All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree. Photo / Photosport
All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree. Photo / Photosport
Some, not all, of the issues arising from defeat in Brisbane last week can be attributed to the mass changes the All Blacks made to their starting team.
With the Bledisloe Cup locked away in the record Sydney victory tweaks were expected but not to the extent of 10 startingchanges, which included two positional switches in the backline.
On paper the All Blacks still looked formidable. In truth they were.
Yet some combinations didn't immediately gel; they lacked the same cohesion evident through their two dominant wins at Eden Park and in Sydney, and a lack of faith in the inexperienced bench that contained three rookies at Suncorp Stadium exasperated fatigue late in the 24-22 defeat, which featured four telling cards.
All of which sees this week's approach to selection, for the first test against the Pumas in 16 months, assume greater significance.
Do the All Blacks immediately bring back first-choice starters Aaron Smith, Dane Coles, Jack Goodhue, Patrick Tuipulotu and Richie Mo'unga who were all instrumental in securing the Bledisloe?
Or do they allow fringe prospects the chance to make amends against a vastly underdone Pumas side that has played two matches since the World Cup?
Asked to address the inconsistency over the four tests against the Wallabies, which leaves the team with a 50 percent win record this season, All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree admitted widespread changes stunted progress last week.
"The Wellington test wasn't a great start for us but everything was pretty new for both teams and you could hardly say it was an epic test from a spectator point of view. We then went about our work and got better and better. Our goal was to win the Bledisloe Cup and we did that in Australia for the first time in a long time," Plumtree said.
"We were delighted with that. Last week we changed the team up with a few different combinations, not making an excuse it was still a great side we put out, but we clearly lost a bit of rhythm with that team.
"As it was we could have won that test match. We're looking to build again with a new opposition this week."
All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree. Photo / Photosport
In pondering changes the All Blacks may also consider that Beauden Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett and captain Sam Cane have started four tests in five weeks.
"We've got some really good choices with selection. We've got some great players who were not selected and have played really well all year and there's guys who had an opportunity last week."
Joe Moody is back on deck this week after recovering from the head knock he sustained at Eden Park three weeks ago, and tighthead prop Nepo Laulala makes a timely return to the squad after the arrival of his baby boy.
Laulala's presence is particularly valuable as the All Blacks are likely to lose Ofa Tu'ungafasi to suspension after his red card 23 minutes into last week's defeat. Rookie Wallabies blindside Lachlan Swinton copped a four-week ban following his high shot on Sam Whitelock.
Plumtree continued the All Blacks' diplomatic approach to the red cards dished out by Australian referee Nic Berry in Brisbane.
"I know there's been a bit of noise about it but the rules are in place for what the rules say foul play is. We've got an obligation to make sure the players are safe on the field. When we're coaching the players individually we're always talking about body height and making sure in contact we do the right thing and target the right areas, but at times the players are going to get that wrong under pressure and we saw that in the weekend.
"It's created a bit of drama after the weekend and the [judiciary] process is in place for both players so we'll see how that turns out for Ofa."
Elsewhere the All Blacks are targeting discipline – not getting caught up in off the ball scuffles – and attacking improvements such as using the width more in order to right the wrongs from last week.
"We pulled apart our game last weekend there were clearly some things we got wrong so that's been our big focus, correcting parts of our game that we know if we execute we're going to create opportunities to score tries. Right now we're not nailing a few of those little roles."
After four straight tests against the Wallabies, Whitelock welcomed the invigorating change in opposition.
"They haven't had a lot of footy so there's not a lot of footage but we have played them a number of times in the past in the Rugby Championship so there's definitely some traits they'll have there. It has been refreshing working out how they're going to play and trying to stop it and also how we're going to impose our game on them."
