Hooked on a feeling:
It’s doubtful anyone in a black jersey enjoyed this low-key romp to wrap up the test season in Rome more than happy hooker Dane Coles.
Let’s just preface this perusal of the All Blacks’ final test of their mixed bag of a year with the qualifier that it’s only Italy and it pays not to get too carried away with anything we saw out on Stadio Olimpico from this intriguing blend of frontliners and backup players.
Of course, there was nothing like the purpose, pressure and precision that Ireland and England were able to apply during the previous fortnight. Literally, nothing resembling it as the Azzurri challenge folded at the first hint of black magic from the All Blacks, who ran in 10 tries in a 66-3 thumping.
The upshot of that telling pair of matches has been well and truly pored over during a week of pretty intense assessment of this team of Steve Hansen’s. The reality is no doubts from those difficult encounters, in which the All Blacks were limited to one try in 160 minutes of test footy, were erased from this lowintensity mismatch.
There is nothing the All Blacks can do about that, probably until next year’s Rugby World Cup. But nonetheless it was encouraging to see them finish this challenging campaign – remember they were also exposed by the Springboks in two fabulous tests in Wellington and Pretoria – on a high note and with an entertaining expression of their talent and power.
Yes, this was a different kettle of fish altogether in the form of a limited and outgunned Italian outfit lacking the class to apply the sort of pressure that both Ireland and England were able to for large stretches of absorbing contests.
That said, it was still a test match, and wet conditions did require a certain set of skills from the All Blacks that they were largely able to deliver. Big tick there.
Top of that list, up with Jordie Barrett’s four-try explosion on the right wing, had to be Coles who delivered an encouraging performance to end another frustrating year where he’s battled injury more than any