All hail our new captain fantastic

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Last updated 01:12 06/07/2008

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HOT ROD: Rodney So'oialo enjoys a post-match embrace with Bryan Habana after the stand-in All Blacks skipper answered his doubters superbly en route to a 19-8 victory over the world champions.

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Take a bow Rodney So'oialo. You deserve to. Challenges don't come much bigger than what you've faced over the last seven days, and the response in 80 furious minutes on Saturday night was magnificent.

It might have been Ali Williams who gained the lion's share of the plaudits after the second-rower shook off his ankle problems to produce a strong performance in his 50th test, but for me the All Blacks' 19-8 victory over the Springboks was also a personal triumph for So'oialo.

Think about it. Not only did he have to step into Richie McCaw's boots as captain for the first time, but he also had to slip into the great man's No 7 jersey. What's more, he had to do so against the world champions riding a 14-test winning streak with the scent of All Black blood in their nostrils.

All week all the talk had been about how this All Black side would struggle to contain the hard edge of the Boks up front. Especially without their talisman. That this makeshift loose trio couldn't hope to match their hard-nosed opposites; and how much inexperience So'oialo had around him. There were eight All Blacks in the 22 who had never played the Boks before, for goodness sake.

In typical So'oialo fashion, there was nothing flashy in a brutally physical encounter at Westpac Stadium, but plenty of substance. He rolled his sleeves up and did the job, and his men followed him superbly.

And at the end of an absorbing test match, which pack won the battle? The All Blacks did, and in no small part because of So'oialo's leadership, presence and all-round package of skills.

The New Zealanders won nearly 60% of the possession and had a huge edge in the ruck count; thanks largely to the performance of this supposedly makeshift loose trio. And they were very much led by their new No 7.

This was a great test match really, almost old-fashioned it in its blood-curdling intensity, and the calming presence of a trooper like So'oialo was crucial on a night when the hardest hits of the South Africans had to be absorbed early on.

Earlier in the week ex-Boks skipper Corne Krige had expressed doubts over whether So'oialo could handle the responsibilities of the openside flank, especially on top of the added onus of assuming the captaincy. But the dreadlocked Wellingtonian answered the call in a performance that should finally see him enter the pantheon of top-class All Black loose forwards.

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I loved the test, too. You knew the real stuff had begun by the sight of so much blood plastered across All Black faces inside the first quarter. God bless the Boks and the special qualities of, er, commitment they bring to international rugby.

It was beautifully brutal, if there's such a thing.

Ironic, also, that the most suspect piece of off-the-ball play should come from an All Black, with Brad Thorn likely to hear more about his upending of John Smith that had shades of spear tackle all over it.

It was an out-of-character response from the normally ice-cool big man, but one he may regret as the next few days play out.

But what was so impressive about the All Blacks' effort was they absorbed all this fury and then took control of the match. And by the second spell the South Africans had almost run out of ideas.

If Jerome Kaino's second try had been awarded (as it should have) the All Blacks would have won this with a good degree more comfort. They probably deserved too.

What else was positive for the New Zealanders? The scrummaging, of course. It always is these days.

I thought Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith had a fine match, too, especially considering the conditions. Smith's defence was fabulous and Nonu showed he's the premier linebreaking back in world rugby right now with another threatening display.

Williams fronted well, too, and Kaino and Thomson really stepped up to the mark in their first tests against the Boks. I also liked the scrappiness from Andy Ellis at halfback, particularly after his tough start. Dan Carter, as usual, was sublime in his execution and decision-making.

But we shouldn't write off the Boks for next week in Dunedin. They showed enough at the Cake Tin to suggest they're not world champs for nothing. And expect a warrior like Victor Matfield to be much better for his outing on the back of a season of second division football in France.

Sure, they have some adjustments to make, but if they can find a little more continuity in their game, and some punch through the inside channels, then they could yet end this decade-long drought of theirs.

The challenges won't stop for Rodney. Just know that he's ready for them.

What did you make of the All Black performance? Have your say on our comments system below.

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22 comments

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Graham Ponter #22 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Kiwis played the better tactical game. SA should have kicked for position and contested the lineouts where they dominated in the second half. Butch had a shocker.

