Despite emerging victorious in his first match as All Blacks coach, Scott Robertson was not entirely satisfied with his side’s performance in Saturday’s match against England. New Zealand cruised to a 16-15 victory and Robertson expressed his desire for the All Blacks to have a more complete game at Eden Park.
There were plenty of asterisks alongside the All Blacks as the team managed to secure victory over England despite having assembled as a playing group just 10 days earlier. The Super Rugby schedule meant Robertson only had a short break for his first match in charge, with players from the Blues and Chiefs only being available after the final. Robertson is not one to make excuses, though, and when asked if the All Blacks could have put some of their mistakes down to a lack of pace, the man known as Razor replied:
“Rust is an excuse. With our decision-making, we can take it and improve.”
The former Crusaders coach is certainly making his intentions clear for his tenure and, with a match win in charge of the All Blacks, he is off to a good start with the team. Robertson expressed what he learned from England and that his side are taking into this Saturday’s game, with Razor and Co. eager to overcome explosive line-speed defence and closely contested breaks.
“The (English) breakdown (impressed Robertson), with and without the ball. They were tough on the ball and they have some great operators; good loose forwards down low. They are there so quickly and they get the ball in their hands. Sometimes the lads try to counter-ruck, but their efficiency in reading and anticipating is quite special. Also, the line speed they had as well.”
“It’s an art. We knew they would come and fly. There are some opportunities where we will work again and trust ourselves.”
“I think we will be looking at the test matches. We have to refine some things and our job as coaches is to think and act quickly. That is when we are at our best. We have to introduce some different plans into the structure of our game plan. We will just refine it.”
Of the England squad, Robertson singled out a trio of top players who caught his eye at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Razor acknowledged the talent that second-row Maro Itoje and scrum-half Alex Mitchell brought to the Highlanders’ home ground, and also praised England’s blindside flanker Chandler Cunningham-South, who was selected by New Zealand. Asked what was causing the All Blacks’ problems at set-pieces, namely the line-out, Robertson said;
“Maro. We could have been a bit quicker (in the line-out), but you have to admit that he is a very good player.”
“Chandler has a very heavy body and carries the ball incredibly well. Alex (Mitchell) was great when he got a quick ball around the base of the ruck. There were a couple of doubles (double pump attempts) and feints; getting the ball to players to run into space. They were accurate.”
Another English talent Robertson had his eye on was Marcus Smith, after Harlequin endured a turbulent time in Dunedin. Despite being among England’s best players on the field, the match will sadly be remembered for Harlequin’s missed kicks, as Smith left crucial points on the field for the All Blacks’ victory.
“As a No. 10, there is a lot to do. It takes time to understand test football and the pressure that comes with it. History shows that – time on the pitch, time on your feet, learning a few lessons. Marcus is a great player and he will improve after last night.”
One player the All Blacks will be without in the second Test against England is TJ Perenara, as the scrum-half suffered a knee injury in Dunedin. Perenara was caught out by a tussle between George Martin and Scott Barrett, and the All Blacks captain was pushed into Perenara, who fell to the ground clutching his knee.
Perenara is expected to be replaced by Finlay Christie in the starting nine jersey, with exciting Chiefs debutant Cortez Ratima awaiting his first New Zealand cap. Robertson said that despite the injury, his scrum-half is in good condition, with the severity of the injury expected to be revealed after a series of scans.
“If you ask TJ, he’s doing great; he woke up in fantastic condition. But we’ll be looking at him this afternoon. It was one of those cases that looked worse than it really was. We’ll know for sure tomorrow morning, but we have plans in place if he’s not there. (Bringing someone else in?) Yeah, that’s correct. Everyone else is doing pretty well.”
With the second Test match scheduled for Eden Park, media questions have been dominated by what the All Blacks’ 30-year unbeaten record means to the players and coaches of both teams. There is no denying that Auckland’s amphitheatre is a formidable fortress, and Razor gave his take on the game’s location. Once again, the head coach spoke coolly, expressing how the long lineage of All Blacks history has led his team to this moment.
“The only advantage you have is your performance. We respect Eden Park and what previous All Blacks teams have done to achieve this (unbeaten run).”
