Rugby: Second half decline is troubling

Sonny Bill Williams runs with the ball in the France v All Blacks game at Stade de France, Paris. Photo / Photosport

When you're the best team in the world and back-to-back world champions, you're always going to face criticism, and that is the reality once again faced by the All Blacks despite a victory over France which most other nations would be very happy with.

Scoring five tries and winning by 20 points in Paris looks good on paper, and yet the standards to which the All Blacks are held, and those they judge themselves by, means they won't be satisfied by this effort.

That's what makes the All Blacks so good and why they continually push barriers. They are rarely satisfied and that guards against complacency.

This is a tough game to break down because of the differences in performances before and after halftime by both teams.

The All Blacks wanted to make a statement in a stadium where they struggled last year. They did that and I don't think anyone can deny that their performance in the first half was outstanding.

There were a couple of wobbles in the set piece but they dominated everywhere. When halftime came, most people would have wondered what sort of damage the All Blacks could do in the second half.

Like many, I'm trying to put my finger on what happened. Words like discipline, inaccuracy and poor decision-making will be applied and they have been used too often to describe All Blacks performances this year.

That's a concern. I've heard time and again players and coaches say "we'll learn from it" but they aren't because it continues to keep happening.

They are chasing consistency but can't get there. It's probably time to put a line in the sand and rectify it. To do it on this tour would be a good start.

Are they going to be challenged enough by Scotland and Wales that these errors will cost them a test? Probably not, so they have to challenge themselves to do it.

I don't think the replacements helped. We had a period in the game of about 10-15 minutes when about 14 players entered the field and that didn't help the All Blacks.

Lots of players had moments - good and bad. Sonny Bill Williams did some brilliant things but made the odd mistake (his big one earned him a yellow card). Ryan Crotty was good but couldn't get into the game. Waisake Naholo was brilliant at times but didn't see enough ball.

Dane Coles had to leave the field. Beauden Barrett was fantastic but then couldn't get into game in the second half either.

From the French, there were areas of real positivity. They had up to 12 frontline players out injured but had shining lights in halfback Antoine Dupont, first five Anthony Belleau and fullback Nans Ducuing.

But the way France played in the first half suggests they need to find some gains in the Six Nations before their three tests in New Zealand in the middle of next year, otherwise they could be embarrassed.