Richie McCaw on the charge against Georgia. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Richie McCaw on the charge against Georgia. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Blacks 43 Georgia 10
The All Blacks have come through their most physically demanding match of this World Cup with a victory that will echo through their bones and muscles for days.
It wasn't the statement-type performance that Richie McCaw demanded of his team, but they will probably just be glad to see the back of a Georgia team which was unrelenting in the physical punishment it handed the defending champions.
McCaw believed that the All Blacks were guilty of trying too hard to make things happen.
"I actually think it was trying too hard at times. We created a lot of opportunities in the first half and trying to finish it without taking another phase or another tackle and taking the space that was on.
"I must say we created a lot of opportunities and we were only a pass away. I don't think we need to panic too much but certainly we have to get those things better."
We're timing our run I hope, McCaw quipped.
"You can't underestimate a Georgian team like this, you don't quite get it 100 percent right and end up dropping those final passes, I think that perhaps where we are at. We're not going to panic. We've got seven days to fix what went wrong before we play Tonga, then it's all on."
Image 1 of 12: All Blacks captain Richie McCaw before the Pool C match between New Zealand and Georgia. Photo / Brett Phibbs
It would be easy to criticise the All Blacks for the mistakes they made during the last 60 minutes. And there were a lot, especially handling errors. But this Georgian team, which dominated the All Blacks scrum for the first hour before Owen Franks and Tony Woodcock joined the fray, are due some credit too.
Milton Haig said his boys were tough, and they proved it. And yet, frustration reigned once again for the All Blacks against the 15th-ranked team in the world, just as it did against Namibia at the Olympic Stadium.
They tried to play at tempo, and did in the first quarter when they were crisp, clinical, and looking ready to put big score on. But the men in red, especially their warrior-like forwards, weren't about to roll over.
McCaw, who ran - with a limp, from the field after 60 minutes - was one potential casualty, although post-match he said his injury was "nothing that a bit of ice won't fix". He also felt his left shoulder at one stage. Sonny Bill Williams left for a head injury assessment, but returned.
Victor Vito was press-ganged on to the right wing for him and then stayed when Conrad Smith departed and Malakai Fekitoa came on. Dan Carter was clattered from behind by Mamuka Gorgodze.
The All Blacks were eager to show that they have a fifth gear after settling around the third and fourth in their first two victories and in Naholo they have a player with more gears than most.
If he is the All Blacks' secret weapon after sitting out the first two matches due to his recovery from a leg fracture, he revealed all after only 1 minute and 13 seconds here with the fastest try of the tournament so far.
The try had all the elements which deserted the All Blacks later in the half and the start of the second. It started with a quick lineout win from Brodie Retallick and sure hands from Aaron Smith and Carter, who sent Naholo on a looping run through the Georgia midfield. In sprinting for the line, the Fijian flyer palmed his opposite Alexander Todua in the face before scoring under the posts.
Julian Savea then scored a brace - he had his hat-trick in the second half, with Kieran Read and Fekitoa putting some gloss on the scoreline late on. In between the kindest thing to say was that it was untidy. Incredibly, the All Blacks failed to score a point between the 21st and 51st minutes.
One of the All Blacks' best tries was their fourth when Dane Coles went over following good work from Sonny Bill Williams and more particularly McCaw, who timed his run and pass perfectly.
If anyone made the statement McCaw was wishing for it was Georgia. Fortunately for him and his team, his smile afterwards suggested he was one important player to come through this toughest of battles unscathed.
All Blacks 43 (Julian Savea 3, Waisake Naholo, Dane Coles, Kieran Read, Malakia Fekitoa tries; Dan Carter 4 cons) Georgia 10 (Beka Tsiklauri try; Lasha Malaguradze con, pen) Halftime: 22-10
