Kiwi ‘fear factor’ gone

THE All Blacks’ record loss to the Wallabies in Perth left the proud rugby nation struggling to find positives yesterday with an increasing suggestion their golden days may be over.

“The intimidating aura which has served them so well fell with an almighty thud,” wrote Chris Rattue in the New Zealand Herald.

Not only were the reigning world champions humiliated by the 47-26 scoreline, but their record loss to Australia also ended a 10-year reign as the top-ranked side in the world, a decade in which they won the World Cup twice.

“The fear factor is largely gone,” Rattue said of the All Blacks, adding there was a good chance they would not win the upcoming World Cup and the “long domination which the incomparable Richie McCaw inspired may well have disappeared forever”.

That the All Blacks played the second half with 14 men after Scott Barrett was redcarded only added to their woes but was not the cause, for even when they had the maximum number on the field they were being comprehensively outplayed.

Tony Smith, writing for Stuff.co.nz, tried to find a silver lining by noting that Australia also beat New Zealand in the 2011 and 2015 southern hemisphere championships but it was the All Blacks who won the World Cup in both years.

But fellow Stuff writer Paul Cully was brutally honest in his appraisal of the All Blacks’ disappointing result.

“A more uncomfortable truth lurks below the headlines that Barrett’s red card will attract: say it quietly but the Wallabies were already the superior team.”