What a shame the marketers ever got hold of the All Blacks. There was once a genuine aura about the New Zealanders, a mystique born of true New Zealand heritage and rugby history.
It was hard won on long tours through darkest Africa and with dazzling matches against the Barbarians. They were once one of rugby’s crown jewels.
Unfortunately the wonderment and delicious anticipation of turning up to see the All Blacks play has been replaced by an inescapable sense of turning up to a product launch, perhaps the latest and greatest breakfast cereal. New and improved…All Blacks™.
It is taboo of course to question the haka, but let’s face it. The shame of New Zealand rugby is that the haka doesn’t excite anyone these days except the most rabid New Zealand shearer. It has been totally done to death – manipulated, tweaked, choreographed and trotted out in every piece of swelling-chorus-marketing-guff until it has lost all semblance of its original meaning.
As such the best part of the lead-in to the Tonga match was the rendition of the original Ka-Mate haka instead of the navel-gazing Kapa o Pango. The great shame for rugby followers the world over is that it is no longer a special occasion – after all, we see the haka 15 times a year. Instead of watching spellbound, spectators are checking their smartphones.
The rest of this match was similar territory.
The All Blacks won convincingly of course. They had to. They had a new ultra-black jersey, perfectly uniform black boots and a newly-minted Richie McCaw drone in Sam Cane.
If this makes them sound robotic, then it is because they were, in a rusty, short-circuiting fashion.
Once again, the All Blacks made several relatively unforced errors in the first half. A couple of ill-considered offloads and poorly placed passes gave possession away. Fortunately Tonga didn’t have the appetite to work the ball out of their own half and simply kicked it back to Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo and Nehe Milner-Skudder, who enjoyed the open spaces.
France, Ireland, Australia and South Africa would have been interested observers, because what the match showed, particularly in the first half when Tonga were still full of puff, was that New Zealand remain vulnerable to a rushing defence. They are used to having space and as such it is ingrained in them to make the pass.
In a strange sort of way, their hyper-developed catch-and-pass skills become something of a liability. They are so used to completing passes under pressure that they sometimes throw a pass which would be better held, putting pressure on the receiver, and the pass goes to ground.
When they manage to hold the ball though, they have few equals. Ben Smith’s first try down the blind side was clinical rugby at its best. Kieran Read and Sam Cane both showed that there are few better at squaring up defenders and giving soft balls under pressure. There is no better team in world rugby at using three or four players drawing and passing in a few metres of space.
The scrum was a slightly different story. The playing surface was unstable and sub-standard, no doubt, but it was the same for both sides and Tonga scrummed with intent. Post-Joe-Marler, everyone is an expert on loosehead scrummaging, and if Tony Woodcock didn’t deserve some of Marler’s treatment, it’s hard to imagine why.
He regularly angled in on Tonga tighthead Halani ‘Aulika and several times the scrum went to ground on his side, but he was penalised maybe once. It seemed a lucky escape, particularly on the All Black line when the Tongan scrum was ascendant and was given two penalties in a row.
Had it been New Zealand on attack and Tonga defending and dropping the scrum on their own line, it is hard to imagine any other outcome than a penalty try. Tonga can count themselves hard done by. Although it mattered not a jot in the final washup, it would have been a feather in their cap.
At the other end of the field, the most noticeable strength of New Zealand was to attack with several bodies in motion close to the line. They are expert at creating holes by having three or four runners all moving at once, squaring up defenders and getting them “sitting in the chair” before hitting holes and scoring.
Sonny Bill Williams’ first try was a case in point – Aaron Smith had several runners to choose from, and ultimately gave the simplest of offloads to Williams as he strolled over untouched.
For the All Blacks’ likely knockout opponents, the blueprint for beating the Blacks hasn’t changed.
First, get off the line as a tight unit and pressure errors. Second, come to scrum. And third, keep the ball in hand. Tonga, if anything, gave away too much ball and in the last 20 minutes they simply had nothing left in the tank after defending for long periods.
New Zealand are at their best when they have the ball for a long time, it makes no sense to give it to them any more than one has to.
So, the All Blacks won and won convincingly. But they play like a team under pressure.
A title defence is a suffocating task. In a well-meaning effort to cover all bases and tick off every one-percenter, a team can be left with nothing but a series of endless checklists. What it looks like from afar, is that the effort to cover every variable has robbed the All Blacks of any spontaneity.
Individualism has been sacrificed on the altar of collectivism. As an All Black you can no longer even choose your own boots. The rule is, any colour you want, as long as it’s black.
Is this the price of winning rugby?
Jackster
Guest
So weeks after the All Blacks did what they did at the RWC and seeing the stunning outpouring of sadness coming from around the world from all walks of life at the loss of one of our greatest All Blacks, how stupid must you feel now to say the All Blacks have lost their aura? What other rugby team and/or player do what this team and this player have done for our game? Retract your article. It's full of bull.
Dopplerman
Guest
only if you wanta lose........most teams rise to the challenge
Dopplerman
Guest
To be fair many aussie do as well ......... they're all prats
Jackster
Guest
Here's another reason why your degenerative comment re: the haka is so wrong! https://www.facebook.com/groups/737625492941734/923710450999903/?notif_t=group_comment_reply "I found this Story -- About our very own -- Tama Keane --- Its too good not to Share to the Group/Page. Hope you don't mind --- Very Inspiring. About 6 months ago, while at the pub and somewhat tiddly, a teacher friend of mine asked if I would teach her class the haka. Naturally, thanks to a lot of bravado courtesy of a few beers, I said sure, thinking I kind of know it and can figure out the rest later. Anyway, she rang me last week to remind me and that I can't say no now as it's already been scheduled, I said "fine, how many kids?", "you're doing the whole school, so only 180" she replied... JEBUS! I thought I'd better get to work on it but being the amazing procrastinator I am, I left it all till the night before. So Ive spent today, teaching 3 groups the Haka, ages ranging from 6 - 11 and teaching about the All Blacks ethos, i.e Sweep the Sheds etc... and then we finished up with a big haka on the school field, with teachers and all involved, must have been about 200 people, to a crowd of about 100 and the local press. It was a great day, the kids were amazing and really interested in it and they all call me Mr Haka Man haha. I now know the haka perfectly and best of all, they paid me for it, which I wasn't expecting and they also said they have other schools who are interested... crazy! So I'm spreading a bit of kiwi culture around the midlands of the UK, a little at a time and getting a few bucks for my trouble, love it!" Think its time you retracted that comment pillock. BTW the haka vids continue to rack up views in the 10s of MILLIONS!
normz11oo
Guest
my my Andrew Logan,don't we think highly of our selves? Salman Rushdie?really?don't recall seeing any threats on your life in this thread,couple of brickbats but Salman Rushdie?please,your article is amusing and the envy is apparent,playing for twenty five years has obviously not brought insight into your knowledge of rugby kiwi style,17 million views of the haka and counting so it appears there are far more kiwi sheep herders ,shearers than expected,doooooopey
normz11oo
Guest
after watching the ABs demolish the frogs the only question i have for you is,'how do you like me now",the haka no longer inthralls anyone?why then did the haka go viral on the RWC page with ten million views,if nzers all watched it once that would account for only 4 million views where'd the other six come from,individualism as opposed to the collective approach?hello, from a very early age i was taught that rugby was a game where 14 players worked together to get the 15th across the try line,we do have individuals who showcase their skills in the team,nehe milners step,sonny bills offloads,ma'as power but they are all part of the collective,resistance is futile you will be assimilated.......black boots a sign of individualism sacrificed,your kidding right?
Huupz
Guest
@El Gamba i put a reply up to one of your posts before boss, just trying to give you a bit of info on what I was taught about Haka as I grew up. Some people get "precious" and "touchy" about subjects like the Haka because it's important to them. But hey what's important to me may not be important to you and vice versa. All the best
Huupz
Guest
I'm not sure if you've actually done any research on what Haka actually is so I'm happy to share what my father and uncles taught me growing up and what you choose to do with the info is completely up to you. I was taught that when you perform a Haka you're preparing you're calling upon your ancestors and guardians to come and give you strength before you go to battle (obviously in the AB's case to play rugby) so when the AB's Haka they would be calling on all the past All Blacks all the history within the jumper. As far as the new Haka Kapo o Pongo they created that especially for the All Blacks which I suppose ties in with the teams belief that each individual has to do their utmost to leave the jersey in a loftier position than when they recieved it as well as the fact that Ka Mate is a Haka from a tribe in the North Island of New Zealand. It is of course a challenge to the opposition but it's also a great show of respect that you have for them and should be considered an honour to receive a Haka. In saying that there are no rules saying the opposition has to stand whilst the Haka is performed I remember one match where the wallabies stayed behind goalposts warming up and the All Blacks carried on with out them, I don't think any of them lost any tears over it. I tried to keep it brief for anyone interested hopefully it creates a bit of understanding and opens a few peoples eyes as to why the Haka is so important to us and also why some people get so combative when it's bought up as an issue by people that may not have the greatest understanding of it.
