New Zealand 30; Australia 14
The All Blacks recorded a comprehensive victory over the Wallabies last night. The Bledisloe Cup has been retained, the All Blacks have surged to what should be an unassailable Tri-Nations lead, and their head-to-head stats against the Wallabies since Robbie Deans took over are impressive. But in terms of the Rugby World Cup, it counts for little.
Last night's win was built on defence; punishing defence around the fringes and in the midfield. It was only when the Australians went wide that they found holes, and although they scored two seconh half tries on the flanks, they came when the Wallabies were 0-20 and 7-30 down respectively.
As with last week's match against South Africa, the All Blacks started strongly, and led by 10-0 after 13 minutes. In some ways, the match was won then. Australia dominated possession and territory for most of the half, but the All Black defence was resolute, and the Wallabies headed for the dressing room seventeen points down at the break. The All Blacks ran from the field at half-time; the Australians trudged off.
This was a comprehensive team performance, but there were heroes as well. Daniel Carter played his best match in several seasons, and was punishing in defence. He kicked with 100% success, and even added a field goal; a sure sign of ONE thing the All Blacks have learned since that fateful day in Cardiff four years ago. Outside of him Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith were strong both on attack and defence, and inside Piri Weepu had a bustling first half, but his lack of match play since the return from a broken leg told in the second. Andy Ellis made an impact coming off the bench, and is our best kicking halfback. The only concern was the form of the wingers, although that might have more to do with the stellar games of Jane and Guilford last week.
Considering that there were four players returning to the pack, the All Black forwards were energetic and confrontation. We'll make a bold statement; Read, McCaw and Kaino comprise the best loose trio in world rugby. Kaino in particular had a storming match; he had to, after we came to his defence on Friday! Ali Williams improves with every match he plays, and Brad Thorn was simply Brad Thorn. The front row was nobbled a bit by Craig Joubert's vigilance at scrum-time, but they were strong, and the sight of Sepoke Kepu being popped from a late scrum was a reminder that the All Black scrum is still a weapon.
This is a reflection on the All Blacks' performance, but we have to have a "we told you so" moment. Quade Cooper had a match to forget, apart from a pass in the dying minutes to set up a try when they All Blacks were already thinking of post-match ice-baths. The All Blacks, as we predicted they would targetted Cooper, and really put the squeeze on him, and he didn't like it. Doubtless the Springboks will do the same next week, and we doubt that Cooper will like it any more. One cannot help but wonder how his head-space will be come the money games at RWC 2011.
Overall, the All Blacks will be very satisfied with their last night's work. A week off beckons, then a road trip to Port Elizabeth and Brisbane, and then the big one. And we reckon that Henry Inc will be pretty happy about just where the All Blacks are in their build-up. There are no major injury worries, everyone's had some game time, and a 16-point win over the Wallabies is a satisfying result. 33 days out from RWC 2011, I'd rather be in Graham Henry's shoes this morning than those of Robbie Deans.
9 comments:
I agree with all your comments. I was a bit dissapointed that Cooper was able to let off his last long ball for them to get their try out wide. But the scramble defense to get back out wide would be something the #ABs would work on again no doubt. Lots of fitness as usual.
"33 days out from RWC 2011, I'd rather be in Graham Henry's shoes this morning than those of Robbie Deans."
UnfortunatelInv All Black history is littered with Australian and French teams in particular coming back after previous trouncings to win one off tests. Some I recall are:
1971 - awful Aussies they were called.
1980's Cornelson's four try tests
France 1999 and 2007 World Cups.
You're drawing a long bow there pdm; the Awful Aussies were in 1972, and Cornelsen's four tries in 1978 were after a three-match series that the All Blacks had already won, and they were about to set off on the first grand-slam tour under Jack Gleeson.
Where I think the Aussies will come undone though is in terms of depth. Their starting XV is strong, but there's precious little below that, and it's only going to take a couple of injuries to key players for the Ockers to have big problems.
@ Te Puhi; excellent comment; thanks for visiting
Now to the game.
Carter clearly man of the match and 15 tackles to boot. Hell Fox and Mehrtens never made that many tackles in tests between them - lol.
Seriously early on he stopped possible tries which could have put the Aussies on the front foot.
I was interested in your comment about Ellis - his all round game is just so much better than Weepu's although Weepu was better than I expected. What a shame Mathewson is not there with his fast long pass with Carter in such good form. Hard to see either wing heading off Guilford and Jane.
A better game from Williams who cut right down on the mistakes of previous tests. Read top value as always and Owen Franks was strong and got though a lot of work.
The Aussies were very average with only Ioane, Holwell, Elsom and Higginbotham showing much. Cooper seemed to switch off after 15 to 20 minutes. One thing though the Aussie scrum largely held it's own.
I rate Joubert one of the best two refs in world rugby, Wayne Barnes is the other but he missed a few forward passes, knock ons and crooked lineout throws last night - what were his touch judges doing?
Touch judges?
I struggle with the names as they don't get anywhere near the job description that "assistant referee" demands.
As a spectator and I would think most players apart from thos few who would have their game emasculated would rather the assistant refs would be better employed policing the line balls and offsides than worrying about the accuracy of where exactly a lineout should be.
IMO the ABs won this match with their incredible line speed on defence that stifled the gold attack all night and had Quade Cooper doing his possum in the headlights impersonation. That was where the clearly jaded Crusaders lost in Brisbane in the final.
Ted summed it up at the Press conference a when he warned against complacency. That is the greatest danger.
Three tests in three weeks and the rotation has had very little impact on team performance.
If I was the coach I would send a decidedly "B" side to play the saffas and then start the RWC campaign in Brisbane without the fraud of a "Rastenburg" ploy just see if a team of motivated could deliver a kick in the nuts to the "recovering saffas" in PE.
Agreed re Aussie depth Inv - I have been saying that for over a year.
What i was trying to say was that no matter what the reults have been before the Aussies and the French have a history of winning one off games. As far as the Aussies are concerned 1991 may be a better example and we had an older team there with one or two key players probably past their `use by date' while the Aussies were a side on the up.
I guess what I am saying is that history shows that no test against Australia is ever a `done deal' and complacency has been the downfall of previous AB teams at World Cup time.
Point taken pdm; I'd like to see Toutai Kefu front up and tell Brad Thorn that he's "on the wane"! You'd need a Zambuck handy!
Of course there will be one ocker smiling today, very relieved he wasn't there.
A certain gypsey GITT.
He wouldn't have had the vision or the presence to put that great wide pass that Cooper delivered, he would have, with his infallible belief in the greatest Aussie back of the times, gone on his own and buggered it up.
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