Why the All Blacks aren't 'where we need to be'
International rugby is more competitive now than it ever has been before, but the expectation of the All Blacks remains the same: they’re supposed to win.
While it hasn’t all gone to plan for the All Blacks this year, including historic losses in New Zealand against Ireland and Argentina, they only lost four Tests.
But is that good enough?
The All Blacks won all of the major trophies on offer this year, including The Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup and Freedom Cup.
New Zealand also recorded big wins over Ireland, Australia, Argentina and Wales this season, after overcoming intense scrutiny over the last 12-months or so.
But heading into a World Cup year, the pressure that the team is under will go up another gear – 2023 is when these players have to do the coveted black jersey justice.
Speaking on The Breakdown this week, New Zealand-born Ireland international Isaac Boss said the All Blacks aren’t “where we need to be” after the dramatic draw with England.
“I’d say they’re probably rocking around a seven out of 10 at the moment,” Boss said.
“We always try to probably judge them a little harder compared to what we judge everyone else.
“When you look at how Ireland are going, still number one in the world, Argentina beating England – our losses have not been to bad teams.
“But we’re not where we need to be in terms of being able to close out those matches like the one against England last night.
“A good season I think with the trophies… but to go (to) that next level we need to increase it by 20, 30 per cent.”
But the international game really is changing and becoming much more competitive that what is ever has been before, and that’s great for the sport of rugby union.
Italy beat Australia for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago, and Georgia beat Wales at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium last weekend.
Rugby is in a great place going into next year’s World Cup in France.
While the All Blacks failed to win five of their 13 Test matches this year, Samoan international Taylah Johnson believes the team can take inspiration from the Black Ferns.
“We have to look at the international game and see how far other teams have come,” Johnson said.
“Yes, we do hold the All Blacks to such a high standard because of that big legacy that they have had, and particularly in the year before the Rugby World Cup, this is where you usually see the team fire.
“We haven’t settled on combinations, we don’t know who our best pairings are in a lot of places.
“We didn’t lose the Bledisloe because that would have just been absolute anarchy, we did lose to Ireland at home but again Ireland are the number one team in the world.
“Next year things can change. Look at where the Black Ferns ere at the end of last year and now they’re World Cup winners. I don’t think the All Blacks, we can count them out because they’re still building.”
Next year’s Rugby World Cup might be the first time ever that the All Blacks aren’t really expected to win the sports ultimate prize.
While the start of their international campaign certainly didn’t go to plan against Ireland, Ian Foster’s team can take plenty of positives out of how they finished their season.
The draw with England was disappointing, but they still finished the year on a seven-Test unbeaten run.
Just as Taylah Johnson said, if they can continue to build into next year then nobody in the rugby world can really “count them out.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments