CHRISTCHURCH: The ease with which New Zealand wrapped up the 2016 Rugby Championship in record time has even surprised their usually confident coach Steve Hansen.
“To be really honest, no,” Hansen admitted when asked if he expected his All Blacks to be so dominant this year after losing several stars, including legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, after winning the World Cup 11 months ago.
The All Blacks claimed the Rugby Championship yesterday with two games to spare after they beat South Africa 41-13 in Christchurch and Australia then denied their nearest rivals Argentina a point with a 36-20 victory in Perth.
The six-try thrashing of the Springboks gave the All Blacks a maximum five points and moved them to 20 after four games while Australia moved into second place but are 11 points behind and cannot over take the New Zealanders.
It is the first time the outcome of the southern hemisphere championship has been known after only four rounds.
Hansen said he knew he had some talented newcomers in his squad this year but was concerned whether they could fill the void created by losing more than 800 caps worth of experience following the World Cup.
“The thing we lost most was experience and the thing I’m most pleased with is how Reado has stepped up to the plate,” Hansen said, crediting the leadership of Kieran Read who has replaced McCaw as captain.
“His leadership group have stepped up to the plate and taken over and probably gone to another level.”
The All Blacks runaway success this year has been attributed to New Zealand’s policy of always grooming understudies, paving the way for a near seamless transition from a World Cup squad to a rebuilding unit.
But in the replay of last year’s World Cup semi-final at Twickenham, which the All Blacks won 20-18, they again struggled to get on top in another gripping encounter between two of rugby’s fiercest rivals.
Devastating
They were only 15-10 ahead at half-time and did not begin to pull away until eight minutes into the second spell when Ardie Savea showed his devastating skill with the ball, handling twice in the move that set up Ben Smith’s try.
Savea, starting a test for the first time, then carried two Springboks on his back as he charged over for a try of his own and after 56 minutes, with the All Blacks ahead 29-13, the outcome was obvious.
In Perth, coach Michael Cheika was delighted with the five tries Australia scored in their victory over Argentina but it was the improvement in defence that really pleased the Wallabies’ coach.
Australia were at times woeful in defence when they started the Rugby Championship with back-to-back drubbings at the hands of New Zealand before grabbing a first win in seven tests against South Africa last week.