Scott Robertson, the coach of the All Blacks, stated that the team’s selection policy would not alter for Sunday’s (NZT) last Test match against Italy in Turin.
“It will be Italy’s best team,” Robertson remarked. We’ve had a wonderful year playing 12 debutants, giving them game time, getting them in, getting excellent combinations, and establishing some unity.
And it won’t be any different this week.
“A few of these guys are coming into their fourth game in a row now, because we had a few that play Japan, and we’ll get the balance for the best team this week.”
Robertson declined to address whether the TMO’s actions during the game were appropriate, particularly the neck roll against prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi that gave Thomas Ramos the opportunity to kick the game-winning penalty.
He stated that the management of the game was attempting to streamline decisions made by the referee, assistant referees, the TMO, and the bunker.
This is a foul play call, which is why he enters.
Was there foul play? That’s most likely the query. Right now, he’s made a call, and the referee has faith in him.
“Everyone’s perception of our games’ legal interpretations is what matters most. In a fast-paced game, people make calls. The goal is to simplify as much as possible, and it’s an art. In several areas, we’re improving steadily.
“I haven’t had time to really examine the game. I’ve reviewed some of the highlights and worked through some statistics.
“But the time that you sit down and actually watch all the nuances of the game, and all the little conversations and how things swing, the ebbs and flows of it, and when you’re in the Stade and you’ve got your little earpiece in, then you’ve got the TMO or the guy coming through it, there’s a lot to download, so it’s always good to watch it back.”
He believed that the referee made a few calls during the scrum that the All Blacks may have used to gain momentum.
“I backed Captain Scott Barrett’s late decision to kick for goal from a penalty instead of kick to the corner,” Robertson added.
At the time, he followed his instincts. He believed he might have had another three or a chance to win it, but we didn’t get that because Test match football offers very few possibilities.
Barrett said he was unsure about the choice and would think it over to see if it was the right one.
The difficult aspect of the defeat, according to Robertson right after the game, was that they created so much that they couldn’t finish.
“We played some excellent football, and the game went their way a few times, particularly right before and right after halftime.
“We never put enough pressure, like scoreboard pressure on them early enough and they stayed in it, and the crowd came into it, and [they] had opportunities in the end to win it.”
Samipeni Finau, the flanker, sustained a concussion, and the second five-eighths Finau will undergo a 12-day stand-down while Jordie Barrett, who had a knee injury that prohibited him from walking out, has a diagnostic.
Peter Lakai, who replaced Finau, had an outstanding 79 minutes, according to Robertson.
“He supported his skill set, volunteered, and was accurate. Given the significance of the second Test, he had an outstanding performance.
Sam Cane is anticipated to be considered for the Test match against Italy after missing the France Test.
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