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All Blacks in 'freefall' - How NZ media are reacting to French loss
By Ian Cameron
New Zealandās latest boilover loss in Paris last night against France, a week after they were floored in Dublin, is the first time the All Blacks have lost two in a row this year.
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France racked up 40 points to the guests 25 in an electrifying performance that matched if not exceeded the heady scenes at the Aviva Stadium a week earlier.
The last time Ian Fosterās team lost two on the trot was against Argentina and Australia on successive weekends in 2020. Before that? Youād have to go back to the 2011 Rugby Championship for back to back All Blacks losses.
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The men in black donāt do losing and they most certainly donāt do losing twice in a row; such is the harsh yardstick by which the New Zealand rugby public measure their team. Many Kiwis are now openly questioning whether Fosterās ongoing tenure as head coach should be cut short, with Crusaderās mastermind Scott Robertson a favourite to be parachuted in should NZR press the panic button.
And all this hand wringing comes in a calendar year where their winning percentage sits at 80 per cent [12 games from 15] ā a stat most tier one teams would kill for.
The media back home in New Zealand ā as you can imagine ā are concerned.
The NZ Heraldās Liam Napier wrote: āThe flaws France exposed have been exploited too often this season, leaving major concerns surrounding the All Blacksā ability to problem solve week to week.
āJust as South Africa and Ireland proved another big powerful forward pack seriously troubled the All Blacks.ā
Stuffās Marc Hinton believes the loss heralds a new world order in rugby union.
āWorld rugby has a new global order, and right now the All Blacks are on the outside looking in. The Boks remain up there, for sure, despite their year-ending defeat to England, but itās a group dominated by the powerhouses of the north ā France, England and Ireland who have masterfully demonstrated their quite disparate strengths over the last few weeks.
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āThe All Blacks are officially in free-fall, and have a mountain to climb over the next couple of seasons if they are to be a threat at the 2023 World Cup, back in France. All of a sudden, that decision earlier this year to extend Ian Fosterās contract through that global event seems like it might just have been somewhat premature.ā
āFor the All Blacks, a third defeat and second on the bounce makes it their worst season since 2009, and the soul-searching will be immense on the back of consecutive performances that have seen them soundly beaten across many facets of the game.ā
The NZ Heraldās Cameron McMillan wrote: āTwo defeats at the back end of a long and Covid-hit season, coming after Foster re-signed as All Blacks head coach in August, wonāt exactly inspire New Zealand fans two years out from a World Cup.
āAt some point next month Foster will do a review with the top brass at New Zealand Rugby, which happens at the end of every year. Itās at that point the call would be made to make a change or stick with the status quo.ā
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The All Blacks have had mid-cycle dips before and lifted the William Webb Ellis Trophy two seasons later. If this particular fall from grace is a bellwether for further decline, well, weāll just have to wait and see.
I think it's only fair if AB supporters experience real dire times at least once in their life. Their team has given everyone else much pain over the years. š
The All Blacks buy their own press hype that they play "attractive" rugby. It was Foster who said he was bored to tears by the Boks/Lions series. I hope he was "entertained" by the France/New Zealand and Ireland/ New Zealand games. Long may he last as the AB's coach.
Mate..scorelines and playing styles are two different things...