Scott Robertson at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images
By Liam Napier at Eden Park
Scratchy and patchy, one point or seven, finding any way through the mire is all that matters in test matches.
Winning shapes the narrative. Two weeks in succession Scott Robertson’s All Blacks have stumbled through two unconvincing performances.
No one in the rugby world is quaking in their boots after the All Blacks battled past an English team away from home at the end of their long season. Ultimately, though, emerging with a series sweep defines the start of Robertson’s tenure.
Earlier this year Robertson assumed charge of the All Blacks - following a one-point World Cup final defeat - after claiming seven straight Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders.
Two tense tests in seven days taught him the elite arena is a totally different beast to his previous standard-bearing job.
“It’s finals footy every week. That’s the biggest thing. There’s no bonus points. It’s getting results and finding a way,” Robertson said as he reflected in the immediate aftermath of his side’s 24-17 victory that preserved Eden Park’s 30-year unbeaten status for the All Blacks.
“I’m really proud of the effort, the mental fortitude, to stay in the fight. We played from behind a lot of that game. It shows you how much they care. There’s a grind factor in tests. You’ve got to adapt to the game in front of you.
“We learnt a lot around northern hemisphere teams. They’ve got some great young players coming through and great old battlers that know their way around the field and how to get a wee little massage to lengthen that game out. They’ve got good game management.”
Robertson gave himself a “good pass mark” for charting a new coaching team and combinations past England.
Without test centurion Beauden Barrett’s match-turning influence off the bench, though, England may well have squared this series.
In his ice-calm 29-minute super sub effort Barrett laid on Mark Tele’a’s second try that regained the lead for Robertson’s men and turned the kicking tide after the All Blacks battled to escape the relentless English kick pressure.
Barrett then held up England captain Jamie George over the line at the death before an obstruction call from the TMO brought a definitive end to another compelling contest.
“With some nice touches, his kicking, cover of the backfield, being brave enough to show some courage to take it to the line and with a couple of short balls to put people away he was class,” Robertson said of Barrett.
Will Barrett’s performance earn him a promotion to start?
“His performance and contribution over the last two tests has been really valuable,” Robertson said. “It just shows the class footballer he is.”
A supremely dominant scrum and superior impact from the bench proved decisive in both torrid tussles with England. Alongside Barrett at Eden Park, rookie Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima, prop Fletcher Newell and midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown added telling injection to instigate an 11-point second-half swing.
“Cortez was remarkable wasn’t he? He did his core role well, he kicked well,” Robertson said. “He trains well and he converted it straight on to the field. At that level it just shows how classy and skilful a young man he is.”
While the All Blacks escaped largely unscathed their lineout that lost five possessions in the first half, their attacking execution that failed to convert long-range breakouts and the inability to deliver a consistent front foot platform, through ball-carrying all needs attention.
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett conceded breakdowns in communication and execution hurt the malfunctioning lineout and that two gritty wins exposed flaws in a team attempting to find their feet.
“It’s certainly been a challenging introduction for a new group,” Barrett said. “England came down here and threw everything at us in two tight test matches. That’s set us up well to understand what test match rugby is all about. We’re only going to get better from here.
“They won the arm-wrestle around the kick battle for most of that game. They pinned us in our half. That’s the sort of game they’re good at. In their last game of the season they threw everything into it.”
By the time the All Blacks arrive in London in November for a third tie with England this year they should vastly improve from this scratchy starting point.
For now, though, finding a way is all that matters.
“Twickenham is something to look forward to,” Robertson said. “We’ve got a few test matches before we get there but they’re well drilled, well planned and a passionate England side. It’s been a hell of a series.”