All Blacks vs South Africa: Late Yellow Card Controversy
Here’s a breakdown of the key data from the provided text, focusing on the All Blacks‘ performance and issues:
Discipline/Cards:
Recent Trend: The All Blacks have frequently finished matches with 14 players. This happened 5 times in Argentina last year and 7 times under the previous coach (compared to 4 in the 116 years prior). Scott Robertson’s Tenure: So far under Scott Robertson (as of this article), the All Blacks have ended a match with 14 players 7 times due to late cards.
No red Cards (Yet): Robertson hasn’t seen his team receive a red card, a notable advancement from his predecessor.
Type of Cards: Many recent cards (3 of 6 this year) are for deliberate knock-downs (attempting to intercept with one hand).
Possession & Cards: The article suggests that better ball retention would likely reduce the number of cards received.
Tackling Issues:
Significant Missed Tackles: The All Blacks missed a staggering 40 tackles in Buenos Aires and 25 in Cordoba, totaling 65 in two tests.
Comparison to Past Performance: This is a significant increase compared to the Northern Hemisphere tour last year (72 missed tackles in 5 tests).
Positive Start to Season: They started the season well, making 120 of 129 tackles against France.
Argentina Series: The tackle numbers flipped in Argentina,with the Pumas forcing the All blacks to attempt many tackles.
Possession:
loss of Possession Leadership: The first loss of the season was the first time in 2024 the All Blacks didn’t lead in possession statistics.
* Importance of Possession: Keeping the ball is highlighted as a key area for improvement.Overall:
The article points to two main areas of concern for the All Blacks: discipline (leading to cards) and tackling. While the team has avoided red cards under the new coach, the frequency of yellow cards is a problem. More considerably, the high number of missed tackles is a major issue that needs to be addressed, and the team needs to regain control of possession.