The Springboks have their infamous 'Bomb Squad' of reserves designed to change Tests with their impact, and now the All Blacks have their own version — 'Easy Company', named after the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division which distinguished itself in France in World War II and was immortalised by the Band of Brothers television series.
All Blacks flanker Dalton Papali'i revealed the link today in a well-attended media session ahead of Sunday morning's World Cup final between his side and South Africa, the world champions.
"I'll tell you a quick story — I've got a little group happening in the team room at our hotel and we're watching Band of Brothers and the 101st Airborne and their Easy Company," Papali'i said.
"So, I made a little joke saying 'you know they've got the 'Bomb Squad', so we could have the 'Easy Company'. We want to go and finish the job and be in the trenches'."
It would probably be inappropriate to draw too many parallels with war and a mere game of rugby — especially given what is happening around the world today.
However, at a basic level, it's fair to suggest leadership and planning is hugely important in both theatres.
One of the more famous episodes of Band of Brothers, a popular 10-part series based on a true story, focuses on the Brécourt Manor Assault in June 1944 when a small group of Easy Company soldiers disabled a dug-in enemy artillery position — succeeding with an attack which created a blueprint for such operations to this day.
Destructive Boks props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch were crucial to their team's late scrummaging performance in their come-from-behind semifinal win over England, so leadership and tactics will be essential for New Zealand to win their fourth World Cup and deny the Boks their fourth.
A forensic approach to analysing the Irish and Argentines helped create a recipe for success and more intelligence will be required to subdue one of the toughest packs in the world game.
Forwards coach Jason Ryan, who has overseen a huge improvement up front since taking over after last year's home series defeat to Ireland, appears confident their plan will succeed.
Asked about the Bomb Squad, Ryan replied: "It would be good to take some gas out of that bomb, wouldn't it? They have got their DNA as a forward pack. We've got trust in our plan this week and we believe we will be able to be there right until the end."
Of Nche, a 28-year-old who has become one of the most feared scrummagers I the world, Ryan said: "He is some human, isn't he? Wow. He is pretty strong at what he does but we've got a pretty good plan we believe in as well. We'll be up for it."
Papali'i added: "Talking about the Bomb Squad, man they've proven themselves.
"They can come on and change a game like that. So, we sort of need to identify whoever is on the bench and that, need to really be screwed on up top and give it hell."
The All Blacks have impressed hugely during the knockout rounds with their tactics which influenced the make-up of their bench.
The selections of 23-year-old props Fletcher Newell and Tamaiti Williams on the bench ahead of their more experienced squad rivals Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tu'ungafasi raised eyebrows ahead of the Ireland quarter-final, but the young pair's ability to tackle and regain their feet to return to the defensive line without giving away a penalty was crucial to their team's success.
Similarly, Damian McKenzie and company brought a new level of energy to the All Blacks' semifinal win over Argentina, although in the case of the replacement fullback, possibly a little too much at the end.
So it's difficult to see the All Blacks changing too much ahead of what Ryan described as a "title fight".
"It's going to be huge, and accuracy and momentum shifts are a big part of it. Momentum shifts will swing, and they can swing really quickly, the scoreboard can change quickly. Both teams can score and get momentum so being accurate around the park is quite an important one."
SHARE ME