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What’s motivating ‘cynical’ All Blacks ahead of World Cup final
When the All Blacks run out onto the hallowed turf at Stade de France on Saturday, they won’t just be representing themselves, each other or the management in the stands. The All Blacks will be playing for much, much more.
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Not many people expected the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup after their record 35-7 loss to the Springboks at Twickenham in August. The All Blacks, it seemed, had lost their charm and aura.
Former French international Olivier Magne called this All Blacks team the “weakest” in history ahead of their World Cup opener against Magne’s countrymen – which New Zealand lost 27-13 on September 8.
But the All Blacks have continued to chip away week after week – away from the watchful eyes of even their most passionate fans. They’ve continued to back themselves as slowly, more and more New Zealanders dared to dream of another World Cup crown.
When the All Blacks run out onto the hallowed turf at Stade de France on Saturday, they’ll be playing for the legacy of the jersey and the pride of a rugby-mad nation at the bottom of the world.
“Part of the challenge is to discover that yourself. We get it from the history and the legacy of the jersey, which is massive for us. The people who have walked the journey we have walked are pretty special,” Foster said on Friday.
“The All Blacks have always had a special place in New Zealanders’ hearts. The amount of support we have got from our country has been quite overwhelming.
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“We are generally a conservative bunch, we are generally cynical at times. We show our love and support while criticising yet that has swung around a little bit. Suddenly there is a lot of excitement from our country.
“We get it from the people we represent, our families and our past. Then when we shut the door and get in a circle it’s also that group of people who are massively motivated to meet the standards we have set ourselves.”
This is the end of an era for the All Blacks. Many champion players from New Zealand’s triumphant campaign at the 2015 will don the coveted black jersey one last time in Saturday’s decider, including Sam Whitelock.
With more than 150 Test caps to his name, the most experienced All Black in history will look to bow out of the international game with a record third World Cup title. It’s a feat that, should Whitelock achieve it, may never be matched or broken.
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But Whitelock is one of many. Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick and Dane Coles are also retiring from the All Blacks – and this appears to be the end of the line for Beauden Barrett, Nepo Laulala and potentially Richie Mo’unga.
These players will be desperate to go out on top of the rugby world. With 1387 caps between them, this is the most experienced All Blacks team to ever play in a World Cup final.
“We have got a great balance of people that have been there and haven’t been there. When you ask the group to put their hand up if this is their first World Cup final or first World Cup, more than half of the team put their hand up and that includes some of the management,” Foster added.
“We have got a great mixture and the ability to have people who have been there to pass on some learnings has been special. The real message the experienced players like Sam and Dane Coles have passed on is not spoken, it’s done. It’s about actions. It’s just showing how to prepare, how to deal with the pressure.
“Those people have done a fantastic job and Sam is a massive example of that. It’s been a highlight reel of achievements for him the last five or six weeks.
“I remember being asked in a media conference a few weeks ago what also he could achieve, and being the first man to win three [Rugby World Cups] would be pretty special. We would feel a lot of honour if that happened.”
Comments on RugbyPass
What a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
2 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
2 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to comments