Neil Barnes was blunt after the Soweto defeat — the All Blacks are losing the series not because they're being outplayed everywhere, but because the Bok set-piece keeps putting them in the penalty box and costing them field position. Barnes conceded the scrum and maul have been dominant, with Marx's late rolling-maul try and a first-half penalty try doing the real damage in the third Test. His honest admission — that the All Blacks need to shift referee perception, not just fix technique — is an interesting angle. He maintained the gap is narrow, the game plan is sound, and the error rate is the chief culprit, but the piece makes clear that saying 'it's close' rings hollow when you're 2-1 down heading into Baltimore.
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All Blacks coach admits Bok set-piece is a 'gravy train of penalties' ahead of Baltimore decider
Barnes openly acknowledged the Bok set-piece has been the series' decisive weapon, while insisting the All Blacks' game plan doesn't need an overhaul — just fewer errors and a better handle on referee perception at scrum time. Baltimore will show whether that's clarity or denial.
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