Richie Mo'unga during the All Blacks' victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo / Photosport
Richie Mo'unga during the All Blacks' victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
Whether it was a seminal performance or not, Richie Mo'unga played with such authority and courage at Ellis Park to at least buy the All Blacks short-term assurance about their best option to lead the attack.
There were still rough edges about the way the All Blacks attacked inJohannesburg, moments of indecision and uncertainty, but it was, easily, the most cohesive, structured and potent performance they have produced this year.
It was probably the most effective attacking performance the All Blacks have produced against heavyweight opposition since they ripped Ireland apart in the quarter-final of the 2019 World Cup.
Rarely since the Lions were here in 2017 have the All Blacks produced slick, inventive and innovative rugby when they have been confronted by big, physical packs and organised, aggressive defensive lines.
That inability to deal with the pressure imposed by a rush defence and to find space against low-risk opposition, has been a problem the All Blacks just haven't been able to consistently solve in the last five years.
But maybe now they have some of the answers to reduce their vulnerability and perhaps the key to it all is to stick with Mo'unga at No 10.
He gave the All Blacks a shape and structure that his rival, Beauden Barrett, wasn't able to this year when he was handed the play-making role.
There is an element of comparing apples with oranges in that because most of the time Barrett spent at No 10 was made impossibly hard by the slow ball shuffled his way.
Just as no middle-aged man looks good in a bike helmet and tight-fitting Lycra, nor does any first-five carry themselves with class when they are having to play off the back-foot and scramble all game.
But still, there was something about the way Mo'unga played at Ellis Park that said he was the right guy for now.
He played as if he himself was fed up with the way the All Blacks have seemingly twisted themselves into mental knots trying to work out what this rush defence business is all about.
Richie Mo'unga was influential in the All Blacks' victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo / Photosport
In a succinct and compelling burst of honesty on the Monday before the test, he told media that the answers to many of the attacking problems were in fact relatively simple: play with more depth, kick smartly and more often, vary the running lines and passing length.
His exasperation was obvious, and he had the look of a man who knew the time had come to deliver rather than talk – to produce precisely what had been planned and not spend another debrief wondering how it had all gone wrong.
And that's exactly what he did. He delivered on his promise to re-set the backs and play a fraction deeper.
He varied the attack as he said he would and in doing so, he enabled both David Havili and Rieko Ioane to finally click in the midfield and do some damage.
That he's a more fluid athlete than Barrett has never been in question. Barrett often looks stiff in the hips, a little upright and rigid, which is why he turns his body into the pass.
Mo'unga is more nimble, better able to dance East-to-West, passes across his hips and buys those outside him more time as a result.
But what defined Mo'unga's performance and hinted that his performance being seminal – transformational for this All Blacks side – was his authority in the last 10 minutes and willingness to be responsible and accountable.
The big criticism of Mo'unga prior to the All Blacks last test, was his capacity to go missing in big games. He's always had the ability, just not the mentality to pull it all together.
It was all so different at Ellis Park and having owned his performance and taken responsibility for generating the speed and width of the attack, Mo'unga's coming of age moment came in the final 10 minutes when he saw Barrett yellow carded and took that as his cue to lead the fight back.
It was particularly impressive as it was a mistake by Mo'unga – he lost the ball after a kick-off – that created the opportunity for South Africa to score a try and take a 23-21 lead.
Mo'unga of old may have found it hard to bounce back from that. Mo'unga of old, may have lost his confidence after making a mistake like that – dwelt on it for too long.
But the new Mo'unga shrugged it off, parked himself in the frontline, commanded those around him, got himself on the ball and made the victory happen.
That was enough to believe that for now, and probably for longer, he is the answer at No 10 and the player the All Blacks have to back to lead their attacking revolution.
