International Rugby

New Zealand completed a clean sweep of victories in the third test of their International Tour series at home to Wales, comprehensively beating them 46-6 at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday.

Ben Smith and George Moala—the latter with his second try in just his second All Blacks appearance—gave them a healthy lead at the break. In the second half, a Beauden Barrett brace and tries for Dane Coles and Israel Dagg completed the rout.

The Welsh failed to take the few chances they had and faded badly late in the game as the floodgates opened, with New Zealand proving as ruthless and relentless as ever in an outstanding performance all over the pitch.

Amid a lively start, Wales drew first blood through a Dan Biggar penalty in the sixth minute after Sam Cane was penalised for not rolling away, while two uncharacteristic drops from Julian Savea compounded New Zealand's problems.

The hosts gradually began to regain and keep possession of the ball, though, and pushed forward in kind. Soon enough they were rewarded with a penalty, which Barrett duly dispatched to level the score.

Another Biggar penalty earned Wales a brief respite, but the All Blacks continued to attack with verve. Aaron Smith picked out his namesake Ben in the right corner, and despite an outstanding tackle from Hallam Amos, the winger was deemed to have grounded the ball before his knee was in touch.

Sports broadcaster Tony Veitch and writer Murray Kinsella reflected on the excellent play from both Smiths:

Barrett was unable to add the extras from a tight angle, but he soon added another penalty as New Zealand opened up some breathing room on Wales.

The score almost went from bad to worse for Warren Gatland's side when Moala went over, but the television match official ruled it as no try—under pressure from Liam Williams, he was unable to ground the ball.

Moala didn't have to wait long, though, when he scrambled over from close range following a rapid counter-attack from the All Blacks.

Sports journalist Tom Hiscott believed he'd made amends for his prior failure, where he perhaps should have passed rather than going for the line himself:

Wales finished the half strongly but missed a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when Amos dropped the ball within a few feet of the line.

It wasn't long before New Zealand punished their profligacy—just four minutes after the restart, as Barrett crept over after a poor tackle attempt from Biggar before kicking his own conversion.

The fly-half continued his excellent performance with another try after being slipped in by substitute Lima Sapoaga.

Sports writer Marc Hinton said Barrett has established himself as the hosts' first-choice No. 10:

Minutes later, Coles went over virtually unchallenged after picking up a Cane offload. Kinsella hailed the All Blacks' exceptional all-round play:

New Zealand continued to control proceedings late on in the game as Wales struggled to get near them. In the 83rd minute, Wales conceded a turnover inside the All Black's 22, allowing Dagg to run the length of the field to finish off the thrashing.

The Welsh had acquitted themselves well in their previous two matches against New Zealand—scoring over 20 points in each game—so to lose and end the series in this manner will be disappointing.

As for New Zealand, despite seeing the likes of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Keven Mealamu retire following the World Cup last year, the future remains bright.

Post-Match Reaction

Per BBC Sport, Gatland insisted his side would learn from the whitewash:

In fairness to the All Blacks I thought they were outstanding.

I thought the pace of their back three caused us some problems and some of their collision dominance was pretty good as well.

We'll take a lot of lessons from these three Tests and we need to apply that the next time we get back together.

Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said Wales were disappointing on Saturday but believes they will return strongly, per WalesOnline's Andy Howell:

It was difficult for them—they have played 17 Test matches in the last year and they go home on Sunday so maybe some of them were already on the plane.

They will regroup because they are better than that. I don’t know who they are playing in the November internationals but they will be a force in those Tests.

He added: "They are a good side and it’s always difficult for northern hemisphere teams to be playing at the end of their season, particularly in World Cup year, when they have played right through."

An inspirational second-half performance saw South Africa thunder back from 19-3 down to defeat Ireland 32-26 on Saturday and tie their summer series at one game apiece.

The Springboks failed to cross the whitewash in the first period, but second-half tries from Ruan Combrinck, Warren Whiteley, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende sealed the win.

Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson impressed in the opening 40 minutes and kicked 16 points to go along with scores from Devin Toner and Jamie Heaslip, but the Boys in Green ultimately fell flat at Ellis Park.

