Watching last night's Rugby World Cup semi-final between Ireland and New Zealand, the main difference between the sides seemed to be the All Blacks' ferociousness at the breakdown.
Over the last couple of years, Andy Farrell's side have torn teams apart by producing quick ruck ball, something that gives them a strong attacking platform and does not allow the opposition to get their defensive set in place.
On this occasion, New Zealand made sure that Ireland were not given the opportunity to exploit this area of the game. They threw numbers in at pace to every Irish ruck, attempting to turnover possession or at least slow the speed of the attack.
It proved to be the winning of the game, although it was not a plan that came without risk.
Jerry Flannery explains risk of New Zealand game plan vs Ireland
Dominating the breakdown is always the first step towards winning any game of rugby, and while New Zealand had a huge amount of success in this area, their approach also cost them at times.
Speaking on RTÉ, Jerry Flannery summed up why their game plan against Ireland was such a risky one.
We lost here, but we lost to a team that phenomenally well. We played well, we didn't play to our best, but we played well and were right in the mix.
The thing is that New Zealand were so good at the breakdown. Look how they commit bodies, Ardie Savea is in on the ball before van der Flier.
They have committed so many bodies that there is space out wide. That is the risk when you commit to the breakdown so hard.
It didn't always work for them...
The other risk when you compete so hard at the breakdown is that you give away penalties. That happened them here where on the back of the penalty they gave away, Ireland set their maul and get the Gibson-Park try.
The fact is that New Zealand came out and said 'the only way we will beat this Irish team is going hell for leather at the breakdown', which they did. At times it worked for them and at times it didn't, that's the margins...
They're committing bodies in there, which is dangerous because it means there is space out wide. Here the winger doesn't release, they go on the wrong side with Wayne Barnes and give away another penalty. That gives Ireland a five-metre line-out and off the back of it they get their penalty try.
New Zealand went all in, they said 'we're going after the Irish breakdown and we will contest it as hard as we can'. Ireland scored two tries from this.
This is the key moment for me that decided it, Jordie Barrett stops Ronan Kelleher from grounding the ball. That's the difference and that's why Ireland are out of the World Cup in my opinion...
If Kelleher scores that try, it looks like New Zealand's discipline at the breakdown is what cost them. The margins are so fine at this level.
While their tactics cost them on a couple of occasions, it also likely that they would not have won the game had they not approached the game in this manner.
In the end, New Zealand got the balance spot in as they managed to overcome Ireland.
SEE ALSO: The Thrilled New Zealand Media Reaction To Epic Quarter-Final Win Over Ireland
