Sam Cane of the All Blacks leads the haka. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
The World Cup will define, as it always does, the year for the All Blacks.
Does anyone other than the saddest rugby tragic remember that before their magnificent winning 2015 Cup campaign, the All Blacks had finished second to Australia in the Rugby Championship?
The first step to seizing greatness this year will come for New Zealand not in the truncated three-test Rugby Championship in July, or in the Bledisloe Cup test in August in Dunedin, or in the warm-up test with South Africa at Twickenham at the end of August.
Mark down instead the opening game of the Cup against France on September 8 at the Parc de Princes in Paris. A victory would provide not only a huge boost in every way for the All Blacks, from points on the table to lifting spirits, but also help revive the little frisson of dread that the black jersey traditionally triggered in international opponents.
There were times last year when beating France, at what will be a packed stadium where fans are so crazily fervent that in pre-terrorism days I once saw sky rockets launched out of the crowd by French supporters, felt like an impossible dream.
Then the first half of Ireland’s brilliant 32-19 defeat of France in the opening round of Six Nations provided the best 40 minutes of rugby I’ve seen since the opening spell of the best rugby test ever, the 2000 match in Sydney between the All Blacks and the Wallabies.
But more importantly for New Zealand, it also provided what amounts to a blueprint if the All Blacks are to wreck France’s opening Friday night Cup party.
Things may change in the next six months, but here are four points that may yet see the All Blacks start with a victory at the ‘23 Cup.
1. Forward progress
The French tight five are very good, but Ireland showed they can be put onto the back foot. New Zealand has the potential to do the same. The All Blacks scrum has improved enormously, which can be credited to the expert guidance of Jason Ryan, and changes in personnel. By the end of the year the All Blacks should have a potent front row, with props Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, George Bower, and hopefully, a revived, energised Joe Moody, joined by dynamic hookers Codie Taylor and Samisoni Taukei’aho. If Scott Barrett continues as a blindside flanker, complementing the vast experience and huge skillsets of locks Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, the lineouts should be just as strong as the scrums.
2. Man on man defence
There are some wonderful attacking qualities in the French line-up, and their hulking forwards often set the platform. Their running crosses damaging intent with impressive skills and clever lines. But Ireland showed they can be rattled, with fierce head-on tackling. As Mike Tyson once famously said: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” In 2019 Cup semifinal in Yokohama, the All Blacks were in effect punched in the mouth by England, who physically dominated the game. The All Blacks need to legally summon their inner Tyson in Paris.
3. Even the best can be rattled
France’s key player is captain and halfback Antoine Dupont. Without question he’s one of the all-time greats. But if the best halfback in the game is getting backfoot, untidy, erratic ball he can start to look like a mere mortal. Ireland managed to do that to Dupont in Dublin. As it always does, the winning of a rugby game usually comes down to who dominates in the forwards.
4. Jordie is the answer
Thankfully it now seems settled that Jordie Barrett is a second-five at the highest level. It’s his unusual cross to bear that he’s also a world class fullback, and a very good wing. But power in the midfield is hugely essential, and along with a myriad of other attributes, having a tough midfielder like Barrett, who’s bigger than Ardie Savea, and most of the other All Black loose forwards, is exactly what the All Blacks need.