The result means Ireland will have to wait until next Saturday to see if they can record their first-ever series triumph in South Africa, and rugby journalist Ben Coles noted the Boks certainly still have their issues to deal with:

Elton Jantjies, standing in at fly-half in place of a concussed Patrick Lambie, got South Africa's assault under way with a penalty from the very brink of his kicking territory out on the halfway line.

However, Ireland upstart Jackson was once again revelling in the opportunity head coach Joe Schmidt had afforded him, and his response to the Springboks' early kick off the mark was a steely one.

Clearly enjoying his time in Ireland's No. 10 jersey, the Ulster man proceeded to convert four penalties in the opening 30 minutes and swiftly overhauled the scoreline to leave the hosts chasing. 

The likes of Jared Payne and Andrew Trimble were also proving Schmidt's back-line selection to be spot on, but it was the pinpoint kicking of Jackson earning the majority of the plaudits, such as from RTE's Des Cahill:

Jantjies attempted and failed to replicate his Irish counterpart's success from the tee, and it wasn't long until a flowing move down the right flank produced the visitors' first try of the evening.

Trimble's kick chase applied pressure before Payne and Heaslip provided timely back-up near the right wing, and an onrushing Toner capitalised on a superb Rhys Ruddock offload to crash over near the posts.

Matt Cooper of The Last Word was in awe of winger Trimble's graft in particular:

Ireland were up 19-3 at the break, and it seemed like their game to lose, which turned out to be an apt way of summarising the second period as the travelling outfit got put under the microscope.

Half-time substitute Combrinck, on in place of winger Lwazi Mvovo, took just 15 minutes after his introduction to tighten the gap to 19-10, drawing widespread praise on his first international cap:

However, Ireland's response was an immediate one, and Heaslip shifted well off a lineout maul deep in South African territory to bundle over in the far-right corner.

The decision went to the television match official after Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth did his utmost to prevent it, but as journalist Ray Hayden showed, the touchdown was a clear one:

South Africa's second-half retribution was fierce, though, and next came the turns of Whiteley and Du Toit to touch down, the latter bagging his second score in as many weeks against Schmidt's side.

The second-rower's try under the posts put South Africa just four points off their foes at 26-22 down, but De Allende reclaimed the lead for the first time in 60 minutes, per SuperSport's Brenden Nel:

Ireland could have held out hope of drawing the fixture with a late penalty, but Jantjies instead rubbed salt in their wound with a late three-point addition of his own from long range to cap off the second-half comeback.

The altitude may have well played a factor in their downfall, but Ireland will have few excuses after letting a 16-point lead escape them, meaning the series will be decided in Port Elizabeth next Saturday.  

Post-Match Reaction

Ireland's collapse at Ellis Park on Saturday papered over much of the fine work they displayed during an inspired first-half, ultimately just lacking the stamina to maintain their assault.

However, Schmidt was eager to shift the focus onto South Africa in his post-match comments, per the Irish Examiner's Simon Lewis:

Similarly, captain Rory Best insisted Ireland didn't fall short because of the altitude, which was always expected to cause concerns for the northern-hemisphere team:

It's true South Africa's much-improved performance in the second half showed a complete contrast to that in the first, but it was difficult to look past Ireland's noticeable slip off the gas, particularly in defence.

Schmidt rung the changes for the second Test and ultimately paid the price, although there were initial signs to suggest his tactics were spot on to begin with.

A heroic defensive performance from England was the catalyst for a history-making 23-7 win against hosts Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. 

A try from skipper Dylan Hartley and a penalty from Owen Farrell gave England a 10-point advantage, before Stephen Moore reduced the deficit to just three. In the second period, Farrell's penalty put England six points ahead, and while they had to withstand a barrage of Australia attacks, a late try from Farrell made the game safe.

The result gives England an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, and it’s the first time they’ve ever won a series on Australian soil.

With both teams looking extremely pumped up during the national anthems, it was no surprise to see some fiery exchanges early on, with each conceding penalties. That edge, along with the crumbling pitch, made the first 19 minutes a war of attrition.

It was England who found a way through first with a try to fit the conditions. A grinding, rolling maul pushed them to within touching distance of the try line, and Hartley spun away to touch down. Farrell converted, and the visitors were on their way.

