Two steps forward, one back for All Blacks
BY MARC HINTON
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OPINION: There was something vaguely fitting about the anti-climactic end to the All Blacks' year at Twickenham over the weekend.
After the giddy events of Marseille just seven days earlier, perhaps it was appropriate that the year should end on a slightly bum note, with the 18-25 defeat to the Bryan Habana-inspired Barbarians.
After all this has been a far from perfect year for Graham Henry's side, with those three straight test defeats to South Africa, another to the French in the early part of the season, and a number of other rather unconvincing performances along the way.
So even though the All Blacks ended the test year as the world's No 1-ranked side, surely not even they would kid themselves that they sit above South Africa on anyone's pecking order, but the IRB's.
Granted, some corrections were made late in the Tri-Nations and a run of six straight test victories to round out the campaign was grounds for plenty of optimism. But there was no surprise that the South Africans, on the back of their heavy programme, staggered rather than swaggered over the finish line, and in the process lost that top ranking spot to the New Zealanders.
The reality is they, and not the All Blacks, are the side that holds the whip hand two years out from the World Cup - for what that's worth.
It is perhaps of more pertinence that the Baabaas, who became the third side to claim an All Black scalp in 2009 - albeit a non-test one - had a solid South African presence at their core, including fellows like Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger, Morne Steyn, Jaque Fourie and that man Habana.
So, even though Henry elected to send out a largely second-string lineup at Twickenham, it was still another All Blacks side struggling to get home over those buoyant Boks. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
So what are the big lessons of Twickenham?
Well, foremost is the now incontrovertible fact that the All Blacks do not possess the depth that they would like to think they do. There's now the sort of distance between the first-choice New Zealanders and their backup men that suggests not so much a small gap as a rather daunting chasm.
That in turn creates some real concerns over things like injury, inter-squad competitiveness and ability to rest people without losing too much in the way of impetus.
Clearly after watching the second-string All Blacks (with one or two exceptions) bumble their way through two pretty unimpressive efforts against the Italians and Baabaas, the theory that Henry could put two or even three different lineups out and not lose too much has now been proven a lie.
The All Blacks have a very good, if still improving, top 22. Beyond that there's a group of men who are either still coming to grips with test rugby, are on the downward slide or who are just plain not quite up to it.
Even Henry now pretty much admits that. "I've got concerns about that (gap). The trouble is you can't play them as much as you'd like to because you leave yourself vulnerable," he said after the weekend's defeat.
But better he knows now, than stumbles on in the dark. So the search goes on for quality backups for Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, for the next layer of front-rowers beyond Owen Franks, for someone to push Jimmy Cowan at halfback, for alternatives to Smith and Nonu in midfield, and certainly for a second-string unit that can go out there and play with the sort of cohesion the jersey demands.
It's not all doom and gloom there, though.
Let's not forget that Ali Williams, Keven Mealamu and Richard Kahui will all help that backup stock considerably with their returns from the injured-list next year, and that the Super 14 will again turn up a new face or two worthy of making the leap. Aaron Cruden, Robbie Robinson, Colin Slade and Luke Braid are just four who will be watched with interest.
So all told perhaps it was fair and fitting that the All Blacks didn't finish with a flourish, but with a stumble. It has been that sort of a year. Two strides forward, one backward.
Some pain, some gain and the feeling that they're really only halfway to where they need to be come the business end of 2011. Luckily they're also just over halfway there chronologically too.
So let's enjoy summer, and our spell without any rugby to worry about. But let us all acknowledge that these All Blacks remain a long way from the finished product. Even if they are still far too good for anyone in the north..
- © Fairfax NZ News
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The All Blacks ARE World Champions...the IRB rankings prove it. The ref was paid off at the last world cup. and the one before....
Ex All Black Fan.
Actually no, I DON'T think the IRB Rankings are some kind of "Revered" Championship. I see them more as a form guide and that's why I think they're not meaningless.
