Cameron McMillan reviews the All Blacks season of 2023 which came oh so close to one of their best ever.
I dubbed the 2022 All Blacks season a rollercoaster ride and even made a fun Foster and Cane image to set the scene, but 2023 was
All Blacks 2023 season reviewed: Two points from greatness
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The All Blacks had a collection of great moments in 2023. Photos / Photosport
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Did Will Jordan score? No, he did not play.
How the Herald saw it:
Humbling the Pumas: All Blacks make statement performance
Gregor Paul: Watch out world - ABs have awoken from their slumber
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Player ratings: The best and worst from All Blacks v Argentina
Match rating:
All Blacks 35 South Africa 20
July 15, Mt Smart Stadium
Mt Smart hosted some great moments this year, with the Warriors turning their home into their fortress. The home of rugby league also hosted the All Blacks for the second time with Eden Park booked out for the Fifa World Cup. Again the All Blacks started at pace and it was too much for the Springboks early on. Down 20-3 the Boks mounted a comeback with tries to Malcolm Marx and Cheslin Kolbe but New Zealand ensured they finished strong as well. Jordan added another to his tally off a crafty Beauden Barrett kick and Richie Mo’unga capped off a man-of-the-match performance with a try. Freedom Cup retained.
Did Will Jordan score? Of course he did.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: All Blacks reveal triple-threat blueprint in win over Springboks
Gregor Paul: ABs timing World Cup run to perfection
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Player ratings: The best and the rest from ABs v Boks
Match rating:
All Blacks 38 Australia 7
July 29, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Nothing like making a statement by scoring in just the third minute by smashing the opposition halfback on his own line and diving on the loose ball for an easy try. Five months later and Tate McDermott may still be feeling that tackle from Scott Barrett. The Wallabies scored right back and showed some fight but the All Blacks took over when Taniela Tupou was given a yellow card. While the Wallabies the down to 14 men, New Zealand scored three tries and the Scott Barrett shush meme was born. And just like that, the All Blacks had another Rugby Championship title and the Bledisloe locked up. Three games down, three trophies in the cabinet.
Scott Barrett shushing Nic White is iconic 🔥 #AllBlacks #Wallabies #BledisloeCup #AUSvNZL pic.twitter.com/kFN2w5ltX8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 29, 2023
Did Will Jordan score? Yes, in the right-hand corner as per usual.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Foster’s side lock up Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship
Gregor Paul: The remarkable aspect of ABs’ grinding win over Wallabies
Player ratings: The best and the rest from All Blacks v Wallabies
Match rating:
All Blacks 23 Australia 20
August 5, Forsyth Barr Stadium
It was the Wallabies’ best performance of the year. Shaun Stevenson, Samipeni Finau and Dallas McLeod all made their debuts, while it was a chance for a final test at home for Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick, Dane Coles, Nepo Laulala and Sam Whitelock. Australia responded from the previous week’s result with two first-half tries and a 17-3 halftime lead. The All Blacks hit back and took the lead. Quade Cooper drew the Wallabies level with their only points of the second spell (which wasn’t enough to impress Eddie Jones, who then didn’t name him in his World Cup squad). Mo’unga kicked a match-winning penalty in a thrilling Bledisloe Cup test, proving the point: day tests always rule.
Did Will Jordan score? He was moved to fullback and Stevenson scored in the right-hand corner. Selfless from Jordan.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Battling All Blacks extend unbeaten run
Gregor Paul: The hero who changed the game for the All Blacks
How the players rated in the All Blacks’ shaky win
Match rating:
All Blacks 7 South Africa 35
Friday August 25, Twickenham
As Sir Steve Hansen would say, a real dunny flusher of a result. Scott Barrett earned two yellow cards as the All Blacks played 42 minutes with 14 men against the Springboks, yeah more on that later. It just kept getting worse as the Boks went from 14-0 up at halftime to 35-0 before Cam Roigard scored late so the All Blacks avoided a first zero since 1964. Still their biggest defeat and snapped an 11-game winning streak going into the World Cup. The Springboks also walked away with the Qatar Airways Cup.
