Inga Tuigamala: Outmuscled All Blacks will have a point to prove

Opinion

I'm confident the All Blacks will square the series against France in Wellington tomorrow.

But the first test loss in Dunedin exposed the fact that New Zealand rugby simply isn't as good as it likes to think it is. The fact is, the days have gone where we can think that the All Blacks have a right to win every game.

It would have been a real shock, especially to some of the new players. I liked the enthusiasm of our loose forward trio but they were a new combination, lacking cohesion, and this was a major influence on the game.

In saying that, though, there was a fine line between victory and defeat at Carisbrook and the match came down to one intercept try.

My confidence stems from the closeness of the match and events in the second half.

The All Blacks really hammered France at the start of the second 40 and they were wilting under that assault. There were encouraging glimpses of what this All Black side is capable of, and the French looked deflated. But the Maxime Medard intercept try from a Luke McAlister pass turned the match around.

If the All Blacks can start the match like that, they will have too much firepower for the tourists.

History also says that when it comes to major internationals, the All Blacks have been slow starters over the years.

And All Black pride will have been severely wounded. No one will want to be remembered as being part of the side that lost three in a row to France.

The really big surprise from the first test was the sight of the All Blacks being out-muscled and that will also be hurting them now. I'm expecting a backlash.

As for the changes though, and particularly in the key loose forward area, it's hard to know what to expect and I don't believe anyone can say with any confidence that the problems have been solved.

It will be a new combination yet again and the most experienced of the backrow trio, Jerome Kaino, has had an interrupted season with the Blues.

Tanerau Latimer has a strong physical presence and is a devastating ball runner, but it's difficult to know yet if he will succeed at the breakdown.

I've got no doubt that France will be highly motivated to score a 2-0 series victory. The coaching staff and players would just love to leave these shores with a series victory to savour for a long time.

The other talking point from the first test was the effect of the reinstated rules regarding the maul and the breakdown and all I will say on that is that there seemed to be more stoppages, which is not a good thing.

All in all though, the stage is set for a wonderful, hard-fought test match in Wellington.

The Blues would have welcomed Daniel Carter with open arms and they will be disappointed to miss out on his services.

But I think he has done the right thing returning to Canterbury. There would have been an awful lot of attention and scrutiny on him if he had swapped to the Blues, which may not have been the best thing for a player trying to re-establish himself on the field after a severe injury. He will feel comfortable back on his old patch.

I also applaud a decision made on loyalty grounds. It's nice to still see a bit of that in the professional age.

The Blues must sort out their problems at first five-eighths, though. They will struggle to compete otherwise, and they need a top-notch No10 to do justice to their hopes and aspirations. Players such as Benson Stanley need a Carter-like figure alongside them to flourish.