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What All Blacks hopeful Cortez Ratima thought after World Cup heartbreak
With the blow of a whistle, referee Wayne Barnes brought an end to last year’s World Cup final in France. For All Blacks fans both at the Parisian venue and back in New Zealand, time stood still.
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The Springboks erupted into celebration on the sacred turf of Stade de France while the All Blacks were left to wonder what could’ve been after the agonising 12-11 defeat.
Among those wearing green in the stands – who, just like their rugby heroes, were also lost in a sense of jubilation – supporters in black were understandably upset. You could see it on their faces.
But well beyond the walls of the famed sports venue, all the way back in a small rugby-mad nation at the bottom of the world, All Blacks fans began to process the loss.
With the match getting underway on the morning of October 29, fans were still coming to terms with the undesired defeat by the time lunch was served on a now-historic Sunday in October.
Just like any other All Blacks fan, Test hopeful Cortez Ratima made sure to watch the World Cup final with loved ones – and just like any other All Blacks fan, Ratima was left “gutted.”
Ratima, who was joined by his own young family and his partner’s parents, watched on as Chiefs teammates including Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick were beaten by the Boks.
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“I might have been at home just up early, because it was an early game,” Ratima told RugbyPass. “Just at home watching.
“I was pretty gutted to be honest. We had a few of our Chiefs boys, seniors, probably their last game for the All Blacks and their last shot at a World Cup.
“Just felt gutted really for the boys. I was definitely supporting them hoping they’d go all the way because man they’re looking good, especially after that Ireland game.
“Just gutted for them really.”
Starting in the No. 9 jumper that night was All Blacks great Aaron Smith. But that was also Smith’s final Test in black which presents other young halfbacks with an opportunity.
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Ratima is widely considered an All Black-in-waiting. With Brad Weber leaving the Chiefs after last season, the 22-year-old is tipped to start for the Chiefs in 2024.
While Cam Roigard and Finlay Christie are still in the mix for national honours after last year’s World Cup, and Folau Fakatava is another potential candidate, Ratima is a chance.
The young scrum-half is firmly focused on taking hold of starting duties at the Chiefs this year, but after that, Ratima will continue to chase the “ultimate goal” with the All Blacks.
“That’s always gonna be the ultimate goal for myself. That’s the pinnacle of New Zealand rugby and where every nine wants to be,” Ratima added.
“I don’t know what you’re doing if you don’t want to be an All Black.
“That’s 100 per cent always the goal heading into this year, also obviously the goals of winning a Super Rugby championship title, being the number nine come round one, they’re all goals.
“Just pretty much gonna do what I can, park them up (and) have them in eyesight but try and live in the now and do what I can and take it one step at a time.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Nz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
2 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
2 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
1 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
187 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
187 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
187 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
187 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
187 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
187 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
187 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
187 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
187 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to comments