The All Blacks’ 39-12 victory over France at the weekend has been hailed in New Zealand as a redemption for both the team and attacking flair in a season dominated by defence and kicking.
The All Blacks’ season started with a home loss to France and was followed by three defeats by the Springboks in the Tri-Nations, and coach Graham Henry said a good win against France was needed to put an indifferent season behind them.
New Zealand rugby writers heaped praise on flyhalf Dan Carter and inspirational skipper Richie McCaw and said the five-try All Blacks’ performance in Marseille showed the game’s current rules did not rule out an expansive, running game.
New Zealand Herald rugby writer Wynne Gray said the All Blacks ended their Test year with a flourish.
“It was some sort of rugby renaissance and a slap for those who claim the laws have strangled the game,” Gray said.
“It was a resounding response from a side which has battled to impose themselves this season.”
Dominion Post rugby writer Toby Robson said the All Blacks were at their “imperious best”, casting aside the shackles which gripped them all year.
“Just when we thought the brilliance of yesteryear had been lost in a sea of rule changes and negative play, along comes the performance of the year,” Robson said.
“By sheer will, skill and excellence they breathed life into the international game with a performance that will have restored the faith of even the most jaded New Zealand rugby fan.”
Fairfax Media’s Duncan Johnstone said the All Blacks and France had found an answer to the kick-dominated attack which dominated international rugby this year.
“As the IRB [International Rugby Board] gather in Dublin this week to check the pulse of their much-criticised game, they should be sending out DVDs of this Marseille match to show a blueprint on how to breathe life into a struggling spectacle,” he said.
Is it so difficult to find a good balance between kicking (intelligently)and running (intelligently) from a solid forward base?
Yes, the key is the word, “intelligent”
With a solid forward base, you need intelligent half backs who are capable of reading play and adapting.
Aimless kicking is not lekker, but good kicking has its place.
Die geheim is balans dis iets wat die ctahs reg gehad het die jaar
Ja smallies daar is ook n goeie artikel oor dit op Rugby Heaven, moet nie verkeerd verstaan nie. Watse trofees het die Cheetahs.
Die artikel het gegaan oor die wens om mooi rugby te speel en die teenpool om te wen met klieniese rugby is altyd mooi, ja selfs n lelike wen word mooi as die trofee gelig word, wat is mooier as dit?
Maar ek sien dat die post wat ek geplaas het oor “Lessons from the All Blacks” kry geen aandag nie. In kort gaan kyk wat het die ABs gedoen nadat hulle die 3de keer teen ons verloor het.
Die rusultaat 10 uit 10. En boonop eindig hulle met die wedstryd van die jaar.
All Blacks did try and run at all cost when they played the first 3 nations game here , but we won. So lets see if the run at all cost works in 2010?
The Rugby Laws wont change until after the WC, so lets see if the ABs plan works against us>
super dis juis die punt wanner hol jy en wanner skop jy.as jy dit reg kry graet en as jy nie dan lyk jy soos die blacks teen ons
Yes the All Blacks did good in the end. Five out of five tests & the Baa-Baas game to come.
Anyone know where to find the ABs vs France game, it was not broadcast here?
Boks had a disappointing EOYT. Commiserations. Their kicking let them down. As the old saying goes “those that live by the sword, die by the sword”. 🙁
8 JimT – Hi Jimmy, yes your boys did you proud.
My customers know I’m a Bokke fan and came into work and teased me today!
Hey Ho…..
9 Hi Carol. So you off to see my boys later this week? It’s going to be interesting with a 2nd string AB team. I’m not sure which Boks are playing, but some of them seem to be dragging their tails. It does raise a question if some of the veterans are up to another RWC schedule in 2011. Time for PDV to work in some fresh blood & cover the bases.
Wonder who the doubtfuls are? Matfield, Bakkies, Roussow & Smit for starters?
8
Jim do whatever you can to get that game, it is worth it. Brilliant.
7
Smallies ons het werklik n goeie jaar gaan opdonner daar oorkant.
Sien nou op die All Black webtuiste dat hulle n Coaching Toolbox het, sonder om sarkasties te wees moet ons dalk vra dat PdV daardeur lees. Eintlik die keurders.
http://www.coachingtoolbox.co.nz/toolbox/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=206&Itemid=78
This was French side with 7 changes and their hardman – Hardiniquoy (spelling) was not there
We shall see come RWC time
Ireland will lose against Aus in their pool and SA will top theirs, so SA v Ireland in the quarters, and Bokke will kill them on a neutral ground
10. Jim, I am hoping Rugby Talk and Keo will keep me up dated with who is playing on Saturrday. I was wondering if Bakkies had already caught the plane home with his bad back! Victor looked pretty spent on Saturday. I thought Smitty was quite ‘perky’ still……I hope to see some of the ‘Bok Stars’ run out at Twickenham.
Lovely to have 4man and his wife here at the farm yesterday, and I am looking forward to meeting supa and his wife for the first time at the weekend.
