Lessons for All Blacks in manner of win

Foster will today have good news for 33 young men — and make difficult calls to a handful of others — when he names his Rugby World Cup squad in Napier.

Most amateur selectors would nail 30 or 31 of those names without breaking a sweat, but there will be just enough intrigue along with a couple of injury clouds to make the announcement eagerly awaited.

Veteran lock Brodie Retallick limped off Forsyth Barr Stadium during the first half of the 23-20 win over the Wallabies on Saturday, and while it seems likely Retallick will still make the cut, it could be a risk if he is not fit to start the tournament.

It is believed fellow knee-knack sufferer Braydon Ennor is on the verge of being ruled out of the World Cup, potentially meaning a recall for David Havili or a slot for Dallas McLeod.

Today will be about celebration but it will also be a chance to continue reflecting on a Dunedin test that forced a rejigged All Blacks team to pull a rabbit out of the hat after an atrocious first half left them trailing 17-3.

The All Blacks had romped to three comfortable wins to start the year but got an almighty scare at Forsyth Barr Stadium before being guided to victory by Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga.

"I’m stoked with the win. Clearly, we were second-best by some distance in that first half," Foster said.

"To come back and show a lot of composure under that scoreboard pressure and to win in the last few minutes is a great lesson for this team.

"We’ve had three good wins this year. To come off a different type of win will hold us in good stead for later on."

The All Blacks made 12 changes for the test and, unsurprisingly, looked like a makeshift team, especially on defence in the first half.

Foster stood by the plan to use the dead-rubber Bledisloe clash as something of a World Cup preparatory tool.

"The overall objective was to win this test but also get this squad to the starting line of the World Cup all in a good space.

"If we didn’t do that, the danger was we’d have a number of players in a World Cup squad who wouldn’t have played a serious test match for eight to nine weeks.

"We knew what we were doing. I was a bit nervous at halftime but the upside of it is we came through it. Some of the new guys played better in the second half and that’s a good sign, too."

Foster was under immense pressure after several poor performances last year — indeed, he is coaching while having already been replaced for next year by Scott Robertson — but has regained some serious capital in recent weeks.

It was perhaps symbolic that the All Blacks faced intense adversity in the first half on Saturday before fighting back.

"When you come out the other side, you actually learn a lot about yourself and your trust in what you’re doing.

"I love the confidence you get out of winning a test that looked like it might go the other way."

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was gracious in defeat.

"It’s a Bledisloe Cup, and having been on the other side when you win in the last minute, you understand the emotion of it and the need to be able to be good when you’re under the most intense pressure," Jones said.

"We just don’t, at the moment, have the capacity to do that, but we’re building it."

Jones highlighted the fact the margin of defeat came down to a Carter Gordon penalty attempt that rebounded off the post.

The Australians have lost all four tests this year but their canny coach is confident they can win the World Cup.

"100%. As a matter of fact, I think we will. If I could bet on it, I would, but I think you get in trouble if you bet."

Jones praised the All Blacks for dragging themselves out of a halftime hole.

"They don’t give up, and that’s the great thing about New Zealand rugby.

"As much as I hate New Zealand rugby, I’ve got great admiration for the way they keep at it and they keep playing and they stay hard in the contest.

"We’ve got a devastated group of men in there. But if we learn from it, it’s going to be the most potent lesson. It’s going to be more than a PhD from the University of Otago."