KEY POINTS:
The All Blacks' loss to France in the World Cup at the weekend has British scribes cutting the team to shreds. "When the lights go down and it comes to showtime, New Zealand suffer horribly from stage fright," wrote Brendan Gallagher in the Daily Telegraph.
He said the
All Blacks choked on their own sense of self-importance.
"There is extraordinary arrogance and pettiness over their commercially driven haka, as though they were the only nation on earth allowed to express their individuality."
Stephen Jones of the Sunday Times is no less vociferous.
A "wonderful and long-overdue application" of the rugby breakdown laws by "outstanding young English referee" Wayne Barnes took Richie McCaw out of the equation, he says.
This meant the All Blacks did not have a forward of true world class anywhere, save their two props, he said.
"Jerry Collins, the one-trick pony, was in the corral. Rodney So'oialo was ordinary. For God's sake, they are men of great heart, but they are just bangers. Compare So'oialo with, say, Lawrence Dallaglio at his best and you have an anthill and a mountain."
The backline was also bagged, criticised for not having the tactical nous or skills to try a drop goal.
"Take Luke McAllister out and there was a lack of class whenever the ball went beyond the scrum-half."
In the Guardian, Paul Rees said the All Blacks' attacking game showed little imagination, "and they had run out of ideas before the end."
The Telegraph website features analysis by former All Black No 8 Zinzan Brooke, who admitted to turning his cellphone off to avoid banter from former rugby adversaries.
He said the team suffered from a lack of match play, the last competitive game being against Australia in July.
"Secondly, and this is easy to say in hindsight, the squad rotation system proved to be a mistake."
He also questioned why three midfielders - Aaron Mauger, Conrad Smith, and Isaia Toeava - were taken, only to be replaced at centre by fullback Mils Muliaina.
In the International Herald Tribune, Peter Berlin said the problem that faced the All Blacks was that they were expected to beat everyone all the time.
"A more profound problem might also be the central importance of rugby in New Zealand itself and the growing burden of repeated failures."
Brisbane's Courier Mail ran a headline "At least we didn't choke", gloating the All Blacks were "French fried".
In South Africa, Mark Keohane of the Independent online reports Springbok coach Jake White's assessment of the All Black performance.
White often countered Graham Henry's claim that attack would win the cup, preferring to focus on defence.
"I take heart from the struggles this team [Boks] has had to go through. New Zealand had not been put in that position often in the last four years and when the crunch came, they didn't handle it and they didn't appear to have the leadership on the field."