TIME TO PRUNE THE ROSES
The All Blacks will take on England in their biggest game in four years, but their nerves won’t be any worse than those suffered by fans, writes Patrick McKendry from Tokyo
The past four years have led to this moment for the All Blacks and now they’re just one more hurdle away from a third consecutive Rugby World Cup final.
It’s been 1455 days since the All Blacks defeated Australia 34-17 in Twickenham, with England failing to progress past pool play in 2015.
But tonight the two heavy hitters faceoff at Yokohama Stadium in one of the most anticipated semifinals in World Cup history.
And with that in mind, the nerves of four and a half million people rest on the shoulders of 23 men and their coaching staff.
Unbeaten in 18 World Cup matches going back to that disastrous quarter-final loss to France in Cardiff in 2007, the team have earned their spot by thrashing Ireland in their quarter-final last weekend.
England, unbeaten at this tournament, similarly demolished Australia in theirs.
For the winner, a final date with either Wales or South Africa awaits. For the loser, the grim prospect of a bronze playoff match against one of those teams lurks.
The winning record of the All Blacks should be enough to keep fans’ confidence high enough to avoid too many butterflies, Mindworks psychologist Sara Chatwin said.
“To minimise the stress, people need to think about the amazing track record and the fact these guys are consummate professionals. Just take some time to chill, gather yourself with people who are very positive and supportive around you so that you have support in those harder moments.”
Because the country placed a lot of emphasis on sport and the All Blacks, if they lost there would be a considerable “level of disappointment”.
Before the storm of a test match, there is always the calm for the team. They will be forced to make thousands of complex decisions and adjustments — some conscious, most instinctive — under extreme pressure but, or perhaps because of that, their game-day schedule won’t change.
There is comfort in routine and so most will get up about 7am, have breakfast, go for a walk, have a coffee, start thinking about lunch, have their various problematic body parts strapped — shoulders, ankles, fingers, wrists — do the “walk-through” of the various moves, rest some more, and then assemble for the bus journey from central Tokyo to Yokohama — a journey of about 40km.
Kick-off is at 5pm local time (9pm NZT), so their preparations may not include the post-midday nap that many normally enjoy before a later start.
This match between the defending champions and No 2 team in the world must be considered the most significant of this World Cup so far and the players from both teams will trust what works for them, no matter their experience levels.
That will apply as much to Sevu Reece, the 22-year-old All Blacks wing who has played only six tests, as to skipper Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Sonny Bill Williams, the unique trio attempting to win their third World Cup in a row.
“On the day of the final I don’t deviate from this — there’s no way I’m changing anything,” Jerome Kaino says in his biography of the day of the 2011 World Cup final at Eden Park. “I had slept well too — I always do before a test. The night before, the boys were saying ‘this is our last sleep before we find out whether we win the World Cup’. Even at breakfast, it was ‘our last breakfast’.
“Our pre-match meal was ‘our last pre-match meal’. It sounds like we were condemned men, but it was said with a smile and genuine excitement. There was no thought given to the alternative.”
Tonight’s game is a final in everything but name because they must be considered the two best teams at this incredible tournament, one which has been set alight by the attacking play and success of the host nation, and the build-up has reflected that. The mind games from rival coaches Eddie Jones and Steve Hansen have come and gone — the claims and counter-claims of which coach and set of players is under the most pressure now nothing more than an entertaining memory.
The week has been richer for the toand-fro between the two big personalities and good friends but the talk of spies filming trainings and pressure chasing teams down the street will count for very little once the first whistle blows in front of a crowd of 72,000 and television audience of many millions.
“It’s going to be a great contest isn’t it?” Jones said. “Two heavyweights — one dressed in black, one dressed in white — you couldn’t think of a better scenario.”
The sense that Kieran Read is timing his run to peak for the pointy end of the World Cup will make many feel uneasy about how quickly they wrote off the All Blacks’ captain.
Not so long ago, as he gradually returned from back surgery last year, Read was, supposedly, a spent force.
While there’s no doubt Read didn’t immediately produce the consistency demanded during his comeback, a lack of appreciation persists about the seriousness of the work needed to repair a bulging disk that left him immobilised, in chronic pain and, ultimately, threatened his career.
“It just takes time,” Read reflected as he prepares to lead the All Blacks in their semifinal against England in Yokohama. “It was because of my nerves, and when your nerves are blocked and not working properly your whole body basically shuts down.
“I worked hard to get back at it and it’s probably taken a bit longer than what you anticipate. For me I had this goal of what this tournament was going to bring. Knowing that, I know where I wanted to be and this is where I am now. I’m really excited by what’s coming at the moment.”
What’s coming is Read and the All Blacks stand on the cusp of their third World Cup final in as many tournaments. And he is a major reason why.
