No shut, ut was thus bug!
From the outhouse to the penthouse. In the space of five matches on their Northern Tour the All Blacks have stunningly recovered their reputation.
In a match that could only be described as a showcase of free flowing power rugby, the Kiwis blew Les Bleus out of the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
How is it that just a few months back they were on the verge of becoming the worst performing team in All Black history and vilified by all and sundry?
Limping through a domestic international series including a loss to France and three Tri-Nations defeats to the Boks, any more than four test losses in a season would have sent them to purgatory, a place where rugby coaches never return.
One more loss and there would have been bloodletting – Smug Ted’s, Porky Hansen’s or Smithy’s, plus a ream of players.
Luckily for them their next match was against an under performing and heartless Wallabies side in Wellington and all was forgiven as the All Blacks easily saw them off.
There were two major differences between those early games and the rest of the season, injuries to Richie McCaw and Dan Carter and to a lesser extent Sitiveni Sivivatu.
You’ll remember the five eighth conundrum over Stephen ‘Andrew’ Donald’s journeyman-like performances and the fast tracking (with indecent haste) of Luke McAlister from the Old Dart to provide some sort of cover.
Of course, the All Blacks without their talisman McCaw were like Laurel without Hardy. The International Rugby Player of the Year makes that much of a difference.
I’m afraid Tanerau Latimer or Adam Thompson at openside, albeit both very good players, are no substitute for the world’s best flanker.
It took them a little while to fire, especially with Carter returning from a serious injury, but once back and match fit they both contributed magnificently. And where did they get that match fitness?
In the second tier Air New Zealand Cup which provides a huge resource well for Kiwi rugby. Think Zac Guildford, Mike Delany, Ben Smith, Wyatt Crockett, Andy Ellis and Tamati Ellison whose All Black selection credentials were enhanced and in some cases secured via this tournament.
In Australia we can only look from afar and dream that one day we’ll have a talent pool like this to provide ‘ready made’ recruits to the Wallaby program.
Another thing the All Blacks have had to adjust to in recent years is the bleeding of players to the euro or pound – Jack, Hayman, Collins etc and importantly promising players who would be their potential replacements. There have also been long term injuries to Ali Williams, Keven Mealamu, Isaia Toeava and McAlister.
Despite winning last year’s Grand Slam, the pundits predicted that this year’s ‘almost famous’ team would have great difficulty patching together five successive wins and based on form that was a reasonable call. The problem areas had been the lineout, continuity and a general lack of confidence.
The Northern Tour began in Tokyo with the Wallabies being dished up for another helping, the seventh successive win against their weakest Tri-Nation’s opponent. This 32-19 win gave the All Blacks confidence to take onto Europe.
Wales provided stern opposition, certainly sterner than against the Wallabies, and went down fighting 19-12. The Welsh seemingly have a psychological issue with the All Blacks, being unable to defeat them in the last 56 years.
Despite plenty of possession and expansive play, the Welsh were too lateral and couldn’t break the All Black defence. The All Blacks responded by ‘Garryowens’ all day.
Next up, the dirties had a run against Italy and were somewhat embarrassed in front of a partisan 80,000 crowd in Milan. This was an ugly match with the Italians taking it up to NZ at scrum time. The Italians were trying to slow the game down and minimise the damage, rather than attempting to win.
Warnie rugger!
The match (won 20-6) will be best remembered for the last six minutes as the Italians were camped on the All Black line giving their scrum ‘what-ho’, time after time, penalty after penalty.
Stu Dickinson will remember this game for all the wrong reasons.
The All Black First XV was back on deck for the England match. It took about two thirds of the game before the All Blacks finally got on top of a surprisingly resilient England side.
There was only one try in it and the Poms were continuing to attack at the end but once the score blew out to 19-6 it was effectively over.
Despite some criticism of the skill levels on both sides, the match was entertaining as a spectacle with the All Blacks very pleased with their defensive performance and England happy not to be embarrassed.
Ooh la, la. Les All Blacks were simply outstanding against Le Frog in a 39-12 thrashing. A sublime performance of running rugby and a lesson in how the game should be played.
The All Blacks have improved incrementally throughout the season and appear to be just about back to their normal self. The progression of players like Reid, Donnelly, Franks and Jane must be heartening news for them as the All Black sausage machine keeps churning them out.
