Sa Rugby

Sa Rugby

Jake White has listed 10 reasons why the Springboks will never fear taking on the World Cup favourites, writes Peter Bills
Why All Blacks aren't invincible

July 13, 2007 Edition 1
1 Because this is rugby union and strange things can and do happen. No team is invincible. The All Blacks have a huge aura about them but, if you look past the aura, you can beat them. We have proved that in each of the last three years when we have beaten them in the Tri-Nations each season. I'm not saying it is easy to beat them, but it can be done.
2 You can't tell me New Zealand will be full of confidence after losing to Australia in Melbourne. They have admitted themselves that was a real wake-up call for them, especially after they had dominated the Wallabies in the first half.
3 The pressure is really on them in this game. They're playing at home, and they've got a great record here. They know they must deliver this time. Imagine what would happen if this Springbok team beat the All Blacks. It would be a national disaster in New Zealand. But that kind of thing can happen; it is what makes rugby such a good game.
4They're not invincible if referees referee what they see in front of them, not what they have made up their minds about in the days leading up to a Test match in which the All Blacks are playing. The trouble is, they often turn up with a 10-point start because too many referees come to one of their games thinking the All Blacks can't lose, especially here in New Zealand.
5 I have huge respect for New Zealand because what they have achieved is phenomenal. But they are still human beings, they're not super men with a few extra arms and legs. If you preach that message to your players, you give your players a fair chance.
6 The haka has been called intimidating by some, and there is no doubt in my mind it is a motivating tool for them. But it can be used against the New Zealanders. You only had to watch what the Australians did in Melbourne to see that confirmed.
When the haka was finished and the All Blacks were all fired up, the Wallabies went into a huddle and sang their own song. Like the Wallabies, there is no reason for us to go straight to the halfway line and start the match while they are psyched up and ready.
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7 It is 20 years since New Zealand last won a World Cup. That alone tells you they are not invincible. They only have the same number of World Cups as South Africa and England, and less than the Aussies. Yet we don't see the Australians as invincible, so why should we regard New Zealand in that light?
8 New Zealand's biggest strength will be their biggest weakness, in my view. Many of their players are leaving for clubs in England and France after the World Cup. Most of those guys will end their international careers with this World Cup, and they will want to go out playing in the Test matches. They have almost been misled by the belief that there is no A or B team but 30 world-class players who are all as good as each other. But believe me, it isn't true.
When the All Blacks have to choose their best side for the World Cup quarter-final, there are going to be a lot of guys who will be seriously disappointed at not being in it.
So how is the management going to keep everyone happy if they are not playing in the biggest games? Will guys with 20 or 30 caps be happy just to play against Portugal or Scotland? I somehow doubt it.
I think New Zealand have a great strength that will turn into a hell of a weakness unless they start telling guys who will be in the Saturday side.
9 I don't think Graham Henry knows his best team at this stage. I know my team now for each of our first four World Cup matches. I have an A side and a B side, and we've been open with the players all along about that. They know the situation. I have guys who would be very happy to be in our World Cup 30. That is a lot easier to manage as a coach than if you have 30 great players that all want or expect to be part of the starting XV.
10 Rugby is too unpredictable a game to call anyone invincible. At the end of the day it's still 15 against 15, not 21 against 12 or something. A bad bounce of the ball or one interception can change so much.
We were rubbished by the Australian media for taking what they called a B team to Sydney. Yet we lost 25-17, should have scored a try under the posts in the last minute and missed three penalties. In other words, we could have won.

Wales left 18 players at home when they went to Australia in May and were leading after the final hooter. So no one, anywhere, is completely invincible.