For New Zealand, these have been weeks of a sort of national nirvana. A country so used to punching above its weight on the sporting field has seldom seen such success. Last month, the nation’s female cricketing White Ferns won the T20 World Cup for the first time just days before their male counterparts secured a first Test series win in India. In Barcelona, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron dominated Ben Ainslie’s Brits to hold on to the America’s Cup; it is a Kiwi in Chris Wood that is powering Nottingham Forest up the Premier League.
So you’d forgive the All Blacks, New Zealand’s highest profile sporting export, for feeling a little extra pressure as they begin a demanding European tour with a tango in Twickenham on Saturday.
“You look on extremely proudly when you see the country at the bottom of the world punching like that,” Scott Robertson, the New Zealand head coach, said on Thursday. “I just think it shows our fighting spirit. We draw on it, we’re aware of it, we celebrate it as well. It’s something that will inspire us.”
The problem for Robertson’s men is that this has been far from a vintage year for a side so used to being their country’s standard-bearer. 12 months and one week ago, the All Blacks lost a World Cup final by the barest of margins, the curtain brought down on the Ian Foster era with a flash of red and bowed heads of disappointment.
The hope was that the all-singing, all-breakdancing “Razor” Robertson would inject extra energy and fun back into a brand beginning to lose its sheen. Having built a Christchurch dynasty with the Crusaders, his credentials were impeccable, and while the July series win over England was not without problems, it represented a solid start to life in a role where success is a pre-requisite.
And then came the Rugby Championship. The All Blacks have come to dominate the annual Southern Hemisphere competition, winning seven of the last eight editions before being dethroned by the Springboks this year. It reflected a wider shift in rugby’s power. Not only were Robertson’s side beaten twice by South Africa, but they were embarrassed by Argentina in Wellington, and very nearly contrived to throw away a game against the struggling Wallabies, too.
“I feel like we’ve grown a lot, but it’s also time that we start putting some performances out there, consistent performances that we’re proud of,” centre Jordie Barrett conceded. “We can’t spend the whole year learning.”
Perhaps reflecting a side not used to rebuilding, Robertson has produced some slightly muddled selections. Barrett has gone from a vital closing role off the bench to full-back and now, with Damian McKenzie having failed to seize the starting shirt, back to the tiller at ten. The future at the position may well depend on how quickly Richie Mo’unga’s return from Japan can be secured.
For so long, the talent pipeline has produced so bountifully that succession planning has been easy – when Richie McCaw stepped away after 2015, Sam Cane was a ready-made replacement. Cane will conclude his career at the end of this year but a perceived dearth of options, particular after injury to Dalton Papali’i, means that Robertson felt unable to negotiate this November without the former captain. He starts at seven on Saturday.
Such instability is atypical of the All Blacks. While there remains plenty of experience within Robertson’s squad, the retirements of Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock and Dane Coles after the World Cup left a significant leadership hole within the group. The decision to install Scott Barrett as skipper over Savea took some by surprise.
Attack coach Leon MacDonald, meanwhile, departed abruptly just five games into a four-year contract after he and Robertson struggled to overcome “differing views” over the direction of the side. Even this week there has been unsettlement – Ethan de Groot, one of the world’s best looseheads, has been left out of the side after failing to meet vaguely described “internal standards”, echoing a similar situation involving Mark Tele’a during the World Cup.
“On occasion, you’re probably just learning on the job,” Robertson admitted this week. “Learning to understand, trust the process and trust yourself as a coach.”
With the South African sides shorn from Super Rugby, there is a fear that the best and brightest in New Zealand are not being challenged in a way they once were. But there are silver linings in the land of the long white cloud. Tupou Vaa’i is emerging as a force as Scott Barrett’s locking partner. The sharp distributing Cortez Ratima and vibrant running threat Cam Roigard make up a lively scrum half one-two punch.
The jewel in the crown, though, may be young back row Wallace Sititi. The son of former Samoa international Semo, the 22-year-old was somewhat surprisingly preferred to Hoskins Sotutu after finding his footing with the Chiefs down the stretch of his debut season at Super Rugby level. But since stepping into a black jersey for the first time against Fiji in San Diego, the youngster hasn’t looked back.
The back row seems to move differently both in the open field and at the lineout, where his spring is a vital weapon in both attack and, particularly, defence. “He reminds me a bit of myself, he can play six, seven or eight really well,” Savea said this week. “He’s quality.
“The athleticism is just something he has got. That’s something you don’t want to tarnish. You want him to flourish and keep playing the way he’s playing. He’s been amazing coming into this environment. He’s found what works for him and is playing great footy – it’s a testament to himself and his preparation, the level-headedness and calmness he has. It’s special.”
The fear factor that would usually accompany an All Blacks visit north may be gone, but England are under no illusions as to the challenge they face. The group were deeply disappointed to leave New Zealand winless in July having sensed a real opportunity to secure a milestone win against a team in transition. Keeping the contest close again will be key. Even without De Groot, the visitors’ scrum is formidable; full fluency in attack remains elusive but few sides are capable of cutting loose like they can.
“New Zealand have always been up there as one of the best teams in the world,” England lock Maro Itoje outlined ahead of the Autumn Nations Series opener. “They always require you to be at your best. I have always been conscious of that, from the first time I played them in 2017 to now.
We know it’s a big challenge but what comes with that is an incredible opportunity. That heightens the focus, the mind, brings intensity, and a little bit of bite. If you perform, if you go after them, if you attack them then you can win. That is definitely the mindset this weekend. It’s one of the great games to be a part of and we are ready to take the next step.”
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