The Sunday Express’ Neil Fissler enjoyed the manner in which the score came about:

From there, England began to turn the screw on Australia, keeping them pinned in their own half for long spells. In the scrum they were performing well and some attempted wheeling from the hosts yielded a penalty, allowing Farrell to make it 10-0.

After such a focused display, the visitors let their guard down at the restart. Australia jumped on the kick off and forced a lineout via a penalty deep in England territory. They then used the rolling maul to great effect, with Moore eventually getting the ball down.

As the game rumbled on, the pitch was causing some serious issues for the players, with the turf cutting up easily when the sides were scrummaging. As ESPN’s Sam Bruce shared, some drastic action had to be taken to ensure the playing surface wasn’t completely destroyed by the players:

England had to battle hard to make it into half-time in front, as the men in green and gold poured on the pressure. But they got through to the interval with a hard-fought lead intact.

It was a show of defence that would have been a momentum killer for the Aussies, and after the interval England came out looking rejuvenated. Their sharp early play was rewarded after a controversial penalty call against the hosts allowed Farrell to make 13-7 to the visitors.

The response was positive from Australia. Again they went hard after the England set piece, carving out some scoring chances. However, the assembled mass of white was holding firm, as the match moved into its final quarter. Former England international Matt Dawson was impressed with his country's defence:

A score for Australia was beginning to look inevitable, as they consistently moved to within touching distance of the try line. But unforced errors or brilliant last-ditch interventions from England somehow kept the hosts at bay.

Gradually, the tourists started to get a foothold in the match again, with some clever scrummaging and great tactical kicking allowing them to gain territory. It was a foundation from which they eventually grabbed the victory.

Jamie George executed a brilliant grubber kick in behind the Australia defence, and the tireless Farrell steamed through to get on the end of it. The fly-half then added the conversion, before a stunning late scrum from England allowed him the chance to kick a penalty, adding a bit of gloss to the scoreline and sparking wild celebrations.

Sports journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor had high praise for the team's performance:

This is a display that will be recounted for many years by those tied to the England rugby team. They rode their luck at times, but in the main they stayed composed under pressure, cohesive up against some incredible attacking play and when their chances presented themselves, they snatched them.

Head coach Eddie Jones deserves an immense amount of credit for the way in which he’s turned this team around. England were on their knees after elimination from the World Cup last year; under his guidance, they have grown into one of best teams on the planet.

Post-Match Reaction

Afterwards Jones' thoughts had already turned to a possible whitewash.

"The players are already talking about (the whitewash)," he told Sky Sports (h/t Tom Dutton of the London Evening Standard). "This win is for the supporters, the people at the RFU and the people in the amateur game. They'll all be getting delight out of this game and we're so proud to represent them."

Australia boss Mike Cheika offered no excuses for the performance turned in.

"Obviously, we're very disappointed and we apologise to our fans," he said, per AAP (h/t SBS). "Honestly, we've had such great support and it's very disappointing to me—too many errors; too many dropped balls at key moments."

The 14 men of Ireland started their tour of South Africa with a bang on Saturday after defeating the Springboks 26-20 in Cape Town, where tries from Jared Payne and Conor Murray guided them to victory at Newlands.

Ireland were unfortunate to be reduced to 14 men after back-row star CJ Stander was sent off for a collision with Pat Lambie. A jumping attempt to block a kick saw Stander knock the Springboks fly-half out with his hip.

The victory was Ireland's first-ever in South Africa, and their maiden triumph came under a deserved banner after they fought on through the vast majority of the tie despite their one-man deficit.

Fly-half Paddy Jackson had a mixed display but contributed 16 points to the scoreline after notching three penalties, two conversions and a drop goal for Ireland. After Ireland under-20s defeated New Zealand under-20s at the Junior World Championship earlier in the day, it was a memorable 24 hours for Irish rugby, per The42.ie:

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt made the decision to switch Payne to his more accustomed position at full-back for Saturday's clash, and it paid dividends almost immediately after the Kiwi surged through in the 10th minute.

Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall took his spot in the centre, and the club connection proved to be potent, as the midfielder grubbered through for Payne to touch down early on.

Rugby writer Simon Hick noted the effectiveness of Payne's move back to his regular position at Ulster:

The elation was fairly short-lived for the travelling party, however, when Stander was shown his marching orders for an attempted kick block on Lambie in the 22nd minute.

