Savea and Barrett the best ABs at World Cup
Patrick McKendry and Liam Napier tackle the World Cup’s big questions and ponder what can be learned for the future
Who was the standout All Black at the World Cup?
Patrick McKendry: Beauden Barrett; the best fullback in the world and possibly the best No 10, too; a player with pace, anticipation and vision, a player the All Blacks hoped would lead them to another World Cup triumph via his attacking ability from the back who in the end was starved of ball and opportunities and stuck in the garage like a supercar with an empty fuel tank. Still, he was brilliant every time he played, a one-man highlights reel.
Liam Napier: Ardie Savea did not feature in the playoff for third due to his knee injury that will take two months to heal. But even as he hobbled on one leg with the semifinal result long gone, he refused to give up. Right to the final whistle, Savea charged forward and bumped off defenders. It’s this attitude that epitomises his relentless workrate that’s seen him take his place among rugby’s elite. When you consider he continues to play with blurry vision in one eye, only then do you truly appreciate just how good he has been throughout this tournament.
Best player overall?
PM: Japan captain Michael Leitch. The Kiwi-born loose forward had the weight of a nation on his shoulders and yet carried himself with a lightness that was inspiring to all. His commitment to Japan’s cause was absolute but quite apart from his obvious physical toughness is a special skillset of pass-and-catch and a knack of being in the right place at the right time. A joy to watch.
LN: South African flanker Pieter Steph du Toit was a colossus against England in the final, but in a game of giants, Cheslin Kolbe’s magical feet captivate more than most. Richie Mo’unga’s desperate covering tackle on Kolbe went a long way to sealing the All Blacks’ opening victory. Since then, the Toulouse finisher terrorised opposition defences. Kolbe is the Nehe Milner-Skudder of this tournament in the way he needs so little space to stun defenders with his step. Mix in his courage and deceptive strength, and it’s impossible not to admire Kolbe’s talent.
Favourite moment?
PM: It should be watching Siya Kolisi lift the trophy for South Africa, but if I’m honest, it was watching All Blacks wing Ben Smith roll back the years with his two-try performance against Wales in the bronze playoff match at Tokyo Stadium a night earlier. Smith said he wanted to finish on a high for his family and teammates, to make his young children Annabelle and Walter, who were watching from the stand, proud. It was a special effort.
LN: Japan’s rousing upsets. First Ireland, then Scotland, the hosts set their tournament alight with those results. They captured hearts and minds along the way, too, with their flamboyant running and offloading rugby. Japan’s victory over Ireland defied all odds but their second triumph seemed inevitable. That night, Yokohama Stadium rode their team home, the atmosphere like nothing else. Reaching their maiden quarter-finals was a magnificent achievement for Jamie Joseph, Michael Leitch and Japan. The hope now is their success is not wasted and they are embraced into rugby’s long established elite. Don’t hold your breath, though.
If you could change one thing . . .
PM: Make defensive lines stay onside. It was ridiculous at times, never more so than during England’s semifinal win over the All Blacks when Manu Tuilagi might as well have been in Jack Goodhue’s pocket. Attacking teams need more space and officials need to follow the law more closely. It’s really not that hard.
LN: The three cancelled pool fixtures. Who knows what may have happened if France played England? Namibia were also robbed of their chance for a first World Cup victory against Canada. Typhoon Hagibis caused widespread destruction but for future tournaments, better contingency plans must be in place to preserve the integrity of this pinnacle event.
Most amusing moment?
PM: Scotland’s threat to sue World Rugby and the World Cup organisers should their final pool game against Japan be cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis and then watching as the Brave Blossoms convincingly beat them. The next might well be Scotland’s official Twitter account somewhat controversially coming out in support of England before the final against the Boks. It was another decision that backfired amid ignominy. Crying laugh emoji.
LN: We’ll all miss Steve Hansen’s oneliners, his sense of humour and ability to lighten almost any mood. After the All Blacks defeated Wales to claim bronze, Hansen was at it again.
“We’ll deal with what we have to
deal with over the next couple of days, find a quiet place at home and sit and have a few laughs with my wife Tash, and a few drinks. Probably get drunk and. . .”
Captain Kieran Read interjected to say something along the lines of “you better stop there, Steve“.
“See, Kieran is still only 30-odd,” Hansen added. “I’m 60, so, what he’s thinking about doesn’t happen that often these days. Not as much as I’d like, anyway.”
Rate the All Blacks out of 10.
PM: 7 — They were very good against the Boks and okay against Canada and Namibia. They were awesome against Ireland and played with an intensity and skill level we probably haven’t seen from the All Blacks since that quarter-final demolition of France four years ago. Unfortunately they were awful against England a week later, but England played a big part in that, too, of course.
LN: 6 — One disastrous evening in Yokohama taints a tournament that otherwise seemed to be tracking in the right direction. The fact this is the pinnacle event dictates judgments must be harsher. The World Cup is the ultimate aim, after all. Failure to claim the trophy or reach the final will haunt souls for years. Context comes from the All Blacks’ victory over the eventual champions, and their ruthless seven-try demolition of Ireland in the quarter-finals. They were, however, well off the pace in the semifinals, dominated physically to the point of no return and again rattled by defensive line speed. Four wins, one loss. One haunting regret.
What does this tournament say about where rugby is going?
PM: That the margins between top teams are small. That defence wins matches, and that ambition can, too, and that the execution of a game plan is becoming more important as each four-year cycle passes. That the officials must take a firmer hand on how the game is played. That the gap between the top and lower tier teams is growing — something which should be attended to as soon as possible. That rugby in Japan has a bright future if carefully fostered.
LN: That forward power and defensive line speed remain king. From an entertainment perspective, hope springs eternal that attacking
verve and endeavour will prevail but rugby is a simple game in that whoever lays the best platform generally wins. On the basis of their semifinal performance, the All Blacks have work to do in this area. Physicality needs to be a singleminded focus, and the set piece, particularly the lineout which derailed at the back end of the tournament, needs attention, too.
Did the best team win?
PM: Probably not; the All Blacks were probably the best team. But the Boks deserved to win, no doubt about that. They were smart and committed and completely outplayed England. And rather than lurching into a festival of boring box kicks, the final was an enthralling and at times thrilling game.
LN: It’s cruel to take anything away from the Springboks. They are worthy champions but losing their opening game to the All Blacks pushed them on to the easier side of the draw. Mentally, the All Blacks played their final against Ireland. England played theirs against the All Blacks the following week. The Springboks won the real final. In the end, that’s all that matters.