This is part one of a four part series of articles that will scrutinize the pros and cons each team faced and their overall performance in the tournament. This series will dissect and analyze the reasons for success and failure of each team.
The Inaugural Rugby Championship of the Southern Hemisphere concluded last weekend with the World Champions New Zealand as expected taking the top spot with South Africa, Australia and Argentina in second, third and fourth. All though South Africa, Australia and Argentina did not come out as winners the followers of the sport are undoubtedly winners for having been witness to some exceptional rugby from all four teams.
Fans poured-in in their number to fill each of the 12 venues that hosted matches over the course of the two months. Every team faced their own problems during the course of season but overcame all to give fans a spectacular show, but more importantly competitiveness of each and every game proved the tournament a roaring success.
The Invincible All Blacks……Are they beatable?
The All Blacks came into the tournament as favorites and they very clearly justified their position at the top of the IRB rankings. The Kiwis have not lost a single game since their loss to the Wallabies in the last match of the tri-nations tournament last year having accumulated a 16 game win streak. This roaring success is tribute to a few key factors.
Consistency in Coaching– After the retirement of the most decorated coach in the history of the sport Greame Henry, the NZRU opted to promote Steve Hansen from assistant to head coach. Hansen has clearly learned all the tricks of the trade from his mentor Henry and brought in a few more tactics of his own.
Winning Mentality– Hansen has a 100% win ratio having won all nine of the games he was in charge. He has maintained the winning mentality that Henry worked so hard to create and more importantly he has instilled it in the youngsters who he has brought in the squad.
The absolute professionalism shown by the players, not just on but off the field and in training displayed that every player wanted to be there and wanted, not just to play well but to win. The never say die attitude to come from behind in the final game against South-Africa, even though they had already been crowned champions put emphasis on the ‘need to win mentality’.
Abundance of Talent– the coaching staff’s biggest issue going into the tournament was team selection, and what a problem to have. The All Blacks boss had an abundance of talent to choose from and did a great job in giving his youngsters game time whilst keeping the old horses going strong. He had players from both Islands putting their hands up in the tournament
Players from both Islands had put their hands up all season long with some spectacular performances in the Super Rugby league giving selectors and coaches the best possible problem a coach can have.
Youngsters joining the ranks– With the retiring of some senior men after the world cup and many of the current senior players reaching the end of their careers, much of the young talent in New Zealand have put their hand up and shown that they can hold their own.
The likes of Broadie Rettalick, Charlie Faumuina, Luke Romano, Sam Cane, Aaron Smith, Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Beauden Barret, Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison and Julian Savea coming to the foe the All Blacks have shown what they have for the future.
Brilliant Defending– The All Blacks were absolutely amazing in their defense having made 590 of 634 tackles. Most of the credit goes to the coaching staff for creating a solid defensive pattern. In addition to this the exceptional work rate by each and every player is also to be credited.
Solid Set Pieces– The All Blacks were absolutely rock solid in their set pieces having won over 90% of their own ball and time and again forced turnovers in both scrums and lineouts. The tight five take the credit for having set a perfect platform for the rest of team. The front row was exceptional in the scrums whilst the Sam Whitlock along with Romano and Rettalick were superb in the air at lineouts.
Dan Carters pin point accuracy in the kick off time and again saw Mc Caw and Read recovering the ball at the ten meter line. The short high jab is placed perfectly for the chasers to get under the ball and contest it in the air.
McCaw and his menacing third-row– A name the All Blacks skipper and his partners have made for themselves over the years, and what a menace they have been to every side he has played against. Victor Vito and Liam Messam shared the number 6 jersey and both players were superb causing trouble for the opposition with their powerful runs and extremely high work rate.
All through his career as captain McCaw has been an inspiration on the open side. Even at the age of 32 he was seen at virtually every breakdown and tackle situation making a menace of himself in defense, breaking tackles and taking on defenders in attack and chasing every loose ball and kick. Most of the time dangling on the fine line between the legal and illegal of the sport McCaw caused problems not only for his opposition but also the referees.
Kieran Read was probably the best player for the All Blacks this tournament, he was unstoppable in attack around the fringe and at the set pieces. Time and again the number 8 would break the first line of defense and set up the backs with a great offload. Read also made some crucial bone crunching tackles leaving some soar bodies in his wake.
The Best Back Three in the World– Hansen has a spectacular balance in his back three and he even has replacements that can slot in and still make an equally powerful back three. Israel Dagg is the main feature in trio, slotting in at full back Dagg is magnificent under the high ball. Time and again in the tournament he has completed almost impossible catch. Dagg twisted every defense he came up against all season long; he sliced through gaps and put all his opponents to shame. His flat and long clearance kicks time and again pulled Blacks out of a dangerous predicament.
Cory Jane, probably the best player in the world under the high ball made every team pay for kicking possession away. CJ as he is commonly know showed what a work horse he was time and again he would be spotted in a break down or on the opposite side of the field looking for extra work. His powerful fend has time and again pushed off tacklers making him extremely hard to bring down.
Julian Savea and Hosea Gear shared the number 11 jersey through the tournament. Both play in a similar style, use power and speed to bust tackles and if need be out run defenders. They were also very useful running on the inside channel from the blind side giving the inside back addition options.
All Though the All Blacks came out with the perfect record their performance in the tournament had many issues. The performances early in the tournament were nowhere near their best but the champions persevered and ended the tournament with two superb games.
Time to get into the game– All through the tournament the All Blacks seemed to be slow out of the blocks to get into the game. In fact on a few occasions it took the opposition scoring to wake them up and start looking like a winning side. It always seemed to take the first 18-25 minutes for the Kiwis to get their act together and start playing at their best.
Penalty Count– The Kiwis amassed a fairly high penalty count over the course of the tournament amassing a total of 71 penalties in the six games played. Majority of these penalties were around the break-down point. On average the blacks conceded 11.83 penalties in a game.
Territory and Possession– The All Blacks spent more than 50% of the game in their half in 4 of the six games. In these four games they also spent more than 50% of the game defending. All though the team has shown ability to score points on the counter attack as well as capitalize on every chance they get the Blacks coaches will definitely want to increase the time they spend in the opposition 22 with ball in hand.
Steve Hanson and his coaching staff have a lot to take from this tournament and will definitely be happy with silverware but will want to get back to the drawing board to start rectifying the issues that came up over the last 8 weeks.
