Cup hopes in Fantasyland?

First we had Mickey-gate and its cartoonish back and forth. Now, in the wake of the All Blacks being knocked into Disneyland in Perth, you can make the case that Steve Hansen should be as confused as Goofy with just one serious hitout left before his World Cup selection deadline.

The All Blacks hoped to answer a long list of questions in Saturday night’s Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies in Perth. Instead, after a runaway record defeat at the hands of Michael ‘Mickey’ Cheika’s Australians, on the back of another red card dished out by hardline Frenchman Jerome Garces, the tally of concerns, doubts and serious shortcomings has only lengthened.

Where do we start? The All Blacks head into Saturday’s Bledisloe salvage mission at Eden Park none the wiser on their two major selection experiments, with a potential second-row crisis hovering, major form issues hanging over them like a long dark cloud and their reputation as a side that plays the contact game on the wrong side of the law’s fine line enhanced.

The fact that Garces, who has sent off half of the All Blacks to be red-carded in their 135-year history, will control the pivotal World Cup pool opener in Yokohama against the Springboks should send a shudder down the spines of the team’s fans.

What is more, you can justifiably suggest that after being thumped so decisively by the Wallabies, on the back of unconvincing performances leading back to last September’s home defeat by the Boks, the All Blacks’ aura has been well and truly shattered.

Any psychological edge they

may have had over their rivals for the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan has now surely evaporated. There must be a bulging list of teams heading to the global gathering convinced they have the makeup and wherewithal to snap the New Zealanders’ RWC winning streak.

Hands up if you fear the All Blacks now? Didn’t think so.

Hansen will do his best to present a measured front this week in Auckland. He has to. The leader cannot offer even a hint of uncertainty or unease. He will want to take the point in spreading the ‘‘Keep Calm –

From all angles, the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup loss to Australia in Perth made for dismal viewing. From left, Ben Smith, right, and team-mates look on from the bench as does injured midfield back Jack Goodhue, centre, while coach Steve Hansen, right, had little to smile about.

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