KEY POINTS:
Assistant coach Steve Hansen says the All Blacks' 33-6 win over South Africa in Christchurch on Saturday night compares favourably with their razzle-dazzle record defeat of France in Lyon seven months ago.
In an eye-raising comment if ever there was one, Hansen said an inability to catch the
ball at key times was the only difference between the error-ridden display at Jade Stadium and the remarkable 47-3 romp at Stade de Gerland on last November's European tour.
With the All Blacks now setting their sights on Australia and the defence of their Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations silverware at Auckland on Saturday, the coaches did their bit to lift morale among misfiring players.
Hansen wasn't surprised that All Blacks anxiety reigned through the first three quarters of a flat Jade Stadium fixture, coming in the wake of their 15-20 loss to the Wallabies at Melbourne.
"You lose a little bit of confidence when you lose so the next time you play, you want to play really well. You try even harder and start forcing things and that's what I think we did for 60 minutes," he said.
"If we'd held onto some of those passes and win by 60 points then everyone's jumping up and down, saying how well we're playing.
"Everything that happened in Lyon we caught and last night we didn't."
Patience was the key to taking the numerous opportunities that arose but were squandered as the boot of first five-eighth Daniel Carter nosed New Zealand 12-6 up after nearly 70 minutes.
After dominating possession it was a disappointing return against the second-choice but stickable Springboks before a surge of 21 points saw the result that ranked fifth on the all-time list of biggest wins over South Africa.
Hansen also called on the New Zealand public to show some patience.
"Historically we've always played better at the end of the year," he said.
"What we can't do is get all emotional because it's World Cup year and start panicking. It's test rugby, we should have to work to score points.
"Deal in fact, not fiction, and have some faith."
Head coach Graham Henry said the adventurous attitude of his players should be commended.
It was the execution rather than the approach that would need tweaking before chancing their arm against the disciplined defence of the Wallabies.
"We've just got to get more accurate at it and maybe the ball carrier needs to sight the ball support player a little bit better before he tosses that pass," he said.
"The attitude's right and the desire's right, we've just got to be more accurate at it. Sometimes we need to be a bit more patient when that pass is not on, build another phase and go from there."
Assistant coach Wayne Smith said when the All Blacks were playing at their peak they tended to "nail" linebreaks, something they struggled to do with 13 breaks on Saturday night.
Smith said there was progress on another important front when first five-eighth Daniel Carter produced a more complete display, kicking seven from eight shots at goal, raking off big yardage with his wipers (kicks) and directing play accurately, although it still wasn't the command performance of recent times.
"He's on the way back. I don't think he's got too many critics," Smith said.
"Everyone understands what a great player he is and that all players plateau at some stage.
"He was aggressive, he ran well, he let go some thumping punts and he saw the space well."
Meanwhile, Hansen revealed that the All Blacks were largely bluffing with their play through the first seven tests. There would be numerous changes to the game plan before the World Cup, he said.
"If we're still playing the same style of game we're playing now and doing the same moves, then we're going to be vulnerable because everyone will analyse it.
"We have to go to the World Cup and do something different. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work that out."
It remains to be seen whether the New Zealanders reach into their bag of World Cup tricks seven weeks early for a massive game against the Wallabies.
"You couldn't ask for a better (World Cup) dress-rehearsal," Hansen said.
"Everything's on the line, great opposition, we lost to them last time we played."
- NZPA
