No, it’s not because of their aura (whatever that is), or the haka or anything frivolous like that. Ireland should be wary of New Zealand for the simple reason that they didn’t play well at Twickenham yet still came away with a win which is more than Andy Farrell’s team did on their last visit to what we are now supposed to call the Allianz Stadium (one of eight like-branded venues in the world).
Sure, the All Blacks only just about got across the line by virtue of a post-hitting penalty goal as well as a skewed drop-goal attempt from the usually reliable George Ford. But them’s the margins, as Ireland found in March when Marcus Smith did what Ford was not able to do and landed a drop goal in the dying moments. (Note to Andy Farrell: don’t change your fly-half in the 62nd minute when he’s bossing the game).
The All Blacks have neither the track record or pedigree of vintage wearers of the silver fern. Yet the fact that they were off-key yet victorious against England shows how dangerous they can be. They can strike from anywhere as Will Jordan and Mark Tele’a showed. They have heft up front and Wallace Sititi on the flank, a barnstorming here-there-and-everywhere player, a star in the making. They have plenty to offer.
No impact whatsoever on the outcome. You can face it down, you can line-up as a diamond-shape with a smirking, defiant Owen Farrell on point, or entrust a raging Willie Anderson to lock arms and froth in fury or copy an insouciant David Campese and play keepy-uppy in the rear field. None of it matters. It’s often said that New Zealand have an unfair advantage in being able to psych themselves up, bond as brothers for battles ahead, through the ritual of the Haka. That’s tosh. After years as professionals and weeks of training together, if it takes a pre-match routine to make the real difference then all those hard yards of practice must have been a waste time. There is so much hot air spouted about the haka, a song and dance about a song and dance. Enjoy it for what it is, a part of rugby’s traditions, and then get on with it. First whistle, game on, no more than that.
The head coach may still be wearing an Irish hat as he oversees his last campaign before assuming full-time Lions’ duties but performances from players in the other home nations might flit across his radar. Farrell was chosen as Lions head coach for several reasons: his own Lions’ experiences as assistant coach, his deep-rooted sense of teamship meaning that he ‘gets’ the Lions in all its glory, his terrific standalone record as a coach in taking Ireland to their sustained position at the head of the rankings, unbeaten at Lansdowne Road in 20 matches.
There are many other notables on his CV – a series win in New Zealand and a drawn one in South Africa the pick of the crop. But what will provide reassurance for Ireland supporters wondering if their man might be a bit distracted through this month of fixtures is that Farrell’s most important characteristic as player and now as coach is his single-mindedness. He is honest and faithful and dedicated to a fault. If Ireland do falter it will be nothing to do with Farrell’s Lions commitments.
Even if Farrell’s focus is one-dimensional that doesn’t mean that ours has to be. The unveiling of the Lions shirt in London on Wednesday was one of the early staging posts along the way to next summer’s tour to Australia. Farrell will have plenty to sift once he clocks on officially, primarily his captain. There is no stand-out leader in the mould of a Martin Johnson or Sam Warburton, who each did a double shift, or most recent singletons, Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll and Alun Wyn Jones.
Farrell’s pick for Ireland, no.8 Caelan Doris, has to be in the box seat. The Lions’ armband is surely his to lose. If Ireland go well – and there is little to oppose that view – then Doris will be leading the way up the airplane steps next June. Coach and captain have to be on the same wavelength so that box is already ticked. Assured of place? Tick. There are plenty of other positions to battle for – openside flanker, Josh van der Flier, Tom Curry or Toulouse’s Jack Willis? Fly-half? What about a player well-known to Andy Farrell, son Owen? There is much to play for.
The 20-minute red card did not feature at all at Twickenham last weekend and it would seem that opinion in the northern hemisphere remains divided as to its usefulness or fairness. Friday night will be interesting in that regard as the match is sure to be a high-octane, fast-moving, frantic-collisions occasion. There was, though, discernible evidence at Twickenham of two other changes – firstly, the clamping down on blockers for the catcher. This was strictly policed. It does mean you need a surefire high-air fielder at the rear who will now invariably get wiped out. One other innovation is the use of the stadium ref mic for big decisions. This was used sparingly but really effectively by Angus Gardner. More of the same, please, from Nic Berry on Friday night.