Will the All Blacks affect the upcoming NZ election?
It’s no secret that rugby means a lot to New Zealanders. There’s been studies on how our obsession for the national game affects society off the field, for example how a single test win affects the economy.
If you didn’t know, New Zealand has a general election coming up this weekend – so it’s probably worth having a look at how the results of the All Blacks have stacked up in the election years past. Especially those when there’s been a shift from one of the two major parties, Labour and National.
Elections in NZ are held towards the end of the year, after the test season is finished. In the professional era that’s meant it’s often only weeks after.
It’s almost crazy to think that something like this would affect the way people vote, but there’s been more than a few years when the All Blacks’ results mirrored that of the incumbent party’s fortunes.
1960 – One test win, National ousts Labour. Well, technically it’s two (if you count Rhodesia as a test match) on the All Blacks’ ill fated tour of South Africa. That’s all that New Zealanders could cheer about at the beginning of a decade that would see the National Party in power for the next 12 years. During the 60’s the All Blacks more or less held the rest of the rugby world in a stranglehold.
1972 – Aftermath of consecutive series defeats to Springboks and British Lions, Labour wrests power back from National. The early ‘70’s were not a great time for the All Blacks, first losing another series in South Africa then famously going down to the Lions for the only time in history.
1975 – Only one test played all year, but National campaign (among other things) on bringing re-establishing sporting relations with South Africa. They win, and the ramifications of this one were pretty far reaching. The subsequent 1976 tour to South Africa led to an Olympic boycott that year by the ANC, with 29 countries not attending the Montreal games in protest.
1981 – Test series win over Springboks, National narrowly defeat Labour. A year when rugby literally split the country in two came to a close with the ruling National party winning a close election. Almost as close as the infamous deciding third test, which was won by the All Blacks after eight minutes of added time.
1987 – All Blacks win World Cup, Labour defeats National. Labour had won the 1984 election, due in no small part to then Prime Minister Rob Muldoon calling a snap election while completely hammered, and spent the next three years alienating many of its traditional support base with free market economic reforms. It clung on for another highly controversial term in ‘87, after the country had hosted and won the inaugural World Cup.
1993 – All Blacks beat British Lions, win back Bledisloe Cup, National retains power. After winning the 1990 election, a year in which the All Blacks had their 50 match unbeaten streak broken by the Wallabies, National presided over a World Cup loss in 1991 and the controversial introduction of the Employment Contracts Act. It should be noted that the shock 15-9 loss to England in ‘93 came three weeks AFTER the election.
1999 – All Blacks knock out of World Cup, Labour crush National. Probably the most clear cut case of an All Black defeat cementing the mood of the public, the sensational defeat by France coming just a matter of weeks before the change in government. Not even a blatant election bribe by reducing the the drinking age could sway young voters, who helped usher in a Labour regime that would last until 2008…the year after the All Blacks crashed out of the World Cup quarter final in Cardiff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UVbA9ZZixI&t=348s
2011 – All Blacks win World Cup, National re-elected in a landslide. Then-Prime Minister John Key had a choice: whether to go to the polls before or after the Rugby World Cup. He chose the latter and would’ve been slightly sweating on the overwhelming favourite All Blacks’ dramatic one point win over France in the final. A month and a few victory parades to lift national spirits later, Key was re-elected comfortably.
The evidence is pretty strong that a below average All Black season will result in a change of government. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be an election year – the shock loss to Ireland last year was followed a month later by Key’s resignation.
So what do the 2017 All Blacks’ form bode for the rival political forces of New Zealand? It’s likely that this year will be remembered as the one where the All Blacks couldn’t dispatch the British & Irish Lions – which has to be seen as a failure.
However, last weekend’s demolition job of the Boks was a good sign for the incumbent National government and Prime Minister Bill English – who is a legitimate lifelong rugby fan (unlike his predecessor Key, who seemed to enjoy getting his photo taken with Richie McCaw more than the games themselves).
Meanwhile, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has yet to be quizzed on her thoughts about the All Blacks. It is worth noting she is standing for the Mt Albert, one of New Zealand’s strongholds of rugby league – so she’ll be hoping her fortunes don’t mirror those of the Warriors.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
28 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 🤐
19 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….
28 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….
19 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….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments