Oh, the drama of rugby tactics! Dive into the spectacle as we dissect the All Blacks’ opening score against France, a crafty maneuver orchestrated by their forward pack. While Rassie Erasmus and his Springboks grabbed headlines with their tactical wizardry, Scott Robertson's crew weren’t exactly playing checkers themselves against Les Bleus. This nifty trick led to scrum-half Cam Rogaird’s dash to the try-line, courtesy of a slick play by none other than Ardie Savea.
In the thick of the 13th minute, New Zealand found themselves with a lineout just shy of the French 22. Codie Taylor lobbed the ball to the front, where Tupou Vaa’i snagged it, the French bracing for the impending maul. As the maul formed, the All Blacks cooked up something spicy. Christian Lio-Willie veered right, Savea darted left, and amidst the chaos, Savea flicked the ball to an unmarked Rogaird who bolted straight to glory.
The cleverness, however, sparked a bit of a debate. Lio-Willie’s feint, making it seem as if he had the ball, raised eyebrows. Rugby Law 16.11c clearly states that players must not trick opponents into thinking the maul has ended when it hasn’t. But hold your horses—Lio-Willie and Savea’s twin break was synchronized swimming at its finest, ensuring no misleading about the maul’s end.
"Cracking lineout move from the All Blacks!"
This play was a masterclass in timing and execution, proving that the All Blacks’ playbook has layers deeper than your favorite onion. Yet, there’s a snag before the maul even took shape. Eagle-eyed viewers (and some French fans, no doubt) noticed several All Black forwards deserting the lineout before Taylor’s throw. Technically, this flirts with illegality under Law 18.16 and 18.17, which dictate the movements of players during a lineout setup.
While this has caused some stir in the World Rugby U20 Championship, it often slides if not overly conspicuous. However, Scott Robertson isn’t losing sleep over it, ready to challenge the boundaries of rugby norms.
So, was the try legit? By the book, yes. On the edge? Certainly. But that’s rugby for you—always keeping us on our toes and the rulebooks wide open!