Analysis: New Zealand, so often vulnerable at World Cups, have stumbled on to a different, and potentially winning, formula in France, writes Patrick McKendry.
As Ireland and France, previously considered the best two teams in the world, come to terms with their World Cup exits, the All Blacks continue to build, and, in the land of revolutions and resistance, maybe even transform into something approaching – whisper it - a true tournament team.
The result of their semifinal against Argentina here in Paris on Saturday morning NZT will help prove or disprove this theory but what can’t be disputed is that they entered their quarter-final against the previously No.1-ranked Ireland as the fourth-ranked team in the world and produced one of their most courageous and skilful World Cup performances ever to win it.
Certainly, the performance will at least rank up there with their 2015 semifinal win over the Springboks and their 2011 final victory against France and it came after they entered it as the official underdogs with the bookies for the first time in a World Cup match.
Remember the days when the All Blacks were favourites ahead of every World Cup and for every match in the tournament?
It didn’t work out so well in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 or 2007. In truth, it didn’t work so well in Japan in 2019, either, after the back-to-back triumphs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Touching briefly on their failure four years ago, breakdowns in preparation and application were decisive factors, themes running through all six of their World Cup disappointments.
But here’s another good omen for Ian Foster’s men: If nothing else, the 28-24 win over Ireland at the Stade de France was notable for its attention to detail by the All Blacks, who won all five scrums in the match and all eight of their lineouts.
They didn’t allow Ireland a single scrum feed, and even better for them, won three penalties from the handful of scrums awarded. They stole two of Ireland’s lineout throws, too.
Both of their yellow cards incurred by Aaron Smith (intentional knock-on) and Codie Taylor (collapsing a lineout drive near his line) were the results of instinctive plays that didn’t come off, but quite apart from a lack of handling errors, it’s difficult to remember the All Blacks, who conceded 10 penalties (the same as Ireland), being sanctioned for being offside, and that’s another tick in the details box.
The build-up to Will Jordan’s try, created by the All Blacks’ four-man lineout and Richie Mo’unga’s break between two Irish forwards, was also instructive.
The All Blacks had run an attacking four-man lineout just once in two years before facing Ireland. There was a feeling that they had been saving a few special plays for the knockout stages and here was one that could hardly have worked any better.
After their comprehensive warm-up defeat to South Africa and opening loss to France, the victory over an Ireland team that gave almost as good as it got was, not so much out of character, but a little unexpected in terms of its completeness.
This year the All Blacks played well in beating Argentina in Mendoza, the Springboks at Mt Smart Stadium, and Australia in Melbourne (before they shuffled the selection deck for the close win against the Wallabies in Dunedin), but, the best victory of those top three – the one against the world champions – came via a stunning first quarter and a quieter second half. There was no easing up against the Irish, and nor could there be. It had to be relentless.
Likewise, given the Boks’ performances in beating the All Blacks at Twickenham pre-tournament, and France in their quarter-final, there is a feeling they too have been holding a little bit back and didn't show their full hand against the All Blacks in Auckland.
For the All Blacks, there were clues, too, in the messages given before the Ireland match which hinted at a central plank in their mental preparation.
“You can’t shy away from how great this Ireland team is – what they’ve done the last couple of years,” Richie Mo’unga said in the build-up.
“They’re the best team in the world right now. We don’t have to be the best team in the world now, we have to be the best on the day and that’s Saturday.”
Afterwards, Mo'unga left his audience in no doubt about the team's expectations in France.
The All Blacks have since moved up the rankings to second behind the Boks and the clash of the two Southern Hemisphere heavyweights is the most likely final match-up at this tournament.
The defending champions are playing with the confidence and energy of a team striving to reach their destiny but, should the semifinals go to form and the Boks get past England, the All Blacks won’t take much notice of that.
Rankings and favouritism be damned. The All Blacks just have to be the best team on the day. It's a mantra both simple and undeniable and it just may lead to greatness.
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