All Blacks suffer from harsh expectations
Roar Guru By James Mortimer, 17 Jun 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Dan Carter, France Rugby, Mils Muliaina, Rugby Union
The All Blacks have the cliché “you’re only as good as your last game” applied to them more than any team in world rugby, which puts into perspective the pressure that the players and coaching staff face.
When Dan Carter looked to move overseas, he said at the conclusion of the World Cup – where he took the field despite still suffering the effects of a calf strain – that he was unprepared for the pressure that both he and the squad felt in both the build up, and after the tournament.
A further comment was made by Carter – who has now resigned with the Canterbury Union – about the pressures of New Zealand rugby, saying that the expectation and pressure was felt at all levels, both on and off the field.
Interviews with Carter before leaving Perpignan indicated that, beyond the joys of living life in Europe, the lack of pressure in France was uplifting and equally quite surprising.
We now see this pressure applied again, after the All Blacks suffered a 27-22 loss to an excellent performance by the French.
In fact, it wasn’t that Les Bleus were particular brilliant, but rather executed a simple game plan to which the All Blacks couldn’t, and quite simply never, looked like countering.
As a consequence, the hounds are unleashed to the All Blacks’ door.
Equally, the memories of their ardent fans show themselves to be short indeed.
The comments have been remarkable.
“This proves that the NZRU made a mistake in reappointing Graham Henry.”
A coach who, with 64 games, has amassed a near 86% winning record, better than any other in rugby history of any country.
“The All Blacks have been playing poorly for quite some time.”
Their last match before France was a victory over England, their ninth straight win, securing a Grand Slam and winning their thirteenth test match for the calendar year.
“It was the worst All Black team on record, and the result proves it.”
It was a team where, from the 2008 All Blacks squad, seventeen players were injured, three were unavailable, and a further eight were simply not selected. Some remark that this is an excuse. It is merely a fact.
So, in theory, they should be cut some slack.
But, when you have a 74.4% winning record with 331 test victories over 106 years of test rugby, you are a heavily marked side.
By both foes and friends alike.
It wasn’t so much that the All Blacks lost, but the way in which they did.
One could argue that the most positive thing to come from the loss was the margin. To lose by only five points when completely outplayed is the mark of a team that has something to offer.
But unlike last year, when humbled by the Wallabies in Sydney, there will be no Richie McCaw to come in and add not only his mercurial brilliance to the team, but the talismanic leadership that this All Blacks team seems to thrive on.
As Rodney So’oialo found out last year, now Mils Muliaina, who had a brilliant debut year as captain for the Chiefs, has discovered the same difficult principle. Captaining a Super 14 team is one thing, but leading your country is an ordeal that makes mortals of otherwise outstanding players.
And never has it been shown so apparently that the domestic competition that is the pride of the Southern Hemisphere, is an unsuitable testing ground for the rigours of test match rugby.
The blowtorch has now been applied, and Henry and his troops will go back to try to rediscover the mana and the intensity that has allowed them to dominate world rugby by and large since 2004.
In Wellington, no excuses will suffice.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- All Blacks, Dan Carter, France Rugby, Mils Muliaina, Rugby Union
June 17th 2009 @ 7:08pm
pothale said | June 17th 2009 @ 7:08pm | Report comment
Acer aka
You guess I’m English cos of my ‘attitude and lack of humour’ – thanks for that. You couldn’t have insulted me better.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have enough knowledge to guess whether a full-strength England could beat Argentina. Ask KO.
OJ – when you’re number one, people are always going to take pot shots at your team – largely cos they wish they were there themselves. NZ may get replaced temporarily in that spot by SA if results don’t go your way, but you’re fairly safe, don’t worry.
June 17th 2009 @ 8:54pm
wannabprop said | June 17th 2009 @ 8:54pm | Report comment
AndyS
Absolutely… Injuries and exposure for 2nd, 3rd, 4th tier whatever players couldn’t come at a better time for the ABs – 2 years out from the WC, rather than peaking now.
Oh dear, that sounds a lot like focussing too heavily on WCs dunnit?
June 17th 2009 @ 9:56pm
craig said | June 17th 2009 @ 9:56pm | Report comment
Hi James – 17 players out injured from last year sounds a little high to me… How many of those players would’ve been picked for last weeks games?? Not too many i’d bet.
The AB’s do get held up high when they win and dropped just as hard when they fail. There is almost a bit of similarity with the Indian cricket team. I think they’ll be formidible like always but I would be concerned by their lack of depth. Donald is average at best, no number 7′s anywhere…. Centre’s not great. 1/2 back scatty. The benefit is that its better to find out now than in a couple of years i guess.
June 17th 2009 @ 10:01pm
westy said | June 17th 2009 @ 10:01pm | Report comment
The All Blacks lost a test at home . This may be the best thing for them in building up to a world Cup at home. They are not unbeatable . They must rebuild towards the world Cup.
there is always a danger in peaking to early.
Tournament competitions are much different to a test series. Dour consistent rugby can be ameans to a semi final birth in a tournament. I cannot stress the difference in tournament rugby or any tournament sporting competition played over ashort period of time.
Argentina is a classic example in the last World Cup.
I think the All Blacks are learning they must now play each match on its merits and not rely on any old perceptions of itimadatory power or depth.
By the way if carter was injured so as to affect his performance or did so with the knowledge of Henry my estimation of both is lowered. Am I meant to take this as an excuse without criticism.
