What Rennie liked and didn't like from eight-try trouncing of Sharks

Ten days out from the opening Springboks test, the All Blacks are content but by no means complacent.

Rightly so, too. Two contrasting tour matches down, one to go before confronting the Boks at Ellis Park, and it’s impossible to truly gauge their progress.

Coach Dave Rennie will take satisfaction from many collective and individual elements of the 54-0 walkover in Durban.

Recalling a shadow test team, the All Blacks’ scrum, maul defence and high-ball work were vastly improved, after those areas were exposed by the Stormers in their opening tour match.

Halfback Kyle Preston, wingers Fehi Fineanganofo and Caleb Clarke pushed their respective cases to crack the test team. Semisi Ta’eiloa and Bradley Slater also savoured their debuts off the bench.

Ruben Love cemented his status as the starting playmaker and the first-choice midfield of Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea continues to flourish with each match together.

Barrett, in a man-of-the-match performance, was superb against the Sharks as he led the way to vary the New Zealand attack.

In challenging conditions after torrential rain, the All Blacks kicked 34 times – 10 times more than any other match of the Rennie era. Most of those kicks were contestable or brought rewards through finding and creating space.

Rennie is a realist, though.

An eight-try trouncing looks good on paper. And, of course, the All Blacks, once they clicked in the second half, delivered some slick, sweeping movements.

But behind closed doors, Rennie will be acutely aware the All Blacks routed an out-of-season Sharks B team – and that further improvements, particularly with their discipline and starts, are required.

“We were probably frustrated with the first 40,” Rennie said of the 14-0 first half. “We gave away a lot of penalties early, struggled to get our hands on the ball. When we did, we looked good but we didn’t build enough pressure for long enough.

Dave Rennie (centre) has much to consider after strong performances by his players including Asafo Aumua and Ruben Love. Photos / Photosport

“The second half was excellent. We kicked really well. We were a lot more clinical and continued to defend well. They kicked a lot of ball, which we generally dealt well with.”

Two matches into the tour, Rennie has used 38 of his 44-man squad. Five of the remaining six – Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Cam Roigard, Will Jordan and Xavier Numia – are expected to feature in the final pre-test match against the Bulls in Pretoria this weekend, with captain Ardie Savea en route to join the team for the first test after his mini-rest.

“We’ve got the majority of the squad out playing. A lot of guys have got good minutes. We’re trying to build. The conditions made it challenging to shift a lot of ball but overall, we did a good job there,” Rennie said.

“We’ve got a lot more in us. We can’t afford to start games like we have the two games here so that will be a focus for us but a really positive last 40.

“We’ve now had five games this season. We’ve got a better understanding of the game we’re trying to play. We’ve shared the load and there’s good competition for spots. That’s really important heading into the tests in a couple of weeks.

“We know if we can be accurate and disciplined, the ball is going to be in play a lot and we’ll be able to apply pressure. Every time you turn it over or give away a penalty, you give the opposition a chance to slow the game down.”

Luke Jacobson, captaining the All Blacks for the first time, praised the shifts from their opening-match struggles.

“I was really pleased with our forward pack and the movements we made around the scrum, maul and some of our backs getting back on the high ball was excellent,” Jacobson said.

Rennie downplayed Damian McKenzie’s ankle injury after he left the field just before halftime, suggesting it was minor and that he would recover to maintain his place at fullback for the first test.

With George Bell and Billy Proctor heading home tomorrow after tour-ending injuries, confirmation of a replacement for the latter is imminent.

“We decided we wouldn’t make a decision on Billy’s replacement until after tonight’s game,” Rennie said. ”Mainly to see what came through here and if we got more injuries that might decide which direction we go in.”

Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.