Leaders’ calming role pushes team over line again
All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith says the team’s unflinching belief in their onfield leaders can be traced back to Dublin.
Handling pressure and coming out on the right side of tight tests is becoming the trademark of Steve Hansen’s All Blacks and was there in spades during Saturday’s 14-10 Rugby Championship win over the Springboks in Wellington on Saturday.
It was the latest example in a string of close results, including 28-27 and 20-15 wins over England in June, and a 14-14 draw with Australia in Sydney.
Still high on the adrenaline rush of the frantic final minutes of the test, Smith provided an insight into exactly how the leadership axis operates when a match is on the line.
‘‘The character of the boys and the ability to stay calm still surprises me,’’ he said. ‘‘Those last three minutes went really slow, especially when we got turned over at that scrum, but the leaders just said, ‘breathe boys, breath, stay calm and back our D.’
‘‘We have three or four captains really. You have Bender [Ben Smith] from the Highlanders, Conrad [Smith] from the Hurricanes, Reado [Read] and Richie, guys like that.
‘‘Snakey [Conrad Smith] comes in and says what the backs are going to do. It keeps it pretty simple. But it’s just the way they communicate, really calmly.
‘‘That really relaxes you, it calms you down, it was cool. Those are the ones you remember.’’ Smith said the squad’s faith in the messages the leaders delivered had grown since they clawed back a 19-0 deficit to beat Ireland 24-22 in Dublin last November thanks to a last second try.
‘‘The biggest turning point for me was Ireland last year with about 30 minutes to go and Richie was just, ‘ stay calm boys, we’ve got this. Trust our systems and it’ll work’.
‘‘The belief for me just really went up and ever since, whenever they come in and say, ‘just breath, this is the plan’, you just go out and do what they say and execute the plan as best you can.
‘‘Add a little bit of guts, that’s all you can do. Do what you do the best you can. For me that’s clear the ball, communicate to the forwards. If everyone’s doing their role to the best, then that’s all you can do.
‘‘We’ve always said, if a team is good enough to get around us or through us then so be it, but they won’t catch us on the hop for spirit or a lack of trust. You won’t get anyone running out of the line trying to make a big play, everyone’s just staying in the system and trusting each other . . . that little silver fern on your chest gives you that extra bit of strength to get through.’’
A classic example was Read’s decision to contest the final lineout against South Africa rather than stay on the ground to try and negate the drive.
A full commitment to the cause saw the Springbok throw disrupted, then an attacker barrelled into touch.
Hansen hailed the influence of McCaw, Read, Conrad Smith and mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka were having on the younger players.
‘‘It seems to be becoming the norm to be able to work our way through that. For the younger guys its a great lesson in keeping composed,’’ he said.
‘‘Those last three minutes went really slow, especially when we got turned over at that scrum, but the leaders just said, ‘breathe boys, breath, stay calm and back our D.’’