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‘Prospects have dipped significantly’: Scribe’s take on All Blacks’ World Cup chances
The All Blacks’ chances of winning the Rugby World Cup have “dipped significantly” after the loss to France according to well-known New Zealand scribe Liam Napier.
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It was also the All Blacks’ first-ever loss in a World Cup pool match. They were left in unfamiliar territory, and they’ve turned to their great rivals for guidance as they venture through the dark.
Four years ago, the Springboks became the first team to win the World Cup after losing a pool match. The Boks were beaten by the All Blacks in pool play, but went on to hoist the Webb Ellis Cup.
That historic World Cup run offers the All Blacks a glimmer of hope. Centre Jordie Barrett reflected on South Africa’s 2019 campaign, saying the first match taught them “a few lessons.”
But on the other side of the coin, there appears to be genuine cause for concern. The All Blacks were stuck in the fight for most of the Test, but rugby is an 80-minute game.
New Zealand Herald journalist Liam Napier described the 27-13 defeat as “quite predictable” earlier this week, and added that there will be “big questions” asked of the All Blacks throughout the tournament.
“To be honest, Darce (Darcy Waldegrave), it was quite predictable, I expected France to do that probably because the players the All Blacks had out,” Napier said on Weekend Sport with Jason Pine.
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“I thought New Zealand competed well for probably 50-odd minutes and then crumpled in the last quarter.
“They’ve got a number of issues to attend to: the scrum, they lost the ariel battle, their discipline was another major issue after Twickenham where they conceded three yellow cards.
“They will be a much better team when they get Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane and Tyrel Lomax back eventually, but they really need their best team on the park, for me, to compete with the top nations in the world.
“They’re currently ranked fourth in the world and they’re playing like it to be honest.
“Nothing changes from the respect that they’re going to have a defining quarter-final juncture but from an outside perspective, from a pundit perspective, I think their prospects have dipped significantly in the wake of that performance.”
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New Zealand couldn’t have started the World Cup opener any better with wing Mark Telea scoring after just 92 seconds.
The usually vibrant crowd quieted to a hush – they were left stunned as the All Blacks made their way back to their half for the kick-off.
But France was up for the fight.
Les Bleus looked like the All Blacks of old as they simply found a way to win a seesawingTest match. That’s what made the 2015 Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks so special.
That was the difference on Friday night.
“The All Blacks, they were the team that would win in any circumstance. If they were down and out, they would come back. They were the team that would steamroll opposition,” Napier said.
“On a sweltering night in Paris, this time it was the All Blacks weltering.
“They were missing some big players but you’ve got to question the team’s on-field leadership, I think you’d got to point the finger at the bench… serious questions to be had around the selection of the bench.
“There’s some big questions hovering over this team and they’ve got to win three pool matches, we’ve got to beat Italy, but we’re not really going to know whether they’re up to scratch, whether they’re able to compete with these top teams until the quarter-finals.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
42 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
122 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
122 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
42 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
122 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
42 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
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