Jackster
Guest
"The shame of New Zealand rugby is that the haka doesn’t excite anyone these days except the most rabid New Zealand shearer" Would that be this haka? Currently sitting on over 17 million views? YouTube will show you just how popular the haka is around the world. And look at the top comment on that post - not a New Zealand shearer btw. Oh the shame! And lost aura? Dont read this article then, you wont be able to handle the adulation as this town hails the arrival of the All Blacks - the "real All Blacks!" in their words. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11909889/Rugby-World-Cup-2015-Darlington-the-latest-stop-on-this-tour-of-wonder.html?fb_ref=Default . Or how bout this? http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/pictures-new-zealand-blacks-fans-10220828 . Theres plenty of video on the net where the kids talk about the experience they'll never forget. That's the ABs doing their promo thing - name one bad thing to come from this event - I dare you. And seeing as you seem to be attacking all things NZ rugby, did you know theres a NZer coaching in each quarter? Or over 40 NZers playing in teams throughout the competition including 6 starters for Japan and almost half the Samoan team? Lucky the rugby world has NZ rugby to up the standards and help the lesser nations ay? And finally thank goodness the NZRU have the rugby and business nous that allows us to do what we do for this great game both at home and abroad and long may it reign. And this writer is labelled an "expert"? That's hilarious! Good luck to all quarter finalists :)
Riccardo
Guest
Brilliant Jerry. Are you a political satirist because you should be..
Rooinek
Roar Rookie
Have to say I like the uniform black boots and if I was a coach I'd insist that my team wears the same colour boots. Never understood why everyone has to wear the same jersey, same shorts and same socks but they can wear the most garish and attention-seeking boots. Rugby is a team game and it's a man's game. Leave the showpony boots to the mincing footballers. Good on you All Blacks!
Very Bothered
Guest
This must be some kind of a joke? This article is balanced and an opinion piece as others have stated, unbelievable as it is but it seems the NZ'ers have become even more precious and shallow about their team. I have read stuff.co.nz and nzherald articles for over 10 years, naturally taking great interest in the ones to do with Australia(mainly rugby pieces and the recent CWC) and the amount of vitriol and blatant negativity about Aus spilled forth in these pieces is something of a disgrace. Not to mention the comments that follow, even articles that have nothing to do with Australia attract anti Aus sentiment...what does this say? Two articles currently on those sites and just from the last week 1.The bonza its ok to cheer for Aus just once 2. Australia arent as good as they think - are much more cynical and so called 'click-bait' than what is offered above. The uproar about this article that raises valid points and debate is a very poor reflection on NZ and their supporters, I say this because it happens time and time again.These are the very fans that level headed kiwis I know are ashamed of and embarrassed by, good work lads.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
really? along with #hakainthechangeroom which one has the bigger following?
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
El Gamba - I have asked you a simple question - as I have of others in this forum in the past - what would your response be to the Haka. Remember it was you that made the statement. You, like others I have asked, have not given an answer. I accept you are not going to give an answer. You are however now responding to me with references about "race card" and about you being called a "racist". Why would you reply to me in this fashion when I have made absolutely no mention of such things? It seems that you may be a bit touchy and amused about the touchiness and preciousness of some New Zealanders but to be fair Logan's article does make some deliberately provocative statements in regard to the Haka. So none of us should be surprised if some people take exception to what he has written. If that in your eyes is seen as touchy and precious well then it's touchy and precious.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
who is "us" exactly and aprrox how many people would that be. and whoever "us" is, do you know for sure they are bored with it.
Mike
Roar Rookie
Exactly!
RobC
Roar Guru
Gday Andrew. A good read, and can understand why many would get upset NZRU are the Borg of Rugby, and it works well. I wouldn't be writing them off anytime soon. You're kinda right about the Hakka. We're going to a Hakka event this Wednesday here in KL, organised by AIG I look forward to it, actually. Indeed, its not the mysterious practice exclusive to a few as it was. But it's a great ambassadorial symbol of Rugby.
Cynical Play
Guest
#hakainthesheds its trending right now
Cynical Play
Guest
[Mods. Pls do not call other posters names. Warning]
Cynical Play
Guest
yawn farkin yawn