Those who wanted Read ditched as skipper and dropped entirely are, now, nowhere to be heard. That’s a journey All Blacks coach Steve Hansen took time out to discuss this week.
“He has copped some unfair criticism of his form because what he went through with his back operation is massive,” Hansen says. “You can see it with Tiger Woods for a sportsman how hard it is to come back and how long it takes. In our game that has an effect on your speed, mobility, and it takes a long time to get back to where you were.
“He’s an older athlete now so we’ve had to be patient with him. While people wanted more from him, what we were getting at that time we were very happy with. “It’s very much like the 2015 World Cup with people criticising or
wanting more from Dan Carter and even Richie McCaw himself.”
Read’s performance in last week’s quarter-final victory over Ireland was phenomenal. Given the driven stare in his eyes, it should come as no surprise.
Of Read’s 13 tackles, the majority were crunching hits, many forcing errors. He also carried 18 times, three less than Beauden Barrett who set a World Cup record.
Ponder just how many times a fullback receives the ball in any match. Then consider the work Read did to near match Barrett’s efforts, while also throwing one superb offload for Codie Taylor’s try.
Much earlier in this tournament Read’s influence was clear elsewhere. During the frantic opening stages of the win over the Springboks he brought his team into a huddle, instructing them to stop throwing wild passes and instead set rucks. After that calming message, the All Blacks settled into their work and then exploded with two tries in six minutes.
Such leadership qualities may not always be publicly noted but, as Barrett explains, Read holds immense respect within this team.
“He’s inspirational,” Barrett said. “He leads with his actions, clearly, but also the influence
he has around the team.
His decision-making — we feel a lot of confidence with him leading us. The way he has been playing, getting up off the line and making some big tackles, there’s only one way to lead and that’s by example. He’s doing that very well.”
Read sparked fears this week after sitting out Tuesday training to protect a calf complaint suffered against Ireland. Injuries at this stage of the tournament are not uncommon but that Read will take his place at No 8 and mark England’s Billy Vunipola will ease Hansen’s nerves and, indeed, the nation. “Physically he’s back to where he can really come out and do the things we expect him to do and we’re seeing that now in how he’s playing,” Hansen says.
“I’m really pleased for him. I know it means a lot to him, as it does all the boys. It’s pleasing to see our leader leading in the form he’s in. May it last for some time yet.
“People in the game understand he’s been a world-class player for a long, long time. They’re now seeing he’s still a world-class player. The criticism comes because of how high a standard he set when he was healthy.”
Succeeding greats of the game is never easy. Whether that’s stepping into McCaw’s shoes at openside or Carter’s at first five-eighths, the bar is set so high it’s near impossible to reach.
But just as McCaw’s legacy is forever enduring so, too, will Read’s be when he signs off his All Blacks career in Japan.
“It’s difficult for anyone coming after someone like that but only if you allow yourself the hangover of wanting to be like him or her or whoever it may be you’re following,” Hansen says. “The key thing is having your own identity and understanding you’ve got to do it your way.
“Kieran Read is a totally different captain to Richie McCaw. That doesn’t mean to say one is better than the other they have different styles and that’s important because it’s who they are.
“The most important thing about your leader is he plays well. Both those guys did that, and are doing that.
“You can’t be inhibited by what was before you. You’ve got to be inspired by it. I think Kieran, in all honesty, has been inspired by Richie but he wants to do it in his own way and that’s a marvellous thing too because it gives you the freedom to be who you are.
“Whoever comes after Kieran will be inspired by Kieran but they’ll have to do it their way.”
After 11 years of toil and 125 tests, Read sits second on the All Blacks’ all-time caps list behind McCaw and Keven Mealamu. One more try and he will equal McCaw as highest scoring forward in All Blacks history too.
Fittingly, Read celebrated his 50th test as captain last week by leading one of the most dominant performances of the past four years. This week, he will be intent on celebrating his 34th birthday in a similar vein.
Read has already won two World Cups, playing influential roles in each. He’s since assumed the mantle to drive the team’s culture, standards and help push the All Blacks to this grand stage.
Whatever happens in Yokohama, Hansen is surely now not alone in appreciating Read’s qualities.
As he points out, Read’s not finished yet either.
“This tournament won’t define Kieran Read as an All Black. He’s already enhanced his standing in the jersey. He’s done enough already to say he’s a great All Black.
“I know Kieran personally will want more. We all want more from him, and that’s a good thing. If he wasn’t still in that frame of mind it wouldn’t be right that he’s here. While he’s hungry and driven we’ll get more and that’s exciting.”
It doesn’t seem humanly possible to give more than Read did against Ireland. But, then, this final chapter has been a lesson in defying what many thought possible.