The Will Jordan and Rieko Ioane combination is turning into the All Blacks' best weapon
For the second time in this Rugby Championship, the All Blacks made the right adjustments to take down their opponent in the rematch, while the promising right flank combination of Rieko Ioane and Will Jordan once again flourished.
After they failed to kick out-of-hand regularly and carried too much in Christchurch against a blue and white brick wall, Richie Mo'unga, David Havili and Aaron Smith added variety to the kicking game to dismantle the Pumas.
There was a clear intent to turn Argentina around and the conditions offered every incentive to do so, with pouring rain coming down in Hamilton. The All Blacks rarely played past five phases as they put boot to ball early and often.
The first two All Blacks tries were scored after regathering an attacking kick, recovered by Ioane and the second by Jordan.
The first of which was a dink chip by Havili that led to a roll on before a nice miss pass from Aaron Smith put Ethan de Groot over.
The second try to Caleb Clarke came after a perfectly weighted grubber kick under pressure by Mo'unga out of his own half.
After the recovery, the All Blacks had the license to spin it wide where Ioane showed his improved playmaking and vision by dicing up the Pumas' edge and feeding Clarke.
Ioane's attacking game has improved dramatically in the last few weeks since his series against Ireland.
Guilty of failing to keep his options open against Ireland and dying with the ball frequently, the 25-year-old is providing for his outside men and becoming the rounded centre that the All Blacks need.
Even when he does go to ground, he is much more aware of his support and is constantly looking for a chance to promote the ball.
The improvement in this aspect of his game has made him a much more dangerous player, much to the delight of the All Blacks' coaches.
His combination with Will Jordan on the right wing is turning into the most potent pairing the All Blacks have, and although many want Jordan to play in the No 15 jersey, if Ioane can continue to provide him enough pill he can be just as damaging where he is.
On the end-of-year tour in Dublin they combined to construct a stunning 80-metre try down the right side against Ireland, with Ioane fielding Jordan's chip kick and providing the return ball for the Crusaders' fullback. It was one of the few bright moments in the game but showed some rare chemistry.
The Ellis Park test was the turning point for Ioane's playmaking and his combination with Jordan was once again on show.
As the All Blacks opted to exit at times by running it out of their 22, the pair had a lot more ball out wide with space to work with.
The break they constructed before Sam Cane's try in Johannesburg was some of the best attacking play of Ioane's career, delivering a long accurate pass to Jordan, staying alive in support to get a second touch downfield before finding his wing again with a deft offload.
The pair continued to create opportunities in daring circumstances out of their own end. Going off script in front of his own goalposts after a scrum, Jordan ran play back across the other side of the field and hit Ioane on the chest with a pass leading to a huge break. Jordie Barrett finished a 90-metre passage a few phases later with his try.
Jordan's right foot kick gives the All Blacks the option to run it wide while deep as he can clear if needed and Ioane is providing him with the space to evaluate what option to take.
The Blues centre is squaring up defenders more effectively and holding the space in the outside channel for his wingers, something that he wasn't doing a month ago.
The combination between Ioane and his fullback Jordie Barrett has improved greatly also.
Against Ireland it was clunky and rarely demonstrated any chemistry as both players just wanted early ball to run into contact.
In Christchurch in the first test against Argentina Ioane put his fullback into a gap with a perfect short ball that led the line break and eventual try to Caleb Clarke. Barrett was prepared to run a hard line for his No 13 and give him an option.
They are now looking to create for each other which is opening up opportunities for both Clarke and Jordan outside them.
Jordan has been the best player in New Zealand this year and when the All Blacks fail to get him the ball, they don't do very well. In Mbombela he touched the ball once in the first half.
The two big wins since the ill-fated Ireland series have coincided with getting the ball in the hands of their best threats in space.
By running it from deep and finding a break with the opposition wingers dropped back or regathering an an attacking kick in behind, half the job has been done in disarming the suffocating defensive line.
The defence is usually shot to bits from scrambling after that, and the All Blacks can run their phase play and find the space they need against tired legs.
They scored five tries against South Africa in this fashion across the two tests and another three against the Pumas.
And the likes of Ioane, Jordan and Clarke have been chiefly responsible for that.
Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
Go to comments