11/24/2023 0 Comments All black squad 2012![]() South Africa’s aerial assault on the All Blacks is underlined by the ugly challenge on Barrett that resulted in Springboks wing Kurt-Lee Arendse receiving a four-week suspension. Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images High-ball fumbles To have any chance of delivering a revival at the South African rugby mecca this weekend, they must somehow rediscover their attacking mojo.Īll Blacks coach Ian Foster and players during training on Thursday. New Zealand have won two of their past three ventures to the venue of Saturday’s Test, Ellis Park, scoring 11 tries in those epic contests. Even when they did forge overlaps their once revered catch-pass skills failed to stick in the face of Springboks defenders shooting out of the line. Otherwise, though, the All Blacks were easily contained. Beauden Barrett sparked one counterattack movement Will Jordan broke the line in the second half from an Ardie Savea assist and when the Springboks were reduced to 14 men, Caleb Clarke made a brilliant burst to set up Shannon Frizell’s late try. They could not muster a try until the 78th minute, and spent almost the entire first half pinned in their territory. Last week in Mbombela the All Blacks had minimal answers for the Springboks’ suffocating rush defence. ![]() “It’s awesome,” he offered, “there’s 11 players who have done it and I’ve been there for nine of them so I’ve seen how special it is and how cool a moment it is for the player and their family.In four Tests this season, three of which ended in defeat, that opening Eden Park win is the exception to the rule. You wouldn’t necessarily know it from listening to him in press conferences, like Foster, Retallick isn’t much of a talker. He’s a major contributor behind the scenes, he’s the heart and soul of this group.” “So he’s been a massive part of the engine room of an All Black pack for a long time, but he’s multi-skilled, he’s got that tough edge to him but he’s also got those skills around the park, and that’s always been a feature of his game. “Brodie’s been there since 2012,” says Foster. Which tells you, yes, something about how congested the playing schedule is, but also about how strong the spine of the team has been in that time. He’s the 12th All Black to do it, all of them have played in the last 11 years. Foster has moved Scott Barrett back to the flank, which means it is a hefty pack, with three lock forwards and plenty of options at the lineout. The pack is stronger too, because Brodie Retallick is back from suspension and starts alongside Sam Whitelock in the second row. Beaudie seems to improve that area when he goes in at 15.”īrodie Retallick (left) will scrum down in the second row with All Blacks captain Sam Whitelock. “Beaudie brings an extra width to our game,” Foster said, “so last week our No 10 felt a little bit isolated because the outside backs weren’t communicating as well as they should have. It is more like the All Black side that put Wales away 55-23 than the one that scraped past Scotland 31-23. Richie Mo’unga is in at fly-half so Beauden Barrett switches to full-back, while his younger brother Jordie is back in the centre with Rieko Ioane. England want to play a strong pressure game, they squeeze your game, so the challenge for us is to make sure we don’t go into our shell.”įoster has picked his strongest squad for it. But we’re playing a different type of team this week to the last two. “We’ve had a plan to grow some options, cement some combinations, and change some things in our game, so if I look where we’ve got to in the last three or four weeks, we’re pretty delighted. He thinks the team have moved on from their bumpy run in the summer. “We’re in a good space, I like where our game is going,” Foster said. They may have won six in a row, but they’ve already lost four Tests this year, a fifth defeat would make it their worst season this century, and he would be back under pressure again. “We know they are a team that’s searching for consistency,” Foster said.
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