The All Blacks’ flurry of mistakes and lack of composure cost them heavily in their 28-19 loss to the Springboks on Saturday, the New Zealand media said Monday.
Their reputation will be on the line in the next Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Durban on Saturday as they try to avoid their worst season in Graham Henry’s six-year reign as coach, the New Zealand Herald said.
”Henry’s teams have lost just 10 of the 68 internationals since he took over and never more than two in a season,” the Herald‘s Wynne Gray noted.
”They have now been beaten twice in five Tests this season and have another nine internationals left before their programme ends.
”From the moment Andrew Hore overthrew the first lineout until Jason Eaton’s offside in a late maul, the All Blacks played with enormous spirit, but lacked the nous to retain their unbeaten Test record in Bloemfontein.”
Richard Knowler of The Press said although a win looked possible for the All Blacks after a second half comeback, victory would have been an unfair reflection of their performance.
The All Blacks lineout struggled against a ”monstrous” Springboks line-up, the scrum was not always effective and they were unable to gain any ascendancy at the breakdown, Knowler said.
”The All Blacks tried to move the ball but were often unable to gather any momentum because they were often penalised at the rucks, lost the ball in the tackle, or handling and passing let them down,” he said.
”Had first five-eighth Ruan Pienaar not missed three penalties and a conversion before he was replaced at half-time, this could have been a rout.”
Duncan Johnstone of Fairfax media said the All Blacks paid a huge price for their mistakes, trying to play too much helter-skelter rugby against the patience and precision of the South Africans.
”Worryingly for the All Blacks, the Boks, after three weeks off, will only be better for this victory and their performance levels will go up,” Johnstone said of next week’s Durban Test. – AFPa
