Veteran prop Joe Moody has dismissed claims that misguided tactics were to blame for the All Blacks’ comprehensive defeat to Ireland on Sunday (NZ time).
The team's kick-heavy approach has come under fire after their 29-20 defeat at Dublin, where the scoreline didn't do justice to the hosts' dominance.
Fresh from the All Blacks’ weekly debrief, Moody concludes his team were on the mark with their strategy, but were simply let down by poor onfield decision-making and lack of execution in fundamental skills at the most inopportune moments.
"Watching the review this morning, we're still creating the opportunities, we're just - at that final hurdle - choosing the wrong option and not quite executing," says Moody. "I don't feel like it's a gameplan thing."
Ireland's fast and ruthlessly accurate start saw them camp inside the All Blacks half for the opening third of the match, forcing their opponents into an enormous amount of tackling.
After softening and weakening the visitors with body shots, the Irish then struck the killer blows in the early stages of the second half and the All Blacks didn't have gas left in the tank to rise off the canvas.
Moody, who was at the frontline of that defensive effort, insists that gruelling opening period came back to haunt them and eventually led to their downfall.
"The hardest physical part of that game was through the first 10-25 minutes, where it was really fast and we were forced to defend for long periods of time," he says.
"It definitely does take it out of you when you have to defend for those long periods of time, because you're always moving, having to get off the line, make those tackles, hit the rucks and get out. It gets pretty draining.
"It was a very heavy load and we definitely felt it coming out of the game yesterday. It was a tough physical battle and I guess it's what test matches are all about."
The result aside, Moody is pleased with the strides made by his forward pack at scrumtime since the start of the tour, which he believes was one area where the All Blacks may have had the upperhand over the Irish, but failed to capitalise.
Fortunately, the side will have one final chance to close out their 12-week rugby odyssey on a high note against France at Paris on Sunday.
With the painful viewing of the Ireland review behind them, Moody says the slate has been wiped clean and the All Blacks are now laser-focused on dulling that memory with a win over the French, before heading home for the summer.
"There is that little bit of extra motivation now," Moody notes. "We're somewhat of a wounded beast, so I'm sure we're going to come into this weekend firing."
Join us at 9am, Sunday for live updates of the test match between the All Blacks and France
