Hayes: Ireland can learn from versatile New Zealand

The World Cup reaches its finale this weekend with the two sides many people predicted facing off for the William Webb Ellis trophy. Near neighbours, New Zealand and Australia know each other’s games inside out and there won’t be too many surprises in Twickenham – even if this is the first time they’ve met in a World Cup final.

The semi-finals turned out largely as expected last weekend. New Zealand showed why they are the best team in the world in their win over South Africa. Whatever challenge they’re faced with, they have the game to deal with it. The Springboks are a one-dimensional side where plans A, B and C amount to the same thing: crash, bang, wallop. They try to out-muscle sides and beat them up physically. Argentina are almost the opposite with their new philosophy of trying to run the ball from everywhere. New Zealand have beaten both of them in this World Cup and have shown that, to win a tournament, you need to be able to deal with different styles of rugby. It’s not about just having a good kicking game or playing expansive rugby all the time – you have to be able to do what’s required on the day in question. On both occasions, they knew what they were up against and knew what they had to do to win. They know what they’re up against on Saturday too and I expect the outcome to be the same.

World cup FINAL

Looking at the faces of the Australia players after their win over Argentina on Sunday, you could tell they were absolutely spent. They were battered, bruised and exhausted. They had to play right till the very end and with New Zealand having a day extra to recover, it’s looking good for them retaining their crown.

Just as Ireland couldn’t recover in time to face Argentina after the France game, and Argentina couldn’t recover in time to face Australia after they beat us, I don’t think Australia will be able to recover sufficiently to be able to defeat the All Blacks.

The winning of the game could well rest with the player wearing the black No 10 jersey for the last time. While New Zealand are going for two World Cups in a row, Dan Carter will feel like he’s going for his first. He got a medal for the 2011 win but he probably doesn’t feel he earned it as he picked up an injury before the final group game and missed the rest of the tournament. Winning against Australia this weekend would be the crowning glory of a great career.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw will be playing his 148th and last test for New Zealand but he’ll have a tough day against David Pocock and Michael Hooper, who are basically operating as two open-side flankers on this Australia team. McCaw has never really gotten the better of Pocock when they’ve faced each other and he won’t have a minute’s rest on Saturday. Pocock and Hooper will be at him all day and New Zealand will have to be mindful of those two. It’ll be interesting to see if they stick to their usual open game plan or if they play a tight kicking game to negate the influence of the two flankers.

Both sides love to play rugby but it’s the World Cup final and you have to get the job done. Argentina ran the ball from everywhere and it played into Australia’s hands; New Zealand won’t make the same mistake. If they have to kick the ball to win, that’s exactly what they’ll do. I expect Carter to stamp his authority on the game and make up for 2011.

PLAYING AGAINST NEW ZEALAND

I always loved playing against New Zealand. You improve from playing against the best and New Zealand are certainly that. You know you have to perform or they’ll put 50 points on you. They set the bar in international rugby and they’ll continue to do so after the World Cup, whatever happens on Saturday. When McCaw, Carter and whoever else retire after the final, new guys will step in and by the time the Lions tour comes around in 2017, they’ll have new superstars and they’ll continue as they always have.

My last experience against them in 2010 wasn’t one to remember. I got sick in the week of the game and missed the match, although maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing in the end as we took a bit of a hiding. Jamie Heaslip was sent off and Rodge got a yellow card and they took us apart. If they get a sniff, they put tries on you and it can be tough going. They’re ruthless when they face teams with 15 men – never mind 14 or 13. Australia will have to be disciplined on Saturday. If they have players sin-binned, I expect the All Blacks to loosen up and really go for tries.

IRELAND have to target six nations

Away from the final and with the benefit of time to mull over Ireland’s World Cup, it’s clear that for us to be successful we have to be at our very best every time we play. We don’t have the luxury of being able to beat sides if we’re not at 100%. We have to be right physically and play with the intensity that was lacking in the first 20 minutes of the game against Argentina.

We’ll have a couple of high-profile retirements of our own over the next couple of years and the players coming into the side have to realise that it’s one thing coming off the bench and having experience beside you on the field, but it’s completely different if you’re the starter and the responsibility lies with you.

The Six Nations will be a strange tournament next year with the northern hemisphere sides doing so badly at the World Cup but Ireland still have to target it. There’s been a lot of talk about building towards the 2019 World Cup and sacrificing the Six Nations for a couple of years but I don’t buy that.

We could pick a load of young fellas and blood them for the next World Cup but we still have to try to win the Six Nations. You’re not going to forfeit two or three campaigns and finish last with a load of young lads but then turn around and say it was worth it because you capped 10 new players. We can’t afford to do it as a team or as a nation. The Six Nations is also where the money comes from so the IRFU won’t be in favour of it either. We have to stick largely with what we have, pick the players with experience and introduce new players over the next two or three years.

Success breeds success and you need to win competitions to bring through new players on to winning sides. Winning is a habit and if you want success in the long term you need to put an emphasis on success in the short term. And if you want an example of a team where that works, just take a look at New Zealand this Saturday.