Don't panic: All Blacks have been practising drop goals

It has been hard to know whether there is a World Cup in full flow as there hasn't yet been a glut of drop goals. But there could be in the remaining three games - and the All Blacks are fully prepared to lead the charge if they feel it's required.

The drop goal hasn't typically been part of the All Black repertoire. Even at World Cups, where the proliferation of dropped goals is marked, the All Blacks have been almost steadfastly resistant to the idea they should join the craze.

In 2007 there were four million people crying out for them to take their time; rumble the ball towards the posts and then have someone stand deep and snap at the posts. There were 12 long minutes in that quarterfinal where the All Blacks didn't appear to even have the first idea that they were allowed to win with a field goal.

They did everything to avoid setting up for one - until the final seconds that is when Luke McAlister fired one opportunistically and hopelessly from just inside his half.

So far in this tournament, Dan Carter has had one attempted dropped goal that was charged down against France. It suggests the dropped goal hasn't featured in the All Blacks' thinking or training.

Not so says Carter. "It is something we have worked a lot on in training," he says. "We have seen in the past that dropped goals historically have been a big part of Rugby World Cup play. We just haven't been in a position where we have needed it. We have worked on it at training and in various positions. We have plans in place to execute it but as I say, we just haven't needed to do it."

If previous games between New Zealand and South Africa prove to be an accurate guide, then there is every chance the semifinal clash at Twickenham will go to the wire with a only a few points separating the teams. That's when the dropped goal will be critical.

It's often seen as a play to be used at the death - a means to grab points to take the lead late in the game. But the All Blacks may surprise this time and use the dropped goal earlier in the game to help apply scoreboard pressure.

Aaron Cruden actually dropped one in the 2011 semifinal in the first half to keep Australia chasing the game.

Ideally, the All Blacks would like to replicate what happened in their 2011 semifinal and build a big enough lead to eliminate the need to be scrambling points in the closing stages.

But they accept against an opponent such as South Africa, that luxury may be denied them. They are also aware that semifinals have a long history of being determined by dropped goals. Jonny Wilkinson nailed three in the 2003 semifinal against France, while Stephen Larkham landed the only dropped goal of his career to help Australia beat South Africa in extra time in 1999.

So if it comes down to landing a pressure kick, how does Carter feel the All Blacks will cope? Is it an advantage that halfback Aaron Smith can pass the ball so far and with such speed and accuracy?

"You don't want to be too far back," says Carter. "The closer you are to the posts...[the easier it is]. The challenging thing for the dropped goal is the timing of the whole thing.

"Making sure everyone is on the same page and you are not making it so obvious that it's the play you are going for. We have systems in place and to be honest it doesn't matter what halfback is in the field for us as they are all fantastic passers."

- Gregor Paul in London