Springboks legend: All Blacks can’t ‘expect to win’ anymore, there won’t be another dominant era
All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett and an inset of ex-Springboks lock Victor Matfield.
Victor Matfield predicts that there won’t be another dominant era of All Blacks rugby, with the international game being far too competitive nowadays.
The legendary Springboks lock’s remarks come amid the most hotly contested Rugby Championship in recent memory, with all four nations heading into the final fortnight of action boasting two wins and two defeats.
New Zealand have dominated the competition since Argentina’s introduction in 2013, with the Pumas added to the then-Tri Nations at a time when the All Blacks were at the peak of their powers.
Under the tutelage of Sir Graham Henry and Sir Steve Hansen, the All Blacks bossed the international scene and swept aside most opponents with ease, comfortably winning around 90% of their matches.
In fact, between June 2013 and October 2014, New Zealand went unbeaten in 22 Test matches. In December 2012, they surrendered a 20 Test unbeaten run, falling to a defeat at the hands of England and would enjoy another run of 18 unbeaten matches between 2015 and 2016.
Everyone is there; anyone can still win it
However, unbeaten streaks of that nature are becoming increasingly rare in the modern era, despite Ireland winning 17 on the trot two years ago, and Matfield believes that trend will continue.
He said as much in his preview of the Bledisloe Cup opener between the All Blacks and Wallabies at Eden Park this weekend while casting an eye on the Springboks‘ meeting with Argentina.
“It’s going to be interesting,” he told the Rivals podcast, referencing the meeting in Auckland.
“I see there’s a lot of talk about the Razor and Joe relationship, and what happened in the past. There’s definitely some oil in the fire this weekend.
The longest unbeaten and winning streaks in men’s Test rugby history
“It’s nice to see that, and it’s good for the Bledisloe Cup. For the last few years, it hasn’t really been a competition; New Zealand has just won it too easily, and all of a sudden, I think this Australian side will compete this weekend.
“It’s going to be an interesting match, and the same with the Rugby Championship. We’re back to square one, almost back to zero. Everyone is there; anyone can still win it.”
He added: “I’m really looking forward to the Bledisloe Cup. I think it’s going to be a huge match, and Australia is competitive in all the games; even when they start badly, they stick with the game and don’t let it get away from them.
“I don’t think you’ll ever get an era again like the All Blacks had over the last 10 or 15 years, where you win close to 85% or 90% of your games. All the teams are just too competitive.
“When we go over to the Northern Hemisphere at the end of the year, you have to play the likes of Ireland, England and France, there. South Africa and New Zealand can’t pitch up there and expect to win those games anymore.”
All Blacks backlash
Legendary All Blacks winger Sir John Kirwan agreed with the former lock and predicts that Scott Robertson’s charges will be hellbent on righting the wrongs of their thumping defeat to South Africa by lashing out at the Wallabies.
“The whole country is pretty stressed about it [the loss] because we are such a proud rugby nation, we’re all looking for the answers, is it the coach? Is it the captain, is it the leadership, is it this, is it that? So it’s been a pretty tough time, I would imagine, for the players with all the noise going on,” he said.
“I think it’s a massive weekend. If this side wants to become a great side, when we talk about great sides now, we’re talking about winning trophies and winning the World Cup -that is the yardstick. I think great teams go through adversity, and they come out the other side way better. And I think this is a moment of adversity, the first big moment of adversity for the coaching staff and this current crop of players.
“If we can get up and beat our good Australian side and take home the championship, then you know that that’s got to be seen as a success. And people say, ‘Oh, we should be winning a whole lot more, ‘ but the game’s way closer, the teams are way closer now, and that’s how it should be. It’s great for the competition, hard on us, but great for the competition.”
Zoning in on the Springboks’ game against Los Pumas, Matfield says that Rassie Erasmus’ men go into the fixture as favourites, a tag that the South Africans don’t usually thrive with.
“Argentina is probably the best attacking side in the world at the moment, so they will test South Africa,” he said.
“The Springboks will feel like the confidence is back, but I’ve said it before, we’re not very good when we are the favourites.
“We’re much better when we’re the underdogs.”
