KEY POINTS:
When General Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf led the Coalition troops to victory in the Gulf War, his methods brought as much coverage and comment as the outcome.
It was a victory, but people in this modern age seem to be more concerned about how things are done.
Arguments still rage about the tactics Schwarzkopf employed and whether he should have kept going until Saddam Hussein was on his knees at the Baghdad town hall.
In a less hostile environment such as international league, tactical decisions are wrapped up in what's known as the game plan: a blueprint on how to humiliate the blokes in different uniforms.
Tactics played a major part in Australia's comprehensive 30-6 win against the Kiwis in last week's Anzac test. Australian coach Ricky Stuart had a number of experienced but out-of-form players. But he came up with a game plan he could have delivered over the phone.
The Aussies ran from dummy-half as often as possible and used their pacy back five to relentlessly probe from the play-the-ball area.
The Aussie dummy-halves were able to pick up easy 10m gains each time, which constantly put the youthful Kiwis on the back foot.
Australia was then able to kick on tackle four or five and repeatedly force New Zealand to try to get out of their own danger area. Instead of countering with simple running from dummy-half plays, the Kiwis were guilty of passing to players who were flat-footed and unable to get across the advantage line.
This simple plan gave Australia control and, once the game settled down, the Kiwis struggled - and the game got away from them.
Consider the six key points I suggested a couple of weeks ago - to win a test against Australia, they are critical:
* Field position: you must play in the opposition half.
* Possession: ensure you get your fair share of the pill.
* A good kicking game.
* Shape in attack.
* Strong and aware marker defence.
* Good one-on-one defence.
When Kiwis coach Brian McClennan has a chance to reflect quietly, he will see that his side struggled in many of these key areas.
I agree with his verdict on the potential of this young side. They will improve.
Stuart's remarks at the World Cup launch last week were interesting.
He said this was a better Kiwis side than the one which Australia played last year.
I thought he was covering his tail before the test.
But, as far as attacking potential goes, when you have a new-look team you have to come up with a new-look approach.
McClennan may need to bare his teeth so he can mount a new style of ambush.
The "we're a family" approach has worked wonders for Bluey over the past couple of years but maybe he should consider changing it to "we're an army".
I'm a great believer in the lean, mean, Spartan style when it comes to building a team - it helps create a desperation and hunger.
But this disappointing result must be kept in perspective - and there's a long way to go before the World Cup.
While the Aussie players covered themselves in glory, some Kiwis played outstandingly.
Sonny Bill Williams played himself to a standstill. It was just a shame he had to take on such a big offensive and defensive workload. That tied him up and left him absolutely spent.
Williams is widely regarded as the best back rower in the game, yet it's a waste of his talent restricting him to a channel down the right hand side.
The Bulldogs use him this way and so do the Kiwis.
Players are used like this because teams have followed a system developed in Britain 20 years ago.
NRL coaches now swear by it because of the structure it affords teams.
Every now and then, a special player will come along and the mould needs to be broken - something different must be done.
Williams is one such player.
He is one of the best in the world with half the width of the field to play in; just imagine if he was given the chance to use the full width.
I'd like to see him at loose forward, able to roam anywhere in attack.
Despite the loss, the Kiwis are in good shape for the clash against Australia on October 14 at Westpac Stadium.
And I'm not at all discouraged about the Kiwis' prospects of winning the next World Cup.
In my view, Ricky Stuart is no coaching genius; yet last Friday he led his troops to victory just like Schwarzkopf.
Yet, like Schwarzkopf, the Aussies never seemed to get all the way to the steps of the town hall - and they've left plenty of fight and determination in the Kiwis for a closer match-up in October.
The Auckland Lions play away this weekend against the North Sydney Bears.
I never thought I'd see it but the Bears are now a feeder club to South Sydney. In my day in the Winfield Cup these two clubs were two of the most bitter rivals.
The Lions are looking good and should be confident after beating the Dragons in their last game at Mt Smart which followed the exceptional win away against the Sea Eagles.
Ready for a bunny boiler
The Warriors' clash against South Sydney on Sunday will be another tough away challenge. The Rabbitohs - or 'New Zealand B' as some are calling them - are a better team under Jason Taylor than they've been for 20 years.
They won their first three games but after defeats against the Bulldogs and Knights, questions were starting to be asked. But they answered their critics with a hard-fought 10-6 victory over the Cowboys last Monday.
Now Warriors coach Ivan Cleary will know just what to expect this weekend.
