Trying times as world record looms large
Aworld record is in the offing for the All Blacks in their test match against England at Twickenham on Sunday. Such has been their constantly threatening strikes this year, New Zealand are on the cusp of creating a new mark (13) for the most consecutive test matches in which a team has scored four or more tries.
While it’s a figure that doesn’t hold any significant value aside from being bonus-point material in some tournaments – such as the World Cup since 2003, the Six Nations since 2017 and formerly the Rugby Championship until the ‘three more than your opponents’ rule came in in 2016 – the four-try feat is at least considered a successful attacking day at the office.
Following the romp over Japan last Saturday, the All Blacks have equalled their own best streak, achieved in the first 12 of their 14 tests in 2016 before they only managed three in each the last two games of that season, against Ireland and France.
This current run began in the final match of 2017, with five tries in the win over Wales in Cardiff.
New Zealand then started this year with a 3-0 series sweep of France, scoring eight in the first test in Auckland and seven in the last in Dunedin, and, despite a wobbly showing in Wellington in between, they still managed to cross four times in that one.
There was then four successive games with six tries scored – against Australia in Sydney and Auckland, against Argentina in Nelson, and in the loss to South Africa in Wellington.
After five tries against the Pumas in Buenos Aires the streak was set to end against the Springboks in Pretoria, but two last-gasp scores made for a fourtry tally, then there was five against the Wallabies in Yokohama and 10 put on the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo.
It shows how consistently dangerous the men in black are, often in these games operating with less than an equal share of possession. The willingness to attack from anywhere is unmistakable, while penalty goals continue to become a thing of the past.
The coaches – attack specialist Ian Foster in particular – must take some praise, because it’s a marked