Ghosts of past no longer haunt ABs

‘‘They’ll try to slow the game down. That’s the pace they want to play at and we’ll try to play at full bore with accuracy. That’s our challenge and if it comes off it doesn’t matter who you play; if you play that game it can rip anyone apart.’’ All Blacks coach Steve Hansen

Not all losses are created equal.

It was only in October that Australia beat the All Blacks 23-18, yet you’d almost think the game never happened. It’s certainly not referenced as a dark or traumatic day in New Zealand rugby.

Unlike October 6, 2007, which reared its ugly head again this week. Maybe it will every time New Zealand meet France in a test match. Particularly any French team that appears destined for a hiding.

A bit like this one. Towelled up 52-11 a week ago, France come to Wellington’s Westpac Stadium tonight with little other than history to recommend them.

Which was why, remarkably in some ways, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was asked if he had developed some coping mechanisms for the players, should France play as they did in beating the All Blacks 20-18 that fateful day in 2007, in their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal.

‘‘Oh look, if we’re just starting to work the answer to that question now we’re in trouble. I think we worked that out about half an hour after sitting despondently in a changing shed in Cardiff,’’ he said.

‘‘And one of the big lessons we learned is if you don’t plan for the unexpected, you’re going to get smacked by it.

‘‘Ever since that we’ve always expected the unexpected to happen and it’s one of the reasons why I think that, while it was a painful day in All Black history and particularly for the people who were involved in it – me being one of them – I think that game has had a significant bearing on what’s happened since. And most of what’s happened since has been pretty successful.’’

Unpredictable France has to be one of the hoariest old chestnuts going.

Only, in, say, 2007, 1999, 1994 and 1979 before that, plenty of folk can rattle off times when France unexpectedly tipped the All Blacks over.

Logic says it won’t happen in Wellington, but history says it could.

Never mind that the All Blacks’ set-pieces are better. That they have more skill, can play at a higher intensity and are more accustomed to overcoming adversity.

There remain well-documented occasions when France were able to lift and the All Blacks couldn’t match them.

So this Saturday, as was the case last, Hansen’s plan is dictate things from the start and never relent. To play at a pace France’s players can’t live with, to take the game to a place where they feel ready to give up.

It’s a tried and tested theory, but still comes with an element of risk.

‘‘They’ll try to slow the game down,’’ Hansen said.

‘‘That’s the pace they want to play at and we’ll try to play at full bore with accuracy.

‘‘That’s our challenge and if it comes off it doesn’t matter who you play; if you play that game it can rip anyone apart.

‘‘If you don’t have the accuracy, though, you can get beat and that’s happened to us.’’

As history will attest.