Like superbul says jump on a plane and come and join us for a beer or three!!!!! 😉
Dick Muir, Gary Gold not so hot, we knew about Snorre
We need a tighthead, Bakkies replacement, a back up on 8, scrummie that can pass a little bit faster and better, inside center and a fullback
13 – JL1 – I was thinking of you on Saturday…..that mist at Croake Park and the loss……have you recovered?? 🙁
Carol
Boks are all in town for some shopping, and a bonus paid by the Barbarians. So I reckon most will get a run
Carol
I am still unhappy about it
Rubbish stadium, reminds me of the old Boet Erasmus iN Port Elizabeth in SA. I cannot believe they lost.
Morne Steyn seem to be only good when he can kick, other than that we need a new flyhalf
Hi Carol, and Jim , excuse my manners.
Carol if the game is half as good as the French test its orth you hard earned cash.
Found this on the AB,s site.
The All Blacks have been told not to drop their standards in a difficult final tour week as the second-stringers get one more chance in the spotlight against a powerful Barbarians side.
As frontliners Mils Muliaina and Cory Jane admitted their thoughts were increasingly on home, the squad were warned by the coaches to stay focused and show their respect for one more international.
They flew to London today without Brad Thorn and Andy Ellis, who were both given leave to return home to their young families after the 39-12 win over France, while Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Muliaina, Ma’a Nonu, Jimmy Cowan and Kieran Read fulfilled sponsor’s commitments at the adidas factory in Germany.
Few, if any of the top side who were so impressive in scoring five-tries-to-none at Stade Velodrome will back up at Twickenham on Sunday (NZT), with most of the team who scrambled home against Italy in Milan getting their chance to say “don’t forget me” to Graham Henry’s coaching panel.
“We talked about it last night, it’s about respecting the guys who didn’t play. There’s a group who’ll get an opportunity against the Barbarians and they’ve worked hard to help this team win test matches in this campaign,” assistant coach Steve Hansen said.
“It’s now the turn of the people that aren’t playing that have done the donkey work up until now to show their respect and prepare well.”
No 8 Rodney So’oialo, now clearly behind Read in the pecking order, will likely lead the side again with fringe men such as Jason Eaton, Liam Messam, Tanerau Latimer, Mike Delany, Tamati Ellison and Ben Smith returning.
The latter three had frustrating test debuts at San Siro and deserve a chance to build on that against the Nick Mallett-coached Barbarians.
Long-time All Blacks winger Joe Rokocoko and Wallabies Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Matt Giteau, Stephen Moore, Drew Mitchell and Will Genia are all confirmed starters, while others in the 22-man squad include Springboks Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez.
Said Hansen: “It is a Barbarians game and you’ve got to enter into the spirit of that, and we’ll certainly be doing that.
“Most of the people that haven’t played the last two will definitely be getting game time. We came over here to play well, to win test matches but also to try and grow the depth. You can only do that by playing them.”
Hansen wasn’t aware of any contractual obligations to play their stars such as McCaw and Carter.
“They’d like us to pick the best team we can and that’s what we always do, we pick the best team to play the opposition. It’s an All Black team so it won’t be a weak one.”
18
we were complacent and started playing with somewhat swollen heads.
But imagine if we won with a single point. The whole coaching staff(SA) would declare this tour a major success. The good thing that came out here is that we now know for sure their is a hell of a lot of work.
17-JL1 Would love to see what Bakkies puts in his basket in Harrods!!
Will be delighted to see the REAL BOKKES run out for us!!
The commentators kept saying that Morne is not used to kicking in the wet conditions being used to the thin air in the ‘High Veld’!! Great excuse that one.
They should have brought Percy on to kick and have Morne pass him the tee!! (Role reversal) !!
superbul – Presumably Dan Carter, Ritchie etc will do the promo stuff and fly back to London, lets face it Germany in December is not an enticing prospect!!
All well with you?
Visitors here, like Puma I have sneaked off here for a while……OK night boys…..Must return to guests!
22
Yes thanks, the bush here is green and my mood is up. Worked hard in the sun and bush today, lots of babies now in the veld. Small warthog piglets and the most beautiful Impala and Blue wildebeest calves.
Africa is hard but so rewarding.
You would have loved the giraffe young ones i saw today. Thursday i am going for a year end braai inside the lion breeding project of a nearby Lodge.
And if everything goes to plan the cheetah cubs and mom will take on the wide world on Friday. Still want confirmation of it.
#14 Carol, would love too but we have our GRU U-20 championship match this Sunday. Trying to get the boys worked up for it. It’s not the same here in the US, too many other distractions. When I was their age would have had a hard time sleeping for the whole week. 🙂
Dan Carter says the senior All Blacks owe it to their young team-mates not to opt out of the final match of the end-of-year tour.
Speaking in the wake of the 39-12 win over France, Carter said there was a responsibility to treat the Barbarians match at Twickenham as a serious fixture.
“Not a chance in the black jersey,” Carter said when asked if there was a danger of taking the festival match lightly.
“I’m sure there will be a couple of the young guys who are keen to have a break, but summer is just around the corner, so it’s just one more game, it’s not that bad.
“I’m sure there are a lot of young guys especially who are really looking forward to it. They want to put their hands up to the coaches and prove they are capable of playing in the black jersey
Lightning around i am off
Good Night
A team who can’t play attacking rugby and win, have some serious shortcomings.
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