Peter Bills: Senior players keep the unthinkable from happening

COMMENT

Experienced All Blacks making crucial interventions at decisive moments saved New Zealand coach Graham Henry's blushes in Cardiff.

A first New Zealand defeat in 51 years to Wales, the country he coached a few years back, would have been an unthinkable humiliation for Henry and his assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith. And it could have happened but for critical acts by a few of Henry's most experienced players at the Millennium Stadium.

You can bet Henry blew his cheeks at the end. This one was too close for comfort for the All Blacks' new-look, young side.

But for Chris Jack's lineout steal in the crucial final act of the game the Wales pack would surely have driven to the line to set up a drop goal attempt to win the game.

Jack had already taken a vital lineout in the 71st minute and now, with seconds remaining, he did it again. Byron Kelleher's clearance kick was half charged down but Joe Rokocoko leapt highest to grab the pill. It was enough to pull Richie McCaw's All Blacks through to the narrowest of victories.

Henry would have sweated out those final minutes, because it was his team selection that plunged a lot of youngsters into the fray, which balanced out the two sides in this thrilling test.

Some you win, some you lose but had Henry's All Blacks let this one slip, the coach would never have been allowed to forget it.

Expect the big guns to return for the no-nonsense clash with France at the Stade de France next Saturday night. Because this cobbled-together outfit looked well short on the tactical and technical expertise needed to shut determined but limited sides like Wales out of a game.

Wales were allowed to come within an ace of an upset because the All Black tight forwards never did enough up front to take on their opponents, squeeze the life out of them and then extract maximum advantage. The loose, wide game that developed assisted Wales.

Henry must have been grateful for the contribution of Rokocoko. Watching the wing surge into top gear, like a Porsche on the open road, is one of the great sights of rugby.

But there were plenty of problems closer in for the All Blacks. The control of the ball at second phase wasn't that smart and their set piece work was patchy and too erratic.

A far tighter, better structured game plan among the pack will be essential in Paris if France are to be confronted successfully.

There was too little sucking in of opponents, only intermittent desire to grind out the hard yards and to do the unglamorous donkey work up front.

Spreading ball is commendable in its intent but you have to churn out the acreage first around the fringes to keep a defence honest.

Wales were often guilty of the same offence, which meant that the All Blacks could employ the drift defence against them with assurance.

What New Zealand did have was the composure of Daniel Carter, a player who looks a natural for his new position.

He may lack the sparkling pizzazz of Carlos Spencer and does not have the kicking expertise of Andrew Mehrtens, but Carter is a real footballer, a better all-round player than Spencer and one who offers greater potential for the future than Mehrtens.

What impressed me was his unflappability under pressure, his roving eye for a break, which keeps a fringe defence honest and his sureness of handling that means he can unload the ball under pressure.

Carter will surely grow in the position, if he is given the opportunity. His progress is significantly bad news for both the Auckland and Canterbury pivots.

The All Blacks will face a radically different task in Paris to the one posed by Wales. Injuries permitting, players like Greg Somerville, Carl Hayman and Jerry Collins should start, providing some of the ballast New Zealand will require up front against a physical French pack.

The team chosen will be as close as possible to Graham Henry's strongest XV.

This was by no means a failed exercise as far as some of the new All Blacks were concerned.

But in a tight finish, they must have been mighty glad to see some old hands among their mates come up trumps.

* Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London.