Five things we learned about the All Blacks during the Welsh series

some of the points raised in other threat:





























Five things we learned about the All Blacks during the Welsh series

RICHARD KNOWLER

Last updated 05:00, June 27 2016

Israel Dagg, pictured cutting apart the Welsh defence in the third test in Dunedin, deserved his recall to the test side.

Wales have been and gone. They had a dreadful time of it, losing the series 3-0 to the All Blacks and to the Chiefs in Hamilton. The All Blacks hummed along pretty nice. Here's a few points to ponder.

1 Wales weren't up to much. An arrogant statement? We don't think so. The truth often hurts, and it gives us no joy to deliver such a damning statement. They arrived tired and without a couple of quality operators, and left bewildered and broken. This 3-0 series would have hurt coach Warren Gatland. He looked thoroughly miserable at the post-match test press conference in Dunedin. He knew his side didn't fire a shot. And probably realised, even before the test began, that his boys were going to cop it big time under the roof.

2 The All Blacks were pretty good. We accept they went in fits and starts, especially in the first two tests in Auckland and Wellington, but you have to remember they are in something of a rebuild phase given they lost in excess of 800 test caps following the World Cup. Given how poor Wales were it pays to keep everything in perspective. But the way the All Blacks attacked in that final test in Dunedin was outstanding. Their defence was even better. By committing few players to the rucks and simply fanning out, they kept the Welsh try-less. Good work.

Aaron Cruden brings water to his No 10 rival, Beauden Barrett, in Dunedin on Saturday night.

3 That Israel Dagg is a fighter and all power to him. Some said Dagg, at just 27, was washed-up because he had missed the World Cup squad last year. The selectors thought otherwise. Yes, they showed him the love by starting him in the last two tests, but the dividends have been enormous. Dagg was outstanding in the 46-6 win in Dunedin. His running metres were impressive, he found space and was fast. Other countries can only imagine what it would be like to start Ben Smith or Dagg at fullback. And then bring Beauden Barrett on as fresh legs in the second half at either fullback or first five-eighth. It's madness. 

Ryan Crotty has Conrad Smith-like qualities, says All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.

4 Aaron Cruden v Beauden Barrett?  Who is going to be at No 10 for the Rugby Championship? It seems to be a crime to leave Barrett on the bench. Yes, we get it - we know Barrett stimulates the attack when he comes on as an impact player. But as he proved in Dunedin, he is just as good when he starts. And his goal kicking stats have improved during the test series. Start him in the next test against the Aussies in Sydney on August 20 and see what happens. We say he is a better bet than Cruden.

5 Midfield magic. Remember Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith? They were all right weren't they? But the latest crop pushing to start as their replacements aren't going to make fools of themselves. It was interesting to hear All Blacks coach Steve Hansen say that second-five Ryan Crotty was like Smith. Crotty isn't flashy, and doesn't possess a great deal of X-factor, but he is a good defender and can communicate well. That could bode well for him for when the selectors sit down to discuss who should be their four midfielders for the Rugby Championship. With Sonny Bill Williams coming back, there is plenty to choose from. Seta Tamanivalu, George Moala, Malakai Fekitoa, Charlie Ngatai, Williams and Crotty. It's getting crowded.

 

 I like the idea of having SBW-Crotty as centers in a Nonu-Smith style,..... Crotty gives strenght to the backline structure,.... the difference in the saders' backline with or without him is enormous,....... if he doesn't recover in time he's gonna be a huge loss for the Fiji deciding match against Chiefs

I reckon Crotty is under rated because hes compared to his predecessor ,he brings stability and his defence is fine by me.Who else would you look at for the centers Mr BP ?

 Yes, Crotty is another one that does things that don't show in the stats. Glad the coaches know more than we do.

I'll say this, I'd rather be an AB supporter than a Bok supporter right now! At least we fared better than the Aussies...although, if we had played England I suspect we would also have received a prize rogering! 

It was good for the Boks that they played Ireland as their first games under the new coach. If they had played the Poms they most likely would have lost all three games & the added humiliation of having the Bok forwards man-handled would have been too much.

 Nahh BlueBok ,the poms werent that great so much as the Wallies playing like a bunch of chooks with their heads cut off ! If you guys play them in the EOYT I reckon ya'll be making them yer beeatches again !

 wardad,

at this moment and for the RC, the candidates to play with SBW (he'll be avalaible for the first match and in this case he's the incumbent 12) are IMO Crotty, Ngatai and Moala.

Feikitoa was a little bit disappointing (as he's been during the SR season) and I think he has lost the possible preference he had being the most capped of the lot (with crotty).
Tamanivalu is still a little bit green.

There's a bunch of players who had some good season in the past but are injured. Ranger, Buckman (had a great season last year and is very solid) or even Fruean (his comeback was awaited for early April, dunno what's going on with him), if they get their past best form they could be candidates also.

And there are some very interesting youngs coming with Reiko Ioane leading this group. He played at wing this SR season but he was outstanding,..... and he's only 18,..... I would like to see him at 13 where they say is his natural position.
I like also the 4-5 matches (U20WC and NPC) I've seen of Goodhue, very good manners and rugby brain.
Lienert-Brown made also some good things for the chiefs but I didn't watch too much of him

plenty and varied to choose from

 

Hits and misses from All Blacks series win over Wales; by Patrick McKendry ; NZ Herald

The Wales series is over and the Rugby Championship awaits. 

