They may have got the hard word from coach Graham Henry, but the All Blacks didn't exactly sing their hearts out for the national anthem before last night's test against Italy.
"Absolutely pitiful," was how vocal coach Michael Blake described our boys' efforts.
The ABs copped some flak during the week for their lacklustre vocal performances in the past fortnight, particularly last Saturday's efforts which paled in comparison to the passionate French.
But Henry was adamant things would be better this week, telling Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB on Friday that: "I think the word'll get through. They value New Zealand immensely these guys, they play their heart and soul out for the country."
That may be so, but they were singing neither their hearts nor souls out last night. "The All Blacks looked uncomfortable and emotionless," said Blake, a former international tenor soloist who runs a vocal coaching business in Cambridge with his wife Glenese, also a former international opera singer.
"There seemed to be no evidence of any pride at being New Zealanders."
Once again, the Kiwis were shown up by the passion of the Europeans.
"Every one of the Italians sang with gusto and emotion," said Blake.
Defending his team on Friday, captain Mils Muliaina blamed their woeful singing on the New Zealand character.
"We're probably conservative people as Kiwis. We're very passionate about being All Blacks and also the national anthem. We don't, I suppose, jump up and down about it ... we're conservative people."
If the Blakes had been judging the All Blacks in a vocal group competition, "they would not have got through round one".
His advice to our boys? "Perhaps you actually need to learn all the words." He's offering a free coaching session to bring the boys in black up to scratch for the Tri Nations.
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