... is it more a matter of timing?
What I mean is, the All Blacks are in a transitional period and they have quite a lot of young and inexperienced players coming in to replace the world cup winning glitterati that departed. At this time teams are normally considerably more vulnerable than the AB's appear to be.
So, why are they stringing together convincing wins in the RC and at home, after losing 6 major first teamers from the RWC last October?
Is it because they have hardly played away yet?
Is it because the other teams are all having their own issues?
The Boks issues are obvious.
They need a coach and they would improve outa sight in a heartbeat.
Aussie also have issues but theirs are more systemic (the ARU) and not the coach or the players although they could do with some front rowers and a real no.8 to let Pocock fly at 7
The Pumas are really genuinely improving and they are not far away from being really tough away from home as well as at home.
England have made monumental strides under Eddie Jones, and so forth.
I'm thinking that the yard of space between the AB's and the other teams isn't simply due to the AB's being the AB's, I am inclined to think that other countries (possibly England excluded) are not yet performing on a final approach to their best performances. Other issues are playing a role that is allowing the AB's an advantage in each confrontation.
Perhaps once the AB's get on the road the games will prove much harder with the travel issues, other teams having home advantage etc.
Is it simply a purple patch in Mr Hansen's itinerary and the AB's may come to suffer their own injury issues or form issues.
I know we can only play whats put in front of us but, I'm not convinced the results are down to simply the AB's being in top form when i can see other unions having palpable issues.
What do you chaps think?
