One of the least surprising twists in the latest All Blacks’ episode against Australia yesterday – by turns horror, slapstick comedy and (for the home fans), a feel-good ending – was Richie Mo’unga’s successful game-winning penalty.
Anyone who has watched the now former Crusaders No.10 closely over the past seven years would have been supremely confident that he would kick what was not an easy attempt.
It was 40m out on the angle with the clock ticking down on 80 minutes and it bisected the posts perfectly.
There was never much doubt that he would get it and it was another reminder of his importance to this team and indeed how imperative he is to the hopes of the All Blacks at the World Cup.
The squad of 33 will be announced in Napier tomorrow night and while a few players picked a bad time to have an off day against the Wallabies as the All Blacks slumped to a 17-3 deficit in Dunedin before winning 23-20, it may not make much difference in the big scheme of things.
Mo’unga is clearly the best No.10 in the country, if not the world, and in kicking poorly out of hand and failing to set the basis of the All Blacks’ attack against Australia, Damian McKenzie showed how important those foundation blocks are in Tests.
It was instructive to hear afterwards from hooker Dane Coles and halfback Aaron Smith, two veterans who, like Mo’unga, added composure and direction in the second half after coming off the reserves bench when they said they didn’t want to overplay their hand once they took the field.
McKenzie was guilty of that. He didn’t show the requisite patience and attention to detail, although the forwards didn’t help provide a stable platform either. Their set pieces were inaccurate, they missed tackles, and the Wallabies, led by flanker Fraser McReight, were better at the breakdown.
McKenzie, who made a good fist of his previous Test start against Argentina in Mendoza last month, will still make the squad but very much as a back-up to Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett and in the knowledge that he is still a work in progress while Mo’unga appears more complete as a 10 by the week.
That’s because Mo’unga’s defence has improved considerably. He made some important tackles in the past two Bledisloe Cup Tests, including one on the hard-charging No.8 Rob Valetini in Melbourne, whereas McKenzie fell off a tackle on Tom Hooper in the lead-up to the big flanker’s try in Dunedin.
Interestingly, after the Test, Mo'unga said he had been working hard on his defence and that he felt it was a way he could earn his teammates' "respect".
Whatever happens in France in September and October, there will be a bittersweet element to Mo’unga’s journey because the 29-year-old will be leaving on a three-year deal in Japan at the peak of his powers.
It means, with Beauden Barrett yet to confirm his plans for next year, that McKenzie will likely soon be the All Blacks’ first-choice first-five. There was a lot of talk of “lessons” by the All Blacks yesterday but few were handed one as big and important as McKenzie was.
Did anyone play their way out of the squad? Probably not. While debutant Shaun Stevenson struggled initially before playing better after the break and finishing well for his try (from McKenzie’s long pass), there may not be room for him or fellow wing Emoni Narawa. There may not be room either for prop Nepo Laulala should Joe Moody return.
But another calf prop for loose forward Ethan Blackadder, who was already recovering from a quadriceps injury, may have opened the door for Samipeni Finau, the No.6 also scoring on debut.
Lock Brodie Retallick and midfielder Braydon Ennor both injured knees and left the field in the first half yesterday, with Retallick a real concern given his experience and talent.
Josh Lord would come into the frame for Retallick, with the selectors possibly looking at big centre Dallas McLeod, solid off the bench on debut, as Ennor’s potential replacement.
Overall it was a good day for the All Blacks in the deep south as they found a way to win. It was an even better one for Mo'unga.
SHARE ME