International – At Twickenham, first trap avoided for the All Blacks before challenging Ireland

All observers on the oval planet were wondering what purpose the inaugural test played by the All Blacks against Japan (16-40) could serve, apart from the interest of gradually reducing the time difference towards Europe. while earning a few yen in the finances of the Kiwi Federation. All observers? Apart from the English, really… Who managed, through this meeting, to detect angles of attack likely to allow them to defeat the All Blacks for the first time in five years (and the semi-final played in Yokohama in 2019).

These lessons? They, first of all, concerned their defense placed for the first time under the leadership of Oyonnax manager, Joe El Abd, replacing the resigning Felix Jones. Aware of the difficulties encountered by the New Zealanders in building their game against Japan – and in particular the difficulties encountered by their fly-half Damian McKenzie when he is under strong pressure – the English had chosen to capitalize on the system built since the last season by the same Jones, by exercising a South African-style “rush defense”, in order to stifle the opposing attack below midfield.

The jacketed “rush defense”

The problem? The fact is that, despite all their good will and an immense burst of energy, Steve Borthwick's men did not completely achieve their goals. Tribute must be paid here to New Zealand coach Scott Robertson for his choice to have established a Barrett who is supposed to remain “colder” than McKenzie in sorting the balls. As proof, we take this luminous movement of the 28th and this double reversal of direction which allowed the All Blacks to annihilate the threat of the “rush defense” while taking advantage of the absence of “guard” at the edge of the ruck in the same direction, on which Barrett was able to successfully cross his pass for a Will Jordan placed in a boulevard in front of the pillar Ellis Genge, logically too short. Just as, a few minutes earlier, a pass after contact from Sititi in a closed side had allowed the latter to bypass the pressure exerted by the English on the outside, by releasing the formidable Mark Tele'a in his lane facing a Genge already helpless (9th).

B. Barrett and Taylor concussed but present against France

So certainly, the English could have won, an interception by Marcus Smith on Cortez Ratima – after a clear advance from Tu'ipolotu – having given his team a lead for a while. But that was without counting on the resilience and knowledge of the game of the New Zealanders who, on one of their rare forays into the 22 meters, managed to send Mark Tele'a to crucify the English hopes, exploiting their only defensive oversight on the outside, signed by a George Ford at bay as soon as he entered the game. McKenzie's corner success was going to make the difference, unlike Ford who experienced an ordeal by collecting the penalty then the drop of winning in money-time.

Logical outcome, despite everything, if we want to remember that the Blacks had the merit of scoring three tries, against only one against in favor of their hosts… Enough to perfectly launch their tour and make the salivating all the more aficionados before their confrontations against Ireland, then the XV of France. Deadlines all the more formidable as they will have to tackle the first without hooker Codie Taylor and fly-half Beauden Barrett (concussions) who will however be present against the Blues…