1
All Blacks deliberately removed player from pitch for 15 minutes
By Online Editors
The All Blacks got exactly what they wanted from their final Test ahead of the World Cup when they demolished Tonga 92-7 on Saturday, and deliberately chose to play the last 15 minutes a man down, according to coach Steve Hansen.
Inside centre Ryan Crotty, who was not injured, was taken off immediately after he scored his second try in the 65th minute at Waikato Stadium despite the All Blacks having used all of their replacements.
The decision was to ensure Crotty was not overworked after two months out with a broken thumb and also to put the All Blacks under pressure and see how they responded.
"We ran out of reserves and Ryan only needed to play for 65 minutes," Hansen told reporters in Hamilton.
"Obviously his welfare was more important and it was a good opportunity again to put ourselves under a bit of pressure when it comes to how many we have on the park.
"We had to make that choice and the score told us we could make that choice with relatively low risk."
The tactic was reminiscent of the last World Cup in England when they practised different scenarios in matches throughout the pool phase to ensure they were ready for the knockout games.
The match on Saturday - Hansen's last in charge on home soil as he steps down after the World Cup - allowed the side to fine tune some of their attacking plans and continue to build combinations ahead of their Pool B opener against South Africa on September 21.
It also ironed out any cobwebs in the side, having not played together since they beat the Wallabies three weeks ago.
"We got rugby time. We got collision time. We got set-piece time. We got time on the ball under pressure. We got time on the ball in open space. So that's what rugby is about," Hansen said.
"We play a massive game in two weeks and if we didn't have any of that today we would be in trouble.
"We got exactly what we needed out of it. The score was irrelevant. It was what we did and we were happy."
The side also got through the game without any injury concerns.
- AAP
A guide to the City of Fukuoka which plays host to three Rugby World cup games.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy
3
South Africa player ratings | 2024 Autumn Nations Series
4
Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu admits anger at Australian rugby
5
Latest Comments
I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
Go to comments