So, after thrashing their arch-nemisis France, the All Blacks are all set to finally break their 24-year drought and collect the William Webb Ellis Trophy, are they?
You can read it almost everywhere.
“Is this World Cup done and dusted? Leaving Eden Park, it felt like it” – The Telegraph
“Have we caught an early glimpse of the future world champions? I believe we might” – BBC
“New Zealand underlined their status as World Cup favourites with an emphatic demolition of France” – The Press Association
Now, wait a minute. Aren’t we talking about the All Blacks and the Rugby World Cup here?
Don’t tell me we are still watching pool games, are we? And that the All Blacks looking like the in-form side of the tournament? Again?
I wonder if there must be some kind of mnemo-virus which affects us every four years and makes us delete the treasured memories we learnt last time (after we had sworn we’d take them with us forever).
The reality is that there’s always a big difference between pool games and knockout games (that is not really a discovery of mine) and any knockout games will be different both tactically and in terms of intensity.
Another point that should have the All Blacks and their supporters wary is that the pool games select the eight form sides of the tournament, but nothing more.
Sometimes, Ireland or Wales have been left out of the last eight because of bad form and at others, Ireland has been able to give a fright or two to some hot favourites, but Rugby World Cups are simply not won in the pool stage.
Besides, some teams like England and South Africa usually start slowly their pool games and manage to be at their peak during quarter-finals and semi-finals.
I bet some teams’ best face have yet to be seen and they are not gathering as many praises as the All Blacks are.
I also bet that those teams have come to New Zealand looking for something other than praise.
As good as their victory against France was, the All Blacks and the rugby public should not expect this will automatically take them home.
Any team who hopes to win the tournament in four weeks’ time should expect to face the fiercest opposition, to face what no one has faced for the last four years and possibly without one or two of their star players at some point.
Who’s the better team to do that? I hope it is the All Blacks, but let’s not count chickens before they hatch.
zhenry
Guest
Ownership influence is an established fact. I have gone into great detail at various times on this site to back up my assertions. Like Murdoch before them some journalists will deny point blank ownership influence. Either they agree with the editor’s line and don’t notice or they are just plain naive. Murdoch has now publically admitted it and Fairfax is no different. Not often will you be told what to write but journalists in our advertising based system know what is acceptable and what is not, its called self censorship. Of course opposing opinions are expressed but there is the prevailing line, and if you think the AU owners of the NZ media are not interested in what NZers think or what the NZRU is about and how its decisions will effect the ARU you are conveniently blind.
Sam
Guest
Maybe he didn't mention who won the second half because it is utterly irrelevant. As the great man said "it is a game of two halves"
Chuck
Guest
So you get shot down and that is all you can come up with you immature little child.
peterlala
Guest
Thurl, no-one is talking anyone up, just assessing the state of the competition at the moment. That's the job of the media. At the moment, New Zealand probably leads the top-five list; Australia probably doesn't make the list. That's not a prediction but a reflection on the games played so far. So, on paper, the All Blacks are the best. But as former Sydney league coach Warren Ryan loves saying, the game isn't played on paper, it's played on the rugby field. That doesn't mean analysis is foolish...it means that the future always comes along, and it often re-writes history.
chochie
Guest
But its the truth though....Australia has won two world cups without Home ground advantage....yet NZ has only won a world cup and in their home ground.....i think the sole purpose the IRB held the world cup in NZ was to give NZ the best chance of winning it this time since rugby is treasured in NZ....this is only for the future of the game...NZ has to win....this world cup is centered around the All Blacks in 2011...any ref is supposed to just get them there....
Sonny
Guest
What a negative piece of writing Sesenta. It appears you totally dislike any good press given to the ABs. A touch of jealousy, perhaps? Your article is just based on hope that the ABs fall, more than anything. Why? Just because they haven't done so well at previous WRCs? Aus, Eng, Fra etc didn't do so well last time either. At the WRC pior, Aus, NZ, Fra, SA did not do so well. All nations choke on the world stage, not just the ABs...So the ABs haven't won the WRC since 1987... does that mean they won't win this time? Let me remind you - the ABs have never lost the WRC in NZ. But before you give the excuse the ABs are playing on home turf, let me remind you - it doesn't make it any easier for the home side to win the WRC. The Wallabies didn't win when the WRC was staged in Australia. Also France and England did not win the cup on home soil either. The only two nations to win at home are SA and NZ. That speaks volumes doesn't it?
