Wallabies coach Eddie Jones praises All Blacks' work rate and notes a tactical shift

Bledisloe II: All Blacks v Australia; Where: Forsyth Barr Stadium; When: Saturday, 2.35pm; Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, Stuff; live updates on Stuff

Eddie Jones is perfectly positioned to comment on the All Blacks.

Jones coached England to a 25-25 draw against Ian Foster’s side at Twickenham last November, before Rugby Australia’s decision to axe Dave Rennie put him in the Wallabies hot seat again for the 38-7 loss in Bledisloe I last week.

That timeframe covers a period when the All Blacks appear to have shifted up a few gears, from inconsistent test performers to Rugby World Cup contenders.

Jones is determined to knock them off in Dunedin on Saturday, but he also admires the way they have gone about their work this year.

“The big thing I see with them mate, is that their work rate is incredible,” Jones said in Dunedin on Thursday.

“Every time we made a line break [at the MCG] they were there in numbers to stop us going forward again, because we actually attacked pretty well in the first half.

“But, every time we got an advantage, they worked that hard to get the ball or get back in a position where they could take away our advantage.

“And I thought they were outstanding in that way and similarly their support play – the same high intensity.

“Tactically, they're probably simplified their game, but they were great off the ball, really first class, and that's what we aspire to be.”

The All Blacks’ fitness, both sides’ attacking mindset, and the refereeing style of Wayne Barnes produced an extraordinary statistic from the opening Bledisloe test.

Jones said the “ball in play” time was 44 minutes – that’s about 15 minutes more than some of the more stop-start contests in Super Rugby Pacific.

Asked if this was a pointer to a relatively free-flowing Rugby World Cup, Jones said it could be if referees let the game flow.

“Generally, World Cups have a pattern that up until the quarterfinal, you do get a lot more play and you do get the referees advantaging attacking play,” Jones said.

“And then once you get quarterfinal and particularly semi-final and final, things tend to tighten up a lot more.

“I don't think it'll be any different, but I think it might be more extreme. What we're seeing now is extremes in the game.

“You know, 44 minutes is a high ball in play for rugby. That's something that people dream about and the interesting thing is everyone said you have to have changes in the laws to get a game like that.

“You don't have to. The laws are fantastic, and if the referees continually apply it and have a theme – which they do at the moment, space and speed – then you get a great game of rugby for two teams who wanted to play positive rugby.”

Regardless of what happens in the second Bledisloe test in Dunedin on Saturday – and even at the Rugby World Cup – Jones is adamant that the renewal of the Wallabies needs to begin immediately.

He staunchly defended young No 10 Carter Gordon on Thursday, and even though he can’t say it publicly he might already have an eye on the British and Irish Lions series in 2025, with Gordon needing to be developed in time for that tour.

Jones noted that it took All Blacks No 10 Richie Mo’unga several years to look at home in the jersey – a byproduct of the position becoming much more demanding in recent times.

“It's only been the last 12 months that we've really seen a guy that looks like he belongs in the All Blacks,” Jones said.

“Not just playing a test here and he's worried about making a mistake.

“He played with such calmness on Saturday and his tackling, his work rate off the ball in defence was exceptional.

“It does take time and now particularly for No 10s, with defences being better and better organised and the line speed being harder, their job has become so much more difficult.”