All Blacks attack coach Jason Holland admits his side’s misfiring attack must rise to the occasion when they face the Springboks in Saturday’s Rugby Championship blockbuster at Eden Park.
After Scott Robertson’s first season in charge delivered a reputation for creating more opportunities than any team in world rugby, New Zealand have managed just three linebreaks in their opening two Tests of 2025.
A 41-point opening win over Los Pumas was built on the dominance of the forwards, but in the return fixture the collisions went Argentina’s way and the All Blacks fell to defeat, scoring just 23 points. That flat attacking display has sparked criticism from fans craving a return to the free-flowing All Blacks of old.
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Holland insists the blueprint remains the same, but execution has lagged.
“We have an intent to play a really balanced game,” he told Sport Nation. “Obviously, the collisions and going forward, ever since we’ve known rugby, that’s always been vital. But that can be easier by the balance of how you play, how you get to width. Last weekend, we weren’t able to get to the width through our skillsets to assert the game we want to play.
“We’re not looking to go through the middle the whole time. We need to be aware of space. That’s what we’re striving for.”
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Holland said the Buenos Aires review exposed “a lot of things that weren’t up to standard around execution and skillsets,” but he’s confident the lessons are clear.
“We feel like we’re creating some opportunities, but some simple things let us down at crucial times. So we’re working hard at putting lots of pressure on ourselves around our skillsets and decision-making this week.
“South Africa love to take away your time and space, and it’s important we get to play the footy that we want to play. Having a good skillset is going to be an important part of that.”
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Saturday’s clash, he stressed, offers no place to hide.
“Eden Park, South Africa, All Blacks; it has got a hell of a lot of meaning. We’re aware of the enormity of the task ahead, but massively determined to prepare well to get a performance we can be proud of.”
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Photo: Joe Allison/Getty Images
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