An ode to the All-Blacks

[Big Ewis]

This needs to be said, it's like we're pretending we're not all that impressed here...

It's very good that a team or int'l side would be the best at a sport.

But what is impressive with the Blacks is how they never focused on, say, just scoring tries. They've got the best defense out there probably, a powerful scrum (that may find difficulty just these days), the best backs, the best loose forwards, their props can fkn offload...they play possession kick, ball in hand, make their penalties, are the best BY FAR at counter attack, can even maul every once in a while...

It's impressive, because usually a team that is great in a sport usually focuses on one thing in particular, and has clear flaws elsewhere. I'm not saying the AB are perfect, but my God...damn close. You have to play the match of your life to beat them.

It's just totally abnormal that they're this good; I mean, they've got to be in respect to the sport they play the best no.1 side in the world. Like, in no other sport do we have a no.1 that separates so clearly from all the rest.

They need to be celebrated because we take their quality for granted, but two sweeps in a row of this tournament, and the way they did it...sublime.


NOTE: I'm not setting all this up right before they come to France so that if they beat us big, I have an excuse, and if we win, we're basically gods...

 

[ABs2011]

Good post mate. Yup I have to agree.

I said before the Ellis Park game that I felt this AB team was the best of the Hansen era and feel like after the weekends game it is pretty hard to argue otherwise. I expect they will go to the NH and come away undefeated and therefore go one up on last year.

One thing that separates them this year from previous years (IMHO) is depth. Several threads have covered this in detail but there are just no other teams in the world that can even come close to boasting the talent off the bench (or even deeper in their extended squads) that the ABs can:
Charles Piutau
Corey Jane
Francis Saili
Beauden Barrett
TJ Perenara
Steven Luatua
Sam Cane
Ardie Savea
Brad Shields
the list goes on...

This might annoy a few people but I honestly think the ABs could field a pure B-team and would be favorites against any team in the world except SA.

 

[admartian]

I want to go undefeated this year. I know the next Wallaby test is not really for anything - but I don't want to give the aussie media the satisfaction.

Lose to the Boks at Ellis Park? Fine with me. But not the Aussies - anywhere!

 

[Adakins]

Now we have won the RC trophy I believe we will go undefeated this year.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

This might annoy a few people but I honestly think the ABs could field a pure B-team and would be favorites against any team in the world except SA.

I remember last time that point was brought up, I think it was leading into the 07 world cup and the ABs were smashing nearly every team since 05.haha do not want to get ahead of ourselves now as we all know what happened against france.

 

[nickdnz]

I said we'd go undefeated this year prior to Ellis Park and so far we are looking good. The issue is we can always stumble. Yes the last game was maigc - but last year we won convincingly and ended up drawing with Australia and losing to England. I think we just need to be grounded and accept the accolades in rhetrospect - than believing in the hype. Ideally we'll try and get that record off Lithuania.

Still, good time to be an ABs fan.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Let's see...

1 Woodcock
2 Hore
3 Franks
4 Retalick
5 Whitelock
6 Messam
7 McCaw
8 Read
9 Smith
10 Carter
11 Savea
12 Nonu
13 Smith
14 Smith
15 Dagg

1 Crockett
2 Mealamu
3 Faumuina
4 Romano
5 Bird
6 Luatua
7 Cane
8 Whitelock
9 Kerr-Barlow
10 Cruden
11 Halai
12 Taylor
13 Saili
14 Jane
15 Piutau

1 Franks
2 Coles
3 Afeaki
4 Thrush
5 Shields
6 Latimer/Whitelock/Savea
7 Todd
8 Vito
9 Perenara
10 Barrett
11 Andre Taylor
12 Horrell
13 Crotty
14 Nanai-Williams
15 McNicholl

Last one's a bit open to interpretation, but still gives a good idea of where we're at...

 

[Big Ewis]

I'm glad there were some replies to read there fellas, but it's kinda funny only NZ'ers have replied

Can't one be completely honest and candid with compliments when humbled by pure domination ?
C'mon, proud little puppies, admit your sentiment towards this exploit ! Repent, REPENT !!


naahhh seriously, what a fkn show these All-Blacks....my dad used to watch and play the sport but no he doesn't care too much for it as he's older - but he'll watch when only two teams play: France, or the AB.
He turns into a poet when they start their attack "awwww....the black wave is on the rise.....etc..."