I do agree with you that the World Cup should be treated as the pinnacle of the sport and I hope that we do reclaim the big prize sooner rather than later.
What I don't agree with is these crazy assumptions that the majority of people commenting on here are deadball Henry fans who don't have a clue what they're talking about. Maybe if you left those bits out of your future comments people will respect your point of view a lot more.
EABF.
I agree. The entire rugby world, despite the fact that they do admire the All Blacks to a high extent, will not fully admire us until we lift that gold coloured trophy on offer to not necessarily the best team, but the smartest in the four yearly top tournament aka The Rugby World Cup.
We just have to look at the English Football team. Their players are world class and their top league is one of the best in the world, but when it comes to World Cup time they consistently fail to impress. The All Blacks have become the rugby version to some degree.
I'm not saying that we should only care about the World Cup and nothing else. The Bledisloe and Tri Nations Cups are very dear to us too.
Perhaps in 2011 the coaches should try and improve the players mentally rather than physically like last time.
Er... Rugby nut I think England were bragging because they won the World Cup in 2003. And my South African mates don't even know/care about who the IRB ranks as '1'...another Henry fan trying to convince himself that the computer generated seeding system is some kind of 'revered championship'...The All Blacks were dominant 'on the field' 2004-06 (bit of a stretch to include 2007) which is why the rugby world respected them, not because of a computer generated seeding system! My point is that the All Blacks need to win a world cup to become world champions. simple as that. If you can't handle that fact then don't follow the sport.
Ex All Black Fan.
I don't believe the IRB Rankings are "meaningless" at all. Sure there may not have been fans celebrating in the streets or no parades of any kind, but that kind of thinking misses the point of these rankings.
Yes their main objective is to seed teams for the World Cups but did you notice something that I did? Despite the lack of "celebration and fanfare" I saw the South Africans taking a lot of pride in the fact they usurped New Zealand at the top of the Rankings list. The rugby world were in awe of the All Blacks during their reign as top ranked side between 2004-07.
Can you imagine how much sledging us as a nation would get if the Dingo and his "Wobbilies" claimed 1st on the list? I remember England bragging a lot when they were the #1 ranked team in the world between 2002-04.
One final thought. I am a proud Henry fan and I am far from delusional.
In almost every previous world cup cycle we have seen the All Blacks peak when it matters the least. It is almost a good thing that this cycle they are not. If mistakes, experiments and grooming need to take place (history would suggest they occasionally do) then lets get it out the way now so we can have our act together in 18 months.
Some typically pessimistic stuff here from kiwi critics. There seems to be a lot of gnashing of teeth over the Boks streak. So they dealt to NZ this year...whoopty-do. SA didn't panic when NZ spanked them senseless two years out from the 2007 RWC. They just got on and won the tournament.
Unless the Boks overhaul their playing style (they were bereft against Ireland), they are going to languish in 2011. Kick-and-chase works now but any tactic -- no matter what it is -- has a maximum 2-year lifespan in international rugby. SA just burned one of theirs. They still have great players but if they stand pat, they're in trouble.
And by the way, NZ's depth in most positions is solid. The ABs have two of most things, just not 7, 9 or 10.
Two steps forward?? Are you for real Hinton. They were dealt to by the Springsboks, we have the same crap coaching panel who just happen to be so talented, they all swapped specialist positions this year.
Rugby World Cup 2011= Loss
Round and round we go...it just isn't sinking in! I am a huge rugby fan and I have never once seen anyone 'celebrating' the IRB rankings! I've asked some South African mates and they don't even know or care who the no 1 ranked team is!!! Seems a few deluded Graham Henry fans like to kid themselves that its some kind of world championship. It simply isn't. But then, these are the same Henry fans that resort to name calling (Ban the RWC) and writing phoney posts under my name! (All Weather)...say no more
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You can hardly expect me to believe that the Boks failings in Europe were caused by a tough test programme (ie. The Lions Series) when you consider the events of the top team in 2005 (ie. The All Blacks).