With the Rugby World Cup just 25 days away, Graham Henry and Richie McCaw can feel very comfortable. The indomitable All Black coach-captain-combo has masterminded the men-in-black to be the best team on the planet.
Richie McCaw
Daylight is a very poor second.
Sure, we all know the All Blacks are big-time chokers at Rugby World Cup time having won the inaugural tournament in 1987, and nothing since, despite being the best, or certainly the second best nation in the other five tournaments.
But “Bill” is the measuring stick, and only David Kirk has held aloft the coveted gold William Webb Ellis trophy – rugby’s Holy Grail.
Times are different. Barring a massive upset, McCaw’s fingerprints will be all over the trophy on October 23 after the final at Eden Park, where the All Blacks haven’t lost an international since 1994.
Amazingly, only five countries have ever beaten the All Blacks in the history of rugby covering 475 internationals New Zealand has been involved in – the Wallabies have won 40 times, the Springboks (33), France (12), England (6), and Wales (3).
Leaving Ireland, with 23 losses, and a draw – Scotland, with 26 losses, and two draws – and Argentina 12 losses, and a draw – among the world’s best sides still trying to break the All Black drought.
Mighty impressive stats for a mighty impressive nation, where rugby is a religion.
The All Blacks (ranked world number 1) – have so far crushed Fiji 60-14, scoring eight tries to one, and walloped the Wallabies 30-14, scoring three tries to two. Discount the Fiji game, but the win over the Wallabies was significant.
It not only kept the Eden Park hoodoo humming, but for the oldest team in All Black history, averaging 29-years of age, they made a statement – “you have a long way to go before we worry about you Wallabies”. A fair call. And they backed it up with an effortless 40-7 win over the Bok B’s, scoring six tries to one.
Still to go this Saturday at Port Elizabeth, veteran 84-capped hooker Keven Mealamu will lead a second-string All Black line-up against a full-strength Bok squad, with McCaw, Dan Carter and a host of first-choice All Blacks staying home.
Next Saturday the Suncorp is the blockbuster precursor to the Rugby World Cup, when the All Blacks and Wallabies go head-to-head at full strength, with possibly the Tri-Nations up for grabs, depending on the PE result.
