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Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

Martin Devlin: We need to talk - It's time we backed the All Blacks ahead of the Rugby World Cup

NZ Herald
1 Feb, 2019 02:00 AM3 mins to read

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Kieran Read of the All Blacks leads the haka. Photo / Getty

Kieran Read of the All Blacks leads the haka. Photo / Getty

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I want to formally invite you to the Club.

Everyone is welcome, no joining fee required, just unabashed loyalty both expected and demanded.

I'm talking about being 100 per cent committed to our All Blacks. Too early? Hell no.

But rugby hasn't even started here yet. Yes, acknowledged, but the season, the international season is underway overnight with all eyes on the Six Nations and the new No. 1 side in the world - Ireland.

Yes, Ireland. Well, that's what Gats says. All different now when the weight of expectation is on you and everyone expects you to win though isn't it?

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Anyway, back to The Club. OUR Club.

This is completely unofficial, there are no badges, no website, no app, no bookface snapchat or any other contrived ad-agency manufactured contrived marketing crap. This is about nothing but supporting the All Blacks.

And I mean 100 per cent commitment. I think this year is very similar to 2011. We are going into a Rugby World Cup with many questions about us, selection concerns, inconsistent form, the rest of the rugby world starting to convince themselves that maybe our time is up.

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Bollocks. Big load of utter cobblers. Let them yap away because that's all they got. What our team needs most is us. Knowing they have our full support no matter what happens.

All Blacks captain Kieran Read and teammates perform the haka. Photo / Getty
All Blacks captain Kieran Read and teammates perform the haka. Photo / Getty

And that means giving of our hearts, our love, the ultimate emotional investment knowing if you wanna reach for the stars you gotta stand on the ladder to do it.

And if the risk is failure, then the reward is worth it. To drown in the glory of victory first we gotta swim with the fear of ignominy.

There are no guarantees in Japan. There never are at this tournament. But we have a choice, all of us have a choice, and that's what this Club is about.

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Are YOU All Black? Do you bleed black blood? Are you prepared to get up, stand up and stand beside our team like in 2011?

Because this is your choice. We can send our men to Japan weighed down under a cloud of negativity, criticism ringing in their ears, moaning about anything and everything to do with this team of ours that for 8 years has played sublime thrilling rugby, the back to back world champions, the team we so often take for granted.

Or, or we can send them to Tokyo full of hope and expectation, the cheers not jeers of four million of us fans wishing and willing and urging them on to play well and fill us with pride, no matter the journey whatever the ride.

And if you think this is all a load of tosh, words, waffle and intangible rubbish then maybe it is. But what say it's not? What say the players do feed of our emotion?

If you knew that your support really does make a difference would that in any way alter your personal position?

There is no joining fee to join this club. It's what's in your heart, it's all about love.

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