ABs draw line in the sand
Sunday sounds as if it was about closure for the All Blacks.
While we’re still raking over the coals of the team’s 36-34 loss to South Africa and who shook whose hand, how many career dropped kicks someone’s attempted and what we can interpret from coach Steve Hansen’s utterances, they’ve all moved on . . . or at least tried to.
The All Blacks assembled to review the match on Sunday with establishing work-ons apparently not the main motivation. Instead, they spoke frankly about what went wrong against the Springboks and now want to put that game behind them.
It’s all about beating Argentina in Buenos Aires this Sunday.
‘‘It was honest and just focused on the things that really needed working on. The things that were obvious, that come out of the game,’’ New Zealand tighthead prop Owen Franks told reporters about the Springboks’ review.
We’ve all posited theories about what those ‘‘obvious’’ deficiencies were, but allowing a team as direct and one-dimensional as South Africa to score 36 points must be top of the list.
Similar might have been said about how the Pumas play their rugby, not so long ago. But there’s a pleasing subtlety and variety to their game now, as evidenced by their clash with the All Blacks in Nelson on September 8.
Argentina were very elusive and, but for a last-ditch TJ Perenara tackle, might have finished a lot closer than 46-24. They’ve since gone to Australia and beaten the Wallabies, so New Zealand will have their hands full at Estadio Jose Amalfitani.
‘‘Their forward pack, especially their loosies are skilful players, good ball runners. Their back three, if you give them counter-[attack] opportunities and space and time, we saw last time we played that they can score some tries. So limiting their opportunities with ball in hand as much as we can [will be important],’’ lock Scott Barrett said.
It’s inevitable for players to focus on their most recent performance. So, when it’s a loss and there’s then a week off, Barrett concedes the Springboks’ loss has occupied a few people’s thoughts. But you can only carry that with you so long.
‘‘I guess there’s a little bit of an extra knot in the gut to get back on track. You can use that but, at the same time, you’ve got to put that behind you and focus on what’s ahead,’’ said Barrett.
For him, that’s likely to mean another start, given Sam Whitelock and Patrick Tuipulotu are the only other locks in the touring party. Jackson Hemopo can If it’s Argentina, then it must be time for Owen Franks to talk about scrums.
The All Blacks tighthead prop is famed for his scrummaging prowess, as were the Pumas once upon a time. They’ve been erratic, at best, in more recent seasons, although that doesn’t tend to stop people asking Franks how much he fears them.
He copped the same line of questioning in Nelson two weeks ago, with the difference this time around being that the query came from the Argentine press.
‘‘Like I said last time, I’ll never disrespect it because there’s times when they’ve looked not so dominant and then the next game they can be worldbeaters. That happened to me so I’ll always treat them with the same amount of respect,’’ Franks said in Buenos Aires.
‘‘As far as I’m concerned, going into this week, they’ve got the best scrum in the world because that’s the ability they have to turn it on.’’
Concentration, as much as technique and the cohesion of the eight, is among the keys to
clearly play there, but seems to be a blindside flanker in the All Blacks’ environment.
So, assuming Barrett and Whitelock start, they’re well aware of who they’ll be up against. Talk to some players about opponents and you get the impression they don’t actually know who’s in the other side.
In Barrett’s case, he provided useful analysis of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert, ahead of the scrummaging and you’ll be embarrassed the moment you switch off.
But the high esteem Franks holds the Argentine scrum in has been not shared by Pumas coach Mario Ledesma lately. In his playing day, at the heart of the front row, Argentina’s scrum was a weapon but, as he said before and after the team’s 46-24 loss to New Zealand at Trafalgar Park earlier this month, it isn’t right now.
Ledesma told reporters ‘‘you build a house from the foundations up’’ which was proving difficult with the Pumas.
‘‘We haven’t had a strong scrum for a couple of years,’’ Ledesma said.
This was graphically illustrated the next night, when Franks and company held sway in the set piece. Loosehead prop Karl Tu’inukuafa, in particular, had a field day.
‘‘We got torn apart so we need to get better there,’’ a disappointed Ledesma said afterwards.
‘‘It’s been the same for the last couple of years. Unfortunately, other teams go hard at us there because they consider we’re really strong.’’
Springboks’ game, and has now done similar for the Pumas.
‘‘Tomas Lavanini, he’s a physical player and he’s got a good workrate. You saw him last week [against Australia] make a key tackle at a key moment and possibly win the game for Argentina.
‘‘Guido Petti, he’s a good lineout forward and he’s their leader, so we’ll be looking to try and make them have a quiet night if possible.’’