The gradual move from south to north brings with it a sharp reinforced focus for the under-fire All Blacks. After their humbling reality check in Tokyo, they are now ensconced in territory that dictates collision-based dominance is non-negotiable.
The All Blacks forward pack has madegreat strides since Jason Ryan was promoted from the Crusaders in early August.
Last week, though, familiar frustrations returned as a forward pack featuring three, possibly four, starters wobbled at the lineout, failed to make headway with the maul and often lost the breakdown battle against Japan.
Those issues, alongside a poor defensive performance that featured 28 missed tackles, are top of mind as the All Blacks prepare to encounter a Welsh side that is sure to target similar areas in the quest to break their 69-year drought against the tourists in Cardiff this weekend.
With that in mind, Ryan is demanding the All Blacks immediately return to the platform they set through strong, direct carries and cleans, and set piece accuracy, in their backs-to-the-wall Johannesburg triumph.
“That’s something that will be a bit of a benchmark to see where we are at as an All Blacks forward pack. We’re going to have to be right up there with the Ellis Park performance to be fair,” Ryan said as the All Blacks settled into Cardiff. “All the teams up here bring something different but Wales pride themselves in that area and they’re tough around the ball so it’s a good challenge for us and it’s come at a good time.
“We were a little bit messy last week, weren’t we? We didn’t shy away from that. It was our first game in four weeks — we didn’t make any excuses around that. We had some good reality checks as well. We know we’ve got to be a lot sharper for the next few weeks and what’s ahead.”
Three lost lineouts and a largely ineffective maul against Japan have been swiftly addressed.
“Our variation could have been better. That comes on me,” Ryan said. “We talked about that and what we’ve got this week. Fozzie said we were a bit rusty so we’re keen to put that one to bed and move forward pretty quickly.”
The All Blacks lost three lineouts against Japan. Photo / Photosport
While Wales under Wayne Pivac have embraced an at times enterprising style — certainly more so than during Warren Gatland’s era — they will be well aware the blueprint to rattle the All Blacks centres on staunch, swarming defence and relentless breakdown pressure.
Where Ireland, Argentina and the Springboks succeeded this year, Wales will attempt to follow.
Whether it was fatigue or complacency the All Blacks ball carriers often struggled to bend and break the Japanese line last week which left them exposed to compromised possession they regularly opted to kick away.
“The breakdown is always big in the UK,” Ryan said. “You don’t know what the conditions are going to bring. It’s a different game so we’re going to have to learn pretty quickly. The reality is the Rugby Championship and even Japan is a hard fast game. It’s going to be different over here. It will be fast, but the contact and collisions will be a little bit fiercer.”
With seven incumbents — the three Barrett brothers, promoted captain Sam Whitelock, Ardie Savea, Ethan de Groot and Rieko Ioane among them — expected to return the All Blacks will embrace a much more settled squad against Wales.
That contingent will, however, be vulnerable to the same rust that beset last week’s underwhelming performance after five weeks since their last outing. Beauden Barrett expressed confidence they can overcome those challenges, though.
“It’s important to acknowledge it but also find ways to fast track those skills and decision-making components for test match footy and what it demands,” Barrett, installed as vice-captain alongside Savea, said. “For those players who haven’t played in a while I’m sure we’ll be training with good intensity and making sure we’re going overboard because of the challenge ahead.
“We think Japan are a side that needs to be respected. There may have been some players who were a bit surprised by how good they actually are. I’m not saying the majority thought that, but they’re a good quality side so they need to be acknowledged. It just goes to show every test match anyone can win on their day.
“We’ve got a lot of room for improvement there so we highlighted areas in the review where we need to be better because it’s going to be another step up here at the Principality Stadium against a hungry Welsh side.”
