Is this the greatest test of modern-day rugby?
This article first appeared in the Herald on October 7, 2013.
Time fuels the mystique about legendary rugby tests but the All Blacks‘ latest victory against the Springboks will be hard to budge from the Hall of Fame.
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No modern test has delivered as much quality and controversy as the 38-27 win the All Blacks wrenched from the desperate grasp of the Springboks and the throats of the fanatical Ellis Park crowd.
If the nine-try thriller was not enough to rouse the 63,888 spectators a stack of subplots will keep a massive global television audience and the bars and braiis in Johannesburg fermenting into next season.
Debate simmered about Dane Coles’ participation because his name was not on the team sheet, several tries went to the TMO for review, Liam Messam and Ben Franks were sinbinned, Richie McCaw played his first test in 120 on the sacred ground and referee Nigel Owens tweaked a calf muscle.
Ace Springbok wing Bryan Habana scored twice in the opening 20 minutes then retired with a strained hamstring; Ben Smith clicked over his try-scoring tally; and replacement five-eighths Beauden Barrett skipped past four defenders for the vital championship bonus point.
Like most, Conrad Smith could barely run in the last 10 minutes as his lungs and legs rebelled against the frenzied pace of the test. His year is done now as he plans a rest before the next Super 15 campaign.
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Those who played yesterday might envy Smith’s timing after a test which wrenched at their spirit and skills throughout. There was no let-up, no downtime or sparring as the sides delivered a classic extravaganza.
In 2000 against Australia, the All Blacks’ late 39-35 win was billed as the greatest game ever played. If that description had added “in Sydney on a Saturday night”, it might have had more veracity. The clash of the Old Firms yesterday was several notches superior. Years from now, rugby congregations will be talking about October 6, 2013, and their views on this test.
It began with a jet fly-over in a nod to the magnificent theatre of the extra-time World Cup final between the same two nations in 1995.
This time there was a different result and the Boks were left sagging and picking at the turf with their boots as the All Blacks crested the victory podium. “These boys,” beaten skipper Jean de Villiers said of the All Blacks, “have set the bar and it is our duty to catch up to them.”
It was a thunderous battle between the top-rated sides in the world and a dramatic conclusion to an exhausting series which journeys through New Zealand, Argentina and also Australia.
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High in the stand, England coach Stuart Lancaster watched the fury unfold as he projected his plans towards a return clash with the All Blacks at Twickenham – the scene of their last defeat.
Since that 38-21 loss, the All Blacks have won nine successive tests, with the Wallabies the final domestic target in Dunedin before the trip to Europe.
The All Blacks won yesterday without Daniel Carter, Cory Jane, Keven Mealamu or Owen Franks, who started at Twickenham. When injury or dips in form have hit the squad since that test, the coaches and players have found ways to compensate.
Once again they showed that at Ellis Park in a formidable result and another remarkable chapter in the history of All Black rugby.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments