This week there is no bok mauling as we will sit back and watch the Wallabies be next on the Abs hit list. Its not going to be easy as Melbourne has not been very friendly to the visitors, but enough of that, as that result, either way, spells doom for the Bok’s chances to retain the Tri-Nations.
This week there is no bok mauling as we will sit back and watch the Wallabies be next on the Abs hit list. Its not going to be easy as Melbourne has not been very friendly to the visitors, but enough of that, as that result, either way, spells doom for the Bok’s chances to retain the Tri-Nations.
Lets rewind to 2002, the All Blacks won the Tri-Nations. The following year, that dismal 2003, they put 50 past the Boks and Wallabies away from home, but more importantly, crashed and burned when it really counted, the semi finals of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Fast forward to 2006 and 2007, same story as 2002 and 2003, beat all comers, but the following year failed when the pressure was on in Cardiff. Do they need reminding? I think they do.
Granted, the All Blacks are to rugby what the Selecao, the Brazil national team are to football, but funny enough, they just have not been able to transform their Tri nations and international dominance into World Cup victories, the William Webb Ellis Trophy has eluded them since 1987.
Before the Millennium Stadium débâcle, the All Blacks last lost in the Northern Hemisphere in 2002, when Martin Johnson’s England team were at the best.
That is an awesome record, and add a 2005 grand slam tour to boot, which was even more amazing as they beat Scotland with what was termed a B-side.
They have fallen on hard times since those heady days in terms of depth, but they are playing well at the moment.
The All Blacks have had a nasty habit of peaking right before the tournament. As the records would show, going into the Tri nations, they have been the holders of the Tri-nations, Bledisloe Cup and the Freedom Cup in each world cup year.
Their World Cup record is a rather sorry tale for such a rugby powerhouse, even after the inception of the Tri-nations: 4th place 1999, 3rd place 2003, quarter-final 2007, with only one Webb-Ellis star to show for their endeavour.
Their usual punch bags, the Boks and the Wallabies have done even better than them with two wins apiece, and having won it away from home at some stage, Boks in France in 2007 and Wallabies both times in 1991 and 1999, both in the British Isles.
They have only five Tri nations titles between them, as compared to New Zealand’s nine, but more importantly, they have four World Cup titles to the All Black’s one.
Critics might say that these teams don’t run into the All Blacks that often in World Cups, but on closer inspection, both sides have had the better of New Zealand in the World Cup.
In two semi-final encounters, the Wallabies have got the better of the All Blacks in 1991 and 2003, while the Boks pipped them in the 1995 final and did the same in the 1999 3rd place play-off, but in 2003 the All Blacks took one step in fixing that record.
One major drawback is that New Zealand have always had easy groups in World Cups, which has hindered their match readiness.
One result that the World Cup has thrown up time and time again is that the champions have beaten the defending champions at some stage during the competition, which is something New Zealand have not done in any tournament
Again this year the All Blacks are running into some good form prior to World Cup year, which they will host.
They are under massive pressure to annex the one grail that has constantly eluded them. Will they have learnt lessons from previous campaigns? Time will tell the story.
