FIVE TALKING POINTS FROM THE WIN OVER WALES

Just as well the All Blacks can hang up their boots and kick back and relax for the rest of the year.

Because you get the feeling one more match, particularly if it were against England at Twickenham, would be a bridge too far for this obviously exhausted mob of men.

They were already fading before their 33-18 win against Wales in Cardiff yesterday, a match they spent the majority of tackling themselves to a standstill.

The All Blacks were forced to make 148 tackles to Wales’ 86, and only got their mitts on the ball for 36 per cent of the match. Here’s some of the talking points from the game:

Rieko Ioane

Name a better All Black than left wing Rieko Ioane this year.

Flanker Sam Cane or lock Sam Whitelock might go close. Lock Brodie Retallick wouldn’t have been too far away if he’d played the entire season.

But the 20-year-old Ioane trumps all, and comfortably if you’re only talking about players numbered nine through to 15.

Ioane tore up the Welsh in Cardiff. Including a 45m intercept, he racked up 113m on 10 carries and scored a double to take his try-scoring tally to 11 from just 13 tests. He also setup Anton Lienert-Brown’s second half try with a break down the left-hand flank.

Another yellow card

It wouldn’t be an All Blacks test match if they didn’t play at least 10 minutes with 14 men.

Last week it was Cane and Wyatt Crockett, the week before it was Sonny Bill Williams, and this week it was Sam Whitelock cooling his heels on the sidelines.

Referee Wayne Barnes flashed Whitelock a yellow card in the 67th minute after he was penalised for a ruck infringement. Wales wasted little time scoring and pulling to within 26-18.

In their three end-of-year tests, the All Blacks conceded 41 penalties (14 v France, 16 v Scotland and 11 v Wales) and four yellow cards.

Player development

Anyone who thinks the All Blacks were at their best this year should stick their head under a cold tap for 10 minutes.

They were far from it and nobody can say they’re peaking between World Cups. Yet they still did enough to finish the season with 11 wins, two losses and a draw.

Even coach Steve Hansen admitted it was a tough year post match in Cardiff, but not one without its benefits.

A raft of injuries to players such as Joe Moody, Owen Franks and Israel Dagg, plus Ben Smith’s sabbatical, provided others a sniff, while a bunch of new players got a taste of the environment. Props Kane Hames and Nepo Laulala will be much better for the ample game-time they’ve had this season, while the sample size of Damian McKenzie playing fullback at the top level is big enough to properly evaluate moving into 2018.

The gap

Have the All Blacks regressed or is the rest of the rugby world catching up? It could be a bit of both.

There’s been plenty of talk around the subject this year, particularly during the scratchy northern tour and the three unconvincing wins we’ve been put through.

What’s easy to forget is the All Blacks don’t always romp to victories on these northern tours. Last year, on the back of an outstanding southern hemisphere season, they lost to Ireland and barely eked out a win against France.

It’s safe to say injuries and the unavailability of Ben Smith and Brodie Retallick (personal reasons) hasn’t helped. All up, they were without 11 frontline players against Wales.

However, even with almost everyone available earlier in the season, the All Blacks haven’t quite been there this year. The high error count and and a drop off in their finishing has been a constant headscratcher.

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