The upcoming showdown in Wellington will be the true test of the team’s progress. Saturday’s thrilling comeback against their arch-rivals, although ultimately falling short, was the exact response needed. Coach Joe Schmidt and captain Harry Wilson acknowledged that their team was fortunate not to have conceded more tries before their late surge. They tempered their enthusiasm, recognizing that they still have much to improve upon.
“We were proud of how we worked back into the game and put ourselves in a position to win,” Wilson said. “However, we lost to a strong opponent, so we need to be realistic and focus on winning those crucial moments.”
Unfortunately, those moments were too few and far between, particularly in the first half when they trailed by 21 points. They gifted their opponents a try and failed to capitalize on golden opportunities. A prime example was when Fraser McReight’s booming kick downfield resulted in a 50/22, but they couldn’t win the lineout, letting the chance slip away.
Similar mistakes occurred in the second half, including a missed lineout and a misplaced pass that ended up in the opponent’s hands. Despite their valiant effort, they lacked the polish and consistency needed to secure victory.
Coach Schmidt emphasized the importance of continuous improvement, stating, “No progress is linear… we’ve got to get as linear as we can in the improvements we make.” He praised his team’s attacking game, which showed promise in creating scoring opportunities. However, he acknowledged that they still have much to work on, particularly in areas like lineouts.
Captain James Slipper echoed Schmidt’s sentiments, saying, “We’ve made a fair bit of progress, but we’ve seen lapses in our game. With time and hard work, we’ll become more consistent.” The team’s ability to settle into their coach’s blueprint will be put to the test in the upcoming matches.
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