First-five Beauden Barrett's says drop goal was instinctive - Photo / File
How about that - the All Blacks won a game by Beauden Barrett kicking a drop goal and another nerveless penalty.
The 16-15 win over England at Twickenham was notable for the departure from the usual tactics the team employs, opting for a safety-first approach that ultimately brought victory.
First-five Barrett kicked the first drop goal of his test career in the second half, and told media afterwards that it was a ‘no brainer’.
“It felt instinctive because it’s something I’ve been working on. I think it was the right option at the right time.”
The All Blacks fell behind after an explosive English start to the game, at one point trailing 15-0. Barrett said that after the initial shock, the All Blacks consolidated and got their game back on track.
“Naturally you feel as though you have to play a lot of rugby to get back in the game and narrow the margin - and we did that. We stopped kicking, built phases and the tempo of the ball sped up. It was probably not an ideal start but we fought back hard and always had that belief.”
The All Blacks have another huge game next weekend when they take on reigning Six Nations champions Ireland in Dublin. The Irish warmed up for that test with a win of their own, beating Argentina today by 28-17.