The contact was clear. Stander leaped to prevent the punt, knocking Lambie cold as a result; however, rugby journalists Ben Coles and Alex Shaw touched on the red card perhaps not being deserved:

CJ Stander must have buttocks of steel. The right cheek has knocked Lambie out cold. That's not the hip.

— Alex Shaw (@alexshawsport) June 11, 2016

It was a drastic blow for Ireland, too, considering Stander, who was such a force for the team throughout this year's Six Nations, didn't appear to show any malicious intent while making the challenge.

It was a particularly sour note for the player as well, since he was hoping to leave a mark in the nation of his birth.

South Africa's one-man advantage eased the pressure Ireland had so confidently sustained prior to the sending off, and the Boks took the lead for the first time in the match at 11-10 following Lwazi Mvovo's try just after the 30-minute mark.

South Africa made the most of their advantage to send Mvovo clear, and Ireland were reduced to 13 men after Robbie Henshaw saw yellow for his high tackle on Lambie's replacement, Elton Jantjies, in the buildup.

Again, rugby writer Brendan Gallagher noted some controversy with the decision:

Jantjies recovered to add the extras to Mvovo's score and give South Africa a 13-10 lead, but Jackson's timely drop goal just prior to the interval ensured Ireland trotted in level at the break.

Newlands was stunned into silence after the restart, when Payne turned from scorer into creator and pulled off a masterful offload to winger Andrew Trimble. Play broke down, but Murray darted through enemy lines and recorded Ireland's second try, after a check with the television match official. BBC Sport's Tom English was full of praise for the scrum-half afterward:

Jackson maintained his fine form from the tee and thrust Schmidt's men into a 20-13 lead with the conversion. His kicking helped to ensure the scoreline kept ticking in favour of the visitors.

Jamie Heaslip and Iain Henderson were key figures in the Irish pack and helped guide their side into the last quarter of the match yet to concede in the second period, and TV3 reporter Sinead Kissane said the hosts were on edge:

Jackson even increased the lead to 10 points with a 68th-minute penalty, but the fly-half quickly went from hero to villain when Du Toit intercepted his telegraphed pass near his own 22-metre line for an easy run-in.

A disappointing drop attempt from the Ulster man dribbled off the mark for Jackson, but he once again took the reins in keeping Ireland out of South Africa's reach with a long-range penalty and just three minutes remaining.

The Springboks applied plenty of pressure in the dying exchanges, but a fierce Irish assault, 14 men or not, proved sufficient in keeping the hosts at bay.

Schmidt's Irish stars now have a week to gather their thoughts before looking to follow up their win with a second successive triumph at Ellis Park next Saturday, with their tour starting under bright omens.

Post-Match Reaction

Following Ireland's first-ever win on South African soil against the Springboks, Coach Schmidt was understandably heartened by his team's performance, especially considering the circumstances of the victory.

Speaking after the result, the New Zealand native expressed his delight at the team's performance, per Gerry Thornley of the Irish Times:

It’s pretty hard to put into words really. I thought it was an incredible collective effort. The nine minutes before half-time when we were down to 13 players, to just put them out in the corner, just to scramble and work as hard as the players did to keep them out.

There was almost a direct repeat at the end of the second half again. To their attacking left-hand corner, we managed to scramble across and three for four players turned up to avoid the try being scored. For the players, I think they can be incredibly proud of the effort they put in.

Stander's red card was a big topic of discussion in Cape Town, however, and Schmidt went on to outline his incredulity with the referee's decision to send his player off in the first period: "I thought the red card was very, very harsh to be honest. CJ’s got both hands extended, once you’re in the air you can’t change your trajectory. The one thing I would say, I think Pat Lambie’s a super player, I certainly hope that Pat’s OK."

Schmidt added that a card can sometimes come as inevitable when such an injury comes about, although one can debate as to whether the punishment fitted Stander's alleged crime.

England chalked up a sensational 39-28 victory over Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the Test series.

Eddie Jones’ side didn’t have the best of the action with the ball, but resolute defending and clinical attacking was enough to see them cross the line.

