Time to give coaches the credit they're due

By MATTHEW COOPER

If your were being pedantic, you probably could give the All Blacks' winning performance over the Springboks on Saturday night a pass mark of no more than 7 1/2.

But I'm not sure these All Blacks and their coaches, John Mitchell and Robbie Deans, would ever want to score 10 from 10. They would always come out of any match, even one containing so many positives, looking for things to work on.

And there were aspects they would not have been totally happy with and will be addressing.

Again there were a couple of mishaps in the lineouts and, especially when the Springboks made such a furious start in the first 20 minutes, some tackles were missed.

But following that magnificent defensive effort against the Wallabies in Christchurch the previous weekend, this was another significant step in the right direction. Whatever happens in a fortnight in Sydney against the Wallabies, even the harshest critics must now acknowledge the progress made and must be able to see what Mitchell and Deans are trying to achieve.

They have made no secret of the fact they see the process with the All Blacks as taking two years, and inevitably along the way some wrinkles will need smoothing.

But what has become evident with the six matches played in New Zealand this winter is that the All Blacks are now playing to a pattern and a game plan. And the most obvious of those is the fact Mitchell is concentrating on having all his players doing the basics well.

That is exemplified in the play of Christian Cullen at fullback. He had been given the message he has to do the fullback's job first, and he is now starting to do that admirably.

Enough has been shown from him, too, to suggest that he still has that ability to unleash his remarkable attacking skills.

What distinguished the All Blacks on Saturday night from the Springboks was their composure.

They were put under a lot of pressure early by the way the Springboks started, but came through it and showed no signs of panic.

They also revealed by the way Tana Umaga reacted to that high tackle by Marius Joubert on Doug Howlett that they are not going to back down whenever anything abrasive is thrown at them.

The All Blacks showed they will play to a high standard, but within the laws. They expect others to do the same and won't back down. The Springboks, in contrast, suffered from discipline lapses.

The coaches' other achievement has been in the development of the team's depth. There have been many critics of the rotation squad system, but the result is having a good option available for just about every position.

The All Blacks' playing depth and the quality of players who come off the bench or step in when there is an injury is probably the best of any of the sides in the Tri-Nations.

Two of the players over whom there have been questions, No 8 Scott Robertson and halfback Justin Marshall, were again standout performers.

Robertson showed he can go forward over the advantage line, and in his best test display he outshone much-vaunted rival Bob Skinstad.

Marshall showed again he is right back to his best as one of world rugby's most talented halfbacks.

As a New Zealander, I was elated by the match. Any time you outscore the Springboks five tries to two has to be a good performance, and with many of those tries the All Blacks showed clever planning and a willingness to be innovative.

The support, too, given by a fantastic crowd, and the pride and passion with which the All Blacks responded, were other heartening aspects.

Apart from the discipline, I would not be too downcast if I were a South African, either.

Their coach, Rudolf Straeuli, obviously has his side going in the right direction, and they showed they have some exciting young backs and a top prospect in the loose forward Joe van Niekerk.