Jake White: Eden Park is ‘make or break’ for All Blacks who have lost their ‘aura’
The All Blacks dejected after losing to Argentina and an inset of ex-Springboks head coach Jake White.
Former Springboks head coach Jake White says the All Blacks should be ‘worried’ about losing their unbeaten Eden Park record when they face South Africa.
Rassie Erasmus and his charges have touched down in Auckland ahead of the mouth-watering encounter, which pits the top two-ranked teams in the world against one another in rugby’s fiercest rivalry.
It will be the first time that the Boks visit the ground dubbed the All Blacks‘ fortress since 2013, when they suffered a 25-15 defeat, and just their sixth game against the old foe at the venue since New Zealand’s incredible run of 50 unbeaten games began.
White, who coached South Africa to World Cup glory in 2007 but never got the opportunity to face the All Blacks at the venue, has issued a warning to Scott Robertson and his team that this year’s Rugby Championship is ‘being characterised for records falling’.
All Blacks should be worried
This after the Wallabies secured their first win over the Springboks at Ellis Park in the professional era, while New Zealand fell to their fourth defeat to Los Pumas, but first in Argentina.
“That should worry the All Blacks,” White wrote in his latest Rugby Pass column.
The experienced head coach admits that he has always been a ‘huge admirer’ of the All Blacks and their success, but believes that ‘big decisions’ face New Zealand Rugby and Robertson.
“Sure, they learnt how to win World Cups, but in those World Cup cycles, they are no longer the world’s dominant side, leaving you with more questions rather than answers among their fanbase,” he wrote.
“Is Rieko Ioane a wing or a centre and how don’t they know after 85 Tests? Does the midfield combination of Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor have the right balance? Is Ardie Savea a No.8 or a loosie? Is Scott Barrett the right man to be All Blacks captain and is his brother Beauden the right man to steer the All Blacks to the 2027 World Cup? Is the back-three potent enough?
“There are even questions off the field. Was Ian Foster the right choice to succeed Steve Hansen? Was the way in which Scott Robertson got the job, before the 2023 World Cup, the right way to go about their business when they’re at their peak? It wasn’t the way New Zealand generally do things.”
White believes that it is history repeating itself, pointing to Taine Randell struggling as All Blacks captain at the 1999 World Cup and criticism of Sean Fitzpatrick. Additionally, big calls needed to be made after the 2007 World Cup exit to France, which was followed by a decade of unprecedented success, winning two global tournaments and a domination of the international game in between those two successes.
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Importance of Eden Park record
His remarks come off the back of the latest defeat to Argentina, who they held a 35-year winning record over before their maiden defeat to the Pumas in 2020.
“Justin Marshall was bemoaning the loss to Argentina. He said all the blood, sweat and tears expended maintaining that 35-year unbroken winning record over Los Pumas has disappeared in just five years,” White continued.
“They’ve now lost home and way. That’s taking nothing away from Argentina who have been quite magnificent now they’ve been bedded into the old Tri-Nations since 2012, but the All Blacks aura has disappeared.”
He added: “So, what’s next for New Zealand? Well to explain, I’ll tell you a story. As a young school coach, I was invited to a water polo conference. There was a respected Hungarian water polo coach talking and he said, ‘South Africans are afraid to go one step backwards in order to go ten steps forward.’ He said they would rather take baby steps to make progress, rather than making enormous leaps.
“I’ve always applied that to my coaching. Sometimes you have to stop the bus and reboot. This is where I think New Zealand rugby are now. This is make or break for them. They weren’t happy when they were No 1 in the world between World Cups, but the narrative is that they’re building depth and building for the World Cup. That’s a very different mindset to the continued excellence they espoused a decade ago and prompted James Kerr’s iconic Legacy book.”
Schalk Burger, who played under White at the Springboks, has predicted that South Africa won’t beat New Zealand at their fortress in the round three fixture.
However, he does believe that they can get the job done in Wellington the following week.
While White did not offer a prediction, he does believe that protecting the record is a major carrot for the All Blacks.
“This Eden Park Test is much bigger than 80 minutes of rugby,” he added.
“I know what I would do but that’s not important, but New Zealand rugby have to make a decision.
“They need to show why they’ve always been thought leaders in rugby. I should say this responsibility shouldn’t all be on Scott Robertson’s shoulders.”