In comparison to the All Blacks depth, the NZ Herald puts the Wallabies situation in perspective:
A huge Wallaby victory in Cardiff, built on a tremendous frontrow effort, was an illusion. The Welsh defence, from the start, was woeful and their passion and fluidity non-existent. You can forgive the odd defensive alignment problem, but the one-on-one tackling was pathetic. The Welsh scrum was dreadful, especially on the tighthead side. Australia’s spread of quality players barely covers the starting XV and is quickly exposed on the bench, as it will continue to be.
I suppose that means Ted is now allowed to be smug.
Tags: Adam Thompson, Ali Williams, Andy Ellis, Ben Smith, carl hayman, chris jack, cory jane, Dan Carter, Gerry Collins, Isaia Toeava, Keiran Read, Keven Mealamu, luke mcalister, Mike Delany, Owen Franks, richie mccaw, Stephen Donald, Tamati Ellison, Tanerau Latimer, Tom Donnelly, Wyatt Crockett, Zac Guildford
Lance Free: A nasty, opinionated little man whose narrow views and felonious intent can only mean 'Trouble' with a capital T. Interests: dwarf throwing and robotics. Favourite Sport: mungo bashing. Does he ever have anything positive to say? 
Interesting piece..
I wouldn’t exactly call Stephen Donald “depth in reserves”.. lets face it – it is pretty clear that the Blicks have no rock solid solution for when McCaw and Carter are out. But that’s what you get when you have heroes.. I consider ourselves lucky to have found Pocock.
Yet we will always be short on depth with the lack of an npc style competition. It’s all about the Fans and the $$.
Its a bit much for a NZ writer to be saying that Wales didn’t provide much of a test…The Welsh DID test NZ, but not the Wallabies and was he even watching the NZ/Fra game? France completely failed to show up. Their tackling, decision making, defensive alignment etc… was terrible. Either they were both excellent games for the winners, or just opposition that didn’t show up…but it was the same for both tests.
Quite right CR – bit arrogant really. However, I agree with him about the depth aspect. We haven’t any….
I wouldn’t get too fussed by the one-eyed kiwi reporter. Most kiwis in the same situation (like you mentioned about le frogs) would say that you made them play like shite by blowing them off the park (eg the first few scrums).
The AB’s brought the wrong game plan to the Welsh,.. we didn’t.
Everything the All Blacks win a game they always get the same old rubbish thrown at them. In this case Face didn’t play the best of games.
I wonder CR have you ever played a game of rugby? I have and I can tell you most of the time a rugby team will preform as well as its opponent will allow it. There are of course freak occurrences like Scotland beating Australia which should have never have happened as Australia out played Scotland all over the park but just did not seem to be able to finish.
This year New Zealand rugby lost 4 games which is somewhat of a horror year for New Zealand rugby in every game the team lost there are no excuses offered, the team our selectors put on the field was the best team available for that moment those players are expected to wear the jersey with pride and take the opportunity to prove that they are worthy of the legacy that jersey carries if they fail and continue to fail they will be dropped and discarded.
France did not fail to show up they were not allowed to play their natural game.
I wonder what gloats you would come up with if France had won the day?
I want to see how the rugby world would react if New Zealand signed the Australian Constitution Treaty 1901 and New Zealands rugby competition and structure was integrated into the Australian union.
I’d say we’d need to find a phrasebook….
@CR,
It wasn’t the same game. Different oppositions and different tactics.
The wallabies won against a welsh side that under estimated them. A good win I might add to the wallabies.
But the AB’s went into this match against the French as favorites. The French tried everything but to no avail. The AB’s were firing from everywhere. On the day, the French just did not have an answer.
Stop being an ill informed commenter on G/GR. You go by the name CanadianRugby but haven’t said anything about your team…Canada?
Every team that comes to play in a test…SHOWS UP!..The French and the Welsh are both good teams. Your problem is that you don’t show/give respect to where its due.
What number ranked is your Canadian Rugby Union Team?…you are in the top 20,aye?
Say something useful, or just zip it, mate.
Mate you sound pretty arrogant.
You lost 3 zip against the Bokke but all of a sudden you think nr1 will make you all high and mighty.
Broer leave the small dogs alone and leave the gracious winners for the top dogs.
Thats your opinion,mate..
Fair enough… But when you start writing ..Bull Crap like 4 love…or all this garbbage about the AB’s..you will get responses in the same manner…
Who are you to label groups of people as small dogs or Top Dogs…When you come on this site, and make a comment, be sure you’re ready to back it up….