Hope SA give the Kiwis a big 50 in Dunedin as I need to get my Kiwi mates off my back.

Denza #21 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

It was great to see good ole fashion forward domanance! Control the boks up front, smack them back, off the ball & beat them to the hit in the scrum! That gave the girls in the back a litle time to hit the ball with alittle pace and direction with the talented backs we have. Great start to the game, not 15 to 20 minutes to get into it, straight from the get go.

Jerome K. great new gun coming on, Thorn, dealing to a mouthy hooker!

Keep it on!!

Dave #20 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I disagree with Tony's comment. There were three Euro/Bok players in the team: Victor Matfield had a middling game by his incredibly high standards, but he did some really good things and he lasted the whole game; Smit was excellent until he went off with a groin injury just before half-time; Butch James didn't have a great game but he was committed and extremely intense, perhaps too intense. He really should have joined Brad Thorn in fronting the Sunday disciplinary board.

Rodney So'oialo was awesome, as were every single one of the forwards. Carter is exceptional. Backs defended extremely well, but had limited opportunity on attack. Mils Muliaina was outstanding, as usual.

Kim #19 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Gotta agree with you there.

Ellis has no "scrap" about him - he hangs on the coat-tails of the pack in front of him and can do nothing on his own.

He's just lucky that Leonard's injured, Cowan's on "probation" and Weepu's completely out of favour (personally, not professionally).

As for Rodney - the poor bugger works his butt off week in week out - and yet there are always people saying he can't cut it. Shame on you JK - you think even mr wonderful McCaw never had a bad game? Rodney had a shocker that day - yes, when has he done so since?

Let's not forget in this game, we had a specialist No. 8 playing openside flank - a position that really needs a specialist; and he did so with complete impunity - he was actually playing like a 7. Rodney's the man - end of story.

jam #18 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

a bit of a laugh - if you think elis had a good game your opinion is poor. the boy has showen week in and week out that he should not be handed a black jersey ever.

warren #17 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Ali ,i thought that this type of thinking is new to the Boks,they certainly look better than in the past.i thought you african would come up with such excuses after this defeat.

vaughan walker #16 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Great to see another dominating tight5 performance,fantastic game from the looseys.If look at last 3 games that the ABs have played you'll see a general pattern forming here, slowly but surely the foward pack over haul there opposition, ok some will say Irish & England packs werem't quite up to it thats crap, they were tough an un comprimising and so were the spring bok pack, it gets down to personal skill sets, that athletism of all black pack to up the ante in the last quarter of all there games so far.Its amazing to watch tight forwards like greg sommville, tony woodcock, brad thorn and ali williams still powering on in the latter stages of the game, i take my hat off to these blokes they hang there!I like to thank the spring boks too for there hard and never give in performance, I can't wait for next week

Dave #15 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

That performance now puts Rodney at the top table with our great Loose forwards of the modern game Jones, Kronfeld Mccaw. Awesome just awesome! I don't want to get to carried away here but I think Rodney's getting better ......he's in the zone man the loosey zone.......awesome mate awesome!

nzcrawf #14 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

The All Blacks got just about everything right in this test match. A relatively inexperienced pack followed the leadership of Rodney and stuck it to a Bok pack that, on paper, you'd have said were stronger. No so! Never a backward step from our guys.

In the back line, Carter is back to his imperious best. And his link play with Nonu and Smith was excellent. We were always the more dangerous backline.

Also a word of congratulations to Ted, Steve and Wayne. I watched the half time TV footage from the respective changing rooms. Whilst De Villiers was animated and appeared to be rabbitting on, Ted seemed calm and clear in his direction to the team. Strange how we came on the park in the second half and scored a try in no time and stopped them from scoring at all in the last 40. That's the direction you need from your coaching team and that's what we got!

Well done the All Blacks we've now beaten the Boks in 56% of our matches in the history of playing them. Ya beauty!!!!

JK #13 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Captain Fantastic? Would the headline be the same if So'oialo's punch had connected? In the 12th minute of the game the All Blacks would likley have been down a man for 10mins and without their captian in a vital stage of the test match. It shows that So'oialo stills lacks the temperament required of an international captain. Remember Rustenberg?

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