‘Belief defined ABs’
19 Sep 2009
Richie McCaw says their latest performance exemplified the character and belief within the All Blacks squad.
The team has lost all three matches to South Africa this season, a record that’s aided in the Springboks’ successful campaign. But with Saturday’s win over the Wallabies they’ve completed a clean sweep over their trans-Tasman rivals and will head on tour with some momentum.
‘I’m really proud of the guys,’ McCaw said after the Test. ‘Belief really makes a group and we put the performance together tonight.
‘To come up with a performance like that when you’re down, well, that just shows the character in this team. The public support has also been great the whole week, and it sounded like the crowd was really behind us tonight.’
McCaw highlighted improvements at the breakdown and lineout, the latter area their Achilles heel in last week’s defeat to the Boks.
‘Again we just kept the belief and learned from the errors we made in the last game [at the lineout]. It’s vital to get that right if you want to get your game going.
‘I thought our defence was excellent and we created a number of turnovers in good positions. We put them under a lot of pressure, and that’s what rugby is all about.’
Opposite number George Smith agreed with McCaw’s assessment and admitted the Wallabies have plenty to do before they embark on their own tour.
‘We didn’t get much possession, but the All Blacks dominated the breakdown and took their opportunities really well. If you don’t dominate areas like the breakdown, then it’s hard to get going.
‘There were a number of areas where we lacked it and we will have to fix that before our Spring tour.’
31 Comments
19 Sep 2009, 11:35 am
Clinical?
Bunkum!
19 Sep 2009, 11:38 am
To Cane and the other real kiwis I say again.
Congratulations on destroying the fetid yellow Canaries.
19 Sep 2009, 11:39 am
This AB team still doesn’t have a clear plan or any direction to their play. And my word their passing is ****! But let them be happy with their second rate performances…
Their rucking game was much better though
19 Sep 2009, 11:40 am
Well played AB’s. This will ensure Graham Henry keeps his job and make it easier for us in RWC 2011.
19 Sep 2009, 11:41 am
#3 I wanna be coach:
I nominate you to replace Robbie Deans as the convict coach. Now let me see you do a better job.
19 Sep 2009, 11:44 am
#5 RedLion: What are you going on about?
19 Sep 2009, 11:47 am
It’d be stupid if Oz fire deans and NZRU replace Henry with him, seeing as Henry an 86% winning record against him. All Henry has to focus on now is getting back a full strength squad.
Cheers for the win guys. Much appreciated from a devoted fan.
19 Sep 2009, 11:50 am
#6 I wanna be coach: I am saying that Robbie is a poor coach and you can do a better job than him. It is a compliment.
19 Sep 2009, 11:56 am
Congrats to the ABs, always a pleasure seeing the canary yellows take the wooden spoon.
That being said, this young Ausie side is going to be a force in the next 2 years, mark my words.
The idea that deans should be fired is possibly the most ridiculous thing i’ve ever heard. No one in Aus or anywhere else could take this young Ausie side through to the next world cup.
Roll on the S14.
19 Sep 2009, 12:05 pm
#8 RedLion: Oh ok. Deans is doing ok, that side just lacks experience. With Morlock back they’ll be a much better team. And Deans should be busting his balls trying to get Chris Latham back. Then they’ll compete!
#7 babubunu: Henry doesn’t know who his best 15 or 22 is so a full strength squad won’t make diddly differnce IMHO. Plus he can’t create a game plan to suit his team to save his own neck
19 Sep 2009, 12:10 pm
slightly off topic but does anyone know when the IRB award short lists are announced?
19 Sep 2009, 12:12 pm
As far as a best 15, go with last years team. I’d drop. Roko and focus on developing atleast 6 loose forwards to have back ups for every position. For ducks sake, Bring Back Liam Messam. Oh yeah and a back up 10 to match Dan’s ability.
19 Sep 2009, 12:22 pm
#12 babubunu: So no Luke then? The ABs have enough depth to develop back up players in every position but they believe to choose otherwise. Where would you play Messiam though, 6 7 or 8?