When people come on this site and know no shit of what they are talking about…And make bold comments like…Mr CR, here…
In your case, its called whats goes round comes round…Its the comes round bit that’ll hurt..BROER…
For the record again Paarlbok, its not your Losing springboks team thats playing the AB’s. But if it’ll make you sleep better at night knowing that the Barbarians beat the AB’s then you better cross your fingers…aye!
Its not going to happen..so deal with it.
Ring, ring, Is there a arrogant All Black supporter at home????
One golden tip from this Boer, let the result do the talking!
I don’t like the All Blacks or NZ sports reporters
@Patrick,
A lot of hate there, matie…
You don’t like them because they are so good…
thats understandable…
A typical arrogant wallabies fan
The ab’s had a very positiove November tour. The last game against the frogs was a sign of things to come next year. The frogs weren’t allowed into the game. Yes, they showed up all right.
A well deserved break for the ab’s. Number one in the world at the moment.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy and properous New Year to you all.
Cheers guys.
Good they peak this time of the WC cycle against the Hane, just the usual repeat of history.
The Barbarians are up next for the AB’s. A good game to blood some young guys and give a chance to the players who have not performed to the required standards this AB’s team is expected of.
What a fitting finish to the year for the AB’s. Just when some people think they are gone, they turn things around and shut them up and just go out there and play their own brand of rugby.
The AB’s haven’t peaked yet…no..no.. History will not be repeated this time thats for sure. Its going to be a mammoth task winning the world cup at home but anything is possible with this current players and new ones who’ll be added along the way to 2011.
Very exciting times for the AB’s..
GO THE ALL BLACKS…
Yep the Bokke & Pals with Mallet as coach have the perfect oppertunity to make it 4 love on the weekend.
Just to lift the moral of the SA supporter.
@paarlBok
Win or lose it’s going to be one hell of a game to watch
Good luck to the Barbarians
Either way the AB’s are still going to smash those Barbarians…
KAPAI…ALL BLACKS…
@ Sweet Az and NZRugby
Did you even read what I wrote? My point was that the NZ writer was contradicting himself. I agree with you that teams are as good as the opposition let them played. However, this writer was claiming that Australia won because Wales failed to show up, while the ABs won because they were just too good. You can’t have it both ways. I actually think, in sports its a combination of both, one team plays well the other played badly. It think its a stupid statement to claim that NZs win was worth plenty more than the Aus’ win. They were the same value. Huge wins against good teams.
and why would I talk about the Canadian rugby team? Its an Australian rugby blog. I lived and played Rugby in Australia, I like Australia. I like rugby and enjoy discussing it with some well informed, intelligent people. Until you two showed up I was getting that. I actually like most Kiwis too. Just not you two.
@Cr
I agree and disagree. I’ve only just watched the Australian game so I’m now in a better position to comment. Australia played very well but Wales did not play as I would have expected them too.
The game reminded me very much of the Australian Springbok game earlier this year where Australia turned up to play and the Springbok didn’t by contrast the next week the Springbok went on to beat New Zealand for the 3rd time this year.
Do Australia have a good rugby team? They have the makings of one but a few injuries would cripple their team just like injuries to the Wales cripples them. Australia needs a 3rd tier competition under the Super series if they are going to develop any depth of player base.
Australia are always hard to play against and you never know if they are going to play hard fast rugby or be dreadful but on their day they can beat anyone.
New Zealand on the other hand is far most consistent. If the All Blacks had returned to Europe with played 4 won 2 drew 1 lost 1 the tour would be considered a complete fail not a “Oh So close to the grand slam”
I don’t like you either. I see you as another member of the “If the All Blacks win they cheated. If they lose its because they suck.” Society
I don’t think the All Blacks cheat any more than anyone else. And since every good rugby team cheats, I don’t really see this as a problem. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve ever accused the All Blacks of cheating, you clearly made that up in your own little mind. And you still aren’t understanding my point, so I’m done talking about this.
And have you seen anyone in Australia call this tour anything other than a complete failure? Unless you think headlines like “Grand Sham” are supposed to be positive?
So you want to have six pack abs? Well, ab machines are not the answer. Abdominal machines are able to strengthen the abdominals but they are not the answer. Training with resistance, watching your diet and lowering stress in your life are key to help you get six pack abs.