NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

Rugby: All Blacks backline in spotlight

Liam Napier
By Liam Napier
Senior Sports Journalist·NZ Herald·
1 Oct, 2017 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kieran Read scored tries but also snared a yellow card in a mixed day for the All Blacks skipper against Argentina. Photo / Getty Images

Kieran Read scored tries but also snared a yellow card in a mixed day for the All Blacks skipper against Argentina. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The All Blacks pride themselves on their ability to improve and adjust. The sad news around Brodie Retallick, and a disappointing second half performance against the Pumas, will put that to the test this week.

Originally scheduled to start against the Springboks, Retallick will now not join the All Blacks in Cape Town this week after he and wife Niki lost their baby boy prematurely.

"We're really feeling for them at this sad time and our thoughts are with them and their families," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.

Vaea Fifita, Ngani Laumape, Waisake Naholo, Luke Romano and Ardie Savea are also returning home, allowing Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Liam Squire, Ryan Crotty and Lima Sopoaga to join the team in South Africa.

Retallick's place alongside Whitelock in the second row will be filled by Scott Barrett or Patrick Tuipulotu.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Elsewhere, Crotty should link with Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield, with Cane and Squire likely to slot into the preferred loose forward trio.

Fifita's return home opens the door for Jerome Kaino to make his comeback. Nehe Milner-Skudder will also be favoured to be back on the right wing.

Interestingly, the backline has been tasked with taking responsibility for the underwhelming second half in Buenos Aires, where the All Blacks managed only one late try after notching four in the first spell.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

While loose forwards Matt Todd and captain Kieran Read copped yellow cards to put the All Blacks under pressure - and Read, with five yellow cards, is now the most carded All Black ever - it was the backs who failed to capitalise on a largely dominant platform.

On the whole, Hansen and assistant Ian Foster were satisfied with the 36-10 victory but, as far as improvements are concerned, the focus will fall on the backline.

"We certainly got a little bit flat-footed in that second half," Foster said.

"Changing the combinations around probably didn't help things. I'm not sure we adapted as well as we should have. We probably needed a little bit more hard running in that second half.

Discover more

All Blacks

Victorious ABs go quiet in second half

01 Oct 12:22 AM
All Blacks

Player ratings: All Blacks v Argentina

01 Oct 02:17 AM
All Blacks

Rattue: Rest of rugby world must despair

01 Oct 05:56 AM
All Blacks

Retallick to miss test after family heartbreak

01 Oct 03:55 AM

"The Argentinian team spread well and covered the field and yet we still tried to go around them and that got us into trouble. That was a bigger variable rather than the line speed."

Praising the efforts of Wyatt Crockett, Savea and Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Hansen was not so pleased with the impact from his backline replacements.

"Where we probably lost our way a little bit was in the backs," Hansen said. "We didn't take the obvious things that were on; we tried to get a little tricky. But, in saying that, David Havili had a taste of test rugby. He scored a try, so he'll be feeling pretty good about himself.

"Matt Todd was pretty unlucky to be yellow carded, to be frank. When I looked at the tape, I didn't think he'd done anything wrong, but the ref called it, so we have to live with that.

"It won't be the last time we have to deal with something like that and now this group of people has had the experience."

Asked specifically about TJ Perenara's contribution after replacing Aaron Smith with 35 minutes to play, Foster said: "I don't think that was the reason we got muddled. Even in the first half, we got put under a lot of pressure at the back of the ruck. It's hard to compare people to Aaron when you're looking at speed of ball.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"But if you look at TJ - he defended well and won turnovers. He ran the blind and put in a grubber - that was a great decision but it just went a bit long. He's outstanding in his own right."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from All Blacks

Live
All Blacks

All Blacks team naming: Changes expected for third test

Premium
All Blacks

Gregor Paul: Project 4-4-4 tests All Blacks' selection strategy

All Blacks

All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from All Blacks

All Blacks team naming: Changes expected for third test
Live
All Blacks

All Blacks team naming: Changes expected for third test

Scott Robertson names his squad for the third test against France.

16 Jul 09:52 PM
Premium
Premium
Gregor Paul: Project 4-4-4 tests All Blacks' selection strategy
All Blacks

Gregor Paul: Project 4-4-4 tests All Blacks' selection strategy

16 Jul 06:30 PM
All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know
All Blacks

All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know

15 Jul 08:03 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP