All Blacks v Fiji (1) review
Campbell Burnes reviews a scratchy All Blacks performance in the face of a stern, physical challenge by the Flying Fijians.
Dane Coles hogged the headlines with his quartet of tries in the second stanza, but this encounter was much closer than the final scoreline of 57-23 would suggest.
CONTEXT
The All blacks made no less than 13 changes from the 15 that started against Tonga a week beforehand for this first international against the Flying Fijians since 2011 in the same southern city.
but the backdrop of the match was dominated by the worsening Covid-19 situation in Fiji. Many of the players would not even be able to visit family in Fiji, under strict instructions to return immediately after the series to their european clubs. The full squad only had a few days’ proper build-up, many having emerged from MIQ during the week.
Aaron smith took the All blacks captaincy for the first time, in his 98th Test, while ethan de groot was named to make his debut off the bench. The other ethan, blackadder, wore the no 7 jersey to cover injuries.
Fiji’s coaching staff included Daryl Gibson (bay of Plenty) and Jason ryan (Crusaders), alongside head coach Vern Cotter.
Only 15,000 braved the chilly conditions under the roof.
HOW IT PLAYED OUT
The halftime score made ugly reading for the All blacks: 21-11.
They had scored three decent tries, a pair to new second five David Havili, but they were being outmuscled and turned over at the breakdown by a tenacious Fijian pack. blackadder is no international no 7, though he did not play badly as such. He was just out of position. but several other All blacks forwards looked passive and sloppy. Fiji no 6 Johnny Dyer was having a blinder, jackling like a demon. no 8 Albert Tuisue scored the first of (I kid ye not) six tries emanating from lineouts, including a penalty try.
The score was as close as 26-16 when Dane Coles entered the fray at 49 minutes. The All blacks tightened things up, sam whitelock helping calm the jitters, and Fiji started to tire.
The final margin of 34 was no reflection on how tough this Test really was for the home team.
KEY MOMENT
Coaches always bang on about how rugby is now a 23-man game and the finishers are vital to the cause.
This was never more evident than in this Test match, where subs whitelock, Coles and will Jordan all immediately added punch to the pockmarked All Blacks’ effort.
so we could say the 49th minute injection of Coles, along with his fellow front-row subs, was the turning point. He reeled off a quartet of tries, the last a real opportunist one, in the space of 36 minutes. Fiji’s subs could give little comparable punch to their valiant effort.
MVP: NO 16 DANE COLES
The Fiji loose forwards Albert Tuisue, Mesulame Kunavula and Johnny Dyer all deserve a mention for spearheading the visitors’ edge at the breakdown.
Five-eighths David Havili turned on some smooth moves in the All blacks backline, while brodie retallick got through 80 minutes in his first Test in well over 18 months. Damian Mckenzie showed some nice touches off the pine, though he did cop a thunderous hit from Fiji skipper Levani botia.
but we cannot go past replacement hooker Dane Coles, with three tries off lineout drives and another for just being in the right place at the right time. That is a record for an All Blacks forward. He may no longer be the undisputed best hooker in the land, but he has plenty in the tank to reach the rugby world Cup 2023.