Over the last few weeks – make that years – I have read several thousand articles, comments or commentaries accusing the All Blacks of cheating.
Many people have thrown up various instances during a game of blatant cheating by the All Blacks, and this has gone on for decades. I am not an analyst, commentator or journalist, just a passionate armchair critic.
Are the accusations warranted? No, however it would be impossible to ever accurately accuse a team of blatant cheating without looking at every single international team.
The reason this accusation is levelled at our New Zealand side is because the ABs are just so good at what they do – playing rugby.
Would we be labelled cheats if we were consistently ranked 10th in the world? More than likely not.
The reason we get the label is because we are so successful. The depth of our rugby goes beyond just the grassroots– to play the game and to play it well is an inherent part of our culture.
Every team and infringes every player infringes in the heat of the moment at some point. This is the nature of competition, it is pressure.
Would we really watch rugby if the ref blew his whistle at every technical foul in the book? If he did it would become the most boring waste of 80 minutes imaginable.
If any other team managed to gain the No. 1 rank and hold it for as long as the All Blacks have, would we all then turn our accusations on them?
The All Blacks don’t have a secret recipe. They are not in cahoots with the IRB or the referees, they don’t tamper with the rugby ball, they don’t have wings and they don’t become ethereal when gliding through space.
They are just good at what they do.
They constantly change the way they play the game, up-skilling all their players to play what they call ‘total rugby’. Have a good think about where the game would be without the All Blacks and their global brand.
Instead of flinging the accusations at the All Blacks, why not throw more of your energy and support to your home team in the hope that one day they will become the dominant team.
I like what England has set out to do by putting in place structures and goals to become the dominant rugby nation. They also understand that this will take years to accomplish, but they know where they want to finish.
I wonder if we will accuse them of some secret underhand tactics when they do.
The reality is the accusations will never go away. Players will always infringe or bend the rules, refs will always make mistakes.
It is the one downside of being human.
Nick
Guest
So the All Blacks dominated the Rugby Championships, well done and well deserved. Now lets talk about Roster Cheating, absolutely without a doubt! What will the consequence be? They either forfeit the game, or the IRB (SANZAR) must rule that the Roster Law is unnecessary and drop that law, either way the all blacks must be found to be contravention of the law at the time and must pay the consequences. It is going to be interesting to see this one play out.
supertrooper
Guest
richie would not be a wallaby or springbok great, ?your kidding right ?not only would he be a great player i will go so far as to say he would be lauded as the greatest thing since sliced bread by all and sundry if he wore any other coloured jersey but black and i very much doubt that the rate he would be penalised would increase as a consequence,he knows the rules inside out and once he learns the interpretations the referee is making he plays accordingly,you sound like you think the ABs are a protected species , well having watched and supported them for over forty years i can say without prejudice they are not,they're just sneaky
richard
Guest
No 1 Illegal play - hardly.People constantly bring up McCaw here,but he is only doing what any good openside does in his position.The ABs as a general rule don't engage in many illegalities for the simple reason they back their skill and fitness to get them victory. No 1 thuggery - a myth.Generally,it's the opposition engaging in thuggery v the ABs,in order to intimidate them,and put them off their game.It has worked on occassion,particularly v the French.But all the major powers try it on,with varying degrees of success.What these teams haven't worked out is the formula for beating the ABs is controlled aggression combined with a very high skill level (think England vNZ last year). As for being the most loved,I doubt it.They are too successful,and with that comes a jealousy,and even hatred of them.And,if anything, it seems to be getting worse.
ph1lstar
Guest
No1 Ranked = All Blacks No 1 Offense = All Blacks No1 Defense = All Blacks No 1 Illegal play = All Blacks No 1 Thuggery = All Blacks No1 favoritism by Refs = All Blacks No1 Draw Card = All Blacks No1 Iconic Rugby Team = All Blacks No1 Most famous Rugby Jersey= All Blacks No1 Fan-base support Globally = All Blacks No1 Setting the Benchmark every year = All Blacks No1 Skill level = All Blacks No1 Most hated team = All Blacks (most of the hate comes from Aussie & South African supporters no surprise) No1 Most loved team globally = All Blacks No1 Feared Team = All Blacks No1 Respected Team = All Blacks. The All Blacks name is a global brand instantly recognized & respected. (Springboks & Wallabies oh please) All Blacks may lose now and again but who cares. All Blacks will always be the Benchmark of Total Rugby
ph1lstar
Guest
No1 Ranked = All Blacks No 1 Offense = All Blacks No1 Defense = All Blacks No 1 Illegal play = All Blacks No 1 Thuggery = All Blacks No1 favoritism by Refs = All Blacks No1 Draw Card = All Blacks No1 Iconic Rugby Team = All Blacks No1 Most famous Rugby Jersey= All Blacks No1 Fan-base support Globally = All Blacks No1 Setting the Benchmark every year = All Blacks No1 Skill level = All Blacks No1 Most hated team = All Blacks (most of the hate comes from Aussie & South African supporters no surprise) No1 Most loved team globally = All Blacks No1 Feared Team = All Blacks No1 Respected Team = All Blacks This is getting boring & rather silly.....back to work. The All Blacks name is a global brand instantly recognized & respected. (Springboks & Wallabies.....oh pleasssse) All Blacks may lose now and again but who cares.....All Blacks will always be the Benchmark of Total Rugby
colvin
Guest
You know all this talk about the way the ABs are favored by officialdom. Well here's evidence they're not. Look at the way the IRB have been ranking the ABs as number 1 of International rugby. If you look at the comparative performances of New Zealand and South Africa since the start of the 2011 RWC the results are; All Blacks: Played 28, Won 26, Lost 1, Drawn 1. Springboks: Played 24, Won 18, Lost 4, Drawn 2. With those statistics wouldn't you think the ABs would have pulled away from the Boks in the International ranking? well yes, you would, but they didn't. At the start of the RWC; the ABs were ranked 1 with 90.55 points. The Boks were ranked 3 with 85.69 points. Differential 4.87 At today's date the ABs are ranked 1 with 92.07 points. The Boks are ranked 2 with 88.51. Differential 3.56 So rather than increase our lead at the top it's been reduced, notwithstanding our record and the teams we played. You can see the conspiracy the British and Irish who control the IRB conduct against the ABs. In addition, remember Richie and Dan, our two golden boys, only get into trouble in Britain, nowhere else. I'm sure Oz supporters would not believe that apart from numerous penalties Richie was even given a yellow card up there for play at the breakdown. And Dan was given a suspension for a tackle they said was high (but we said was fine). So it's tough being the ABs. It's pretty well known Officials are gunning for the Boks. But they're gunning for us as well.
