JOHN MITCHELL, on the Vodacom Rugby Portal, breaks down the tackle contest and underlines the value of modern fetchers.

There are some very effective openside flankers plying their trade in the 2015 Rugby Championship. Coaches select a specialist fetcher because they require their skillset, along with that of the No 8.

The best sides in the world don’t die with the ball – they try to keep it alive. For the All Blacks, the breakdown is not just a means of restarting play. The men with the silver fern on their chests always try to keep the ball moving and generate quick ball. It's never their intent to go to ground – it’s up to the opposition to put them there.

Read the rest of Mitchell's column

Photo: William West/AFP Photo