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It seems a day doesn’t go by on this site without somebody giving their opinion on the All Blacks, but lately I’ve noticed a few misconceptions about the All Blacks, or at least what I perceive to be misconceptions. Some positive, some negative.
Before I weigh in on some of these misconceptions, let me make it clear that the ‘All Blacks’ I refer to are the current side that has won 17 Tests in a row and was undefeated last season. I realise they’ve been together for longer than those 17 Tests and that their record is even more impressive if you include the 2012 season, but for argument’s sake I’m referring to the All Blacks from 2013 onwards.
Misconception #1: The All Blacks are a dominant side.
The All Blacks would like to be a dominant side, but I don’t think they have enough great players to truly be a dominant side. The players they have are very good and play well within the All Blacks’ systems, but man-for-man they fall short of the truly great All Black sides.
Much has been made of their recent performances against England, but looking back on their winning streak, they had the same struggles against the French during last year’s June series, struggled to put Argentina away in both Tests, and weren’t very good on their end of year tour.
They produced a clinical performance in the second Test against France, but their current reputation is really built on two high scoring away wins against Australia and South Africa. In most of their other Tests, they played largely the same way they did against England.
I don’t mean to belittle the All Blacks’ achievements of the perfect season or tying the world record for consecutive wins, but there was a certain element of ‘fourth time lucky” to their 17 wins.
If you look at the sides that came close previously — the ’05-06 team that won 15 in a row, the ’09-10 team that also won 15, and the ’11-12 side fell agonisingly short – I would argue that the current side is nowhere near as dominant as the ’05-06 side or even the ’09-10 side.
That’s not to suggest that they’re an overrated side, merely that things finally fell their way, especially in the Ellis Park and Dublin matches.
What’s more, if you compare them to the ’65-’69 side, I don’t think they have anywhere near the star power that side had in terms of great players and legendary All Blacks. The 1997-98 Springboks side that shares the record produced far stronger performances, while the ’87-90 All Blacks side that went undefeated for 22 straight tests is probably the best side in my lifetime.
Even if the All Blacks claim the record outright, they’d have to do something pretty special in my view to rank higher than those teams. Something like going undefeated in the Rugby Championship for a third straight year.
What this All Blacks side is good at, is winning matches, not necessarily dominating them. Rugby is increasingly becoming a game of quarters, and the All Blacks are extremely good at winning key quarters.
But dominating matches? Not so much.
Misconception #2: It’s the end of an era.
Thanks, but we’re aware of that.
No matter what happens at the World Cup, a large part of the leadership group will either retire or take up a contract overseas.
We know that it’s coming; we signed on for it two years ago when the team leaders decided they wanted to keep playing.
Along the way we won a lot of matches; a hell of a lot of matches. But does that mean the next loss signals the end?
These All Blacks have a definite finishing point. The era will end after their World Cup is over. They do not have to win every match between now and then anymore than their rivals do.
In fact, most All Blacks fans would probably quietly prefer they lose a few matches than go into the World Cup undefeated.
But if the All Blacks lose in Sydney then we will look for them to produce the type of performance they did at Eden Park in 2008, in Wellington in 2009, at Eden Park again in 2011, or any other time they’ve been under pressure.
Misconception #3: The All Blacks can’t get any better.
This one I think is patently untrue. We heard this a lot after the first Test against England yet the All Blacks improved as the series progressed.
Their work at the breakdown improved. The ball carrying among the forwards improved. The attack found the width and space it had been denied in Auckland. The team improved when Savea returned and when Smith was switched to fullback.
The All Blacks may not be able to field a front row like they did in the days of Hayman and a younger Woodcock where they could rotate anyone of Mealamu, Oliver or Hore into the hooking position, but they can play better.
After any Test match there are areas to work on. In Hamilton, they would have been happy with their goal line defence in the second half, but not so happy with their difficulty with the lineout calls or the fact they were being penalised up front despite having the dominant scrum (the reasons why they had defend their own goal line in the first place.)
They can get better in a number of areas, from the breakdown, to their kicking as well as the the that way they defend the rolling maul. They still struggle with rush defences a decade after they first encountered them.
They can get better, because these things involve rethinking their approach to the game. And that’s where the brains trust earn their keep.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.