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Scott Robertson assesses ‘possessed’ All Black’s performance against Boks
By Finn Morton
Following the All Blacks’ heartbreaking 31-27 loss to the Springboks at Ellis Park, coach Scott Robertson had some time to go away and think before another press conference. ‘Razor’ fronted the media on Sunday morning and was asked to assess Ethan Blackadder’s performance.
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Blackadder started Saturday’s Test at full tilt and didn’t let up for the remainder of the night. The backrower carried the ball a handful of times inside the opening 15 minutes, which included two try-scoring opportunities very early on, and he was a brick wall in defence.
Impressively, the 29-year-old from New Zealand’s south island also exhibited an unrelenting desire to make an impact at the set-piece. Every time the Boks had a lineout, Blackadder leapt out from the rows of forwards to try and intercept passes from halfback Cobus Reinach.
If you consider Blackadder only played one match at last year’s Rugby World Cup against Namibia after being called into the squad as an injury replacement, it’s quite incredible how the loose forward has laid down a marker in the No. 6 jumper under Robertson.
While the All Blacks weren’t able to hang on for a victory in an enthralling battle at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, there was still plenty to like. This writer asked Robertson to comment on Blackadder’s performance with the All Black looking like ‘a man possessed’ on the field.
“Ethan is possessed – you said it, I didn’t, it doesn’t come from me,” Robertson said with a laugh before analysing the blindside flanker’s performance.
“Oh look, he is some athlete, isn’t he? He’s got no off button, he’s 100 per cent and standing on someone toes or carrying the ball or he’s doing nothing.
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“Once he’s in, he’s in. I was pretty impressed. I’m glad he’s got a few games under his belt and his body’s in great nick and we love his energy.”
With Blackadder running riot in both attack and defence, the All Blacks built up an early lead with Codie Taylor reaping the rewards of a rolling maul. Caleb Clarke also scored later in the half to give the visitors a 12-11 lead at the half-time break.
How both teams responded after the interval was always going to be key, and it was the All Blacks who struck first with Jordie Barrett racing away for an intercept try after about 60 seconds. Unusually, the Ellis Park crowd fell silent, if only for a moment.
Clarke was back on the scoresheet later in the second term as the men in black raced away to a strong 17-27 lead. That’s the way the scores remained until Ofa Tu’ungafasi was sent to the sin bin in the 67th minute, and that proved to be a turning point.
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Replacements Kwagga Smith and Grant Williams scored a try each in quick succession as the Springboks clawed their way back into the lead. They ended up claiming a crucial Rugby Championship win that let’s led some to question the All Blacks’ options on the bench.
“One thing they’ve got is highly experienced guys that have played overseas, guys that have been in the Springbok team for a long period of time. Played some big Tests,” Robertson told reporters.
“Yeah, it is an advantage for them and it’s something we’ll consider.
“When you look back at the last few years you’ve had a Dane Coles or a Sam Whitelock come off the bench, or whoever the example is, and that’s part of this group – guys to come on and learn and we’ve just got to learn really, really quickly.
“What an experience it was last night them.
“What’s all considered, and it’s part of their strength and DNA, the Springboks have done that over a period of time but we should still be better and still won that game at the end.”
Can't remember last time I ever saw a fullback play for ABs kick the bloody ball so many times ..not only that absolutely crap kicks ..but hard to win the game in last 10 minutes when u just keep kicking the ball away..BB is our biggest problem..gd off the bench but that's about it ..time for Jordan to go 15 ..Havilli at 12 as his kicking is far better then BB and that 10 we got ..well bugger me if he's the best 10 in nz then we in for alot of sleepless nights..Reiko needs to go ..same as Cane ..need a traditional number 8 like Buck ..Read ..Zinzan ..and please 🙏 let TJ go to Japan now
The two Clarke tries were outstanding. They actually exposed the vulnerability of the rush defense when not on front foot. For the first try NZ identified that if they were attacking off front foot they could call the bluff on the rush defense with a dummy by no 10 on the rushing player (Kriel) as there would be time to get a pass off before the remainder of the line reached them. Once that worked the defensive line would drift leaving time to dummy the next rushing player (Kolbe). Barrett is now on the ball and surely no better back in world rugby to convert an overlap into a score for NZ. Kriel and Kolbe are tasked with sprinting to the corner when things go awry but the patient was already dead in this case.
I dont know if the overthrow to the back of the line out was deliberate but the speed and preparedness of Perenara implied it was. The rush defense was tempted forward and exposed by the speed Perenara received and released the ball. One more pass and Barrett was in a bread and butter straighten the line situation and Clarke finishes again. Not sure if SA can fix this is a week.... they can fix errors leading to turnovers and field position so will play tight next week.
Ive said it before NZ are strongest when they put adequate focus on dismantling opposition. That's how they beat Ireland in the RWC, First half v Argentina, almost 100 against Italy in RWC. IMO They would have two more RWCs if they took that attitude against French teams and others in RWCs.
SAs expansive game may beat a France or an Ireland in 2027. It may not beat a NZ. There is a reason that SA play a certain way in Internationals: because it gives them best chance of beating NZ. The expansive game works against all comers. It should error towards old style versus NZ.
Yeah theyre more than a bit stubborn aren't the ABs. Credit where it's due on you Ellis Park game analysis then.
