'Dubious' defence worries All Blacks

Leon MacDonald in action against the Lions in June. Picture / Mark Mitchell

DUNEDIN - The Springboks' capacity to run backline interference was causing the All Blacks more anxiety yesterday than the unveiling of Leon MacDonald as the first five-eighths for Saturday's pivotal Tri-Nations test.

Working out ways to outwit the Bok defensive tactics has consumed as much time as the discussion about who should replace the injured Daniel Carter for the test at Carisbrook.

The choice was disclosed yesterday, MacDonald winning a tight contest to start his first test as a goalkicking first five-eighths after previous stints at fullback and centre in the All Black backline.

Coach Graham Henry listed a number of reasons for MacDonald's selection, including his formative career and season in Japan as a five-eighths, the intention to play him there in the third test against the Lions before he was injured, his international experience and weekend form in the NPC.

Perhaps the most crucial reason though was the selectors' fear of combining test rookies Piri Weepu and McAlister in what would be a crescendo of pressure at Carisbrook.

"They would have played about five or six test matches in total and to go and play the best team in the world, I thought that was a bit difficult," said Henry. "But if you are looking at youngsters for the future, I think Weepu and McAlister will play a lot of test matches and I did not think this was the right game for them to be introduced together."

MacDonald was the one forced change to the starting XV while Sione Lauaki has been picked ahead of Marty Holah for more physical impact from the bench. Senior halfback Byron Kelleher is still suffering headaches.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith observed that MacDonald was only 27 and there was nothing to say he did not have a continued international future as first five-eighths. His form and goalkicking technique was tight; he was in good shape.

MacDonald will lead the All Black backline, which was able to make a number of linebreaks but which only produced a solitary try to Rico Gear in their first meeting with the Boks at Newlands. That inability to finish and some dubious Springboks defensive obstruction has been absorbing the All Black think-tank.

"They scramble well, which I think is a reflection of their spirit and the attitude within the squad so they work hard for each other. They have a defensive system which creates space for you but they seem to cover it pretty well," said Smith.

"They are also pretty adept at taking support players' lines and blocking the lines to the ball.

"If we could make as many linebreaks as we did at Cape Town and we work harder to get to the ball carrier, and avoid being blocked out, then we should convert a few more.

"They are good at stopping your lines, disrupting your lines. Twice in Cape Town we had players running on to the ball who were taken out before they received the pass - one of them was probably a tryscoring opportunity - and it wasn't penalised.

"That is part of the game but you have to make sure that you are able to avoid that happening."

The All Blacks analysis has confirmed the trend that the Springboks are playing a very different game to their Tri-Nations foes. They have been keen to kick possession, trust their defence and put on pressure through their aggressive lineout.

"It is not a bad policy, it is working, why change?" Henry noted.

If opponents persisted in holding the ball for multi-phases but had not breached the South African defence, there was always the risk of fatal turnovers like the Wallabies suffered at the weekend against the pace of Bryan Habana.

The beauty for the All Blacks was they were in control of their own destiny. After beating the Wallabies in Sydney, they had two domestic tests where victories would give them the Tri-Nations title.

The Springboks name their side today.