P *ING Myself
Guest
Gold!
bornslippy
Guest
Ka Mate is the name of this particular Haka, love your raving enthusiasm but get it right please
Rick Karaitiana
Guest
I fully agree, as a kid growing up and listening on the radio, of games being played by 1953-54 All Blacks tour of the British Isles, and Ireland, going to Lancaster Park (one eyed Canterbury supporter) standing on the Embankment in the early 50's cheering Canterbury, and NZ teams, the great Ranfurly Shield Teams, where as on a mid week game, (Christchurch with a population of 200.000 thousand) 60.000 of them were at Lancaster Park, push-bikes and all, being a carpenter every building site in town was closed, and they ask the question why are Kiwi;s good footballers, the answer is its in our DNA, forget about Legends, to say one All Black is better than another is complete crap, the ones that never made it were just as good, and the ones below them were pushing up the backsides of them, I should know I was one of them, along with thousands of others, we are a great Rugby Nation History proves that, and every team and player in New Zealand is a part of that.
Jerry
Guest
In 1987 there were no leadup matches. The AB's had lost a series at home to Aus the year before as well as losing to France. It was a fairly young side and the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Jones, John Gallagher, Joe Stanley etc were new and unproven. In 95 they played one leadup against Canada. The year before they'd lost the Bledisloe in Sydney, lost a home series 2-0 to France and drawn in the last test of a 3 match series against SA. Like in 87 they played very well during the tournament and many had them as favourites by the time the final rolled around, but pre tournament they weren't. 07 and 11 yes. The only other time they could be said to be favourites was 91 though in retrospect it was obviously a side on the wane.
colvin
Guest
Dally, I don't want to rehash history but the Haka is important to us. Just remember next time you're watching the Haka it wasn't so long ago, only about 150 years, if you disrespected us we would eat you.
David Baker
Roar Pro
BTW before anyone pings me for my lack of historical knowledge I know that the Haka isnt always a War Haka. It gets used for other reasons to. In the context of a rugby match.. its not a welcome.. its a challenge or a show of strength..
David Baker
Roar Pro
I too love the Haka. But the IRB is protecting it too much. (or protecting against spillover) They expect the opposing side to stand to attention 20 metres away on the opposing 10m line. The Haka is a challenge and demands a response. I believe its origins are in a battle challenge. All those years ago did the opposing tribe just stand to attention? I guarantee they made all sorts of rude gestures The Boks have a few times advanced a little on the ABs which has usually served to motivate the ABs more. World Cup final 1995, the Boks advanced a bit, Lomu charged Small, Wiese stood in between them. Great spectacle. There was another time the Boks advanced quite a lot. I remember that inflaming Craig Dowd a tad. Again great. Now the response is sterile, because it has to be. And that I say is silly. There are a couple (only a couple mind you) of ABs that demand that their Haka is respected. When Anderson and his Irish advanced on the ABs... Buck Shelford thought it was great. What response is appropriate? I dont know. I certainly dont want us to copy the ABs and dance because Boere cant dance. I like the advancing... but any response is OK. If another side (not the Boks) want to turn their back on the Haka... so be it. I would rather they face the challenge What the fans do agauin is up to them - Me I prefer to soak in the atmosphere but if they want to sing a song I dont see anything wrong with that. Again its a response to the challenge and the original challenger doesnt get to define what the response should be. The IRB demanding that the opposition stand to attention on their own 10m line ... thats silly
corporal punishment
Guest
Clearly no "try" scored by Kruger. Where do you stand on the "forward pass" from Zinzan to Jonah with an open line to the Bok goal line? That was a home town decision if ever there was one.
Dally M
Guest
Just that everyone is supposed to respect this great traditional thing called the Haka, how dare anyone disrespect it by standing too close or turning their back & the thing was a joke for the All Blacks for a long time.
petersa
Guest
All right Dally, that's strange but what is your point?
petersa
Guest
Dally M
Guest
Yep, great institution. Maybe since they started doing it properly... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdI0g3rENcQ
petersa
Guest
Yes the Boks are pathetic, in fact they paid every ref in every game they played against the Blacks, I mean how else would they be able to have had the edge against the Blacks since not all games were played in SA, they must of paid of Kiwi refs aswell..........you're pathetic, at least I know most All Black supporters are reasonable.
petersa
Guest
Nice one Colvin. On the Haka, I'm personally embarrassed when SA fans try to drown it out, it's a great institution and I believe it should be respected, it gives me goose bumbs listening and watching it. Yes you're correct about the Boks backs, I believe we have some talent coming through but they are still a bit green and if they are given time could develop into a good back-line.