Comment: Who’s laughing now as All Blacks’ brilliant win over Springboks a victory for everyone involved in Super Rugby
Anton Lienert-Brown and All Blacks celebrate win over Springboks at Ellis Park.
It wasn’t just New Zealanders celebrating the All Blacks’ brilliant victory over the Springboks in the Greatest Rivalry opener but Super Rugby Pacific officials too.
Nor were the pom poms only being waved in the Shaky Isles either, with the All Blacks’ win a victory for everyone involved in Super Rugby. And that includes Rugby Australia and its four Super Rugby sides.
Super Rugby has suffered some serious blows over the past decade – some self-inflicted, others because of market forces – but any competition that features all the current All Blacks starring in it can’t be scoffed at.
But that’s exactly what has occurred in recent years.
When the Hurricanes were blowing away everyone, including their domestic rivals in New Zealand, large sections of the world scoffed at their achievements because Super Rugby was considered a tournament that had lost its fizz and lustre and, of course, South Africa‘s involvement.
Who’s laughing now?
The Springboks will likely respond and come back even harder in this Greatest Rivalry series.
After all, Rassie Erasmus’s men blew several opportunities in both halves and let the All Blacks off the hook.
But even if they do, last weekend’s win at Ellis Park shows that any competition featuring the best of New Zealand talent is one worth watching and investing in.
All Blacks’ tour side would be world beaters
There’s no doubt that Dave Rennie has started well as All Blacks coach.
That’s stating the absolute obvious after four straight Test wins, but he’s also got one of the best factories to choose from in world rugby.
The fact Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett are lining up against the Lions midweek and not the Springboks in Cape Town this weekend tells you everything you need about the All Blacks’ depth and quality. It’s scary.
Throw in Samisoni Taukei’aho, Patrick Tuipulotu, Rieko Ioane and Fehi Fineanganofo – this year’s leading try-scorer in Super Rugby – and it speaks to the crazy depth that Rennie has up his sleeve.
Other than France, it’s hard to see a side that could beat Rennie’s second-string All Blacks side. Certainly not consistently.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and his Scottish counterpart, Gregor Townsend, must be rolling their eyes because it’s quality they’ve barely ever had the opportunity to work with.
Indeed, the physical specimens and rugby acumen on offer in New Zealand simply blows most away up in the north – and it’s why England is the only Northern Hemisphere side to have laid their hands on a World Cup.
Wallabies shouldn’t rush back regular midfield
Les Kiss might have Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii available, but that doesn’t mean the new Wallabies coach should immediately rush them straight back into the firing line against Argentina this weekend.
After Hunter Paisami and Isaac Henry both gave strong accounts for themselves against Japan, the Queensland duo deserve another crack this weekend.
The pair benefitted from playing outside their Reds teammate Carter Gordon, but Kiss will find out just whether the duo is worth persisting with and could feature in next year’s World Cup if they’re given another crack against Felipe Contepomi’s men this weekend.
Rushing back Ikitau and Suaalii could also impact the week-on-week growth that’s expected of Kiss’s new-look Wallabies – and taking on Los Pumas in Argentina will represent a huge step up in quality from what they’ve faced over the month, where they’ve posted strong wins over Japan and Italy.
And with matches against the Springboks and All Blacks to follow the two-Test tour of Argentina, the next fortnight is vital for the Wallabies’ self-belief.
It should also represent a chance to try one or two things, and that should include playing Suaalii in the back three over the next fortnight.
It’s a balancing act
Just like he did against Japan, Kiss shouldn’t hesitate in giving opportunities, testing his depth and experimenting with combinations over the next fortnight.
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While the Wallabies need one win in Argentina for the tour to be considered somewhat of a success, Kiss will also know that the two Tests will represent one of the last opportunities to try things, especially with the games played overseas and being somewhat out of sight and out of mind.
He will also know that by the end of last year, the Wallabies were spent. The Wallabies’ main men, including captain Harry Wilson, were gassed after being played and worked to the bone. That can’t occur in 2026 for the Wallabies to succeed next year.
And with eight Tests ahead of next year’s World Cup, he should know there’s plenty of time to fine-tune things and combinations over the next 12 months.
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