While the All Blacks are focused on qualifying for the quarter-finals in their two remaining pool matches - starting with Italy this weekend - Ireland’s tense victory over South Africa in Paris left no illusions about the accuracy, physicality, speed and skill required to stay alive on their cut-throat side of the draw.
It’s not uncommon for the All Blacks to talk up their opposition. Depending on who that is, it can, at times, seem somewhat contrived in a bid to generate the level of necessary respect and ward off complacency.
On this occasion, though, as the All Blacks continue to progress their extended two-week preparation for Italy, authenticity rang true as Blues captain Dalton Papali’i praised Ireland and South Africa’s heavyweight pool contest.
“That’s what fans love to watch, games like that, two great teams going at it,” Papali’i said. “There were moments in that game where you would hold your breath for longer than usual.
“As players we try to watch those games and get some detail but it’s hard to not turn into a spectator and be on the edge of your seat because that’s how rugby should be played. The game flowed so well, there were no calls around head highs or shoulder to head. It was all clean contact and it was fast ball as well. Those are the games I love watching. I think everyone can agree on that.”
The All Blacks realise they must now be inspired to improve - or they could soon follow Australia out the World Cup back door.
“If you want to play with the best you’ve got to play at that level,” Papali’i said.
“We’ve shown it in glimpses throughout the year. This is where you need to do it. This is the tournament we all want to perform at. We know what the standard is now, and we’re excited coming off that bye week to show what we’ve got and the level we want to play at.”
Ireland’s 13-8 victory over the Springboks propelled Andy Farrell’s men to the top of Pool B to set up a likely quarter-final with the All Blacks.
Yet with defining pool games to be determined, All Blacks defence coach Scott McLeod would not be drawn into crystal ball gazing.
“I have rats and possums on my property and that’s a trap right there. I know what a trap looks like; I know what it smells like, and that to me is a trap,” McLeod said when asked if Ireland are a favourable quarter-final opponent for the All Blacks.
“The pure thing being we deal with what’s in front of us. Italy are a very good side and if we look too far ahead and start thinking about others we’ll come undone so we can’t do that.”
McLeod was, however, much more content commenting on the profound impression Ireland’s win against South Africa left on the All Blacks.
“I was hugely impressed with the intensity of the game. The set piece pressure was huge from both sides. The defence, the movement and the collisions for as long as it was, was immense. A lot of us were really impressed watching that game. It’s definitely the standard.
“It gets the players buzzing. They can see it and they can feel the speed. It’s not something we’ve talked about as a group at all but the players talk amongst themselves. That excites them. That’s the level they want to play at.”
The lingering question is whether the All Blacks can lift from two losses in their past three tests - against the Springboks and France - to reach those clear standards.
The challenge therein lies consistently competing at that level - not for 50-odd minutes as the All Blacks did in their tournament-opening loss to France where they faded badly in the final quarter.
One of most notable takeaways for the All Blacks from the Ireland-South Africa contest was the absence of cards, despite the ferocious defending throughout.
“That’s what impressed me the most - the speed of play but the collisions were clean and accurate,” McLeod said. “There was no infringing at all in that area and it’s a bloody hard thing to do at that speed when bodies are flying everywhere. Both teams did that very well.”
With Ireland and South Africa’s barometer front of mind, and a sudden death backdrop hovering over their next match against Italy, the All Blacks need no reminding their World Cup future is at stake.
“I believe the edge is there,” McLeod said. “We’ve had an extended period to prepare. As coaches we have to balance that because you can spend too long focusing on opposition. But I feel the team is in a good place. We understand what we need to do on both sides of the ball.”
