ODT Online rugby correspondent Jeff Cheshire identifies some key points in the All Blacks' 47-9 victory over Tonga this morning.
Second half tactical shift
There was a clear shift from the All Blacks in the second half as they looked to play a tighter game that we haven't seen so far this tournament. They used the pick and go more, looked good doing it and opened up space from drawing the defence in. Players such as Jerome Kaino and Brodie Retallick came to the fore, providing physicality and go-forward in a game plan that suited them more than the open game they have been playing of late. The space was there in close, as the All Blacks have been playing with a lot of width so far this tournament, meaning the defence fanned out to cover the field. Even in the first half they took this approach and the Tongan defence wasn't so heavily stacked around the fringes. After making some easy metres up the middle, they came in closer, which opened up space for the likes of Nehe Milner-Skudder to wreak havoc.
Tonga holding ball, but defence strong
Tonga played to a pretty basic game plan and forced the All Blacks to make a lot of tackles. They used their forward runners either one or two passes off the ruck and took the ball up strongly. Play never moved too far from the last breakdown, meaning the support was nearby and they could get over the ball quickly to provide protection. There was a lack of creativity, and when they did try to go wide the All Blacks did well to shut them down and quite often get the ball back. Overall the defence was good though, tackling for over 15 phases on multiple occasions and never really looking like getting breached.
Scrum issues
The All Black scrum was not convincing, and not just when they were down a man. Tonga scrummed well and put a lot of pressure on the All Blacks who generally did enough to hold on, but never had the upper hand. The problem with that comes if you are going to pick players for their scrumming ability and sacrifice something extra around the park. If the scrum is not functioning well, then you are not getting either.
The top XV
Nehe Milner-Skudder was the outstanding performer who now must be a certainty to start in the knock-out matches. His speed and agility in the open makes him as dangerous as anyone at the tournament, and he seems to be able to create space for himself - something only the best can do. Fundamentally he is reasonably good too and took a couple of good high balls, while possessing a good enough boot. On the other wing Waisake Naholo was quiet and will struggle to beat out Julian Savea. Dan Carter showed he is still the man to play first five-eighth, kicking well and taking the ball to the line in the second half when he got better ball. Jerome Kaino showed his worth in a tight, physical game, and Brodie Retallick stood out when he came on. Other than that, the team for next week will remain much as expected, with Richie McCaw to come back provided he is fit.
Nonu's 100th test
Ma'a Nonu played his 100th test today and was one of the standouts with his ability to take the ball to the line and create a weak-shoulder in the defence, which allows him to go forward in the tackle. He has come a long way since making his debut, going from being a strong, direct runner, to an intelligent all-round second five-eighth. One of his glaring weaknesses during his first five or so years on the scene was a tendency to rush up on defence, leaving a gap in the line. He worked on that though, and since 2010 his defensive positioning has been one of his strengths. With Conrad Smith, he forms a brick wall in the All Black midfield. On attack he has learnt to create weak shoulders with his footwork, and develop a distribution game which sees him capable of passing long and offloading both ways. He has copped a lot of criticism over the years, but you have got to respect the way he has kept adding to his game and he has been a regular top performer for the All Blacks over the past six years.
Don't underestimate Tonga
This is not a bad Tongan team, and their defence has been tough to break down all tournament. Argentina had to battle to get past them, and their loss to Georgia said more about how well Georgia played to keep them to 10 points than it did about Tonga's ability. Tonga threw themselves at the All Blacks, particularly in the first 20 minutes which were brutal. They attacked the ruck with aggression and their defensive line got up and hit hard. The first half saw the All Blacks trying to create out wider earlier in the sequences of play, but they could not find the holes. They were relying on Tonga making mistakes in reading the play or missing tackles, which they did not do. After halftime, once the All Blacks started holding the ball for longer periods, they were able to manipulate the defence, making better use of space and consequently scoring five tries. That is the sort of approach that is needed to get through a strong defence and, as we have seen, there are very few weak defences at the World Cup any more.
