All Blacks captain Sam Cane is tackled. Photo / Photosport
All Blacks captain Sam Cane is tackled. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
The All Blacks knew Japan were a serious threat long before they left New Zealand, but it is unlikely they imagined their test in Tokyo would end up as tense and fraught as it was.
After half an hour, when Japan scored two brilliant tries in quick succession, theprospect of the home side making history was all too real.
Once again, New Zealanders were bracing for another unwanted first – another unbelievable defeat to an opponent many would never have imagined the All Blacks losing to.
The All Blacks were hanging on. They weren't in control of the test the way they wanted to be, couldn't build the pressure they thought they would and simply couldn't break the spirit of the Japanese, whose defence was magnificent, as was their ability to counter punch.
Whatever New Zealand threw at them, Japan absorbed it and found a way to force themselves back into contention and when the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men after 65 minutes when Brodie Retallick was sent off, it became compelling theatre.
The All Blacks had a cushion, but would it be enough? And that was the remarkable thing – who imagined that New Zealand, who once almost scored 150 points against Japan, would be reduced to such a desperate state?
And they were desperate. They were stunned that Japan kept coming back at them, couldn't be bullied off the ball at the collision, and so brilliantly counter-rucked.
Retallick's card was a big moment. We all know the rules, and how any contact to the head is refereed, but this one felt more yellow than red.
It was a genuine cleanout attempt, but the referee wasn't interested in considering any mitigation and seemed to be intent on sending the big lock off the instant the TMO brought the incident to his attention.
With Retallick off, the All Blacks were yet more wobbly. That they were in so much trouble was largely due to their tactical approach, which made no sense.
Stephen Perofeta in action. Photo / Photosport
It wasn't always easy to be sure what the All Blacks were trying to do for much of the first half.
They held the ball well enough, recycled, passed, ran and jigged, but didn't ever manage to do much to stress the Japanese defence and meandered back and forth across the field without going forward.
They were left with little choice but to boot the ball to the heavens after a handful of phases, which was hard to understand as Japan live for the counter-attack.
Maybe if the kicks had been pin-point and contestable, it would have made more sense, but too often the Japanese catchers had time and space to get going and if the All Blacks didn't realise it before the game, they should have worked out by the end of the first half that they were playing a team that was their equal in the art of pass and catch and exploiting space.
After Japan scored their two tries in the last five minutes of the first half – scores that showcased their speed, timing and support running in open play - it felt like the All Blacks needed to either have a major strategic rethink or at least stop booting the ball hopefully and mostly too far.
Playing a high-tempo, ball in hand, side-to-side game was what Japan wanted the All Blacks to do and their defence coped reasonably easily with the threats they faced.
The All Blacks seemed to think they could bash Japan close to the ruck, overpower them and then run them off their feet when they moved the ball wide.
All Blacks captain Sam Cane is tackled. Photo / Photosport
But they simply didn't have the physicality to dominate the collisions, or the slickness to find space on the outside, and the situation was crying out for something more controlled and territorial.
In the last few tests, the All Blacks have played their best rugby when they have built everything off the strength of their scrum and the accuracy of their lineout.
When they are patient, prepared to drive hard and straight up the middle of the field and use their kicking game to put them into the right places on the field, they are a difficult team to beat.
And if they had taken a more conservative, set-piece approach in Tokyo – played less football in their own half, then it is unlikely they would have been scrambling the way they were.
