The All Blacks' record defeat to Springboks is exactly what they needed
When the full-time whistle sounded at Twickenham a couple of weeks ago, the All Blacks’ players, coaches and fans were left stunned.
In their final warm-up Test before the impending Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks had fallen to their worst-ever defeat. They were beaten, far too easily, 35-7 by South Africa in London.
Playing in front of more than 80,000 vibrant fans, the All Blacks couldn’t withstand the relentless waves of attack from the world champion Boks. Scott Barrett’s red card didn’t help, either.
But in the wake of that Test, many fans have deemed that match as ‘meaningless’ ahead of the World Cup. It seems like an attempt to cling onto hope, or risk falling into a pit of reality and pessimism.
In reality, the truth may hurt. The current crop of All BLakcs has since been branded the “weakest” New Zealand team in history by former France flanker Olivier Magne.
“To me, the big three of this World Cup is France, South Africa and Ireland,” Magne wrote in a column for Midi Olympique.
“I am especially worried about this New Zealand team.
“South Africa’s display against New Zealand is significant for the world of rugby.
“Now, isn’t this All Black team the weakest in history? I’m wondering. Really, I feel like New Zealand’s Rugby Championship wins were a bit of a sham.”
With the coveted Qatar Airways Cup up for grabs, the All Blacks were blown off the park. It was a bad defeat, but at least they won The Rugby Championship; at least they retained the Bledisloe.
While the rugby world still looks down upon the “weakest” All Blacks team in history, there’s a glimmer of hope for New Zealand fans.
From a New Zealander point of view, the All Blacks losing is never a good thing – but there’s an exception to every rule.
During the professional era, the All Blacks have never gone into a successful World Cup campaign on the back of a perfect run.
The Kiwis were beaten by South Africa and Australia in back-to-back Test leading into their drought-breaking World Cup triumph in 2011 and lost to the Wallabies a month before the 2015 event.
They were even beaten in their last Test before the inaugural World Cup, although that match against France was in November of 1986.
So, if you want onto cling to hope, then this is the stat for you.
The All Blacks, as good as they are, need to learn lessons from time to time when there’s a bigger prize or goal up for grabs.
That piece of history suggests that the All Blacks can win this World Cup, although “serious questions” will still be asked of them.
“Looking at the scoreboard, 35-nil after 65 minutes, I couldn’t believe it. Seven of the nine worst-ever Springbok defeats have come against the old enemy,” journalist Mark Keohane said after the Boks’ 35-7 win on Weekend Sport with Jason Pine.
“It was really the statement performance… they go into the World Cup on a high and New Zealand, for me, go in with some serious questions, once again, about their forward pack.”
If the All Blacks had won that Test at Twickenham, certainly by the emphatic scoreline the Boks achieved, the New Zealand rugby fans would be praising that game as perfect preparation.
The All Blacks would be riding high as the only unbeaten side going into this year’s tournament. They’d rather rightfully be bestowed the ‘favourites’ tag as well.
But, in truth, the All Blacks aren’t quite ready to be the favourites again. Having lost their last Test against Ireland, South Africa and France, this team needs to grow as much as possible.
Instead, they’re ranked fourth in the world and that’s a fairly accurate representation of where they’re placed. The All Blacks probably won’t win the World Cup, but that doesn’t mean they can’t.
That’s what an underdog is.
While New Zealand fans have taken the glass-half-full approach by writing off that Test as a meaningless battle, you can be sure that the All Blacks haven’t.
They got taught a lesson, and they’ll need to do their homework if they are to challenge for the sport’s ultimate prize in Frace.
Looking back at that loss in a year, fans may agree that it was the defeat the All Blacks needed. It wasn’t meaningless at all.
Comments on RugbyPass
Brilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to comments