funny reading this thread so far, does seem the pressure is getting to some people. I know I have nerves
from an AB perspective as always... AUS are a different prospect for us than most other teams.
Generally we can wear down a team over during a game and put them away later on. Stay with them on the scoreboard then win the last 20. But AUS are the one team that can stick with us in terms of fitness over 80min.
we need to use a different tactic against them, Physicality.
We need to win that gain line battle with our ball runners. Retalick, Read, McCaw, Kaino, Nonu & Savea. Bash through them, get them going backwards. Then on defense bash them before the gainline. Make them hurt, get them going backwards and force them to kick in a defensive way.
I feel like the kind of form Nonu is in this year should make him a real weapon against Australia with a potential of targeting the gap either side of kurindrani with the goal of setting Savea away... I think we should get him into the game early and often knowing we have SBW up our sleeve for later on.
Much like the middle part of our game against the springboks, win that physical battle at the gain line. So so important. Winning that contact area can make it a very easy day for the All Blacks, I expect the Aussies to put a big early effort into this area but the AB's to match it and eventually gain an advantage then capitalize on it. Our locks and props are just generally much better in this area and its so critical we take advantage of that.
Pocock is an absolute beast that needs to be addressed. He is a match winner and Aussie rely on him so much. In particular against the All Blacks, I honestly don't believe Australia could beat the AB's without him. And of course that means from an All Black perspective if we can take him out of the game or minimize his impact then Australia will simply struggle. We have done it in the past.
The most simple tactic is to feed the ball to the opposite side of the ruck than the one he is defending on. That means he has to cover more ground and he wont be there to make turnovers.
Target him with big ball runners like Savea & Kaino, if he has to fully commit to a tackle then hes not making a turnover and he wont the next phase as well. And if you hit him hard enough often enough he wont be as effective later on.
target him as priority #1 for cleanouts, Retalick, Kaino, Read, Owen Franks. commit one of these guys every ruck to hit him as the tackle is being made. But it will mostly be about committing an extra man to cleanouts for the first 30min in particular.
Ball carriers also need to be mindful of where pocock is and not go to ground too fast if he is there. Go lower and drive a bit before going to ground to allow support to come in behind to clean out. Ben Smith and Conrad Smith are very good at this....
Maybe the most important factor with Pocock is actually the referee, Watching the AUS vs ARG game Barnes let players basically get away with anything when going for the ball and pocock and others won penalties & turnovers while not really releasing and not really supporting their body weight. To the point where an Argentinian player won a turnover even though his whole body was basically horizontal to the ground, well past any point where it would be impossible for them to be considered on their feet. IF that happens in an AUS vs NZ game it will favor AUS. I do however think Owens is more technical in that area and favors the attacking team a bit more rather than just letting defenders attack the tackle any way they like like Barnes was doing. Referees do tend to go into their shell a bit in WC finals, if that happens it may suit Pocock.
Having Pocock at 8 does leave Aussie short in the lineouts and we will absolutely target that area, heck we caused major issues for the springbok lineout so that must be a major concern for Aussie this week.
I also think our scrum will be stronger than the first two times we have met this season. Aussies have shown that they are vulnerable without their first front row on the field.
We are going to have to adapt and counter the aussie rushing early in the game. That cost Argentina early in the semi-final. The rushing defense and restarts, Argentina did eventually find ways around it but couldn't finish the chances that were created. I think the AB's short/offload game is better to the point we could seriously punish them given those same chances, but we don't play as deep as the pumas. We will have to look to kick to runners in space when the opportunity presents itself. But also kick away from Folau, situations that can really benefit the AB's are if we can get the ball in the air to ben smith away from Folau or to the ground for Savea to run onto.
epic battle coming up no doubt, looking forward to it
