All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu was scathing in his evaluation of the drawn first Bledisloe Cup Test, saying the result “almost feels like a loss for us”
He also said the game didn’t feel like it was played at Test match level.
Wind and rain during the match in Wellington made the kicking games tough for both sides, Tuipulotu said.
“The game itself, quite a sombre feeling now, a draw almost feels like a loss for us.”
“I think it’s not really up to our standard, for myself I feel like it wasn’t a game that was Test match level even though it was a Test.”
“I think the kicking game for both teams was a struggle, especially in those conditions, the Cake Tin, the wind is always swirling and any team that puts up a contested ball is going to be hard to try and catch, that put us under pressure, not only us but both teams.”
“Also, we didn’t really get a flow of the game, it was quite stop-start, a lot of scrum resets.”
“In terms of that, it was not really up to our standard.”
The Blues captain also spoke of his pride at watching his Super Rugby teammates Caleb Clarke and Hoskins Sotutu, who he completed post-game media obligations alongside, make their Test debuts.
“I’m certainly happy that we got our three debutants on (lock Tupou Vaa'i was the third debutant after replacing Tuipulotu),” the Blues captain said.
“Extremely proud of these two (Clarke and Sototu) right beside me, seeing them grow right through the Auckland and Blues set-up, to see them actually get on and have a lot of impact, get the ball in their hands and have a lot to do, it’s pretty amazing.”
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