19 Sep 2009, 12:41 pm
Just to highlight my previous post that NZ has enough depth in all the positions, here’s the 30 odd players I’d choose:
1- Woodcock/Newland/Schwalger
2- Hore/Mealamu
3- Hayman/Franks/Tialata
4- Williams/Ross/Eaton
5- Donnelly/Thorn
6- Kano/Thompson
7- McCaw/Messiam/Whitelock
8- Reid/Soialo/Luaki/Veto
9- Weepu/Coman/Ellis/Lenard
10- Carter/Cruenen/Donald
11- Masanga/Sivivatu
12- MacAlister/Nonu
13- Kahui/Smith/Toeava
14- H. Gear/Smith/Howlett
15- Mils/Jane
And then there’s still more. I know that there are some foreign based players there but how hard would it be to lure then back with the WC in NZ and with a good plan and structures in place. Thank goodness they kept Henry and Co on board
19 Sep 2009, 13:09 pm
#14 I wanna be coach:
Without thinking of a top 30, we have quite a bit of depth actually;
1 – Woodcock/Newland/Cocket
2 – Mealamu/Hore/DeMalmanche
3 – Hayman/Tialata/Franks
4 – Williams/Ross/Boric
5 – Thorn/Donnelly
6 – Kaino/Thompson/Eaton
7 – McCaw/Luke Braid/Karl Lowe
8 – Messam/Reid/So’oilo/
9 – Leonard/Cowan/Weepu
10 – Carter/Evans/Cruden/R.Robinson
11 – Sivivatu/Rokocoko
12 – Mcalister/Nonu/Bateman/R.Robinson
13 – Kahui/Smith/Toeava/Crotty
14 – Jane/Ranger/D.Smith/Guilford
15 – Mils/Israel Dagg/R.Robinson
After the end of the year tour, I’m hoping for a much more balanced squad
19 Sep 2009, 13:13 pm
#14 I wanna be coach: don’t forget chris jack and dagg.
19 Sep 2009, 13:14 pm
Dagg is there bro
19 Sep 2009, 13:17 pm
#17 sinba556: and CJ.
19 Sep 2009, 15:27 pm
As these teams show, NZ has plently of players. Their problem is that they have coaches that are good at blowing smoke up peoples asses and no plans to speak of.
19 Sep 2009, 17:21 pm
I’d even venture a guess that Jerry Collins could be brought back just as an on field leader to mentor the likes of Messam and Reid. Rodders needs a break. I think he is probably the most unsung hero of the ABs. Love this dude to death, in a non-*** way.
Anyway, all in all the trinations result was way better than any sports writer would have predicted. I’m stoked!!!!
19 Sep 2009, 18:03 pm
Finally the AB’s play well..
But i have to say i can not understand why the coaching staff does’t give Aled de Malmanche proper game time, they either keep him on the bench the whloe game or they only give him the last 2mins..
This really fucts me off, i’m not saying Andrew Hore is’t a great player but surely they need to try de Malmanche out..
He’s extremely explosive and could add something new to the front row and lose play of the pack..
He was by far the form hooker in the Super14 as far as the New Zealanders are concerned.
19 Sep 2009, 18:08 pm
#21 FootSoldier: De Malmanche is Wynand Olivier’s *****… Enough said…..
20 Sep 2009, 07:48 am
Who’s Wynand Olivier? A gospel singer, perhaps?
20 Sep 2009, 16:17 pm
The Wallabies made a statement with their performance yesterday: the All Blacks are not the only team in the world who can justifiably call themselves Number Two.
20 Sep 2009, 19:20 pm
Wonder if NZ are capable of out of the box thinking – IMO, Jake White would be a superb addition to their coaching outfit.
GH and co are going to stuff it up again – I mean – things are going to change in the next 2 years – laws, tactics, etc…. Does his team have the nous to keep up – me thinks not!
20 Sep 2009, 19:23 pm
#11 AndrewBK:
All I know is you will have to look very hard to see a Bok – arseholes.
20 Sep 2009, 19:28 pm
Think about this.
Every time the Wallas and AB’s face the Boks next year- look for the fear in their eyes and build on this for the 2011 cup – that means physical dominance – nothing else – GO DO IT!
20 Sep 2009, 23:18 pm
enjoyed watching the Test on saturday.
one criticism though, felt like i was watching super 14 rugby instead of a test match. the game was loose, the execution in some parts was poor, but on the whole the kiwis and ABs are feeling great coz they got a win.
21 Sep 2009, 04:54 am
#19 I wanna be coach: Better than quoting Bruce Lee even while one still has a foot in his mouth from his last perplexing statement!
21 Sep 2009, 05:00 am
#4 Werner: You can talk your talk this far out weiner, lets see what you are saying at the end of 2010 when the Boks are really exposed for what 2009 was- a year that the Wallabies and AB’s were rebuilding and that allowed the Boks to look like they were playing “great” rugby- haha. W.A.F.J if you really believe what your saying. The best margin the Boks beat us buy was probably the lowest we ever beat you by and if you think that now your record is 3/14 in the Tri’s you are really on a slippery pole if you are relying one lucky year to pull you through– ****** you didnt even have to play a real team for the WC final, but it was a good win all the same:-D
21 Sep 2009, 14:34 pm
#25 raven: If Mr. H Meyer went to NZ we are all F*%#ed!
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