All Blacks plot strategy to erase 2004 Tri-Nations nightmares

DURBAN - The All Blacks have been working overtime to break down the defensive alignment that consistently blunted their attacking prowess during last year's Tri-Nations rugby flop.

South Africa's rush defence strangled the life out of the All Blacks in Christchurch, although they were saved by a last-gasp Doug Howlett try to scrape to a 23-21 victory.

In the return leg at Ellis Park they were not so fortunate as the Springboks controlled the midfield -- no more so than hat-trick scoring centre Marius Joubert -- paving the way for a crushing 40-26 win that helped condemn the All Blacks to third place.

A year on the All Blacks are confident they can work around the Springboks strategy, though it is still paying dividends for the Tri-Nations champions.

South Africa lived on the offside line in the last two weekends against Australia, charging up to successfully stifle a potent Wallabies back division.

In the Mandela Plate decider at Ellis Park the tactic yielded two intercept tries after Jean de Villiers and Andre Pretorius snatched panicked passes.

Fullback Leon MacDonald explained earlier in the week that the All Blacks would not be ``throwing loopy passes'' to cut down the chances of an intercept.

The All Blacks strategy goes far deeper than that with analytical backs coach Wayne Smith having already successfully road-tested various plans.

The first priority was to keep the opposition in reverse mode by the forwards hitting holes and offloading the ball.

Changing the mindset so they kept the ball alive rather than flopping into breakdowns came to fruition with spectacular results during the 45-6 thrashing of France last November.

In Paris the All Blacks made 30 offloads to France's seven, the majority of which gave the backline freedom.

The tactic worked again when the Lions were outscored 12 tries to three during the recent series, but the All Blacks are not resting on their laurels.

While the forwards have been perfecting keeping the ball alive during opposed training at their base near Durban all week, the backs have been hammering away at their kicking game.

First five-eighth Dan Carter will call the shots with the boot but outside him Aaron Mauger has spent the end of training sessions practising weighed chip kicks with Smith.

Kicking over the opposition defence to take bruising Springbok defenders de Villiers and midfield partner Jacque Fourie out of the equation form a key element of the All Blacks offensive arsenal.

``We found last year there was always a wall in front of us. No team was concerned about our kicking game and we basically tried to attack the same way all the time,'' Smith said.

He expects the Springboks to stick with the rush defence but believes 12 months on it can be combated.

Mauger was similarly upbeat.

``We're aware of the way they defend and we've got decision makers in our team to read that and call the moves.

``We're not going to be too premeditated in what we're going to do. They might have analysed us and do something totally different.''

Meanwhile, the All Blacks were greeted with blue skies when they arrived in Cape Town, and although rain is forecast tomorrow it is expected to clear before kick-off (0100SunNZT).

Veteran Springboks prop Os du Randt has been passed fit to start after bruising a thigh on Tuesday though he is not expected to play more than half the game before promising loosehead Gurthro Steenkamp comes on to face Carl Hayman.

- NZPA