Ethan Blackadder and Tupou Vaa'i talk about life in the All Blacks environment. Video / allblacks.com
Scrum, offload, tackle, score. Is there anything the All Blacks front row club can't do?
Saturday's 36-13 win over the Pumas in Brisbane was far from perfect, with All Blacks coach Ian Foster lamenting the lack of a ruthless edge in the second half. Yet the eighth straight win thisyear ticked many boxes, and leaves the All Blacks in pole position for the Rugby Championship title.
And if there's one area of comfort before facing the Springboks this week, it's the collective strength and depth of the front row.
After inconsistencies in this department earlier this year the All Blacks scrum delivered its most dominant performance of the season against the Pumas. Tyrel Lomax and Joe Moody set the tone; Ofa Tuungafasi and George Bower finished the crushing display in the second half – one late defensive shunt on their own line getting the team out of major trouble.
Add in the All Blacks' maul defence, the work of their three dynamic hookers with ball in hand in the wide channels, slick offloading skills up the middle from the big men and several huge hits – Nepo Laulala flattening Pumas talisman Pablo Matera last week and Moody's big shot off the kickoff in his starting return at Suncorp Stadium – and it's clear the front rowers are in commanding form.
Joe Moody helped set the tone in the All Blacks' victory over Argentina. Photo / Getty
All Blacks scrum coach Greg Feek is not the only one impressed.
"I mentioned to Nepo which was better – his or Moody's? There's a little bit of competition going on there. It's great to see," Feek said of the pair's defensive shots. "Their whole all round game has to keep getting better and better to stay at the level we want to be.
"When those boys are doing that it sets the tone for the rest of the squad. They're not only doing their core roles right but they're doing those special parts at a level where the backs will raise their eyebrows. It gives the whole team a lift. Being in quarantine for the first two weeks is paying dividends in a lot of ways."
While Beauden Barrett's freakish offload naturally garnered widespread acclaim last week, the All Blacks tight-five have proved more than capable of keeping the ball alive this season. Blues props Laulala and Karl Tu'inukuafe have regularly linked up the middle. On Saturday it was Scott Barrett's turn to send locking partner Tupou Vaa'i under the sticks for his second try of the night with a backhanded flick ball.
Such instances - and you can throw Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou's flick ball in the mix too - stand in stark contrast to the Springboks' conservative, kick, bash, crash approach.
"Scott Barrett's was pretty impressive, wasn't it? There's a lot of work being put in by the coaches so it's great to see that stuff come through in the game," Feek said. "How enjoyable is it when you start to add in all the set piece, offloads, big tackles - that's why they play and we coach the game. I'm hoping back home the fans are loving it."
Much has been made of the depth the All Blacks are breeding, particularly in the loose forwards and outside backs, after head coach Ian Foster's gamble to make 11 starting changes paid off against the Pumas.
With nine front-rowers on tour there's a case this is among the most competitive areas of all, though.
Selecting a starting loosehead this week will be a difficult task. With the experienced Moody returning from his five-month absence in the past two tests and Tu'inukuafe in powerful form it could be Crusaders prop Bower, despite impressing in his debut test season, misses out.
Another tight call looms at tighthead where Laulala will be expected to start and Tuungafasi, following his return from knee surgery against the Pumas, may get the nod over Lomax on the bench.
Ofa Tuungafasi has been part of an impressive front-row unit for the All Blacks. Photo / Getty
Old or young, inexperienced or in rookie test campaigns, the All Blacks props have laid down a marker this year. Feek knows that will count for little unless they rise up for the 100th test against the Springboks.
"The boys will be up for this - we need to be very clinical to match them. Their set piece, their scrum and maul, are two of the X-factor parts of their game. We're fully aware of that.
"I've had half an eye looking towards South Africa. You're trying to build and grow and layer things in. We don't want that marker to disappear and that's the true test for us this week. These guys won the World Cup, parts of their game have been hugely dominant, so that marker is something we're always going to be thriving for."
Front rowers are a unique breed; a tight-knit bunch. Even if they continue their dominance against the Springboks, don't expect any wild celebrations or fancy dance moves.
"It's head down and a bit of a nod. You can't imagine Moody's getting too excited or animated. If it's cake it would probably be something with less sugar and wrapped around with a bit of lamb shank. They probably give each other a wink every now and then."