Both sets of players came roaring out of the blocks in the first half, with Australia looking dangerous on the break and stretching the England rear guard.

Several plays came to nothing, but the Aussie pressure eventually told after 10 minutes.

Good work from Israel Folau got Australia five yards from the English try line, and when the play was recycled, Michael Hooper was on hand to touch down.

Folau himself then got the hosts’ second try of the day courtesy of a stunning run from deep, with England caught cold.

The Australian full-back burst through a pack of players before crossing the line and making it 10-0, yet journalist Alex Shaw believed England contributed to their own downfall:

Two penalties from English fly-half Owen Farrell reduced arrears to 10-6, as England started to get a firm grip of the game. 

A third penalty brought Jones’ men within a point of their hosts, and just moments later, it got even better for England.

Folau’s pass to Bernard Foley was clumsily dropped, Samu Kerevi couldn’t recover the ball, which gave Jonathan Joseph the chance to burst through and cross the line.

Joseph read the chance superbly and showed incredible pace to put five points on the board. Former England star Jason Robinson was one of many celebrating the crucial try:

Foley and Farrell added penalties to make the score 19-13 to England at half-time, and they were good value for their lead.

After the break, the visitors picked up where they left off, and it wasn’t long before they extended their advantage.

An excellent, 20-yard pass from substitute George Ford found Marland Yarde in acres of space on the right flank, and he was left with the simple task of dotting down.

Two further penalties from Farrell put England into a dominant position at 32-18, yet Australia aren’t the type of side to go down without a fight, even though they were temporarily down to 14 men after the sin-binning of Scott Sio for repeated infractions at the scrum.

Hooper gave England something to think about with his second try of the game, before an explosive burst from Tevita Kuridrani made the game very interesting, at 32-25.

England’s defence had been exceptional throughout the game, but they were truly tested in the final 10 minutes.

With two minutes to go, Australia were awarded a scrum penalty, which Foley decided to kick and set up a chance to go for the win.

He successfully converted to make it 32-28, but it was England who crossed the line to secure a famous victory.

More brilliance from Ford played in Jack Nowell, who made no mistake in the left corner to give the English the perfect series start.

The match was a lesson in how to deal with Australia. The likes of James Haskell and Mike Brown were simply unbreakable, and if they keep up such brilliance for the rest of the series, history could well be made.

The second Test takes centre stage in Melbourne on Saturday June 18.

Reaction

Following the match, fly-half Owen Farrell told England Rugby's official Twitter account that his side executed their game plan perfectly at the Suncorp Stadium:

The new generation of New Zealand All Blacks showed the world why they’re still the best in the business courtesy of a stunning 39-21 victory over Wales at Eden Park. 

Steve Hansen’s men trailed 18-15 at half-time, but they came rallying back in style to take a deserved 1-0 series lead.

The first half was enthralling, with New Zealand predictably doing all the early pressing. Wales were penned into their own half in the opening exchanges, and it wasn’t long before the All Blacks were on the board.

Aaron Cruden, who was drafted in to replace the retired Dan Carter at fly-half, kicked over the posts to establish a 3-0 lead, but all that succeeded in doing was waking Wales up from their slumber.

And with just 11 minutes on the clock, Wales scored the first try of the day through Taulupe Faletau.

A flowing Wales move left Hallam Amos in space on the left side, and he timed his pass perfectly to Faletau, who had the simple task of dotting down.

Waisake Naholo needlessly dived in on Amos to gift Faletau some space, but you can take nothing away from the brilliance of the build-up.

Cruden then stamped his authority on the match with an inch-perfect try assist for Julian Savea, who gave the All Blacks the lead.

New Zealand journalist Veitchy commented on the fly-half’s excellent kick:

In the 19th minute, Naholo made amends for his earlier error with a well-taken try to make it 15-5, before Dan Biggar reduced arrears with two penalties.

The end-to-end rugby was incredible to watch, with both sets of players leaving everything on the field.

Wales were particularly impressive after their shaky start, and they got the reward their performance deserved just before half-time through the ever-impressive Liam Williams and Rhys Webb.

Williams cut New Zealand open with a moment of brilliance coming out of his own half, and he then had the presence of mind to send Webb over the line.

