Ruthless All Blacks enter final
Brutal efficiency and relentless pace from the New Zealand All Blacks
on Sunday set up a repeat of the 1987 World Cup final against France.
The All Blacks set the tone of their 20-6 semi-final win over Australia
with some of the most breath-taking rugby they have produced in several
years, recycling quick ball and blowing past first-up tacklers around
the fringes of the ruck.
Their backline also ran angles from deep and passes were weighted to
put them into space, which eventuated in Ma'a Nonu scoring the match's
only try after fullback Israel Dagg had showed his strength to push off
two defenders and flip the ball back inside.
Much had been made of the breakdown before the game with the
Australians confident of gaining an edge after the influence their
openside flanker David Pocock had exerted during the tournament and the
fact that All Blacks captain Richie McCaw was battling persistent pain
in his right foot.
On the day, McCaw was ever present, blowing Pocock of the ball at
least twice while the All Blacks flooded the breakdown and their second
and third players to arrive were able to position themselves to protect
the ball from marauding hands.
Their forward superiority was confirmed in the scrum with Owen Franks
driving back Sekope Kepu at least twice in the opening minutes, before
the Australian tighthead prop went off early injured. His replacement
James Slipper failed to do any better.
Tony Woodcock was equally dominant on the other side of scrum, even
though when he was penalised in the first half by referee Craig Joubert
although it appeared Ben Alexander had pulled back on the engage forcing
the All Blacks' loosehead to slip and concede the penalty.
The All Blacks gained a measure of revenge in the second half when
they forced a tighthead and then a penalty after they already had the
ball under control from another Australian scrum feed.
The All Blacks also dominated territory, spending more than 60
percent of the game inside the Wallabies' half, with an intelligent
kicking game from three options, either scrumhalf Piri Weepu, flyhalf
Aaron Cruden, or Dagg. The Australians wasted much of their possession -
which had evened out by the end of the game - kicking too deep to allow
the All Blacks time to reply with interest or run it back at the
Wallabies.
Winger Cory Jane and Dagg were also supremely confident under the
high ball, rising high to out-jump forwards, while Richard Kahui's chase
game put immense pressure on the Wallabies' back three, who had few
opportunities to launch their dangerous counter attack.
Wallabies' flyhalf Quade Cooper, who has become public enemy number
one in New Zealand for several off-the-ball incidents involving McCaw in
recent tests, also had a nightmare of a game that begun with the kickoff
going out on the full.
The Queensland Reds playmaker, who can produce moments of genius
against teams who give him time, was booed at every opportunity.
He was tackled hard several times by the All Blacks, particularly
Kahui who drilled him at least three times while chasing kicks - the
last of which ended the game.
REUTERS |