June 17th 2009 @ 11:17pm
Sam Taulelei said | June 17th 2009 @ 11:17pm | Report comment
The expectation of the All Blacks is that they’re favoured to win every game they play, both by supporters and rivals. They are not always the best team or the most talented team on the field but such is their legacy of success that the old adage is invariably trotted out “there is no such thing as a weak All Black team”. I think OJ wrote in another thread that in the overall scheme of the season if the All Blacks beat France this weekend, this loss would end up as a minor footnote if they had an otherwise successful year. Jerry has frequently commented that because victories by NH teams against NZ are so infrequent that their successes are magnified and used as a platform for columnists to release all their pent up frustration and jealousy about NZ rugby.
Kiwis can be the most one eyed, passionate and obnoxious supporters as well as the harshest and most hostile critics.
I don’t think the All Blacks suffer at all from those expectations, I think that this is what separates us from all other countries with the exception of our greatest rival South Africa. Let’s be honest if NZ had won that test then majority of comments would be about the fortitude and character of the team in fighting their way back into the game and the strength in depth of NZ rugby. That’s what a victory does, it deflects attention away from shortcomings in the performance and glosses over faults. It was for some their first test match, they were all tested and many found to be wanting – I don’t necessarily see this as a bad thing, you can learn a lot more about people with how they cope with pressure and deal with failure.
There is no doubt that at times criticism can be hysterical and lacking in perspective but that is the consequence for achieving a sustained period of success that supporters become accustomed to. I’d rather have that than the alternative any day.
We’ve focused a lot on who was unavailable, who should have been selected and why was he selected. It’s all hypothetical now, the team is named and I’m more interested in seeing how that first XV responds and adapts to the lessons the French taught us last week.
I’m not concerned or thinking about a world cup in two years time, Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup tests around the corner, or the end of season tour. I just want to see how well we can play on Saturday. That’s my only expectation.
June 19th 2009 @ 6:12am
Taniwha said | June 19th 2009 @ 6:12am | Report comment
Mostly good article James. Sam, I also await the game this Saturday with excitement to see how the boys will come back. Not just another one of those easy-win-warm-up-games before the big guns come out in the TRI-Nations. I’m not concerned with any of the tournaments you mentioned either, however a second loss will be a little more concerning. When you’re at the top (excluding those years involving something called the world cup) the only way is down. In saying that, everyone knows you learn more from a loss than a win. Perhaps, loosing a few matches or being in tight situations will benefit the All Blacks in two years time. Shiesh, I’m not sure if I’d want to pull on the AB’s jersey come RWC2011 with our world cup record. Imagine choking at home. I can see the headlines already.
I do feel the way Henry rotated players was brilliant, okay so things didn’t really work out in 2007 but the squad he developed was amazing. I do think however, that the rest period at the start of the year probably should have been tested a year or two before hand. But then if he had tried it earlier and it worked then every other coach would have done it. Well those that had enough depth. If all his idea’s worked (which they very well could have) everyone would be screaming GENIUS. Moving on – that was years ago after all – I feel the All Blacks played below par, everyone knows that, but you can’t deny the french the credit of executing a great rush defence, and a well played game. I think NZ’ers need to develop perspective, and understand that you can’t win everything. I recall one Jerry Collins saying pre 2007, “Underdogs win all the time. That’s sport.” Especially when key players are out, combinations are new, players are playing out of position(perhaps a selection error), and the ever unpredictable France turn up switched on. Wouldn’t it be nice if Kiwi’s took the loss graciously, without throwing bottles, and credit the opposition, and also the All Blacks where due. I do understand, and to a certain degree, agree that perhaps this fear of loss, and this harsh criticism is what helps keep them where they are in world rugby.
Maybe as said in the article, we are just a bunch of jealous buggers that never made the grade…
June 19th 2009 @ 8:01am
Jecker Bonds said | June 19th 2009 @ 8:01am | Report comment
“Even if the All Blacks are runners-up again this weekend, they know they can beat Italy the following week in Christchurch.”
In Friday’s NZ Herald, staff writer Wynn Gray included that sentence in his summation of what the ABs need to keep in mind. A pal of mine was hanging around the changing room at the Cake Tin and swears he heard the following conversation between Graham Henry and Mils Muliaina.
MILS: Hey, Graham. What if we lose tomorrow?
HENRY: So what? At least you know you can beat Italy.
MILS: Do you think we could beat Hong Kong, too?
HENRY: Sure you could. Have a little confidence.
MILS: How about Georgia?
HENRY: Hell, you’d beat Georgia by 10 points easy.
MILS: Turkey?
HENRY: Believe me, Turkey would be no trouble for you guys.
MILS: And you’re positive we can beat Italy…
HENRY: Absolutely. I’m just not sure you can beat the country next to it.
June 20th 2009 @ 4:39pm
Bay35Pablo said | June 20th 2009 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
I think the ABs will suck it up and use the loss as huge motivation. I think they will be fired up come 3N time.
I suspect part of the problem is Henry is coach. It seems a lot of Kiwis didn’t think he should have kept his job after RWC 2007, so his actions and style are scrutinised ever more so than the normal NZ pressure cooker.
The ABs played poorly, which was unlike them. They are unlikely to do that 2 games in a row. As someone said, you learn more from losses. Like the ABs need to lern anything. Sheesh, give the rest of us a break!