Losing my religion
It’s kind of amazing how cool everyone is with losing. If you’d told us in 2009 that a combination of Eddie Jones and John Mitchell coaching England would not only beat the All Blacks, but roll over us like Mike Hosking breezily driving his Maserati up a cycle lane, you’d have been very unhappy indeed.
1999, when France treated us like a cafe chair thrown at riot police, was extremely bleak. 2007 was the most emo exit, with many people finally accepting that we’d never, ever, ever win a rugby world cup again, ever, ever.
Winning the last two cups has certainly helped this time around. It also helped that we were genuinely in second place with no comedy refereeing or conspiracy theory to blame. For sure, we have talented rugby players, but with several all-time greats retiring after 2015, it turned out playing several players out of position and a midfield combination that rotated like a Vegas slot machine wasn’t the answer.
Still, now the thick, choking black fog of The Dark Days of 1991 - 2007 has lifted and the gorilla-sized monkey is off our backs, we can now handle world cup exits by saying things like ‘we were beaten by the better side,’ and not throwing an adult tantrum. This was an unthinkable scenario to actual New Zealand humans in previous decades, when bleating and spitting at John Hart’s racehorse was all the rage.
Like most good things in life, we can probably thank Kane Williamson. The BLACKCAPS’ world cup final loss was unluckier than being stuck in a lift with the world champion pickled onion eating squad, but the way they took it for what it is and got on with things was an example to everyone on being better human beings. Some of it seems to have rubbed off, and long may it continue.
Now what? Thankfully we have a summer off to reset, but first there’s the new All Black coach palaver to get through. It’s a pretty clear choice between giving Ian Foster, a very able number two, the chance to be number one, or anyone else. The Henry / Hansen era has been ace for New Zealand, the admirable and remarkable consistency and loyalty shown by keeping them on after the ignominious 2007 exit has delivered two world cups out of three since. It feels like the time is right now to build something new.
Thanks for reading - Richard
The week's best NZ sport content
Jim Kayes argues that after this long run of consistency and massive success, it’s time for a clear out in the All Blacks coaching box [Newsroom]
Clear-eyed view of what went wrong in the world cup campaign, including all the last minute messing around with players out of position, and with all that experience at home or in the stands [Guardian]
Colin Peacock’s special world cup edition of Mediawatch - good guide to who lost their rag and who ploughed on in the aftermath [RNZ]
If you’re still feeling down we’re not playing on Saturday night, Dylan Cleaver is here to remind you the finals are generally pretty rubbish [NZ Herald]
How a doctor from Nelson ran in a race for 50 hours and didn’t win this frankly insane ultra running event. [LockerRoom]
Bridget Tunnicliffe pays tribute to Maria Folau, while Alice Ward-Liddell sits down with Noeline Taurua after a momentous year for the Silver Ferns [RNZ, The Spinoff]
Video nasty
He must get one in 500 balls? Surely?
Long read
What’s left of Condé Nast, legendary publisher of Vogue, New Yorker, GQ etc, now that glossy magazines aren’t in, erm, vogue any more [NY Magazine]
Recommendation
This week, I’ve moved the newsletter to SubStack, a platform for people wanting to publish content and get paid for it. It’s co-founded by NZer Hamish McKenzie (here he is on Mediawatch a couple of months ago), and feels like the right place to be.
Keen to hear your thoughts on the new look and the newsletter in general - how’s it going for you so far? Let me know, I'd love you hear from you.
Selected weekend fixtures
So, we’re playing Wales for 3rd or nowhere tonight at 10pm, then it’s England v South Africa in the world cup final at 10pm Saturday night and we can all move on with our lives. They’re both on Spark and TV1
The first BLACKCAPS v England T20 is on at 2pm today from Hagley Oval, and then at 2pm Sunday from Westpac Stadium, this is all on SKY
The Phoenix travel to Melbourne City at 6pm Sunday night, it’s on SKY
Bring back the gif
Will you be supporting England on Saturday night?
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