It’s been a quiet few weeks between posts here on Fly Half but it certainly hasn’t been quiet on (and off) the field for the All Blacks. With the Rugby Championship trophy back in the cabnet at Rugby House, Wellington, it’s a good time to reflect on everything that’s taken place since we previewed the side to play Argentina a few weeks ago.

Away win over Argentina 36-17 | Saturday 1st October, 2016

Just like the Test in Hamilton three weeks earlier, Argentina started very strongly and challenged the All Blacks in the first half. However, once things clicked for the boys they were able to score four tries in 13 minutes and pile on the points heading in to halftime. The second half was a fairly loose affair with the All Blacks crossing the line a few more times and comfortably seeing the game out.

Damian McKenzie got his long awaited All Blacks debut (All Black #1154) off the bench and Anton Lienert-Brown played like he’s been in the 13 jersey for years. With him pairing up well alongside Ryan Crotty, we saw the first signs of what looks to be the new #1 midfield pairing that the All Blacks have been searching for all season.

Dane Coles also did his thing on the wing and bagged a pair of tries. Our money is still on him to walk away with IRB Player of the Year. A solid end of year tour should lock it in.

Aaron Smith incident | Wednesday 5th October, 2016

The All Blacks preparations for the huge away clash in Durban took a hit with an embarrassing revelation that Aaron Smith had been suspended for one Test and sent back to NZ from South Africa after admitting he meet a woman in a public toilet at Christchurch airport before flying out with the team to Argentina.

The way it all played out was pretty poor (depending on your view of the world). A couple were waiting outside the toilets with their son when they saw Aaron Smith follow a young woman in to the disabled toilet. Instead of minding their own business, they stuck around and recorded the noises coming out from the toilet then wrote a letter to the NZ Herald sharing all the details. They then get to stay anonymous and Aaron Smith’s personal life is put through the ringer in the public eye.

Let’s hope Aaron and the team learn a lesson from this. When representing the All Blacks (especially while wearing team uniform) you’re held to the highest of standards. He let himself and the boys down and based on the tearful apology video - he knows it. It’ll be interesting to see when and where he next takes the field for the All Blacks. With TJ playing so well there isn’t a massive urgency to get him back. His one match ban may turn in to three or four missed Tests and a chance to take the summer out of the public eye and rebuild.

Record win over South Africa 57 - 15 | Saturday 8th October, 2016

The away match in South Africa had been considered by many as the hardest Test of the year for the All Blacks. I’m not sure anyone saw the extent of this record win coming given the controversial build up off the back of the Aaron Smith incident. The team is playing well, yes, but to put 57 points on the board in Durban was incredible.

Like the week before against Argentina, the match was tight in the early stages with Morne Steyn’s boot keeping things close for the entire first half. However, a seven try blitz from the All Blacks in the second half saw the boys finish in style and put the match away.

The 42 point winning margin is the All Blacks biggest ever against the Boks. The teams were worlds apart. Missing only 2 tackles, South Africa were held tryless. South Africa couldn’t score a try in their final two matches of the Rugby Championship. Morne Steyn kicked all of their 33 points against Australia and the All Blacks.

9 tries all up. Israel Dagg, TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett scored two each. Codie Taylor went over after a dominating lineout drive. Ben Smith dotted over to keep up his Mr Reliable form at the TAB. Liam Squire went over in the 83rd minute after the boys had plenty of chances to kick the ball out and call it a day. No All Black on the field wanted to finish the game and it took Squires try in extra time to do so. It was almost cruel. The All Blacks depth of skill and game awareness was on full display.

Rugby Championship domination

The list of stats that show how dominating the team was through the Rugby Championship is endless. Here’s a few favourites:

Six wins from six in the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks scored a maximum 30 from 30 points. For the first time in history, a team recorded a bonus point win in every match.



The All Blacks scored 38 tries in six matches. Six more than all the other three teams combined and they conceded just five.



44-14 is the average scoreline for the All Blacks. No other team has a positive margin (Argentina: 22-36, Australia: 20-25, South Africa: 20-30).



The All Blacks averaged just 12 missed tackles a game. Conversely, they forced a whopping 30 missed tackles a game.



The 38 tries scored by the All Blacks across the 2016 campaign was the most by any team in a single Rugby Championship.



The points difference on the final Rugby Championship table says it all really. All Blacks +178 and no other team in the positive.





Equalling the consecutive Test wins record

The team’s overall winning streak is now at 17 Tests – the equal most by a Tier one nation. Captain Kez has now recorded 18 Test wins (0 losses) since taking over captaincy – the longest winning streak for a new captain for any country.

The 17 Test winning streak:

2015

1. vs Australia 41-13

2. vs Argentina 26-16 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

3. vs Namibia 58-14 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

4. vs Georgia 43-10 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

5. vs Tonga 47-9 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

6. vs France 62-13 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

7. vs South Africa 20-18 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

8. vs Australia 34-17 (2015 Rugby World Cup)

2016

9. vs Wales 39-21

10. vs Wales 36-22

11. vs Wales 46-6

12. vs Australia 42-8

13. vs Australia 29-9

14. vs Argentina 57-22

15. vs South Africa 41-13

16. vs Argentina 36-17

17. vs South Africa 57-15

World record chance against Australia

The team gets a chance to break the world record this weekend against Australia in the 3rd and final Bledisloe Cup Test of 2016 being played at Eden Park, Auckland.

All signs point to an All Blacks win. The All Blacks haven’t lost in New Zealand since 2009. They haven’t lost at Eden Park since 1994. Australia’s last win in New Zealand was in 2001 and their last win at Eden Park was in 1986.

In classic fashion, Steve Hansen is keeping things very real:

“I wouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves, if we’re going to go one step further, we’ve got to make sure we prepare really well. Australia are a good rugby side. They’ve got a history of turning up when there’s a record on the table.”

Despite staying grounded, Hansen has acknowledged the team is proud of the streak but have goals to keep improving:

“But there’s only three sides in the history of the game that have won 17 and now we’ve become the fourth. That’s a proud moment for the team, particularly when they’re a team that want to get better and do things other teams haven’t done. That’s been the case with this group since 2012. We’re trying to find different horizons all the time. It’s just nice to achieve that.”

It’d be just like Australia to turn up and spoil the party. In 2010 they upset the All Blacks run of 15 Test wins on the trot with a 26-24 win in Hong Kong. In 2012 an 18-18 draw in Brisbane stopped the All Blacks 16 Test wins run. Finally, in 2014, Australia stopped the All Blacks winning streak in Sydney with a 12-12 draw.

This Saturday we’ll be watching, cheering, and willing the team on to notch up win number 18.

End of year tour

Once the dust settles from Bledisloe 3 we’ll have the end of year tour squad announcement and lots to discuss. Fly Half will be in Chicago for the historic Test against Ireland at Soldier field, we’re really looking forward to that one.

The All Blacks then head to Italy, Ireland and France to round out what is looking like a truely special year in All Blacks history. It’s a great time to be an All Blacks supporter.

All Blacks end of year tour:

5 November 2016 v Ireland, Chicago

12 November 2016 v Italy, Italy

19 November 2016 v Ireland, Dublin

26 November 2016 v France, France

(image credit: @allbacks, stats credit: nzherald.co.nz)