The All Blacks work out together in Mendoza. Video / NZ Rugby
OPINION:
Elliott Smith analyses the All Blacks’ build-up and the recent struggles of the New Zealand under-20 side.
A question...
What would Ian Foster have given for the kind of preparation the Springboks have had for the Rugby Championship?
While South African Rugby’s rightly worried about burnout of their players,given so many of them are scattered around the globe now and therefore turning into year-round players, their preparation for the Rugby Championship and therefore the World Cup has been one to envy.
The entire squad, minus a couple of stragglers granted extra leave, gathered on June 12 for a three-week camp. That was six days before Foster was even able to name his squad, let alone get them together – which wasn’t until more than week later for the entirety of the group.
It’s no wonder then that the All Blacks decided to bring over virtually their entire squad here to Argentina, to try and get some cohesion while around a dozen Springboks had the luxury of passing by the Wallabies this week and settling in Auckland five days before the All Blacks even get home from Argentina.
No wonder Jason Ryan was quick to say every day is important when I suggested every game was vital to him earlier in the week.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
An observation...
The All Blacks have gone under the radar here in Mendoza. On Monday, it was just yours truly and a couple of colleagues from RugbyPass at their media session, while the day after there were a few more – but I’m told much less attention than they might have got had they been in Buenos Aires.
It’s the first time they’ve played a test in Argentina outside of the city. Wednesday saw the local football team Godoy Cruz in action in a daytime game – forced to move venues because their usual home is getting ready for the All Blacks this weekend.
A suggestion...
1) Sometimes too much is read into the under-20 World Cup. 2) New Zealand should be concerned at the performances of the under-20 side at the World Cup.
Both things can be true at the same time.
The New Zealand Under-20 side didn't make the semifinals. Photo / Photosport
An explanation...
The cut-throat nature of four teams advancing out of group stage is always going to mean one of the major sides misses out, and in this case it was New Zealand.
The Northern Hemisphere sides put a lot of stock in performances at the under-20 World Cups – back properly for the first time this year after breaks during the Covid years. The teams get little time together to train and work together and a smattering of Kiwi players were involved in Super Rugby before their departure. (A side note – without any data to back it up - that our players on average seem to enter professional rugby teams younger than Europe’s).
It doesn’t necessarily point to a reason to panic, but NZR should be worried that they don’t have the big bodies coming through they once did, with the pack outmuscled by a hulking French unit at times. The under-20 Six Nations have also seen those unions improve.
A suggestion...
To make ground up at that level, the Sanzaar unions really need to follow suit with an under-20 Rugby Championship.
The World Cup itself is somewhat of a marker – and a good achievement for the players selected – but afterwards the inevitable happens with players that young. Some don’t kick on, some are sized out or fall out of love with the game, while others go on to have the extraordinary careers.
