All Blacks analysis: From one of dullest All Blacks performances to finally finding their rhythm – Paul Lewis

THE FACTS

• The All Blacks’ second-half strategy shift against Ireland improved their performance, highlighting Cam Roigard’s impact.
• Roigard’s skills, including his passing and kicking, were crucial, raising questions about back-up selections.
• The bench’s effective contributions, especially from Wallace Sititi and Leicester Fainga’anuku, offered promising tactical options.

There were seven major talking points from the All Blacks’ Jekyll-and-Hyde performance against Ireland ahead of the Scotland test.

Cohesion from confusion

In the first half, it was possible to wonder what the New Zealand side’s game plan was – or whether there even was one, aside from throwing the ball wide at every opportunity and making mistakes in the face of committed Irish defence. However, the coaching group came to the fore at halftime as the All Blacks noticeably changed style after the break – with ball carriers running much more directly at the defensive wall.

The modern rugby jargon is “earning the right to go wide” and the more controlled approach paid off. The first-half performance lacked direction and structure, producing one of the dullest halves of All Blacks rugby in recent memory – but at least the coaches steered the team into a zone where they found their rhythm and, with the Irish tiring, finally found joy out wide.

Scotland and England, however, will not be so easily parted from a 10-point lead generated by the All Blacks’ confusion and errors.

Retaining Roigard

He began focusing solely on distribution but, as the match moved into its final stages, Cam Roigard showed why he is, even arguably ahead of Ardie Savea, the All Blacks’ most indispensable player. They look different – and not in a good way – when he isn’t there. His booming pass and left-foot kicking give the All Blacks time and space. That long pass was seen to advantage, first in Savea’s try and then in a 21m cut-out, delivered with such speed and optimum height that it defied interception, triggering a Caleb Clarke breakout from the 22 and Wallace Sititi’s second-half try.

Ironically, Roigard was earlier outpointed by another Kiwi halfback, Jamison Gibson-Park, who, for about 65 minutes, was the most influential player on view. Roigard showed what he could do when he began running at a flagging defence – stepping past classy loose forwards Josh van der Flier and Caelen Doris as well as replacement halfback Craig Casey to score his try.

All Blacks fans will be praying to the rugby gods to keep him free of injury as those behind him do not have Roigard’s ability to turn a match. That, again, makes you wonder why one of Folau Fakatava, Kyle Preston and 20-year-old Highlanders discovery, Dylan Pledger, are not on this tour.

No disrespect to 30-year-old Finlay Christie, who has never let the All Blacks down, but it’s puzzling why a younger halfback, also with a running dimension to his play, is not soaking up the experience of touring and learning his trade at this level.

Like Lord

Because when you give youth a chance, it often surprises. Josh Lord has now played only eight test matches since 2021, starting in only one. On the basis of this performance after replacing Scott Barrett, he is likely to start in a few more. This column had doubted that 24-year-old Lord should be ahead of Sam Darry selection-wise – but his perfect pass under pressure for Savea’s try added to his value in the lineouts.

Better bench

For the first time this season, the bench looked a weapon; a tactical assembly as opposed to a collection of substitutes.

Sititi, Lord, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Damian McKenzie, Pasilio Tosi, Tamaiti Williams and Samisoni Taukei’aho all made telling contributions when they came on. Especially interesting was the timely injection of Sititi from the bench.

Peter Lakai had a busy game and carried well from No 8 and it may be that Sititi, like McKenzie, is an impact player best saved for the more open stages of a test match.

Bash brothers

Fainga’anuku did so well at centre after replacing Jordie Barrett early that it seems clear he and the similarly bruising Quinn Tupaea will be seen more in the midfield, even with a fit Barrett, who may need his game time managed a little after a non-stop rugby year.

Regardless of who is at second five-eighths, Fainga’anuku brings punch, an offloading game and Savea-like, leg-pumping, energy to churn through collisions from the massed, rush defences habitually employed to stop the All Blacks from playing their natural game. One such clattering penetration led indirectly to Savea’s try and, at the very least, the coaching group now have three viable options at 13 – Fainga’anuku, Tupaea and Billy Proctor.

Parking Parker?

Centre has long been an issue for this All Blacks team, but the most enduring hole in selection terms has been blindside flanker. Jerome Kaino’s absence has never been fully filled after eight years, though Liam Squire came close. Simon Parker looked like he might be the answer, but had a quiet match against Ireland and has not yet shaped an “enforcer” dimension.

He suffered a bang on the head against Ireland, passing an HIA (head injury assessment) test, but that might still have affected him and, fair enough, he is still learning. However, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see Samipeni Finau recalled this weekend.

French foibles

What is it with French referees? Pierre Brousset joined the ranks of eccentric Gallic whistlers – Romain Poite and Mathieu Raynal anybody? Brousset made some strange, pedantic decisions, evidenced when both sides chipped him after their frustration boiled over and it is almost a relief to see Nic Berry appointed for the Scotland test.

Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.