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Jubilation and celebration: Jimmy Cowan and Daniel Carter - Source: Photosport -
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All Black first five-eight Daniel Carter may have been the hero of Saturday's win over Australia but his drop-goal attempt is a concern, writes tvnz.co.nz's Chris Matthews.
One of the perplexities of rugby, and there are a few, is the awarding of three points for a drop-goal.
On the surface it seems far too much but after watching the mere mortal, aka Daniel Carter, muff his attempt in the 75th minute against the Wallabies, maybe it's a little harder than you think.
Indeed Matt Giteua's reluctance to pop over a match-winning pot-shot, from right in front and with time up, on Saturday night was indicative of the problem. Put it over and the Wallabies win, but miss - like Carter did so unceremoniously before - and the game was gone.
The All Blacks of course could relate to Giteau's predicament. They had been there before. Their last 10 minutes of domination on that fateful Cardiff night, despite claims of refereeing oversights, amounted to nothing but heartbreak.
Yet is has become apparent over the two years since that a drop-goal, or rather the execution of a drop-goal, will be required from top international sides from time to time to get over the line
Since 2007 the All Blacks have played 21 Test matches for a 16-5 record. While a great majority of those victories - average winning margin of 16-points - have been comfortable, seven of the 21 Tests have been decided by seven points or less and significantly, four of those Tests have played out this year.
In fact, since the last World Cup, the All Blacks have landed just one drop-goal. Carter can lay claim to that one during the All Blacks 28-30 loss to the Springboks in Dunedin last year, but crucially he also missed two at the climax of the match.
One flew wide and the other was charged down in the game's final act, but after the match Carter - despite the lessons of Cardiff just months before - said he wasn't putting any extra emphasis on drop-kicking.
"I have four kicking sessions a week and in those I am practicing my dropped goal plays - no more, no less than previous years," Carter said at the time.
Well he might need to consider changing this training routine and so too the All Blacks coaches.
It's all very well for Carter (or Donald or whoever) to be able to slot them over at training, but in a match situation it's a whole team effort.
It's a play that should be practiced on the training field, with reserves giving real game time pressure, and there needs to be a contingency of alternatives. If Carter is rushed, then there should be at least two other options Jimmy Cowan should be able to consider, even maybe, including himself.
The most famous drop-goal, for the greatest reward, was of course from England's Jonny Wilkinson in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia. With 20 seconds remaining he stood deep, at least 15 metres back from the ruck, and struck it over with consummate ease.
It was a play executed perfectly that England had no doubt rehearsed countless times before and had the All Blacks taken the same attitude to France in 2007 the outcome could have been different.
Sure there is no changing that result now, but the All Blacks need to be equipped with plays that win Test matches and a drop-goal is one that they need in their repertoire.