At the break, Wales held a precious 18-15 lead, and although they started the second half on the front foot, their joy was short-lived.

With 12 minutes remaining, Naholo chalked up his second try of the match.

Quick thinking from Aaron Smith played the Highlanders man in, and he showed incredible power to force his way over. BBC Sport’s Jonathan Davies commented on Naholo’s strength:

At 25-21, Wales were still very much in the match, but their hopes of taking a 1-0 series lead were all-but eliminated by All Blacks captain Kieran Read.

Patrick Tuipulotu retained the ball superbly just inside the Wales half before playing Read clean through to make sure of the victory. Nathan Harris just had time to get his name on the scoresheet and add further gloss to the result.

The 39-21 scoreline was a little harsh on Wales, who were clinical and professional in the first half, but the All Blacks’ class just shone through.

Naholo, Cruden and Tuipulotu stole the show, and they’ll be looking for repeat performances in the second Test on Saturday June 18 in Wellington.

Reaction

Following the match, Wales skipper Sam Warburton told BBC Sport that the scoreline didn't reflect the match at Eden Park and that Wales played well:

"The message was we couldn't come here and play safe and I thought some of our counter-attacking was excellent. We're really disappointed to concede seven at the end and make the scoreboard look a little bit ugly."

In the All Blacks camp, meanwhile, captain Read was full of praise for his side's second-half performance:

"It was what we expected. Wales were fired up and it was a reminder you've got to work hard. The boys had a really good attitude in the second half.

England coach Eddie Jones finds himself blessed with a substantial influx of new and emerging talent in the national team, but perhaps none currently display more promise than potential superstar Maro Itoje.

The 21-year-old has steadily built a reputation at Saracens since debuting as a teenager, and now the multi-faceted forward is ready to apply those skills at the international level.

Or perhaps that should read Itoje already is, considering it was his blossoming lock partnership alongside club-mate George Kruis that helped guide the Red Rose to this year's Six Nations Grand Slam triumph.

Itoje's club achievements are also numerous, as Sarries find themselves at the head of the Aviva Premiership with a Champions Cup final against Racing 92 also to plan for. The BBC's Chris Jones rightly questioned how the star was omitted from the shortlist for RPA Player of the Year:

But end-of-the-season accolades are hardly needed for a player who so clearly has silverware in his future—if not of the team variety, often a fickle testament of player ability, then at least at the individual level.

The Modern Athlete

As rugby grows and transforms, so too does the average person taking part in the sport, and Itoje sits at the crest of its new breed, built to be stronger and faster than those who came before.

The Saracens star often lines up at blindside for his club, but England can afford to be pickier with their selection, and rugby writer Alex Shaw has tipped him to settle in the second row:

At 6'5" and 116 kilograms, it's easy to see why one would come to such an assumption, but just the fact Itoje has the ability and combination of traits needed to play in the back row is evidence to his unique powers.

Itoje made his England debut off the bench against Italy earlier this year, and it wasn't long before the nation knew what it had its hands on, with the youngster unsurprisingly earning starts in every game after that.

A terrific gene pool and a thriving background in numerous sport disciplines has crafted a wrecking ball of a player who also happens to be technically adept—a rare asset in any terms.

Itoje has even earned the praise of former New Zealand lock Ali Williams, who even went so far as to compare the player to former team-mate and 2014 World Rugby Player of the Year Brodie Retallick, per the Mirror's Alex Spink:

He’s going to be a superstar that kid, he’s got it all. I definitely think he’s the real deal. He’s so good he could ­probably play at six as well. 

I think he will be outstanding for years to come. His fate is in his own hands because he is good enough for sure.

He’s similar to Brodie in terms of his ability, for a big man, to get over the ball and in his energy around the field.

Second-row is a unique ­position in that you get better with age. You can come in all guns blazing to start with and then you realise there is actually an art to the second-row – it’s not just headless-chicken stuff.

So Maro could plateau — stay at this level. I don’t see that. I’ve heard only good things about the guy. But let’s let him play. He’s got the attributes to be a great English player but he’s going to have struggles along the way. 

That’s part of the process of going from potential to good to great. You’ve got to handle all those things.

Perhaps not since former England captain and coach Martin Johnson have England had a lock leader so accomplished both in the playing aspect and in his potential to marshal troops.

