The Northern Report Card

New Zealand All Blacks

Northern Hemisphere Tour: Win 4 Loss 0

Grand Slam Achievement

Image: Photosport

The All Blacks completed their fourth Grand Slam tour, with their previous being 1978, 2005, 2008.

The Players

The tour has been used as a virtual World Cup simulation by the Three Wise Men, with only 29 players being used.

This was first seen replicated when Sivivatu was injured. Replicating World Cup conditions, no other player was flown in as cover.

In saying that, Tialata was brought in for an injured Ben Franks, though did not play any games. He was basically used an expensive tackling bag/scrum machine.

So to Donald. After his shocker in Hong Kong, the training paddock was all that he could expect.

Braid was nearly in the same category, though his cameo against Wales underlines his value. He will no doubt be playing for his place in the World Cup Squad in the Super 15.

Enough with the bad. The SBW experiment has gone well and smoothly. Although his hotel pass is as good as signed, sealed and delivered for the World Cup, he needs to have a stellar Super 15 season to challenge Nonu.

Gear looks like a seasoned pro at this level, underlined by two very classy tries against Wales. Rokocoko’s time is numbered in the jersey, it’ll be interesting if he ever pulls it back on.

Attack

The important thing about this All Black side is they attack from everywhere. Eighteen tries in four games is testament to that.

The forwards play as backs, and the backs play as forwards – it is a seamless transition. SBW’s trademark offloads were prominent, while Muliaina underlined his class, and status, as the premier fullback with a stellar end of season tour. Toeava made leaps and bounds, capped off with a good performance against Wales, while Jane can feel unlucky not to be picked in the form XV.

Image: AP

Smith has underlined his place, along with Muliaina and Carter as the three indispensable players in the All Black backline.

Read was immense, as to McCaw, and Kaino. There is not a more feared back three in world rugby – with the ball they are certainly something to be reckoned with.

Whitelock is a definite prospect for the future, while Boric has also turned a corner with his performance against Ireland.

Defence

The All Blacks defence is about the rule of fours. Four tries conceded, four games played and four players who were eye catching on defence.

Four tries in four games is a particularly good achievement. It is four tries worse than the past two years, although the laws of the game have changed so dramatically to favour attacking play. There were some amazing try saving tackles by Toeava, a joint effort by Muliaina and Carter, and if you really needed to guess who the last was, a Read eye-catcher against Ireland.

Four players really stood up here, Franks, Thorn, Kaino, and McCaw. Never have I seen more big hits in four consecutive games of international rugby by one team. These players were colossal in the contact area. They aren’t just show ponies either, they are the toughest men in world rugby, and get through mountains of work. Jerry Collins, eat your heart out.

The mark of a great team is not in their attack, but in their defence. Mike Ford, the English Assistant Coach said the Tri Nations was ‘not test rugby’ because of the try scoring dominated play. The All Blacks have most definitely shown this theory up with their total domination at defence time.

Verdict

With New Zealand records, and World records being broken left right and centre on this end of year tour, watch out rest-of-the-world, you are in trouble.

Without a drastic loss in players through injury, the All Blacks are going to be very tough, nigh on impossible to dethrone at home in September/October next year.

With a 13 – 1 international season record, the 2010 class of the All Blacks were among the greatest ever.

It must be very tough to be an All Blacks fan right now.

Report Card: A+

PS: Dear SBW, we're waiting for the trademark big hits.