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Retallick leaps at chance to fix lineout woes

Richard Knowler

Brodie Retallick accepts a lack of technique and attitude contributed to the All Blacks’ lineout drives being reduced to a pop-gun strategy when the Springboks snapped their winning run on October 2.

The All Blacks’ attempts to score tries off attacking setpieces were nullified by the gritty Springboks forwards during their 31-29 win on the Gold Coast, and Wales coach Wayne Pivac will have taken note ahead of Sunday morning’s test in Cardiff.

The loss, their first of the season, stung the All Blacks and although a second-string side blitzed the United States 104-14 in Washington DC last weekend that’s likely to have been cold comfort for Retallick.

He, like most of the forward pack who started against the Springboks, didn’t play the US. Instead they will have spent the last three weeks stewing on the defeat in the final round of the Rugby Championship and been trying to correct the issues that led to the mauls off the lineouts being ineffective.

‘‘Some of our technique was pretty average, and our attitude, there,’’ Retallick admitted.

‘‘We probably went away from a little bit of focus at training and stuff, leading into those weeks – not using that as an excuse.

‘‘We have put some real work into it in the last couple [of weeks].’’

Having received a scare in Townsville the previous week, when several attacking lineout drives were splintered and a late Jordie Barrett penalty was needed for a 19-17 win, the All Blacks failed to come up with a plan in the re-match a week later.

Wales, given they have one of the best defensive lineout jumpers in the world in captain Alun Wyn Jones, are sure to have pored over footage of those contests in an attempt to replicate the Springboks’ successes at Principality Stadium.

Retallick said it was vital for the All Blacks to rectify the issues during the four-match northern tour, noting that if conditions are wet they may be forced to kick more for the corners to trap their opponents deep in their own half.

The revenue-sharing match in Cardiff, which is expected to reap NZ Rugby several million dollars,

has been scheduled outside the World Rugby window and as a consequence Six Nations champions Wales are missing a number of key players contracted to English clubs.

None of the All Blacks’ travelling party, including the coaches, were alive when the team last lost to Wales in 1953 but Retallick said that wasn’t being used as motivation.

Being forced to take their medicine by the Springboks, whose kick-orientated game plan was largely more simplistic than what the Wallabies and the Pumas presented during the Rugby Championship, forced the All Blacks to recognise their own shortcomings.

‘‘There were elements of where we battled to get our game [going] on the field, and even get involved, with the ball in the air so much,’’ Retallick said.

Under previous captain Ardie Savea, the All Blacks spurned kickable penalties and opted for lineout drives, without success.

Retallick explained that the Boks’ jumpers at the back of the set-piece created pressure, and when the All Blacks threw to the front their opponents had an easier task of defending the maul and shunting it into touch.

‘‘There’s some things we have looked at there, in how to get better ball and attack further away from the sidelines,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s something that was working pretty well against Australia and Argentina, and we seemed to lose a little bit of edge against South Africa. It’s something we ... are looking to get right over the next couple of weeks.’’

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2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

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