New Zealand - No Need to Overreact

It would be all too easy to throw brickbats at the All Blacks for a win against Georgia that was less dominant than ideal. It was an error-ridden performance against a team ranked 15^th in the world, but even playing well below their best, they did score seven tries to one (including a four-try bonus point with nearly an hour to spare) and win by a margin of 33 points. Compare that with the Springboks, who when made to look vulnerable by a supposed rugby minnow, actually contrived to lose to Japan.

For the Lelos it was the highlight of their sporting lives, playing the defending World Cup champions, still number one team in the world, in a World Cup game at a magnificent stadium, before nearly 70,000 spectators and with an international TV audience of millions. They were determined to give the performance of their lives. For New Zealand it was a minor bridge to be crossed on the way to the quarter-final. The mindsets were different.

There were of course areas of their game that Steve Hansen, Richie McCaw and their fellow coaches and players will be focused on improving:

1     The handling errors – both poor passing and inept catching of the ball – were strange from so skilful a team.

2     The turnovers going into contact were evidence of careless lack of ball protection.

3     Dan Carter’s goal-kicking was erratic – costly perhaps in a tighter game.

4     The backs’ lack of peripheral vision made them vulnerable to the Georgians fierce in-tackling.

5     The scrummaging when Wyatt Crockett and Charlie Faumuina were the props, was horrid at times.

6     Keven Mealamu’s first lineout throw-in was shocker. The gap between Dane Coles and the back-up hookers is a concern.

7     The lack of accuracy of most players in most phases led to an unhappy lack of continuity. To win the big games ahead, the fluidity facilitated by accuracy will need to improve hugely.

However, don’t be too harsh in your assessment of this All Black performance. With all respect to the courageous, committed Georgians for the heart and soul – and carefully planned game strategy – they offered in Cardiff, the World Cup isn’t won on a Friday night in a third round pool game against Georgia. The All Blacks are through to the quarter-finals and will be judged on what happens there and, if they should win that, from then on.