No longer in league of their own
Critics have been quick to swoop on the All Blacks’ perceived vulnerability ahead of the Rugby World Cup
In case you hadn’t heard, apparently the All Blacks are “vulnerable” in this World Cup year.
The All Blacks ended 2018 with performances against England and Ireland that rang alarm bells in the media across the globe.
First, they only narrowly defeated England 16-15, thanks to a controversial late no-try call. Then they lost the biggest test of the year to Ireland 16-9 — their second loss of the season — leading to an unprecedented wave of pieces saying how vulnerable the All Blacks are.
Are rugby’s perennial No 1 vulnerable? If you believe the media, then yes. Yes they are. But who writes this stuff? Well, here’s a list of writers, pundits and publications who have used the “v” word (or something similar):
All Blacks ‘vulnerable’ after surprise defeat
Former Wallabies star Peter FitzSimons: “They lost to Ireland and they nearly lost to England last week. I mean, they’re vulnerable,” FitzSimons said on Australian TV programme Sports Sunday.
No longer unbeatable
Sam Peters (The Independent): “After New Zealand thumped one of the worst Australia teams in living memory in August, the crowing headline in the New Zealand Herald told us ‘Beauden Barrett’s All Blacks will be unbeatable at the World Cup’. Less than three months later, after Beauden Barrett’s All Blacks had been convincingly beaten by Joe Schmidt’s Ireland for the second time in a couple of years, we were reminded of the folly of such long-distance proclamations.”
All Blacks must evolve
Former Ireland and British & Irish Lions midfielder Gordon D’Arcy in the Irish Times: “The All Blacks remain 20 leagues ahead of the contenders — mainly because they constantly seek to evolve their attack on the pitch without fear of error — but they lack the control we saw in 2015.”
Veil of invincibility lost
Alistair Stokes of rugbymagazine.com: “The almost untouchable aura that has traditionally surrounded the All Blacks has suffered a gradual decline since the world’s top-ranked team claimed a second consecutive World Cup title at Twickenham in 2015. With Joe Schmidt’s terrifyingly coordinated Irish side disputing New Zealand’s place atop the World Rugby rankings and England’s and South Africa’s performances against the All Blacks over the last four months, the chasing pack are beginning to sniff Kiwi blood.”
Rivals closing the gap
Former All Blacks first five-eighths Nick Evans in The Guardian: “England have showed that the All Blacks’ rivals are working out where they can be pressurised. New Zealand were forced to rely on individual creativity to get them into the right areas of the field because their tactical kicking was not up to scratch and that will be a concern. Defensively, they also looked vulnerable, as we have seen in recent matches. There will also be a wariness about the All Blacks because England were tactically superior on the day.”
Daylight no longer second
Former All Black Craig Dowd (ESPN): “It is clear there is no longer a wide gap between New Zealand and the chasing field. There is a human element about the All Blacks at the moment and, if anything, they are a bit of a wounded beast. The confidence the opposing sides will take from their games is that the All Blacks are not unbeatable and they are no longer this team bound in mystique and aura that sets them apart from the rest.”
Cracks in New Zealand edifice
Mitch Phillips of Reuters: “[It] was the year when people began to think the mighty All Blacks might be vulnerable. What made that 16-9 [Irish] victory so much of an eye opener was that it was not any smash and grab affair or something achieved after an hour of heroic defence, but a controlled and deserved triumph in which Ireland looked the better team for most of the match and played as if they expected, rather than hoped, to win. It was the first time since 1995 that the All Blacks had failed to score a try against a northern hemisphere team and, in the face of the rush defence masterminded by Andy Farrell, superstars like Beauden Barrett suddenly looked distinctly human.”
Others are catching up
Herald editorial: “Against Ireland, they were comprehensively beaten, not just on the scoreboard but in territory, possession and sheer grit. Often we see opponents start a match with more fire and intensity than the All Blacks but they seldom keep it up. In the past the Irish have always faded well before the end. Not last weekend. The team coached by Kiwi Joe Schmidt never faded. They kept the pressure on the All Blacks to the final whistle.”
Winter is coming
Joel Kulasingham (Herald): “This defeat feels different. The All Blacks were well and truly beaten. Winter is coming — and Hansen is starting to feel the chill.”
That’s who writes this stuff.
Winter is coming — and Hansen is starting to feel the chill.
Joel Kulasingham