Talent is almost a given at this level of sport. Starlets come and go, but there are other aspects to this baby behemoth that ensure he's on the road to glory.

The Man Behind the Machine

Young and talented players pass through rugby's halls on a regular basis, but it's in seeing how the players deal with that pressure and expectation that really makes the man.

Itoje has a deep-rooted belief in his Catholic faith, which, combined with a close-knit family background, has produced a player willing to put in the work to realise his potential.

Speaking to Charlie Morgan of Sport Magazine in April, he said:

I think it has come from various aspects of my life. Part of it is innate. That’s who I am. Another reason is the culture at Saracens.

Work rate is one of our key principles and one of the values we try to adhere to at all time. The final thing is how I was raised, my upbringing.

My parents always instilled that working hard towards achieving what you want to achieve was very important.

Itoje added that he "thanks God" that he "has some good genes as well," but there's a mental fortitude that's only likely to enhance any physical gifts the player might possess.

Harlequins No. 8 Nick Easter is another who has come out in support of the Red Rose youngster, and he picked up on Itoje's mental attributes as being among his strongest, per Jack de Menezes of the Independent:

He’s got the genetics, he’s a powerful man and he’s fit. He’s got a very mature head on his shoulders and he’s a very very humble guy. He was in the World Cup camp with me and was very mild mannered. He got on with his own business but trained the house down, performed 100% every time, not leaving anything in the tank.

He is a young and very talented guy who has been in a very successful youth set-up, winning the World Cup in 2014 as well as being part of a very successful Saracens side. That sort of confidence and belief and being in successful teams is rubbing off on him along with his exceptional ability.

That maturity will be a crucial component in enduring the constant waves of praise coming in his direction—and they are inevitable.

There's often no smoke without fire, and it can't be called coincidence that so many are happy to back a player who has only been on the professional circuit since 2014 and yet performs like a veteran.

As if it wasn't evident enough on the international stage of the Six Nations, Itoje continues to contribute tide-turning displays for Saracens, and his trophy cabinet looks set to grow later in May.

We speak of Itoje possessing the tools to one day become an England superstar, but the truth is caps and time are all that's truly missing—the rest is already there.

Scrum-half is one of Eddie Jones’ main selection dilemmas ahead of England’s Test series with Australia in June and beyond.

In Leicester Tigers' Ben Youngs and Danny Care of Harlequins, the England head coach has two No. 9s of similar profile and experience (they have 57 and 58 England caps, respectively). But Youngs should start for the national team, with Care coming off the bench

Danny Care ended the 2016 RBS Six Nations as the starting scrum-half, justifying his selection with an opportunist try against a badly aligned French pack (see video below). That is the 29-year-old's strength—instinctively spotting and exploiting space in opposition defences.

However, Australia will not be as laboured at the breakdown as Les Bleus, and not so lethargic at the fringes of rucks. If anything, given the potential inclusion of their own sniper from the base, Nic Stirzaker, the Wallabies will be more alert to Care’s threat.

But Care’s approach seems to embody what Jones wants his England team to be like: free-thinking.

Per the Guardian, Worcester director of rugby Dean Ryan noted after the France match: “Care’s try was an example of a team much more capable of playing what is in front of it rather than sticking to preordained sequences and one that is well prepared by astute analysis of the opposition.”

But it is worth remembering that Youngs can provide this, too. On that same night in Paris, his break was the catalyst for Anthony Watson’s score (see video below).

Care can be a very good player, but as his erratic selection for England over the past few years demonstrates, he has not had the consistency to demand inclusion.

Youngs is probably a better all-round scrum-half than Care, and when the Leicester man is providing tempo, he is just as good as Care as a running No. 9.

They run differently, though. Care is through a gap in an instant, his diminutive frame making him difficult for tight-five forwards to bring him down. On the other hand, Youngs carries the ball further in his hands before releasing a pass.

Critics will say this merely slows down possession, but at his best Youngs sucks in defends by picking the ball up from the base, creating more space out wide.

And when defences are stretched and guard the fringes of the ruck, Youngs’ arching runs past the guards and his good use of the dummy make him a potent attacker (see video below).

