All Blacks are still the team to beat

THIS year’s World Cup is unusual in a number of respects, not least that New Zealand do not go into it at the head of the world rankings and they are not the favourites. 

- PAUL REES

They are also coming off the back of a record defeat, 35-7 against a pumped up South Africa at Twickenham, and their opening match is against the hosts France at the Stade de France, a ground where they conceded 40 points on their last visit in the autumn of 2021.

The notion of the All Blacks being vulnerable is foreign. This is a team which since the start of international rugby is way ahead of the field in terms of success rate. They have always been the team to beat, the side to avoid in a World Cup group but they will not be the form horse on Friday night when they face France in the World Cup opener.

Not least because of their last game against the Springboks when they started in reverse gear and failed to get out of it. Factor in the defeats to France and Ireland in the last couple of years and New Zealand look like a side fourth in the rankings, a little way from the top.

Yet when has it paid to write off the All Blacks? When it comes to bouncebackability, there is no one more proficient. The prophets of doom assembled a year ago when New Zealand were routed by the Springboks at the Mbombela Stadium, flattered by the 26-10 scoreline.

A week later, the sides squared up again at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The All Blacks went 15 points up only to lose the lead in the second half before a late rally saw them home by 12 points.

At the end of the month, they were beaten by Argentina in Christchurch, the first time they had lost three home matches in a calendar year. The two sides met again in Hamilton a week later. The All B l a ck s won 53-3.