All Blacks played a very smart game today knowing that the Springboks would have good defence on the line. Carter was getting the ball well behind the line but he was probing for weaknesses particularly in the younger midfield. His depth was basically inviting the Boks to run out of the line and let the ball do the work against a disjointed defence.
Boks sat on their heels in defence, partly due to fitness. But their discipline was pretty good, willing to sacrifice a couple of yards at the line rather than risk having it broken altogether.
The problem on attack with the Springboks is they have a fly half who will only touch the ball between 25-30% of times as it emerges from the ruck. You cannot possibly expect anything like a game plan to form beyond kicking the cover off the thing. They might be good in a couple of years - with better coaching - but the 10-12-13 combo for the Boks wasn't ready for the experience and cohesion of the ABs.
FdP was also a bit slow on the service front I thought, and where were the big units trundling around the corner off subsequent rucks? Think Meyer misread that game completely.
That it was so close says volumes about the pressure.
Pressure under which JPP cracked when it came to the second try - should have stayed out on BB but the threat of Nonu breaking a tackle stuck him in no-mans land. Lack of trust. Ironic that it was very similar to the Cuthbert incident off the scrum a week before.
I made some remarks about the lineouts which Bones has taken some issues with - the context in which I made those remarks was that the ABs lost Whitelock. Victor definitely steadied the ball retention there, but the throws were the problem: short every time from Bismarck when stolen.
The one stolen from Strauss under Victor's nose was a good read by Whitelock - Boks needed back ball inside the AB half and Victor called himself. Not that bright really. Should have put himself at 4, Etzebeth 2, which would pull Whitelock to the front, and gone from there. Or, as the Scots should have: 2 ball in wet conditions, take it from there.
I mean, they spent so much time putting the ball in the air, surely a good box kick with a chase into the 22 suited their game plan better?
There is no complacency in the All Black squad, but today would have been a reminder that any game can be close and you need perseverance and trust. Whoever the opponent is next week, I expect Carter to attack the line a hell of a lot more, and a far bigger margin of victory for the first ever RWC title defence.
