All Blacks are well ahead and pulling away

ANOTHER day another dollar. Another rather fortunate win for the Boks against Argentina, but at least it was a win.

At one stage it looked like a sure loss and, for dogged determination at least, hats off to the Springboks.

There are positives to take from the game but, in terms of where we need to be, there is a long way to go.

Faf de Klerk is a real find, however, and I bet a lot of European and Japanese moguls are sharpening pencils.

That diagonal run off the scrum was done at such pace and with such theatrical menace – yes, there is a place for that in rugby – that the blindside flank, instead of covering in, was sold on the out, and the sublime reverse pass put Johan Goosen in for a clean try. That was a marvellous piece of clinical scoring off a set piece.

Goosen also looked interesting at fullback and deserves more game time.

Our tight play was good, but why do we spend so much time defending? Why do we not dominate?

However, before we get carried away with the questions, did you watch the All Blacks destroy Australia in Sydney? It is not a bad Wallaby side. They were playing their fourth game of the season and were up for it.

There was, supposedly, a bugging device found in the All Black team room so, it is even possible, although unlikely, that the Aussies had an idea of the Kiwi game plan and tactics. That is terrifying because, even if they did, they were still totally destroyed by a side that gave as good a performance of total rugby as I, for one, have ever seen. This is not hyperbole or exaggeration. They were almost perfection personified.

Show that to your schools and development players. That is rugby at its best, individually and collectively.

We know about their backline. The halves are quick and decisive and vary tactics almost at will. The first instinct is to shift the target and to spread the ball wide but they know that this also spreads defences. At all times the ball carrier has an option inside and, close to the scrum, Cane, Reid and Kaino, and then Ardie Savea, can attack with explosive directness.

They vary kicks as well with bombs and chips and foot passes to dangerous wingers. But we have known about this for ages. This team has taken the confidence level in the backs to an even higher plane.

The startling thing about the All Blacks of today is the skill level of the tight five and, in particular, the two locks. Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock are huge men and fine set-piece players. They massacred the Australian lineout and they scrum well. Up to now they have driven well in the loose and seemed complete players in their positions. You can forget that because now they have redefined complete lock play and taken it miles further on.

On a number of occasions Retallick was first receiver but, instead of driving forward, as locks do, he straightened, let the shallow runner run, and then distributed back to the deep runner, who took the ball at speed. I couldn’t believe it but it happened on at least three occasions. He was like a top flyhalf.

Think what that means. It commits defenders because they have to be prepared for a physical drive, and, being a tight forward as a distributor, it releases an extra fast back to run wide. With blind winger and fullback in the move, this can release three extra runners at the defence.

Whitelock’s handling in Julian Savea’s try was also terrific. In fairness, the Boks’ Eben Etsebeth looks like he has also upped his game in this regard. Hopefully, he is not alone.

So, the depressing conclusion is that, while we are desperately trying to catch up to the All Blacks of the World Cup, they are busy moving on to an even higher level, and doing so quickly. Their rush defence, pioneered by the Hurricanes, is also disruptive, explosive and, far from being crude, measured and controlled. They also have options in almost every position, so injury, suspension and loss of form are not going to affect them hugely. All this from a tiny country. Amazing.

Before we all reach for the razor blades, let’s take stock. We have wonderful potential in this country. We have speed and size and strength and a population that has never really had a fair chance. We have sponsors who are willing to commit millions if they feel there will be returns to be had. The trouble is that we have not accepted that we are no longer world leaders in terms of rugby innovation.

Some administrators and fans believe we have a Godgiven right to win because that is how South Africans were brought up to think. We need to wake up. Those days are gone.

Our rugby leaders, starting with the national coaching staff, need to identify where we are skills deficient, then start a skills revolution. It will be hard for some of the Boks but they are professionals and can learn. Remember Schalk Burger? He went from bash and crash to being a good distributor. He never sat on his laurels despite being world famous.

It will not come quickly but we need to see evidence of intent to improve every time the Boks play.

Tonight will be tough and physical. The scariest part of last week was that, at times, the Argentinians looked more like the All Blacks than we did. Thank goodness we have three years until Japan. There’s no time to waste.