Did Will Jordan score? No, but don’t think it was the difference-maker this time.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Injuries, cards and carnage at Twickenham
Gregor Paul: Rugby World Cup looks set to be hijacked by pedantry, fakery and group-think
How the All Blacks rated in record loss to Springboks
Match rating:
All Blacks 13 France 27
Friday September 9, Stade de France
What a start to the tournament. A pinpoint across-field kick from Beauden Barrett to Mark Tele’a and the All Blacks were in after 91 seconds. The rest of the half was a tight tussle broken up by four successful penalty attempts. Down 9-8 at the break, an Ardie Savea chip and chase set up Jordan to run free and a phase later, Tele’a was in for a second thanks to a superb long pass from Mo’unga. Mo’unga then made a try-saver to deny Damian Penaud in the corner and all seemed like it the All Blacks were getting on top with a 13-9 lead. The final 25 minutes though were all France. Penaud eventually dotted down on a second attempt, Jordan was sent to the bin and Thomas Ramos banged over two more penalties. Just like that it was 22-13. France added a second try to hand the All Blacks their biggest World Cup defeat. One game in and confidence from the All Blacks fanbase was low based on two big defeats.
Did Will Jordan score? No. Hard to score when you’re in the bin.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Sacre bleu it! All Blacks handed biggest World Cup defeat
Gregor Paul: The biggest concern from the All Blacks defeat
How the players rated in All Blacks’ defeat against France
Match rating:
All Blacks 71 Namibia 3
Saturday September 15, Stadium De Toulouse
Tough one for Namibia, facing an All Blacks side coming off back-to-back defeats. It took 97 seconds for New Zealand to open the scoring, so a bit slower than the week earlier, and Cam Roigard had a second try five minutes later. Roigard and Damian McKenzie both had strong games as the All Blacks crossed over 11 times. Not exactly a rewatchable. The only blemish was the late red card for Ethan de Groot for a shot to the head. The first All Black to be sent off at the World Cup (eek).
Did Will Jordan score? Again no. He didn’t play. Starting to feel like this was a bad idea to track.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Cam Roigard makes statement in big win over Namibia
Gregor Paul: What the All Blacks are building their campaign on
All Blacks player ratings: Who stood out and who didn’t
Match rating:
All Blacks 96 Italy 17
Saturday September 29, OL Stadium, Lyon
It was meant to be the second-most-competitive pool game for Foster’s side but then everyone remembered that Italy are probably the seventh-best team in the Six Nations and the All Blacks were in superb form in Lyon. The best of the 14 tries was from the kickoff after the second, when Savea broke the line and ran deep into Italy’s half before linking up with Beauden Barrett, who found Tele’a wide left. The wing then bounced through four Italian players to score. The four-try bonus point was secured in the 22nd minute. It was an impressive mix of forwards-led tries and some action for the backs as well.
Did Will Jordan score? Not once but twice, including the opener with a great diving effort in the corner.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Statement made: All Blacks send a message with Italy thrashing
Gregor Paul: The evidence that the All Blacks are officially back
How the All Blacks rated in 96-17 win over Italy
Match rating:
All Blacks 73 Uruguay 0
Saturday October 5, OL Stadium, Lyon
Third straight thrashing as they shut out Los Teros. Sam Cane returned to the starting line-up after pulling out of the opener with a back injury. Leicester Fainga’anuku got a hat-trick while McKenzie and Jordan both got doubles. Second straight game without a card for the All Blacks but despite the scoreline, probably the least impressive 73-0 win for the All Blacks.
