All Blacks: Kick-and-clap tactics here to stay

All Black first-five Stephen Donald's form was the hot topic among South African journalists yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

CENTURION - The All Blacks' stuttered into life against Australia but it may not be enough to advance their tactics beyond ABC rugby against the Springboks this weekend.

The New Zealanders stuck firmly to a one-dimensional game plan at Eden Park, admittedly in wintry conditions to scrape past the Wallabies.

Bloemfontein is sure to be hard and fast but assistant coach Wayne Smith says that won't necessarily mean a change of tactics for the Tri-Nations test.

"You've got to crawl before you walk and walk before you run," he said.

"We're only a short way along the path.

"There are a lot of guys coming to grips with this level of rugby and our game. You can't expect miracles. We're just trying to get good clarity, good understanding."

Smith said the kick-and-clap tactics were necessary to start overcoming a malaise that had crept in during the drawn two-test series against France and substandard defeat of Italy last month.

Players like Richie McCaw and Rodney So'oialo returning in key loose forward roles also meant combinations had to be re-established.

"We knew we'd been pretty rusty as a team so we stuck to a fairly simple game plan that was executed well and executed with passion," he said.

"It was a good step along the way... but we've got a wee way to go in terms of the quality of our play. We simplified the game plan to win the game.

"Anyone that thinks you can go in there and hit your straps straight away against these teams and blow teams away is kidding themselves or has never played at this level."

The tactics to be used this weekend were outlined to the players soon after arriving in South Africa.

Smith was giving little away but denied a suggestion that kicking and territory are this year's winning tactics at test level, just as they proved to be under the full Experimental Law Variations last season.

"You've got a choice how you play, you don't have to kick," he said.

"I don't know how the game is going to evolve. I know how we're going to evolve.

South African journalists were keen to probe Smith on the form of first five-eighth Stephen Donald, who kicked for goal well in Auckland and balanced some sound general work with muddled moments during his best test of the year so far. That came in the wake of weeks of public criticism.

Smith believed Donald should be starting to take note of what works best for him in the leadup to games that he performs well in.

"Consistency of performance is the challenge at this level," he said.

"For anyone, it is important to know you are up to that level, to play in the hottest cauldron and then come out of it positively. It doesn't guarantee anything. It means you have to keep forging forward and work at the same level of intensity that you worked at previously. As soon as you think you have got it sussed then you will fall over."

Smith bridled at another suggestion that Donald was simply keeping the No 10 jersey warm for the injured Daniel Carter.

"We don't see him as a stand-in at all," he said.

"Everyone in the country's an expert and think you can just step in and play like Daniel Carter but it's not like that.

"It's a tough position, there's a lot of responsibility and sometimes you have to learn your trade, and that's what he's doing.

"The proof was in the pudding at the weekend. He stepped up under huge public pressure, under scrutiny."

- NZPA