Yet another Grand Slam for the All Blacks. What more can you say about this great team? Before the game against England on Saturday, there was never any doubt with regards to who was going to win the game but just a question of ‘by how much’. It was said in some circles that New Zealand had to beat England by more than the 42-6 scoreline the Springboks beat England by. I had ridiculed this comparison before the game.
The All Blacks came out on Saturday and got the job done against England. I am sure in the back (or front) of their minds they we not concerned about having to beat England by more than South Africa did. New Zealand beat England 32-6 and that meant New Zealand did not concede a single try in all their games on this Grand Slam tour. Now that is impressive!
Not many teams can play 320 minutes of rugby against top opposition and not concede a single try. It had been said that the Springboks have the best defence in the world but based on what we have seen in the last month (and statistics) don not lie, the All Blacks surely have to have the meanest defence. After the England game Captain McCaw said, “We put in some big defence in the second half and sometimes it can be the difference. It indicates the attitude of this team, and defence often wins you games. It’s one of the most important things in Test rugby.”
So now that the All Blacks did not beat England by more than 42-6, does that mean the Springboks are better than the All Blacks? I do not think so!
Loading ...
4 comments
Fraz says:
Dec 1, 2008
Didn’t you say somewhere that they were going to smash that record set by the boks???
Just checking…..sounds like more excuses for why they didn’t break the record…..
Guru says:
Dec 1, 2008
Ron, you make some good points and that ankle tap on Easter was a just a classic case of how jealously the AB’s guard their try line. The AB’s did defend very well and we cannot take anything away from them, they defended extremely well.
However, I must concur with Fraz,all AB supporters need to realise that while their team is good, so are other teams. Yes, the AB’s are NOT in a league of their own. Before the match Ron and Taps did state that the AB’s would pump the poms and break records…………newsflash gents, the boks CAN also do things that the AB’s will not necessarily emulate. Yes, the AB’s are playing well but please do not get carried away and start expecting the AB’s to be on some pedestal. 32-6 was a good victory but the record books will reflect 42-6, being the bok score. And as Ron stated, statistics do not lie, the stats show that the worst defeat inflicted on the poms in Twikenham is against the Boks and not the All Blacks.
defence | Digg hot tags says:
Dec 1, 2008
[...] Vote All Blacks clinch another Grand Slam [...]
Ron says:
Dec 1, 2008
Gents, I never said the All Blacks would break that record the Boks have. I laughed off the suggestion of having to compare the All Blacks to the Boks based on one game.
I am sure if we dig into the record books you will find that the All Blacks have probably inflicted more record defeats to their opponents compared to the Boks.
Just slightly off topic but with some reference to this whole breaking records and record defeats and 50′s…. Have the Boks ever put 50 on the board against the All Blacks? Just a question, I stand to be corrected if I am wrong that I think it has never happened before.