Who deserves to be happiest with his series?

Israel Dagg. You would need a heart of stone not be won over by Dagg's enthusiasm over the past fortnight.

Selected at fullback for the tests in Wellington and Dunedin, Dagg returned to the form he showed at the 2011 World Cup (he wasn't selected for the last one). He scored a try in each test and even looked like he was having fun in press conferences.

Dagg's form under the roof on Saturday suggested he will be a big part of Hansen's thinking for his team's next assignment - a Bledisloe Cup test against the wounded Wallabies in Sydney on August 20.

Why? Because in the third test he combined brilliantly with Ben Smith on the right wing - who was excellent as usual - and Hansen might decide that Waisake Naholo needs more work before being thrust into a high-octane test at ANZ Stadium.

So where is Waisake Naholo at?

Extremely hot, but similarly cold at times at Eden Park on the right wing in the first test, Naholo was shifted to the left in place of Julian Savea in Wellington, and was okay - penalty conceded for taking out a leaping Liam Williams apart - before being benched for the third test.

It was here, after he came on in the final 32 minutes as a replacement for the injured George Moala that it all got a bit loose.

Simply put, Naholo lost the ball too often, and a similar casual attitude to possession against Australia or South Africa could be very costly.

He can be a supreme attacking talent but sometimes needs to play it safe. On the evidence of this series, Naholo doesn't do safe.

What have we learned about Beauden Barrett, and where does he fit in?

Barrett showed in Dunedin as Aaron Cruden's replacement that he can start tests with the confidence and skill with which he generally finishes them - even in the driver's seat of No10. He was spectacular there and at fullback late in the game.

A special talent with uncanny pace and ability to see space, Barrett is pushing for a starting spot at first-five.

Will he get it ahead of Aaron Cruden in Sydney, assuming everyone is fit? It's unlikely, because the reserves bench is so much weaker without him. He is the best replacement in world rugby, with loose forward Ardie Savea showing potential there, too.

What can we make of Kieran Read's performance as fulltime captain?

Assured. Had to recover from a halftime deficit at Eden Park, and from 10-all in Wellington without a hint of alarm.

But that wasn't surprising given he did a lot of the on-field leadership even when Richie McCaw was on the field.

Read's performances at No8 were also excellent. His offloads often tied the Welsh in knots and his defence would have turned them various shades of black and blue. A key lineout operator for the ABs, too.

Best celebration of a significant milestone?

Dagg celebrated his recall and 50th test in Wellington with a try, while lock Brodie Retallick celebrated his in Dunedin by knocking the Welsh ball runners from whence they came. There was a group of Retallick supporters in the crowd wearing "Brodie's 50th test" T-shirts, and it spent the majority of the test cheering his tackles, a variation of the football "Ole!" Others in the crowd winced.

Any other surprises?

The power and explosiveness of loose forwards Ardie Savea and Liam Squire from the reserves bench, left wing Julian Savea's form issues, and Wales' competitiveness for 60 minutes at Eden Park, where they troubled the All Blacks with their skill and ambition (and George North's size and power).

George Moala must come into this category as well for his performance at centre in Dunedin, where he showed composure, power and pace , before retiring with an elbow injury. A promising performance from the Blues midfielder.

 Another assessment of the ABs over the Welsh series. All agree on Dagg's performance, that's a no brainer. They also agree Barrett is putting preasure on the 10 jersey.
The loose forwards look to have some good depth developing. In the Mid-field we have options also. No surprise on Naholo, he needs to make less mistakes & improve his defence.
Read had a good showing as captain but he has not been under tremendous pressure (first test took a bit of composure to handle). His performance as no. 8 was very good.
Other articles say Sam Whitelock is not up to his usual standards but he has been rested & is coming into form. Retallick seems to be doing the same but is ahead of Whitelock in that regard. 
Come RC we will see a more polished performance from the ABS. 

 Thanks BP,theres a lot of players away on 7s duty or coming through the ranks or just injured that no doubt will come into contention later eh ? Interesting times for the ABs !

ABs are looking forward to be challenged by the Boks, England, the new look Wallabies and Ireland. Iron sharpeneth iron.

 It's taken you all of three test matches to sort your side out.
The Goats are still roaming around in the Twilght Zone ...lost and clueless ...
That's what we've learnt ... 

 I am satisfied we beat the Irish otherwise we will never hear the end of it about the NH overtaking the SH

 Que????

 True Hakwa we dont want to start a precedent by losing to teams that have never taken an ABs scalp .Yes the ABs took 3 tests to sort out a side thats lost over 800 caps .Cant think of any other team that could do that and still keep winning ,especially losing generational players like McCaw ,DC ,Smith and Nonu .

 

 Thought the All Blacks beat the Welsh ... not the Irish !!!

 CC we were all cheering for the Boks to beat the Irish
I was even cheering for the Wallabies to beat the English (disappointing result it was)