Did Will Jordan score? One in each half yet again.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: All Blacks struggle to find their rhythm against spirited Uruguay side
Gregor Paul: Hints of anxiety surround All Blacks despite convincing win
Player ratings: The best and worst of the All Blacks v Uruguay
Match rating:
All Blacks 28 Ireland 24
Saturday October 14, Stade de France
The All Blacks were the underdogs, which rarely happens and makes this win even more special. It was an instant classic where the All Blacks had to play near-perfect rugby. The most famous 37 straight phases in World Cup history as they defended for several straight minutes at the end to hold Ireland out and hand them yet another quarter-final exit. Whitelock once again pulled off the key play, standing over the ball to win a penalty to end the game. Three great tries, the first from a regathered Beauden Barrett chip-ahead before Reiko Ioane assisted Fainga’anuku in the corner, Ardie diving in the right-hand corner and the brilliant Mo’unga run to set up Jordan and give the All Blacks a 25-17 lead. But Ireland kept coming at them to cut the lead to one with a penalty try and a Codie Taylor yellow. Jordie Barrett kicked a penalty and, more importantly, held up a try as the All Blacks defended for the final 10 minutes.
Did Will Jordan score? The Jordan try against Ireland might be my second-favourite World Cup try after Lomu over Catt. It’s up there with Anderson caught Blundell, bowled Wagner as my most-watched YouTube sporting moments of 2023.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: All Blacks triumph in one of the great World Cup tests
Gregor Paul: All Blacks answer moment of truth with astonishing win over Ireland
Player ratings: The best and worst of the All Blacks (featuring two perfect 10s)
Match rating:
All Blacks 44 Argentina 6
Saturday October 20, Stade de France
Not all semifinals can be classics. Foster’s side were up 15-6 shortly before the break but - as they do - scored on either side of halftime to kill the semifinal before Will Jordan later crossed over for a hat-trick. Argentina weren’t up to it after stunning Wales in the quarter-finals and the All Blacks even had the luxury of playing the end of the match with 14 after Scott Barrett remained off the field despite his 10 minutes in the bin expiring.
Did Will Jordan score? Yes, and with a hat-trick in a World Cup semifinal he joins Jonah Lomu (who got four v England) and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: All Blacks march into final with impressive display
Gregor Paul: Ian Foster on verge of greatest redemption story in rugby history
Two nines: How the All Blacks rated in semifinal blowout
Match rating:
All Blacks 11 South Africa 12
Saturday October 28, Stade de France
It was a gutsy performance, you can’t deny the All Blacks that, playing with only 15 men for 15 minutes, but it wasn’t well-executed and the Springboks appeared to dictate the game with a kick-to-touch-happy approach. Cane’s red card was an absolute gut punch as he joined Lydia Thompson in getting marching orders in a final. Outside of the Cane tackle and the Frizell yellow, the All Blacks were actually quite disciplined, it was just two of their five penalties were card-worthy and four were turned into points.
Just two turnovers compared to South Africa’s seven and the 13 handling errors jump out in the wake of what could have easily been one of their most famous wins. Much like France in 2011, the All Blacks will always be thinking “what if”, with two missed kicks to take the lead in a final.
How the Herald saw it:
Liam Napier: Boks make history! ‘Devastating’ defeat will haunt courageous All Blacks
Gregor Paul: Mad, memorable final also a sad day for rugby
Player ratings: The best and worst of the All Blacks (feat a lowly 3)
Match rating:
Overall season rating:
They almost bloody did it. Even with 14 players for a large chunk of the World Cup final.
2023 record: Played 12, Won 9, Lost 3, Points for 480, Points against 183
Most points: Richie Mo’unga 96
Most tries: Will Jordan 10
Red cards: Scott Barrett, Ethan de Groot, Sam Cane
Debutants: Emoni Narawa, Tamaiti Williams, Cameron Roigard, Samipeni Finau, Shaun Stevenson, Dallas McLeod.
Trophies won: Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship, Freedom Cup
Trophies lost: Qatar Airways Cup, Rugby World Cup
