Watching this game was a bit like watching a car wreck as Australia careened out of control with no breaks and no steering eventually smacking up against the solid wall of the All Blacks to lose this game by 28 -49.
They came away severely damaged and dented but surprisingly, giving the ease of the All Blacks victory, it might not take that long in the body shop to fix them. The side is young enough to bounce back and they’ll find the necessary composure over the next twelve months.
The Aussies set out to run the ball at every opportunity, a fine ambition, but when the New Zealand side responded in kind Australia failed to find top gear and more importantly failed steer out of trouble when it became obvious that their tactics were taking them in the wrong direction.
The game in the southern hemisphere has negated the intricacies of the scrum, line out and to a degree the maul to such an extent that the tackle area has become all important and it’s here, with the compliance of the southern hemisphere referees, that New Zealand have become truly dominant.
Sanzar have manufactured a high paced game to compete with the history, rivalry and financial muscle of the Six Nations and the All Blacks have been the team to completely master this new form of contact basketball. So much so that they are now writing their own rules as they throw their black cloak of duplicity over the tackle area and invariably come away with the ball.
Australia are closest to having the necessary skills to out run them in this high pace game but they need to vary the pace to keep the New Zealanders thinking, and it will come.
Once again, in this Tri Nations series, I found my attention drifting away from the game, and back to matters of real rugby. This over hyped, over “hakaed”, high paced and big hitting form of rugby continues to leave me unsatisfied – there just appears to me that there is something missing.
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4 Responses to “Australian Car Wreck”
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In some respects the scoreline flatters the All Blacks who scored 12 opportunistic points -a charge down and a McCall blindside lift and run from a ruck.
The basic strength in the New Zealand game is their support of the ball carrier and their organisation /planning and implementation of that plan at the breakdown . The tackled player turning / laying back the ball on the floor , the first two players up guard the ball and the third player going for the lift.
And while on occasions this may appear as taking men out its successful implementation does provide quick recycle.
The weakness of the game from the spectators point of view is that Henry has successfully achieved what Johnston can’t which is to put 15 players on to a pitch to play to a pre-ordained match plan where every move on the pitch while in possession looks scripted.
That said one try in the game did come from a touch of individual flair — a beautiful kick in field – leading to a try – from the winger as he was tackled into touch.
I for one do not lament the the demise of the scrum which in the modern game has descended to a farce 16 players coming together forming up the scrum coming together falling to the floor standing up– reforming and repeating the procedure 4/5 times on each occasion.
Likewise the modern lineout has ceased to be a contest provided / if the thrower and jumper communicate and time the play correctly.
The reason New Zealand are successful and have been for many years is that they adapt very quickly to the opportunities provided within the rules and develop players with vision skill and fitness in all positions of the field .
The most important factor there being vision ie awareness of their teammates both in passing to them and supporting them.
Seldom does the game descend GP style to a multitude of one pass phases.
As I have said previously the reporter does appear to an envious green eye when watching the All Blacks but I can appreciate the lack of enthusiasm for a team playing scripted rugby it does lack flair and player enjoyment the only joy being winning
And when you stop enjoying the game you should stop playing
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Stopped playing 10 years ago mote after appearing on the field in 4 decades and two centuries!
No particular dislike of the All Blacks, they can certainly teach a lot of teams in terms of power, commitment and skills but what I do dislike is the fawning refereeing of their games which together with their hype makes them the rugby equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters to continue my contact basketball analogy above.
To not lament the demise of the scrum is sad for it is one aspect of the game that makes rugby union truly unique. I do agree that it needs to be refereed more forcefully to allow proper competition at scrum time. Then perhaps we will see the return of proper scrummaging props and hookers of real man shapes and sizes!
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It may appear an old fashioned view point , but Game Plans are as old as the game but they should never take the enjoyment out of the game in some respects I feel that Henry and Johnston take the planning to that point and it is that aspect that can leave the spectator feeling flat.
I don’t actually agree that referees do fawn to tha All Blacks every team play the same game as the All Blacks they just do it better and when infringing do it less obviously and by keeping possession less frequently since the laws are written for the benefit of the team in possession
Although yesterdays game did expose a possible form of damgerous play common to several teams not just the All Blacks — which is the arm under the neck lift to clear a ruck/maul where the opponents head becomes trapped either in the arm or under the body of the lifter Rocky didn’t really approve of the procedure when applied to him.
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The most common penalised infringements are( Not necessarily in order)
1 none release of the ball by the tackled player
2 defender joining the ruck from the side
3 defender going over the ball in the ruck
4 a defender playing the ball while on the ground
5 offside
The All Blacks avoid the first by close support of the ball carrier
and the rest by ensuring they only contest ruck ball when the ball carrier has been isolated ie the fist two players to the ruck are All Blacks and they only infringe offside inside their own 22 prefering to give 3 points rather than 5/7
The most common infringer is McCall coming in from the side or going over the ball and even the New Zealand public are aware of that and the last match against the Boks confirmed that McCall is a watched player even Henry recognised that fact and the most notable thing in yesterdays game was the absence of McCall in the ruck.
The All Blacks seldom contested the Austailian ruck recognising the potential in their backline thus the All blacks packed the defence with players across the field playing a drift defence. McCalls try was achieved because he was fringing the ruck and not part of it.
Your major gripe would appear to be the fact that the first All Blacks to a ruck( when attacking ) defend the ball on the ground rather than go for the ball . And on occassion when doing so may defend the ball a pace beyond tha acceptable my own opinion would be that it only occurs about 2/3 times in a game.
Watching on TV the offence is obvious because the viewer has the benefit of the distance the camera is from the action and replays of the action Referees don’t. and the fact that it not an offence which the referee is expecting to occur.The same is not true of crossing or blocking a tackler . The player is impeding access to the ball on the ground.
I don’t accept that the All Blacks win matches because referees don’t penalise them or that refees fawn to them.
I would accept that the current All Black side is devoid of flair and therefore fails to entertain the public they play a power based game to a standard well beyond that of any other International team.
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