'Tortured souls': Why everybody loves to hate the All Blacks

New Zealand rugby had its first real Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia on 15 August, 1903.

However, the history of rugby for New Zealand dates much earlier than 1903. It goes back to the 1870s.

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The first recorded game in New Zealand took place in May 1870 at the top of the South Island in the settlement of Nelson.

The first New Zealand team to ever travel overseas toured New South Wales in 1884 against the Waratahs. New Zealand played the Waratahs eight times, winning all eight games.

Was this the beginning of the animosity towards the black jersey? I’m curious. When did this dislike for the All Blacks start to take shape?

We all know the Aussies see NZ as a kind of annoying little brother or as one of those pestering cousin types, who comes over to your house and wrecks all your toys.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

However, a lot of things have changed in New Zealand since 1884. As rugby started to gain a foothold in NZ, the British colonies were still at war with local Maori tribes.

War had raged across New Zealand since the 1840s right up until the late 1880s. The legacy of the New Zealand wars still continues today around negotiation tables.

On the rugby front, rugby cranked up in New Zealand from very humble beginnings, in small colonies dotted around the North and South Islands.

This game became popular almost instantly for both Maori and Pakeha (non-Indigenous). The people of New Zealand put down their muskets and put aside tribal warfare for five minutes to play with this oddly shaped ball.

Let’s fast forward to the modern era of New Zealand rugby.

Since sailing over to Aussie land for its first match in 1884 the New Zealand team has played Test matches against 19 nations, of which 11 have never won a game against the All Blacks. Also the men in black have created a 77 per cent winning record and are the only international side to have secured more wins than losses against every opponent.

Since the introduction of the World Rugby rankings in 2003, New Zealand has held the number one ranking longer than all other teams combined. They jointly hold the record for the most consecutive Test match wins for a tier-one ranked nation, along with England.

The All Blacks also have a regular competition with Argentina, Australia and South Africa in the Rugby Championship, and have won the trophy 16 times in 23 years!

This tiny warring colony has gone on to become an international rugby powerhouse. So why does the rugby world loathe this team with a passion? Is their success for over a hundred years just to much to bare?

Is Europe still bitter after the 1924-25 All Blacks tour? These black-jersey-wearing players turned up and had the audacity to clean sweep the entire British Isles and France, plus Canada. This New Zealand team was later dubbed ‘the Invincibles’ because they won all 32 matches.

Is it the men that don the black jersey? Men including the first New Zealander named into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, Don Clarke. Clarke played during the 1960s era. He was best known for his phenomenal goal-kicking ability that earned him the nickname ‘The Boot’.

Or perhaps it’s Jonah Lomu? He was a man mountain who humiliated majority who tried to bring him down. How humbling.

(Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

It might be Dan Carter, who made a new record for most Test points. Not only for New Zealand, but any nation with 1598 from 112 Tests. A boy from Leeston, a tiny community of less than 2000 people located on the Canterbury plains. This Southbridge Rugby Club kid, kicking his way into the record books.

But, who are we kidding? The real hatred poured on with Richie McCaw. The former All Blacks captain won 110 out of his 148 Test matches. The All Blacks won two World Cups under McCaw’s leadership. He also won the International Rugby Player of the year award a joint record three times. McCaw was the most capped rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020.

The Oamaru-born McCaw was awarded World Rugby Player of the decade (2011-2020). That fact alone infuriates many rugby enthusiasts globally.

McCaw has faced the brunt of many attacks from the opposition and scribes, with packs paying extra attention on the All Blacks skipper with cheap and or late shots.

Not many Tests McCaw came out unscathed and yes, he knew the risks of playing the laws to the letter. Some would put his antics up there with another famous skipper: Sean Fitzpatrick. But this helicopter pilot, businessman and lawyer knew exactly what he was doing.

Other nations think of New Zealand as a breeding ground for dirty, cheating rugby players. There’s people who look for any opportunity to let their feelings known, from UK journalists to the blue-collar workers of Johannesburg, not to mention our Emu Bitter-drinking brothers across the ditch.

What might be the reasoning for this? Here are some of the statements I’ve heard over the years: ‘The refs are protecting the New Zealanders’, ‘The All Blacks are allowed to do whatever they want!’, ‘Throwing the ball forward if they please’, ‘Pillaging the Pacific islands of their player resources’, ‘Playing the ball from either side of the rucks’, ‘TMOs and touch judges favour the All Blacks.’

Now a new deal with INEOS will no doubt be added to the long list.

The fact is, being at the top of the world is a difficult prospect. There’s no further place to go, so your performances are now scrutinised with slow motion; replay after replay of any minor infringement, under the heavy, judgemental eyes of the world.

This anger stems from tortured souls who have been witnesses to the capabilities and achievements of New Zealand rugby. These individuals put the All Blacks under a microscope.

Even a win is a loss to many critics, where any mistake or missed ref call will feel the full force of frustration and anger. In conclusion, many people are now willing to support any team who comes up against them.

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

That hatred is never going to change as long as rugby lives.

That’s the sacrifice champion teams have to be prepared for: the target on your back only grows larger because of the domination and the influence the All Blacks have had on the world of rugby.

No other team has ever experienced this.

The little known truth is champion teams feed off this scrutiny, they use it for fuel. Because if you don’t use that fuel to stoke the fire it will burn you up.

My message to all All Blacks past and present and to all the supporters from all sides of the planet is the black jersey isn’t just a jersey, it’s armour. Wear it with pride and honour, it has a silver fern unique to your little corner of the globe.

All Test jerseys have been forged by blood sweat and tears. It’s a jersey that’s been worn by great men, who have become legends.

Not only on the rugby fields, but also on the battle field. These jerseys were at one time worn by men willing to literally give everything they had for their nation and pay the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

To the rest of the rugby community, remember this: respect should be given not only to the black jersey, but to all international rugby jerseys.

Long live our Anzac spirit. Thank the Lord Bledisloe.