Red Chief
Roar Pro
He's a league man who only talks/bad mouths union to get people reading his anti-union pro-league bile.
Jerry
Guest
Chris Rattue is a troll! He's not representative at all.
Johnno
Guest
Pot hale Frans steyn at inside centre can handle Ma Nonu.
bokka
Guest
“Have we caught an early glimpse of the future world champions? I believe we might” – BBC We may of caught a glimpse 4 years ago. '95 Aus lose qtr final - Win '99 '99 Eng lose qtr final - Win '03 '03 SA lose qtr final - Win '07 '07 Aus, Nz lose qtr final -
Derm
Roar Guru
"Oh come on, none of the NZ media is saying this. Those examples are the ritual pedestal positioning of the ABs by the UK media purely so they can knock them off later with the inevitable choking pieces. It’s lazy template journalism. No one in New Zealand rugby has any preconceptions," "Thank goodness for the Springboks, because without their promising form we would be forced into declaring that the All Blacks will win the Webb Ellis in a canter. This sort of outrageous arrogance is not allowed in hosts with the most in terms of famous World Cup failures. The Australians are dog tucker on this side of the Tasman and are dallying with disarray. The Northern Hemisphere teams are subtlety-free. No one else has Daniel Carter and Ma'a Nonu. Springbok muscle and their history of rising to the occasion loom as the only serious threat..... ....The All Blacks are rip-roaring favourites with South Africa left as the main hurdle. The Boks will have strong support at Eden Park, the world's best goalkickers with a range of 60 metres, and forwards such as Gurthro Steenkamp, super-sub Bismarck du Plessis, Heinrich Brussow and Schalk Burger in rollicking form. They know how to win World Cups, unlike the All Blacks. Barring weird catastrophes, this World Cup will be decided in a semifinal between the All Blacks and South Africa although the potential rogue result awaits in the quarter-finals because Australia has the wood on South Africa." Or this: "Former All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson says the Rugby World Cup is New Zealand's to lose."
Winston
Guest
Ireland? That would be something
ohtani's jacket
Guest
We're doing all right. My daughter has just learnt to crawl and is becoming a real handful. Anyway, good to hear from you. I was worried something had happened to you.
liam
Guest
the 2 journos in the kiwi press making the most noise and the most outrageous claims are reason and bills. BOTH english scribes who are in nz temporarily for the cup, but somehow writing for the kiwi papers. ridiculous. all the "french B team" rubbish came directly from one article from bills, for example. what a beatup. make sure you check the nationality of the journalist AND the comments from fans before you assume the journos represent anything like public sentiment!
Gerhard van Lamp
Guest
Even when they beat England 36-0?
Sam Taulelei
Guest
Hey OJ I've had other committments that have dominated my time since the Brisbane test but have tried to keep up to date with the Roar. Missed the first week of the tournament but have caught up on those games. How's the family and life in Japan?
His Bobness
Guest
Oh come on, none of the NZ media is saying this. Those examples are the ritual pedestal positioning of the ABs by the UK media purely so they can knock them off later with the inevitable choking pieces. It's lazy template journalism. No one in New Zealand rugby has any preconceptions, not after all those disappointments in 95, 99, 03 and 07. we've got the therapy booked already.
Aussie in NZ
Guest
ha, I have been in NZ for five RWCs now and every time the kiwis go into the same vicious cycle of swinging from over pessimism to over optimism. As a result the AB's are handicap by carrying a gorilla around on their backs. After beating a French side that had a revolving door defence the locals alll of a sudden think it is done deal. Deja vu all over again!
Rugby realist
Guest
Springboks were second favourites in 07. Maybe they were criticized for the style of play, but they were an excellent squad beat everything that was put in front of them.
Colin N
Guest
"although I wouldn’t be comfortable with English a quarter if I was NZ or France." I would if I was a Kiwi fan. England simply don't have the weapons to hurt New Zealand. However, providing England play France, they will probably go in as favourites and justifiably so.