably more skillful and athletic – as the All Blacks were on the night – it’s hard not to feel as if utilising your potent backline might be a better way to skin the cat. In Rieko Ioane, New Zealand boasts a ball runner of exceptional quality and yet he was largely a peripheral figure on Saturday.
But that’s my only criticism of an All Blacks team that continues to impress.
I’d like to see them ring the changes now. To explore the depth of their squad and to give others the opportunity to wallop the Wallabies.
I can’t see that being much of a challenge.
It’s upsetting to see Australian rugby where it is. For much of my life, the Wallabies were almost as good – and occasionally better – than the All Blacks.
Games were of the must-watch variety and the ultimate destination of the Bledisloe Cup uncertain.
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But nothing summed up the state of the game across the Tasman than Saturday night’s Taniela Tupou situation.
When you have a talent deficit, as Australia has, then you have to get your tactics and thinking right. Execution might be a struggle, but you can’t stymie your chances of winning by dumb decision making as well.
Tupou was injured and, for reasons that make no sense, he was allowed to stay on the field.
Incapacitated, his inability to scrummage saw Australia squander an excellent attacking opportunity.
He compounds the problem by getting sin binned for an illegal tackle – in part brought on by his rib injury – and a contest turns into a rout.
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The whole thing was symptomatic of a team that can’t even get out of its own way at the moment.
That’s their (hopefully) short-term problem. But as previous national coaches such as Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie will know, there’s only so much Eddie Jones can do with what’s at his disposal.
He won’t conjure a miracle this year, but he can perhaps foster pathways and programmes that make the Wallabies more competitive in seasons to come.
For New Zealand, the hype appears real right now.
Putting Australia away in largely untroubled fashion harked back to the best All Blacks teams of yore.
Many an opponent has felt in games against the All Blacks over the years. They’ve believed they were competing and that results were in the balance.
Then they’ve turned around at fulltime to see they’ve been done by 20 or 30 points.
That’s the takeaway from the All Blacks team of 2023. They have played traditional foes in South Africa and Australia, absorbed periods of pressure and then finished games by far the stronger.
It’ll be interesting to see how many changes All Blacks coach Ian Foster opts to make this week and how that affects cohesion. It shouldn’t change the outcome, though, and that’s what’s been encouraging about this side so far.
A robust and ruthless streak suddenly appears to run through the whole squad and the Wallabies are likely to feel its wrath again on Saturday.
Great to see the All Blacks form of old. Hopefully the French and Irish have not been watching too closely or their regard for the Wallabies and other SH teams clouded by arrogance. Unfortunately, the Wallabies biggest problem is the NRL and AFL, not coaches. Rugby Union is Aus is like Soccer in NZ!
The All Blacks have found their ruthless edge indeed.
If you think they kick a bit much - wait until you see France. Constantly kicking. So we’ve got that to look forward to.
I didn’t catch much of the Wallaby game - but the ABs of old would drill you until the 80th minute. If they can find that old form - then they’re my favorites for the WC. Intensity and fight all the way.
Hamish Mclennan needs kicking to touch. Getting rid of Rennie (putting aside the way in which he was discarded) for 'Eddie Outdated & No-one wants to work with Jones' was pure comedy. Dave Rennie was 'growing' skill and self-belief among a largely 'mediocre' talent pool putting on displays that pushed Top3 opposition to the final whistle, not these 'shellackings' we're experiencing today.
Rennie will be laughing and deservedly so as Oz got what they deserve in their boy Eddie.
For much of your life? The Aussies had a purple patch 1991-2003. Other than that they have largely been second class. I would love to see a competitive Aussie team, NZ Rugby desperately needs them to be. Unfortunately their administration doesn't deserve a strong team, at the same time that NZRFU is subsidising ARU to the tune of $7 million per year their administrators arrogantly sneer at the NZRFU. Aussies do have a very successful U20s team with some great talent emerging. These great administrators have their work ahead to fight off the NRL
We have Lester, Shaun, Finau, and Newell without runs so far. Lester and Newell were sounding fit, so i expect to see at least three here. These are were the likely exclusions from the WRC squad will come, so I'd expect to see both backs competing, possibly with Emoni also fit again.
First starts also for Williams, Jacobson, ALB, Sami, Ennor, and perhaps Roigard on the tables. I'd also like to see Lord go again, test Frizell at 8, have Jacobson try 7, giving Shaun more of a chance over Clarke or Lester. Hard to see all that happening, especially Shaun being thrown the starting 15 berth to make room for all the possibles.
I can't see them making more than 8 changes and that's going to have to include the resting of Taylor, Barrett, de Groot, Savea at least.
Both Deans and Rennie were utterly hopeless kiwi coaches. Cheika was too green to take on the Wallabies but Hooper and Beale wanted to get rid of McKenzie because he was about to dump them from the Wallabies.
We have better athletes than any other country, we've just had s..... coaches and kiwis and the Tahs trying to sabotage the Wallabies.
If Ewen McKenzie had stayed as coach we would have another two world cups and the Bledisloe.
Eddie Jones will fix this. Will take some time to fix up the mess left.