You write off the All Blacks at your peril

BEFORE this edition of the Rugby Championship, people have been writing off New Zealand, and talking about their decline – but, even if they do not have the presence Richie McCaw’s world champions had eight years ago, you write them off at your peril.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

New Zealand have won the Rugby Championship more than any other nation, and they still possess the highest individual skill-sets in the tournament. If it came to giving marks out of 10 for each player they would still be top ranked.

However, compared with that period of the All Blacks being double World Cup winners from 2011 to 2019 – when McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu and company would have strolled into a World XV – they are now nowhere near it.

In that era New Zealand had a ruthless pack that was rarely dominated, whereas in the last four years they have been overrun by France and South Africa, and out- thought by Ireland. The Irish are not as big up front as the Springboks and France and , but they are rugby-intelligent – which always used to be the biggest strength of the All Blacks.

New Zealand do not have this unbeatable wrapping around them any more. When they face Argentina in the opening round of the Rugby Championship in Mendoza on Saturday, the Pumas will feel they have a great chance, because New Zealand’s coat of invincibility has a few holes in it.

They are not as feared as they were, and I was reminded of this recently when I read something about Richie Mo’unga being the greatest 10 in Super Rugby because he has won so much with the Crusaders. My only problem is that at international level Mo’unga has not had quite the same impact.