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Scott Hansen: 'We all know Damian, don't we? He's a gambler'

Damian McKenzie celebrates the All Blacks win. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

More shot clock drama stopped just shy of unfolding in the All Blacks‘ tight win over England over the weekend, with Damian McKenzie again at the centre of it.

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Just as the All Blacks’ first five-eight debate looked to be settling down with Beauden Barrett earning his second consecutive start in the coveted No. 10 jersey at Allianz Stadium, the eldest Barrett brother succumbed to a head knock late and was replaced as playmaker by the man who started the opening nine Tests of the year at 10, Damian McKenzie.

With a 75th-minute Mark Tele’a try levelling the score at 22 apiece, McKenzie was tasked with stepping up for what would become the match-winning conversion from the sideline.

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After timing out on an attempt off the tee in the first game of New Zealand’s Test season against England in July, the clock winding down on McKenzie was a serious cause for Kiwi concern. However, with the shot clock on three, the 29-year-old struck it beautifully and the ball sailed just inside the righthand upright.

“We all know Damian, don’t we? He’s a gambler. He’s brave, he’s going to kick that. He’s in the moment. In that moment, he’s kicking to win it, but he’s got no pressure around where he’s at with it,” All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen said of the moment when reflecting on the game with Newstalk ZB’s Weekend Sport with Jason Pine.

“He lined it up, he was confident. It was never going to be around that kick, it was always going to be around the moments before it.

“But at the end of the day, for him to line it up, be so confident, and that’s the Damian McKenzie we all know: brave. And from that, we were in a position to win a Test.”

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The conversion was far from the last moment of drama in the Test, as England won possession back on the restart and pressed downfield to set McKenzie’s counterpart George Ford up with a drop goal to win the game at the death.

30 seconds after the 80-minute siren had sounded, Ford kicked and missed.

Joy was written on the New Zealand faces, but so too was the fatigue of a titanic Test match. The team now face a short turnaround as they play the world’s No. 1 ranked team, Ireland, on Friday night in Dublin.

“Tonight we’ve got to regroup,” Hansen said. “There are a number of boys who are very sore, it was a very tough Test match here.

“Twickenham, England, home; those first couple of carries that came around the corner were very, very physical. We’ve had a number of players leave the field through HIA protocols, so we’re looking at that also.

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“You go into Ireland with a shorter week, yes. But, you go into tomorrow proud of the performance today and as All Blacks we’ll ask ourselves where can we be better and we’ll get excited about the opportunity to face Ireland on their home turf also.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
3
Draws
0
Wins
2
Average Points scored
25
25
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
40%

Codie Taylor joins Barrett on the injury list for the Ireland Test, but the good news is the return to form of 2023 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Mark Tele’a who scored twice in the England win.

“It was a very good performance from him, wasn’t it? Two tries today, strong on the edge. You think about the air, we needed to go to contestable kicks, Mark was winning them in the right spots. It’s a performance he can be really proud of and we’re really happy for him.”

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Comments

2 Comments
B
Bobby 7 hours ago

England played off side most of the game.

H
Head high tackle 3 hours ago

And all the ref did was keep telling them they are in the wrong but then thanking them. I dont understand why refs constantly tell one side to stop doing an illegal thing but never penalise them, yet penalise the other side without saying any warnings.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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