Tevita Kuridrani of the Wallabies is tackled. Photo / Getty Images
Tevita Kuridrani of the Wallabies is tackled. Photo / Getty Images
I never end up on the edge of my seat during a test but last night provided a fast-paced encounter which could have gone either way when Colin Slade stepped up for the final kick.
The All Blacks didn't play poorly. The difference was that it's been a long timesince the Wallabies played that well. That's an example where the week of controversy, generated by this Kurtley Beale-Ewen McKenzie shemozzle, can actually have a positive impact.
You had 23 guys throwing themselves into the fray. Individuals came together playing rugby for each other at an incredible tempo from the start. It was a case of mind over matter. Even at the haka, they looked relatively relaxed.
I'd suggest they were under their own control rather than having been mesmerised by too much coach or management talk.
Arguably my favourite match-up was Tevita Kuridrani against Conrad Smith at centre. Smith offered terrific defence; Kuridrani sparkled with the ball in hand.
Smith didn't offer much ball to his outsides because the Australians were in his face but his tackling was ferocious. Australians always talk about the attack of Israel Folau in glowing terms but Kuridrani showed the rest of the backs how to penetrate. I was taken aback.
An aspect of the match which concerned me was when Aaron Smith was replaced by TJ Perenara after playing such a dynamic role. The same applied to Colin Slade coming on late for Beauden Barrett.
Image 1 of 7: All Black players sing the national anthem prior to kick off. Photo / Getty Images
They were tough coaching calls and obviously paid off, especially with Slade kicking a difficult goal to win the game. He must have been relieved given he missed touch from a penalty not long beforehand.
Richie McCaw suffered a couple of tough calls at the breakdown from referee Craig Joubert. I believe if you scrutinised the tackle situation, the Aussies lay on the back of the ruck more than the All Blacks but sometimes refs' eyes see different things to us.
The overall impression that will stay with me, particularly from the first half, is the tackle rates from the front-rowers and locks from both teams.
And, from an attacking perspective, the Dane Coles try was exceptional. Sure, he's a mobile player but he was only backing up and then, bang, he turned on the pace and look like a midfielder over the 20m-30m dash to the line.
