The All Blacks need more variation in their game given their ball-in-hand “mentality” is being exploited by opposition teams, according to scrumhalf Aaron Smith.
With struggling New Zealand trying to avert another Rugby Championship defeat against Argentina in Hamilton on Saturday, Smith says his team needs to be prepared to kick the ball away rather than constantly seek to run with it.
.@Te_Nug talks tactics ahead of a massive Test against Argentina.#NZLvARG #TRC2022
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 1, 2022
Smith explains: “I think variety is key, but the mentality from our boys is to want to be able to hold the ball, build pressure and use our attack.
“As we see with the northern hemisphere teams and the teams so far in the Rugby Championship, they want to give us the ball.
“They don’t really want to play and they’re really attacking our breakdown.
“If you attack with the ball for long periods of time, you’re giving them opportunities and they’re taking them.”
Argentina beat New Zealand 25-18 last weekend.
23 for the Tron 💪 pic.twitter.com/M4XFV4uQrL
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 31, 2022
Saturday, 9.05am
All Blacks: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 David Havili, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (c), 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ethan de Groot. Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Brodie Retallick, 20 Dalton Papali’i, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Quinn Tupaea.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Santiago Grondona, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo. Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23 Lucio Cinti