Sam Darry: All Blacks have plans to stop Boks’ powerful maul in Baltimore
INTERVIEW: All Blacks lock Sam Darry believes his side can make the necessary adjustments to nullify the Springboks’ maul threat in the final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore next week.
The All Blacks suffered their second successive defeat in the series after going down 24-29 in the second Test at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
Several key moments took the game away from the Kiwis in the second half after the teams were level at 12-12 at halftime.
One moment that particularly stood out was in the 65th minute when the Springboks scored off a powerful rolling maul which travelled for just over 20 metres.
Malcolm Marx, who had another blinder in green and gold, was on the end of that maul, and his score helped the Boks open up a healthy lead with 15 minutes to play.
New Zealand struggled to recover thereafter, despite scoring a consolation try after the buzzer.
Along with the scrum, the maul defence is an area the Kiwis have come second best in during the series.
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However, Darry is optimistic they can nullify the Boks’ maul attack in the final Test.
“Yes, definitely,” he said when asked whether the All Blacks can improve on their maul defence.
“We did a good job on a few. It’s about trying to find the balance between competing in the air and doing the job on the ground.
“It’s something we’ve got to have a good look at and be able to understand more once we look at the clips.
“We know we can be better and we will be better.”
Leading up to the Test, the All Blacks emphasised the importance of starting fast after conceding points early in Cape Town.
They stuck to their plan and had the Boks backpaddling in the opening 15 minutes to a point where Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.
The visitors failed to maintain that high tempo in the second stanza and eventually succumbed to the Boks’ power game.
“I thought we did a good job in the first half of limiting our errors, being disciplined, going deep into phase count and making them defend us, which is where we feel we’re at our best,” Darry added.
“In the second half, we lost our flow through our own errors; we had poor discipline, and that’s what the Boks feed off.
“They are a quality side that loves to scrum, loves to maul; when you make errors, they capitalise on that.
“I think we could’ve been a bit more clinical in the second half, and try to get our attack going, defuse a few of those high balls, be a bit better at scrum time. It potentially could’ve been better for us.”
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Darry and Co will head to the USA without skipper Ardie Savea, who suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Quinn Tupaea and loose forward Luke Jacobson will also miss the all-important Test after picking up a knee and elbow injury, respectively.
Savea’s absence was visible from the minute he left the park. Darry said he was gutted for his skipper but backs the All Blacks’ leadership group to lead the side.
“Ardie is massive for us; he’s our leader, he’s a great leader and always makes time for the boys.
“We are really disappointed for him and his family and what he’s having to go through now.
“But I think we’ve got an amazing group of leaders around him as well, the likes of Jordie and Beauden Barrett, Codie Taylor, Patrick [Tuipulotu] – all of those who have been there and done it.
“It will be a huge loss, but I guess we’re very fortunate that we’ve got a lot of depth in this team, and I think it’s stronger than it’s ever been.
“It will very much be the “next man up” mentality. I thought Wally [Wallace Sititi] came on and had a really good game off the bench.
“You can’t fill Ardie’s shoes, but whoever is asked to put the jersey on will go out there and give it their best.”
