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The All Blacks don't deserve to be let off the hook with 'underdog' status

By Hamish Bidwell
(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

It’s a cute narrative.

The All Blacks have no pressure on them in 2023, apparently. Yes, they can “ambush’’ the proper sides and maybe fluke their way to the Rugby World Cup title without anyone noticing.

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Wow. Since when were we Wales, Argentina or Samoa?

But don’t take my word for it. It’s All Blacks great Justin Marshall who’s saying New Zealand’s now a world cup smokey.

How far have we fallen? How low are our expectations? Since when did we start getting our excuses in early?

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Welcome to the world of the All Blacks as rank underdogs.

I don’t know about you, but I think our national team ought to be under untold pressure.

We have sacrificed everything for this world cup campaign and I would’ve thought the relevance of rugby in New Zealand was at stake here.

I mean, if the All Blacks don’t fire a shot at this tournament, then what is the point of the team?

Why do we pay players huge wages, grant sabbaticals and preach faith with a floundering coach if it’s not to become world champions?

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Club rugby is rooted, the provincial game an irrelevance and Super Rugby just a series of tune-up games for part-time players.

I would have thought that all the eggs were in one basket here. That the All Blacks simply have to win the world cup to justify the rogering of the rest of the game.

I’d say there’s an awful lot of pressure on here.

Pressure on coach Ian Foster, pressure on the New Zealand Rugby board and staff and pressure on the players to actually deliver.

I’d argue there hasn’t been enough pressure put on these people.

We’ve allowed them to spin yarns about challenging circumstances, while running the game and the All Blacks’ brand into the ground.

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We’ve tolerated mediocrity to the point where even a man such as Marshall – widely regarded as one of the best competitors and sorest losers of the modern era – says it’s largely okay for us to make up the numbers at the world cup.

I’m sorry, but I think we’re entitled to a bit more than that.

If the rest of rugby were in rude health and being played in front of tens of thousands of rapt fans and we had stellar participation numbers, then maybe I wouldn’t mind so much.

But it’s not, because we’ve pumped every available resource into the All Blacks.

The future of rugby in New Zealand is at stake during this year’s Rugby World Cup.

I would’ve thought that brought with it quite a lot of pressure indeed.

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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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