Where do you start in assessing the shocking decline of the All Blacks sincethe 2017 Lions tour?
New coach Scott Robertson is no magic bullet, that’s for sure. His All Blacks were lucky against England, and incompetent against Argentina in the first test at Wellington.
Well done to the victorious Pumas, but they didn’t have to do much against a confused New Zealand team.
Significantly, the apparent progress made in the forwards last year under new assistant Jason Ryan has fallen apart.
I’ll pick on one aspect – the selection of TJ Perenara at halfback.
Emailers to this desk still reference Robertson’s break-dancing days. His post-match celebrations at the Crusaders marked him as too much of a rugby maverick in the eyes of some fans.
Yet Robertson’s opening salvos have been characterised by hints of an overly conservative selection policy, and none more so than at halfback.
New Zealand has three vibrant halfback prospects – the injured Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima and Noah Hotham.
So let them loose. Give them game time and the chance to build confidence. Halfbacks provide so much energy for any rugby team.
Instead, Robertson has stuck with Perenara, who never really delivered on his promise as a top test halfback anyway.
Robertson was supposed to be a breath of fresh air who would reinvigorate the test side. There are no upsides to continuing with the now ponderous, 32-year-old Perenara.
Robertson needs to be braver, as he seeks to preserve the All Blacks’ amazing Eden Park record.
Winner: Hamish Kerr... and this never-to-be-forgotten Olympic moment
Track and field events are the heart of the Olympics. New Zealand has no history of world-class high jump success. Hamish Kerr’s gold, our first in a men’s field event, is extraordinary.
From sweeping away leaves at his little training venue in Christchurch, revamping his technique two years ago and dealing with a change of coach last year... what a story.
Kerr grabbed even more glory with his run across the infield, arms raised, in Paris. It sent shivers up the spine.
But the moment I’ll remember best came during qualifying, when Kerr missed the first two attempts at 2.20m, a low height for him.
His medal bid could have ended prematurely, just as it did for British pole vault favourite Molly Caudery.
Kerr gathered himself and made the height.
“I hate qualification – it’s the worst thing in the world... scary,” he said later. “I had to go to a dark place.”
Hamish Kerr celebrates his dramatic victory. Photo / Getty Images
Winner: Our Olympic team... the national mood (briefly)
An incredible effort, led by the women. New Zealand opened with a rugby gold medal, and finished with another victory from incredible track cyclist Ellesse Andrews.
Sporting victories won’t change the lives of the many people who are struggling financially and facing other issues such as job insecurity. New Zealand has not emerged from the Covid situation in the best of spirits.
But at least success across a remarkable range of sports in Paris suggests we aren’t all bad. And it’s way better than failing dismally at the biggest sports show on Earth.
So to Dame Lisa Carrington and co, all their supporters, support staff and families, a big thanks.
Winner/Loser: This Olympic conundrum...
We’re great on the water but not in it. Half of New Zealand’s 20 medals came from rowing, canoeing and yachting... and you could tack on to that Hayden Wilde’s triathlon silver. But hopes of a rare swimming medal were not realised.
Loser: The IOC
Just when you thought the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had run a great race, along came a ridiculous gymnastics controversy and ruling.
The IOC has stripped American Jordan Chiles of her floor exercise bronze medal in a dispute involving the timing of their challenge during the competition. It involves just a few seconds, in the hectic atmosphere of an Olympic event.
There was an easy and fair solution – to award bronze medals to both Chiles and Romania’s Ana Barbosu. Both countries wanted that.
In the process, the IOC ruined the photo of the games, showing Chiles and the great Simone Biles bowing on the podium to gold medal winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil.
Not only did it reveal wonderful camaraderie, it was the first time three women of colour had stood on an Olympic gymnastics podium.
Now the IOC will face the might of America’s legal power as their sports bosses fight for Chiles’ medal.
Winner: Simone Biles... for this other reason
The incredible American gymnast resumed her medal haul, after some tough years.
The new Netflix documentary on her is a must-watch. It includes Simone Biles revealing that she approaches some of her groundbreaking routines fearing for her life.
Gold medalist Simone Biles of Team United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Vault Final on day eight the Olympics. Photo / Getty Images
Winner: Faith Kipyegon... and this little Olympic moment
No less a legend than Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya’s incredible marathon runner, apparently says that Kipyegon is their country’s greatest athlete.
This is saying something, considering Kenya’s running history.
Kipyegon won her third consecutive 1500m Olympic gold.
As she was celebrating, there was a classic Olympic scene taking place on the track, with non-medallists from America and Kenya crouching to hug Australian silver winner Jess Hull in joy.
Winner/Loser: Lydia Ko... LPGA’s Hall of Fame system
The gold medal secured Lydia Ko’s points-based entry into golf’s Hall of Fame. It would have been a travesty if she had never made it into this pantheon. The LPGA rigid points system needs reconsidering. Most sporting Hall of Fames involve better judgment. On the down side, this victory could hasten Ko’s retirement.
Winners: The unheralded Olympic countries...
... who won their first-ever gold medals. These history-making athletes included sprinters Letsile Tobogo from Botswana and Julien Alfred from St Lucia.
Winner: The joyous Paris crowds
Backed everyone, not just their own.
Winner: The quirky Olympic back stories...
... such as that of 23-year-old Irish gold medal swimming sensation Daniel Wiffen, who was a teenage background actor in a Game of Thrones scene filmed in 2013. Wiffen, identical twin brother Nathan – also a top swimmer – and sister Elizabeth had the “Game of Thrones look” according to the bespectacled Wiffen.
Winner: This most overlooked Olympic star... and tradition
Huge Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez won his fifth gold medal, aged 41. He announced his retirement in traditional style, leaving his shoes on the mat.
Losers: Olympics over, so back to that other sporting circus known as the Warriors
Their NRL season has been steadily sliding towards disaster, and their cause hasn’t been helped by the lack of a proper goal-kicker.
No NRL team should go into games with a marksman as bad as Chanel Harris-Tavita. It’s unprofessional.
Winner: The NRL
The Warriors lost another close battle, this time against the Dolphins, but the second half of the match in Brisbane was an absolute thriller. Entertainment like that will help keep the punters coming back. The Warriors draw remarkable support at grounds in Australia.
Winner: The all-Manchester Community Shield football match at Wembley...
... because it is a reminder that the fabulous English Premier League starts this week. Yahoo. Better still if Manchester City’s dominance can be broken.
