Rugby: Defence defines All Blacks

The All Blacks have not conceded a try in end-of-year tests since 2006. Photo / Getty Images

It is getting to the stage now where it's almost too hard to believe. The All Blacks have not conceded a try in end-of-year tests since Cedric Heymans scored in Paris on November 18, 2006. That was eight tests ago. Seven-hundred minutes of end-of-year test rugby have passed since the All Blacks last conceded a November try.

No one managed to score against them on their Grand Slam tour last year and on this trip, Wales, Italy and England have not managed it.

Defence is now the measure by which this All Black side should be defined. They are not the swashbucklers of old - this is aside that is built on the most basic principles of test football.

The intensity of their defensive work at Twickenham was once again extraordinary. England had their chances to score. Their lack of skill level and composure was one hindrance to crossing the line. The tenacity of the All Black defence was a much bigger impediment.

As usual the players were quick to pay their respects to the defensive coach. Wayne Smith, who took over the portfolio ahead of the tour, has no doubt put in place, or maybe kept in place, structures and systems that simply don't break down. Any breach of the black line and the security wall is magically reformed. England made a couple of half breaks that could, possibly should, have led to tries. Ugo Monye made a sharp break down his wing and had the All Blacks turning to cover. With quick release there were acres of space to the right but as England ponderously shuffled the ball to the right place, the chance had gone.

That ability to recover, to scramble and to snuff out English hopes was only partly down to the structures. The players have to be the ones taking the credit for much of what we have seen.

The way Carter moved off the mark and hunted down Tom Croft when the English loose forward was escaping for the line was remarkable. It showed the hunger; the level of commitment; the pride in the jersey.

And that is what this is all about. The All Black line has not been breached for this long because keeping a clean sheet means something to the players. They see defence as the embodiment of their character, of their attitude and their desire to play for one another. That spirit is unbreakable.

The players are desperate to retain that perfect record. They might say it's not something they are focusing on, but it is. They would love nothing more than to keep the French scoreless in Marseille this week. Winning is their number one objective, but it's not pushing it to suggest that if they win with their line breached, just some of the shine will have been taken off.

To fulfil their objectives, the All Blacks are going to have to take things easy during the week after the hugely physical clash at Twickenham.

England had some serious weaponry in their armoury - blunt instruments who could pound away for most of the game, making life difficult.

Those big men were able to slow the All Blacks' possession. They were also able to flood the backline and fan out across the pitch for most of the first half. In one spell close to the break, the All Blacks hammered relentlessly only to find they had been trading the same patch of Twickenham for 10 phases. Carter lost his cool and booted it high and in that play, England had evidence that they could keep themselves in the contest simply by being big.

It was only in the second half that the All Blacks began to make more headway when they reverted to driving close to the rucks. The pick and go stuff was the way to suck the English defenders in and create some space down the short side.

France will pose more of an attacking threat. They will be just as physical, with a touch more flair and enterprise in their midfield.

They will need that flair if they are to break this astonishing defensive record of the All Blacks.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY