By CHRIS RATTUE
Robin Brooke believes the All Blacks should dig even deeper into their bag of tricks to out-fox an Australian lineout he rates as the best the game has seen.
The 62-test lock and Blues captain has no doubt the All Blacks coaching staff and players have the ability to improve their lineout, but says the Australians were superb in that area.
The lineout is a major focus for the All Blacks in this Tri-Nations series after they lost five of their own throws, including two in key attacking positions, late in the extraordinary 39-35 win at Stadium Australia.
The All Blacks are not expected to face such a stern lineout test in Saturday afternoon's clash against South Africa in Christchurch, but will still be concentrating on improving in that area.
There have been a host of lineout theories swirling around since the Sydney match, ranging from the effect of rotations and substitutions to whether the All Blacks should simplify their tactics.
But Brooke, who as a current player and test great is perfectly placed to make judgments, said the All Blacks could not rely on basic tactics, especially against John Eales and company.
"The Australian lineout over the past couple of years is the best I've played against and is about as good as it gets.
"They have a height advantage which is still vital when there is lifting. They're so much taller and John Eales has very long arms and David Giffin is another big-arm guy.
"Mark Connors isn't in quite the same mould, but he is still very good in the lineout, and the Australians are also smart guys - very good thinkers.
"It means you only have a foot or a foot-and-a-half as room for error and if you don't get it 100 per cent right, you can have trouble.
"When you are throwing to the back you are talking about a 20m throw and you have to get it dead right, and the Australians just cut down that space.
"Ability is not a problem for our lineout throwers, but the execution and timing between them and the jumpers on Saturday wasn't always quite right.
"You need to play different tactics against the Aussies and use the art of deception - more decoy runners and things like that.
"The longer you leave throwing the ball in the more chance they have to have a go at your ball.
"So you've got to vary the pace."
Brooke said Australia's ability towards the back of the lineout posed other problems because it was often the best place to win ball, particularly if a team wanted to launch immediate moves in the backs.
Taking the ball at the front of the lineout meant the halfback had to pass the ball 10m further, and gave opposing loose forwards and the backs more chance to advance in defence while the ball was in flight.
"The lineout is a very technical area and not always easy to explain ... but I want to emphasise how good that Australian lineout is," he said.
Former All Black lineout ace Andy Haden said: "The All Blacks were playing against the best lineout in the world.
"Sometimes the throws were the problem and sometimes it was the jump.
"The rotation of players has made it more difficult because they are not playing together so much in pressure situations.
"There is so much pressure on Norm Maxwell to win the ball."
And former test frontrower and Herald columnist John Drake said: "The lineouts have changed so much since I played so I'm a bit out of touch.
"But there is probably a bit of paranoia about our lineout and they are over-compensating by making it too complicated.
"Other teams just hoist a bloke up and throw it at him. But the Australian lineout is so tall and they have a lot of options."
Drake said he enjoyed the sight of teams contesting lineout possession and believed it was a good trend for rugby, after a period when many sides did not even jump on opposition throws.
"The game keeps evolving but one of rugby's charms is that you can contest possession," he said.
No 8 Ron Cribb (groin) and wing Jonah Lomu (thigh) did not train with the All Blacks at Hanmer Springs, north of Christchurch, yesterday but at this stage are not rated doubtful for Saturday's test.
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Rugby: Tactical changes needed in lineout
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