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Time for All Blacks to re-affirm their standing after disappointing 2019

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

A win, a draw and a loss doesn’t exactly make for great reading. That’s exactly how New Zealand’s 2019 Rugby Championship campaign finished, however.

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It could’ve been so much worse, too. The All Blacks narrowly escaped with a four-point win in Argentina to kick off their campaign while a 74th minute Richie Mo’unga penalty kick back home in NZ ensured that Herschel Jantjies’ last-minute try for the Springboks didn’t consign the All to another loss.

Whatever the case, Ian Foster will be hoping for a much better result when his squad travels to Australia for this year’s iteration of the Rugby Championship.

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Jerome Kaino on the future of the All Blacks, Cheslin Kolbe and his final season in rugby

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Jerome Kaino on the future of the All Blacks, Cheslin Kolbe and his final season in rugby

First up, however, they’ll need to produce some emphatic wins over Australia in next month’s Bledisloe Cup matches.

Last year, the Wallabies embarrassed the All Blacks in Perth. The 47-26 drubbing marked Australia’s highest-ever score of their trans-Tasman rivals as well their biggest-equal winning margin.

Seven of the men that started for the Wallabies in that match aren’t a part of Dave Rennie’s 44-man squad. Kurtley Beale, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda and Tolu Late have relocated to France while Samu Kerevi and Christian Lealiifano has taken his talents to Japan. Isi Naisarani, meanwhile, was simply overlooked by new coach Dave Rennie.

In contrast, just four of the defeated All Blacks from their starting team are absent from Foster’s first squad of the year. Ben Smith and Kieran Read have hung up their international boots while Owen Franks is in England and Scott Barrett – the man who was sent off 39 minutes into the defeat – is nursing an injury.

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While the Wallabies’ absentees will likely be replaced by relatively untested newbies, NZ’s ever-apparent contingency plans could see the vacated spots filled by experienced options. Read’s absence will likely be the most significantly felt, with Ardie Savea, Sam Cane and Hoskins Sotutu all possibilities to wear the No 8 jersey.

Last year’s comprehensive defeat aside, New Zealand have had the wood over their neighbours in recent times, suffering just four defeats since 2010.

Rennie, who coached the Chiefs to two Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, is well-aware of the history between the two nations and while he’s introduced a gluttony of young stars to the Wallabies, he’ll also be well aware that subjecting them to the All Blacks machine at this stage of their careers could reinforce the hoodoo that Australia simply doesn’t beat New Zealand – except on the odd occasion.

That puts the former NZ Under 20s coach in a difficult position. Man for man, are the experienced players in the Wallabies talented enough for Rennie to mould them into a team that can best the All Blacks? Or does he put his faith in the 20- and 21-year-olds in order to give his side that extra oomph?

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The selection equation is probably not so difficult for Foster, who has a few key calls to make but will likely stick with largely the same side that lined up in last year’s Rugby World Cup semi-final.

Foster will have a bit more freedom to experiment when the Rugby Championship arrives in November. If the All Blacks do take a 46-man squad to Australia, as is expected, then a slew of new and returning players could be set for minutes – especially if Argentina and South Africa don’t have access to their top talent.

Many of the Pumas players have been struck down by coronavirus while, over the weekend, South Africa’s Super Rugby sides played their first competitive matches since March.

Still, given the relative disharmony that existed amongst NZ fans when Foster was first appointed as coach ahead of Scott Robertson, last year’s assistant won’t want his charges to take their foot of the pedal.

This year is a time to re-affirm the All Blacks as the superpowers of world rugby, and that must start in October when the Wallabies come to town.

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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
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