Paul Lewis: Can the All Blacks’ new tactics outmanoeuvre England’s young guns?

Paul Lewis is a veteran sports journalist who has written four books and covered Rugby World Cups, America’s Cups, Olympic & Commonwealth Games and more.

ANALYSIS

• The All Blacks traditionally favour a wide, possession-based game but have sometimes struggled against teams with strong defences and set-piece strategies.
• Scott Robertson, the new coach, might consider a style similar to Vern Cotter’s approach at the Blues, which emphasises a strong forward pack and effective set-pieces.
• This pragmatic approach contrasts with the All Blacks’ usual expansive play but has proven effective in pressure situations, such as previous tests against England.
• Robertson may implement a Crusaders-like efficiency and resilience, focusing on winning rather than just playing attractively.

Could the All Blacks adopt a more conservative style for their first big assignment of the winter, England?

One of the key principles of rugby coaching has always been: to decide what style of rugby you want your team to play, and then select the players to execute it. The All Blacks of recent years have persisted largely with a get-it-wide philosophy (although there has been plenty of kicking), based on retaining possession and using it quickly – “earning the right to go wide”, as the saying goes.

The urge not just to win but to win attractively still looms large in the national coaching and playing psyche; it is a signature element of New Zealand rugby. But it can also play into the hands of those who prepare the right way; the All Blacks have sometimes struggled against teams who back their defence and attack the All Blacks’ set piece and breakdowns; game plans based on pressure.

When Scott Robertson comes to populate his 32-man squad next month, there may be a lot to be said for adopting the same kind of style Vern Cotter has imbued at the much-improved Blues this season.

Regardless of what happens from this point (seasoned Blues fans are all too familiar with end-of-season disappointment), Cotter’s old-school, it-all-starts-up-front approach has paid dividends for a franchise previously struggling to live up to a long-held philosophy of expansive rugby.

The unspoken doctrine: we have big, fast, creative backs who can rip opponents apart and we play to our strengths. Much effort went into directing ball to attackers who sometimes fell foul of defences who knew what was coming and channelled their own style of play to upset the Blues’ set pieces, the breakdowns and hitting them on the counter.

Sound familiar? The Crusaders did it for years; a couple of weeks ago, they did it again.

Ironically, there have been several instances when under-pressure All Blacks reverted to the same sort of basic pick-and-go, driving and maul play Cotter has made commonplace at the Blues. Two tests against England in 2019 and 2018 come to mind – the former a World Cup semifinal loss and the latter a narrow win after being 15-0 down after 23 minutes.

On both occasions, they looked good as they built pressure when faced with defences starving their normal attacking game of oxygen. It was short-lived. Grinding away, wrestling over the goal line and kicking the goals is not what makes All Blacks happy boys – and there is a partially valid theory that it is playing the sort of game the likes of England prefer.

It may not be pretty but it can be undeniably effective, as Cotter and the Blues have shown. Here’s a small list of what this flinty, no-nonsense approach has achieved for the Blues:

1. Boosted confidence; significantly reduced their error rate.
2. Provided the platform for Super Rugby’s best defence.
3. Allowed Harry Plummer – previously a flawed first-five with clutch goalkicking problems – to mature into a player so valuable that Perofeta’s return from injury would always be at fullback.
4. Enhanced confidence in the pack’s ability has seen depth improve, with fringe players like Cole Forbes, Corey Evans and AJ Lam slotting in with little discernible difference, and winger Lam making a good fist of a forced shift to the midfield.

Robertson will likely be keen to install a Crusaders-like efficiency, resilience and the same know-how-to-win ability displayed over seven successful years.

History suggests England will bring a strong pack but will be less capable in the backs. England coach Steve Borthwick announces his final squad next week and, though his selections to this point have been conservative, his training squad contains a lot of youth – ball-running players like Fijian-born lock Rusi Tuima and Tongan-born loose forward Greg Fisilau, among others.

There are also young back three players new to this part of the world, like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck and Ollie Sleightholme, though none have yet been named in the final touring party.

All Black great Dan Carter believes there are many signs England is interested in a trend towards more ball-playing forwards, turnover-adept loose forwards and more penetrative backs: “I thought they played good tournament rugby to get as far as they did through the World Cup. There was a lot of risk-free rugby, they’re looking to expand and grow that and they’ve definitely got the talent there.

“Now it’s about being willing to continue to play with the ball more … an exciting and attacking style of play I’m sure a lot of their players would love to be a part of.”

Interestingly, they are short of depth at tighthead prop and, if England do loose their own shackles touring here, a forward-oriented approach from the All Blacks could be a smart move, particularly if the All Blacks involve a new lock or locks because of the shortage in those ranks.

It would be a brave move – Robertson knows fans also want to win but do so with style. However, if England do chance their arm a little, it may allow him to form a game plan based on forward grunt, defensive vigilance and counter-attack.

Paul Lewis has been a journalist since the last ice age. Sport has been a lifetime pleasure and part of a professional career during which he has written four books, and covered Rugby World Cups, America’s Cups, Olympic & Commonwealth Games and more.