Youngs, as I mentioned above, is the more complete scrum-half. In particular, his box-kicking game is superior to Care’s, and with Watson—and to a lesser extent Jack Nowell—excelling in the air from the wings, we should expect England to try and gain field position by kicking to compete. Youngs can provide the ammunition.

Youngs’ case for starting would be even stronger were it not for the spectacular demise of George Ford.

Last year, the Bath Rugby man was superb in the thrilling victory over France. It is no coincidence that the man of the match that day was Youngs.

The two played together at Leicester and understand each other’s game’s well. As Owen Farrell is likely to be Jones’ fly-half, with the returning Manu Tuilagi at inside centre, Youngs’ case has been hindered slightly.

But Youngs’ all-round skills mean he is more likely than Care to control matters for England. To complement that, Care’s great strength—spotting gaps—is more useful in the final 20 minutes of a game, when defences tire or replacements are not yet up to speed with the flow of the match.

Youngs started three 2016 Six Nations games, and Care began two. There is no immediate imperative for Jones to find a pecking order, but for the Australia tour at least, he should start with Youngs and bring Care on for a high-impact final 20 minutes.

Dan Carter, the World Rugby Player of the Year for 2015, will be able to operate at the top level until the end of his current contract with Racing 92 in 2018, mainly because he is adapting his style to ensure his longevity as a world-class fly-half.

Carter will be 36 when his current deal ends, and it is hard to see the former All Black playing beyond then. As a World Cup winner, international points record-holder and arguably the finest player of the professional era, he has no need to play on beyond 2018.

But why will Carter be able to keep playing the rugby we expect from him when he is well into his mid-30s?

Most importantly, Carter’s move to France and the Top 14 was a shrewd one. The French league’s physicality may not immediately appear to suit the skilful Carter, but it is playing amid so much brawn that brains can shine through. The faster-paced Super Rugby may have exposed Carter’s diminishing speed as he enters his twilight years. Not so in France.

That said, Carter will depend on his Racing team-mates to maintain his form. Without dominance from the pack, Carter could struggle. But even then, as we saw in the Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulon, although his forwards were on the back foot, Carter was able to control the game as it entered its crucial phases. Writing in the Guardian, Paul Rees noted:

Daniel Carter took charge, putting Racing in attacking positions and cutting out risk, despite being virtually on one leg after aggravating a knee injury in the opening half. Carter’s precise tactical kicking relieved pressure at crucial moments and after largely being outplayed in the opening hour, they were on the front foot when it mattered at the end.

Carter will not be able to replicate the form of his early years. The 2005 vintage, for example, when he decimated the British and Irish Lions, was a superbly balanced runner—the best gain-line fly-half of all. That attacking Carter has largely been confined to history.

But as he showed throughout the 2015 World Cup, and especially in the knockout matches, the late-career Carter is still one of the finest tactical kickers and has some of the best hands of any back in the world. His goal kicking remains dead-eye. These are the skills that will enable him to operate at the top level until 2018.

Parallels between Carter and the other great injury-ravaged No. 10 of the millennium, Jonny Wilkinson, were rarely apt, but there are certainly similarities in the way these two geniuses approach the game in their mid-30s. Compare the way Wilkinson played when European Player of the Year in 2013 at Toulon to Carter’s current style and you find pragmatic game management firmly at the heart of their play.

Wilkinson’s evergreen form was aided by having a world-class partner at 12 in Matt Giteau to take some of the creative pressure off the veteran fly-half. Similarly, Carter will need scrum-half Maxime Machenaud to perform that role for him.

Ahead of the Champions Cup semi-final with Leicester Tigers, Carter’s former midfield partner Aaron Mauger told the BBC:

When he's on top of his game, as we saw at the World Cup, there's probably no better. He's pretty resilient, he's always worked very hard to be the best that he can be and that's why he has been one of the best the game has ever seen. He's a pretty complete footballer. He's had to re-package himself over the years, especially with injuries, but I think he's come back a better player.

Carter in 2016 is not Carter in 2005—and he shouldn’t try to be. One of the toughest skills for the ageing genius is to recognise his limitations. Great players adapt, and Carter is a truly great player. With his superb game management, handling and kicking, he will see out his contract at Racing while remaining in the top handful of fly-halves in the world.