Rugby: Don't rush judging the All Blacks' kryptonite

All Blacks replacement Scott Barrett is tackled during the side's win over Argentina. Photosport

At some stage this year, the All Blacks are going to hit on the right way to deal with the obligatory rush defence they will face.

Whether it was Ireland last year, the British & Irish Lions or a combination of the two, the rest of the world has become convinced that the All Blacks are vulnerable if their attack game is blitzed by a defensive line that charges off the line and hits the decision-makers.

Actually, what's more accurate, is that the rest of the world is convinced that this is the way to beat the All Blacks - that a rush defence is effectively Kryptonite.

Come at the All Blacks hard on defence and they will become much like every other team and make mistakes, run up dead alleys and struggle to generate width and tempo.

There's truth to that, of course there is. But not as much truth as there may currently appear.

What's becoming apparent is that rival international coaches have suddenly perked up, believing, based on results and performances, that the All Blacks are enduring some kind of slide.

They don't appear to be as commanding or as fluid as they were last year and observers are beginning to wonder if all is not well inside the camp.

There are a few things to consider, however, to balance the picture. The first is that last year was an anomaly.

The All Blacks played a tired and jaded Welsh team in June. Australia were poor. South Africa were worse and the Pumas were exceptionally vulnerable.

Between the four of them, none fired a decent shot at the All Blacks. None of them really built any kind of sustained pressure or asked tough questions for more than 20 minutes per test.

The All Blacks were able to look considerably better than they really were. Of course they could build their attack game because they were allowed to. Give the All Blacks space and they will score.

Perhaps they were guilty of thinking the All Blacks were going to struggle given the experience and quality they lost after the World Cup, and they turned up expecting it would all happen for them.

Whatever, a young and relatively inexperienced New Zealand team were given an easy ride in 2016.

They weren't as good as they looked, the proof of which began to manifest in November when a fresh and creative Irish team were able to deliver back-to-back impressive performances.

The second thing to consider this year is that the All Blacks are digging into their well deeper than they were last year. Owen Franks, a senior player with 90-plus caps has gone for the season, as has the 50-cap Charlie Faumuina.

The All Blacks are now working with two young tightheads, who have 11 caps in total between them.

They have lost Ben Smith and Joe Moody for the year, and for various times this year have been without Dane Coles, Ryan Crotty and Jerome Kaino.

No one likes the word rebuilding but at the end of the game last year, on the park for the All Blacks were Tu'ungafasi, Codie Taylor, Scott Barrett, Vaea Fifita, Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie and Nehe Milner-Skudder - half the team didn't have 80 caps between them.

These two factors have ensured world rugby now looks more like it should. The illusion of there being a massive gap between the All Blacks and everyone else has been crushed. For now.

Just as the All Blacks weren't as good as they appeared last year, nor are they as troubled as it appears at the moment.

There is an expectation that having had so many games this year where they haven't quite found the right attacking mix, they will come good at some stage.

Beauden Barrett won't go through a whole season this quiet. If the forwards stay on their feet longer, cleanout in the right numbers and deliver that quick ball, it will make his life easier.

So too will it help having Ryan Crotty back at centre - a calm and composed man who will be helpfully vocal.

This Saturday might be the night they get it all right and find a way to play their game in the face of a defensive onslaught.

Maybe this Saturday will see this young side see the space, make the right calls and dispel the myth they are excessively vulnerable to rush defences.