CAPE TOWN – All Blacks lock Luke Romano must take a lot of the credit for the team’s overwhelming 57-0 victory over the Springboks in the Rugby Championship match in Albany in New Zealand on Saturday.
Much of the praise for the defensive work of the All Blacks’ lineout was attributable to a plan non-playing lock Romano came up with during the week, coach Steve Hansen said after the game.
“Luke Romano came up with a really good defensive plan during practice, and the boys executed it really well and put them (South Africa) under a bit of pressure and the scrum, as the game went on, got better and better and managed to put them under a bit of pressure there too,” he said.
That built on the efforts of emerging players who were all benefiting from the composure the side had shown through the early stages of the Rugby Championship, Hansen said.
“The team is growing and the belief in the team is growing,” he said.
Players like Ofa Tu’ungafasi was now starting to look like a Test tighthead prop, while hooker Codie Taylor was able to come on to relieve Dane Coles, regarded as the best hooker in the world, and the side lost nothing and that all contributed to the confidence the team enjoyed.
Hansen said his back trio had started off a little nervously, but as the game went on, they grew and grew.
“I thought Rieko (Ioane) was outstanding and Nehe (Milner-Skudder) took the opportunities that were given to him, and Damian (McKenzie) is that busy wee fellow at the back, isn’t he? You just don’t know what he’s going to do when he gets the ball,” he said.
Ioane fitted former All Black player and coach Earle Kirton’s description of having “a lot of gas” and he had become a crowd favourite. Every time he touched the ball, the whole ground lit up.
“He’s just got that ability to really scoot. He’s a big man as well and he’s got some footwork, so he’s an exciting young man and we’ve just got to make sure we keep growing him. He’s not the finished product, but there’s plenty to work with,” he said.
While McKenzie had dropped an early high ball and dropped a pass, he had regained his composure and that was a good sign for a young player, and he was starting to understand what Test rugby was all about and all the pressures that come with it, Hansen said.
The coach added that they were proud of the performance and it was evidence of their work in trying to get better all the time.
“We’ve been working on different things and we came into tonight pretty clear on how we wanted to play and what we wanted to achieve, and a lot of those things came off tonight, so we’re pretty happy,” he said.
Luke Romano, right, with Kieran Read and the Super Rugby trophy. Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Captain Kieran Read said the side’s defence was the highlight for him.
“The Boks threw everything at us. To be honest, that first half felt like it went bloody quick. It was a pretty intense half of footy. I didn’t know how we were up by how many points, it just felt like it was tit-for-tat. It just felt like we got four opportunities, and we took all four of them,” he said.
Hansen paid tribute to departing defence coach Wayne Smith, who was involved with his last game in New Zealand but he will continue with the side until the last Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane.
“His story is a lot bigger than tonight. He’s been a wonderful servant to New Zealand rugby, and for him to go out tonight the way he’s gone is only fitting, because he’s been a great coach. He’s still got some games to go before he finishes fully, but this is his last one at home,” he said.