Those tries were from turnover ball. In fact one intercept, two turnovers and a double banked maul. We won't be making those mistakes again.
Scott's been humbled but not humiliated and left with a massive job of rebuilding the AB's after 626 caps left in 2023.. being upfront in handling Leons quitting before the Sth.African tour was to him necessary and it was about the team...AB's head coach Scott Robertson's is only 6 games into his tenure... he'll be there for a long time to come...Go the AB's...Scott "Razor" Robertson...will cut it in Tier 1 coaching ranks..for sure..
Last 10 minutes are the key to the result. At 59mins SA overshot the lineout - Taylor caught and passed quickly to DMac who passed to Jordie who kicked long with Jordan, Telea, Reiko and DMac in support with a clear man advantage! SA, without an injury or water break for at least 5 mins were out on their feet and ripe for ripping apart. Two mins later he did the same thing. In both cases the ball ended up back in the NZ 22. His brother also kicked excellent turnover ball away twice.
If that was instructions from Robertson then he lost the game. If not the Barretts are to blame. Dumb stuff.
Agreed seems to be a point of desperation, very frustrating to watch, I get it if you have to kick it,but make it a good one,otherwise keep ball in hand and maintain possession because on several occasions they just gave it straight back to South Africa who were on the rampage.
Blackadder finally has a game where he shows some energy and intensity and Robertson labels him "possessed". I wish he "possessed" some ball carrying impact, I wish he "possessed" some consistency and I wish he "possessed " the ability to stay on the field for more than 2 or 3 games. Blackadder, Havili and Taylor are all Razor's pets but they are all prone to gaffs and bring inaccuracies in their roles. The bias towards his boys is hamstringing our team and it's development for the future. Pick on recent form not past.
😆 🤣..Blackadder is awesome..Taylor by far the best 2 in nz ..Havilli will take Reikos place..Grace will push Ardie to 7 ...with any luck Richie will answer the SOS. from Razor and thank fully Dmac will go ..Jorden will be 15 ..
I wish he "possessed" the ability to pass the ball to get the try scored
Taylor is pretty good, but I agree with you re the other two. I must say that Blackadder had his best game on Saturday, but I still doubt his class at that level. Lots of guts and effort, which I admire a ton, but just not a sustainable option if you're building a world class trio. And when Ardie doesn't have his best game, Blackadder's limitations become clearer.
I'd rather the coaching group just let players play their own game and not just encourage them, but develop in their point of difference, not in what the team wants.
Give me guys like Tamaiti, Tosi, Aumua, Darry, Finau, Sititi, Lakai, Love, Proctor (as well as the consistent guys like Jacobsen, ALB, Dalton, etc) a chance to come off the bench and just play till the 80th minute. Just play good rugby, no need to be cute.
Don't think I'm blaming him, the ref was wrong to bin Ofa and turn the game like that (and whats with teams using the posts to take defenders out against us!) so I get he wanted that platform first. Just don't try and think that it is a big deal like this talk people are trying to lead him astray with, either way, we're set and can make any approach count.. just saying that there are a lot of young new stars out their waiting for their chance of more than 10 minutes at the end 😡
Blackadder has no go forward in the contract area...all the enthusiasm in the world cant hide that
Did u watch the same game bro
Amazing how similar he is to his Dad who not only played plenty of games for the ABs but was captain for a while. Everywhere but low impact. Looks destined for a long tenure, like his Dad? And the Crusaders criticised Foster with his "pet" Sam Cane? :)
Absolutely. Such an overrated player. I'd be surprised if he won a single collision running the ball or at the breakdown. He also only has one pace which is slow.
Springboks took the all blacks on at their own game, got themselves behind.
Reverted to type, won the game.
So we know what’s coming next weekend, it’s if they can cope with it.
SA need to make adaptions to the rush defense. NZ badly exposed it for Clarke's two tries. On front foot/off turnover or off good platform the rush defender attacking the space between no 10 and first receiver can be easily beaten with a dummy with time to get the next pass away. Even the NZ no 3 easily dummied for the second dummy on Kolbe for Clarke's first try. Using a drift defense for such situations might work (or the rush defender targetting only ball carrier and ignoring intercept potential) but no time to fix this before Match 2. They will revert to type to remove the scoring potential of NZ as a path to win. Less low percentage passes when on attack.
There’s nothing to look at other then the shiii show nzru is running , we have mounga the best 10 in the world , smith still miles ahead of any 9 in nz . Frizzle and many other players that would have been enough to win the game . Instead we have a 10 who is Incompetent at game management and a 9 that is trying to ref the game instead of playing the game .
The forwards did enough , but the dmac ultimately failed to solidify momentum after scoring. We can put barret at 10 but he’ll just kick the ball back .
If there is anyone who actually loves the All Blacks . Write a story , and say we need mounga … cause we do , we really do …
Wrong
True that bro ..Dmac and Barrett just kick hard earned ball away be ok if they were decent kicks but bugger me they crap ..let's hope Richie be back soon
Stop acting as though Mounga is Dan Carter, he had plenty of poor games for the ABs and nobody ever thought he was a gun tactical kicker. Your recency bias from the world cup when he finally came of age after 60 tests is evident.
Next step for Dmac is to close out games and take control in the final quarter, achieve that and he'll be top tier internationally. We've finally got a goal kicker too.