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'That's not working': Sir John Kirwan on the All Blacks' failed strategy
By Ben Smith
The All Blacks kicking game has come under the microscope in the aftermath of the 38-30 loss to Argentina, highlighted by both Scott Robertson and players.
Robertson told the Sky Sport NZ panel that what they were seeing in training and seeing in the game were "two different things".
Argentina were able to pressure New Zealand into the corner and force poor kicks that didn't travel all that far, or worse, charge them down.
One of Los Pumas' tries came from an aerial contest that was batted back to nobody before Mateo Carreras latched onto it.
Sir John Kirwan was critical of the exit plans shown by the All Blacks, which he said simply "wasn't working" and hadn't been all season.
"The exit strategy is, how do you get out of pressure? How do you get out of your own half?" Kirwan explained to The Breakdown.
"And the problem that I've got with our exit strategy is our exit strategy at the moment, is to play competitive kicks right landing in our own half and try and compete for them.
"And I thought yesterday, and for the whole series so far, that's not working.
"I mean, you know, TJ won't be happy with this performance of his, but even when we're there, this needs to be competitive, but you're not getting out of your own half.
"So if you're not competitive [in the air], right, then you don't get out of your half, and then they are still in your half.
"So that would be the first thing that I think we look at. We look at our exit strategy and say, does this suit our game? And if you're going to have an exit strategy with competitive high balls, do you then look at selection, who are our best high ball catchers.
"Occasionally we're competitive, but I don't like the exit strategies. We're actually not trying to carve out and get them into their own half. That's my personal opinion."
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Latest Comments
Robertson should have been a bit more experimental, preparing for the trip up North. Cane should been rested to allow for the Savea (7) and Sititi (8) pairing to be given a run because they appear to be the new way forward. Six is far from settled on with Blackadder only a temporary fix as like his other loosies he is either too short, too light or too slow, and so his best role is cover. ALB,Proctor or both should have been given a run as Australia's midfield is an ever changing experiment and then Reiko could have been put back on the left wing with Telea on the right. Will Jordan could then come on later to fullback or wing.
Go to commentsAgreed for the most part. And perhaps Dmac needed a period were he is the 'Hobson's choice' too.
Yes and no, they main concern I had from the situation is Razor didn't really explain why they had developed differing opinions, had he? I've seen too many things happen in life to jump the gun. Fall all we know it was a locked in choice before they found the difference last year and played out this year to see if they were recoverable. I can certainly see where it would be a valid criticism to suggest he spent too much time reviewing his players tripping overseas and not enough work with his team at that time. But things like Tony Brown not even being contacted in the lead up to the naming of the squad are endemic in the union, and for much just as much blame should be laid on someone like Wayne Smith. Some like Mitch would have been aval at the same time too I'd think.
Ultimately I see MacDs time at the Blues much as I saw Ian Fosters time at the Chiefs. Heavily overshadowed by their successors but you could find something good in there if you wanted. Same here. This will play out.
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