It always intrigues me how partial and narrow-minded some of the New Zealand rugby commentators can be. The constant criticism of South Africa’s style of play and the ‘drooling’ over the New Zealand expansive game is something that irritates me immensely so as if there is only one way to play rugby and as if New Zealand has the perfect game.

It was consequently quite interesting to notice how New Zealand stopped trying to play the ‘expansive’ game and reverted back to the bash-up style of playing in this last tri-nations test match. It was also fascinating to notice how these bias New Zealand commentators were making no mention of the fact that New Zealand was doing exactly what they did in 2007 against France when they choked. 

Well if New Zealand didn’t choke in this last test then I don’t think they will ever choke. I wonder how many people have noticed Richie McCaw instructing his team to take deep breaths (leading by example) while making signs with his hands indicating that he wants them to calm down. 

They were like hare in the headlights. Totally clueless and in total disarray for the entire first half. In the second half they reverted to the old style All Black rugby –like in 2007 against France- of bashing it up in channels 1 and 2. 

The old ‘stampkar-rugby’ of the early 1990.   

While this was going on the commentators called it coming back into the game. Well to give them credit they did come back but it took so much effort that by the time they drew level they were emotionally so drained that Australia had no problems scoring the last try. 

New Zealand is at the moment in total shock. Not because they lost but because they choked yet again. They couldn’t handle the pressure. Finish and klaar. 

We in South Africa know this. We know that the only way to beat the All Blacks is by putting their halfbacks under extreme pressure and by dominating the breakdowns. The Aussies took a leaf out of our book and copied what we did in Port Elizabeth namely giving the halfbacks no space. 

The excuse after the PE test was of course that it was not the All Black A-team. Carter and McCaw and 7 other A-team members did not play. So the worrying factor for the AB after the defeat in Brisbane is that it was the frontline players who choked and who got totally annihilated at the breakdowns. 

There are a number of concerns after some weak spots in the underbelly have been revealed. The major concern is the choking. The inability of players like Gilford, Jane and Mills Muliana to handle the pressure and the incapacity of the pack to turn it around and the disheartening performance of the loose forwards was shockingly revealing of just how vulnerable this ‘invincible’ All Black side can be. 

The loose trio that played in this match just didn’t fire. Kieran Read is a shadow of what he was last year while Thompson has peaked to early and is deteriorating game by game. Richie McCaw is clearly past is best and not the factor that he used to be. They now sit with both Read and Thompson injured and with a sevens player Vito as back-up.   

The tight 5 was also not so dominating at the breakdowns and set piece as last year and there must be some serious concerns about the form of Brad Thorn and Ali Williams. The back-up props in the squad did not convince at all. 

Another concern must be the counter defensive system that has emerged for the decoy runners the AB’s use to spread the ball wide. Both SA and Australia have utilized an umbrella defensive pattern to smother the players waiting wide to receive the ball with long passes behind the decoy runners. Faced with this it was again, for me, shockingly revealing how unable Dan Carter is to dictate. 

Carter disappear when his halfback is struggling and when he has to play with back foot ball. Carter has yet to convince me that he can take a game by the scruff of the neck and run the show when his team is struggling; not having it their way. 

Referees and opponents have wise-up regarding the AB tactics at the breakdowns namely of storming past the ball and the blocking of the incoming runners of the opposition. Referees are also more aware of the NZ tendency to take supportive players out by driving in on them from the sides of the rucks. 

Suddenly the spectators in New Zealand are complaining about unfair refereeing at the breakdowns. Specifically, about the fact that NZ supportive players get penalised for not entering the ruck through the gate when they are forced to run around obstructing players (players that have charged past the ball and then position themselves between the ball and the incoming NZ supporting players like they tend to do) to join the ruck.   

The mind set of invincibility has been severely challenged by these two losses. The reality of the ‘choking’ phenomenon reinforced and there is real concern regarding lack of form and back-up depth in certain key positions. 

Personally I am not convinced that NZ will be able to come up with something new and suited for one-off RWC matches. I am waiting in anticipation to see how the brain trust of NZ rugby is going to handle the situation because make no mistake the rest of the world have adjusted to how they play. 

At the very least these two defeats have thrown the RWC tournament right open making it a far more interesting spectacle to look forward to.    

Can NZ win this year? Well they must still be the favourites but I think the rest of the world especially France, England, South Africa and Australia now believe they can be beaten. There is more than just hope now; there are two video tapes that can be used as a blueprint on how to go about beating the All Blacks.