'I believe in that aura': Former All Black insists team still have special it factor

A long and storied history of being at the forefront of rugby excellence earned the All Blacks their infamous "aura". Now, some suggest it hangs in the balance.

Physicality across the park and the world's greatest attacking threats have both been synonymous with the All Blacks brand for decades.

Before professionalism and the accessibility of the internet, there was a mystique around the New Zealand team for much of the world. A team that would arrive on foreign shores and exhibit some of the most thrilling skills the game has seen, only to disappear again.

Now, the men who don that renowned black jersey are seen as human after all.

Two historic losses in a row have dampened expectations for a fourth Rugby World Cup victory, but not for everyone. 81-Test halfback Justin Marshall insists his team can lift the Webb Ellis Cup once more in just over a month's time.

"Yeah, absolutely we can," he told The Platform. "And I believe in that aura, and I believe in this team, and I believe in those players, and I believe in the All Black brand and our attitude, and our ability to win big games and our ability to win World Cups.

"I'm a believer and I know this team can do it. The rest of the world? Not so.

"Making my way around France since that game, bumping heads with former players, they are saying the same things, the questions that you're asking me.

"They're going why are they kicking the ball away so much? Why are they not quite getting their substitutes quite right? Why are they having discipline problems?

"Other teams and other people in general are seeing the All Blacks not with that aura."

While they still comfortably possess winning records against every other nation, debut losses to Argentina and Ireland on home soil have broken any air of invincibility those opponents have felt towards New Zealand.

A largest-ever losing margin three weeks ago at Twickenham and a first-ever loss in the pool stages of a World Cup over the weekend only consolidate the feelings of this being a new era, an era where the All Blacks are not only beatable but as France proved on the weekend, you don't have to be at your best to beat them.

"I feel they've still got it," Marshall continued. "I feel they still have the ability, this team, to bring out those qualities that make All Blacks and make us the country that we are and the competitors that we are.

"But in answer to your question, that's my personal opinion, but making my way around, I was with legends today; George Gregan, Jean de Villiers, John Smit, Schalk Burger. All these guys were saying what's going on with the All Blacks at the moment?

"They are asking those questions. So, if those guys are asking those questions, knowing that they've played test matches against the All Blacks and what they expect from the All Blacks, then something's slightly off, isn't it?"