Adoration of the All Blacks: Why NZ must win the World Cup

CNN TV

SCHEDULE

ANCHORS

REPORTERS

October 13, 2011

Adoration of the All Blacks: Why NZ must win the World Cup

Posted: 1640 GMT

New Zealand fans hold up a banner urging the All Blacks not to choke during their clash with Argentina.

Flying to New Zealand for the final fortnight of the Rugby World cup is a bit like walking into the keepsake-crammed house of a collector; the obsession seems a bit unhealthy but you can't help admiring it just a little.

And it underlines how the hosts simply have to lift the trophy on home soil again, after a wait of 24 years.

It's as if the end of the world is nigh and the government wants to give advice to as many people as possible. That is, if a dearth of rugby was globally fatal and the only anecdote was posters of the All Blacks' players every few meters.

And I'm surprised that I'm surprised.

I've visited New Zealand several times before and it's love for the sport is well documented but now I am here - in rugby's most rugby-mad nation during rugby's biggest tournament - the "stadium of four million people" no longer seems an idle boast by World Cup organizers.

The mania hits you before you even reach the country.

On the plane, my in-flight entertainment included a documentary called "Cup of Dreams" – an emotional journey, charting New Zealand's love for its rugby team through the eyes of one young man and his relationship with his father.

In neighboring Australia, Sydney airport was plastered with adverts and an entire store selling only official World Cup merchandise.

"Just wait until you get to Auckland", joked the cabin crew on my connecting flight. They weren't wrong. Even the New Zealand airline's safety video has a rugby theme and features several All Blacks.

On the drive into town from the airport, as well as the official marketing, there are flags bearing the All Blacks’ famous silver fern and home-made slogans plastered on homes and businesses – from a simple “Go the AB’s” to an animated dot matrix sign reading, “Ready Quade? Cos Richie is” – a reference to the threat that New Zealand’s captain and back row forward Richie McCaw will pose to Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper in Sunday’s semifinal.

The sheer visibility factor of the tournament even tops what I witnessed in Mumbai, earlier this year, during the Cricket World Cup (although the celebrations when India won will be hard to beat).

On the surface, New Zealand is gripped by a kid-at-Christmas excitement but bubbling beneath that is a ripple of fear. For the sponsors and marketers, it's the fear of missing a commercial bonanza but for the fans it's deeper than that.

If the All Blacks lose their nerve again and don't lift the Webb Ellis trophy, the supporters’ dream collection – of a second World Cup triumph on home soil – will vanish, possibly forever.

Posted by: Alex Thomas, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Rugby

Share this on:

Twitter

del.icio.us

Sachiko

October 13th, 2011 11:50 pm ET

One worrying factor is that All-Blacks doesn't have a truly close match in RWC2011 yet. When it goes down to the wire, never know how ABs cope with that. Elites show their greatness most when pushed into a corner, and Wallabies showed it against boks last week. New Zealand has great culture of rugby, their passion & atmosphere is simply great, but sometimes high expectation also drives players into the corner, sadly. hope it will not ruin times of ABs life.

Andrian Harsono

October 14th, 2011 3:34 pm ET

The All Blacks will not choke, I guarantee it. They are so good I don't see how this is even possible. The fans won't have to worry about that, it's not going to happen.

brett

October 14th, 2011 4:37 pm ET

agree with sachiko. no close games but with the relatively unknown that is aaron cruden at 10, i think we will produce a good performance. if not, then there will be riots in auckland and we have to wait 4 more years. do it for chch!!

Robert Blevins

October 14th, 2011 8:37 pm ET

If Australia doesn't win its third Rugby World Cup, I think it would be great for the game if either Wales or France lifted the Ellis Cup on Kiwi soil.

Pat

October 15th, 2011 11:11 pm ET

The wallabies showed nothing against the boks as qouted
by sachiko, if thats all they have the ab's have nought to worry about, I would be far more worried about being up against the boks than the wallabies in the semi final.

Tommo

October 16th, 2011 11:56 am ET

Spot on mate, yis.

ludivine

October 16th, 2011 5:42 pm ET

doesn't anyone think that France can win?

KiwiBloke

October 17th, 2011 2:05 am ET

Read my lips: NZ 20, France 12.......

Cheating-KIWI-refs-got-you-to-the-final

October 17th, 2011 5:39 pm ET

The WC has been tarnished by the corrupt Kiwis IRB officilas and refs.
The play-offs were contrived to give the AB's a clear path to teh final, and a weak opposition in it.

Allez Les Bleus!!

Kulisi

October 19th, 2011 12:25 am ET

NZ showed last weekend that the game is won with the front 5 and France will feel the pain in the Final

michel de rauville

October 19th, 2011 1:09 pm ET

A few of your commentators got it right. The Springboks are by far the best team at the world cup. They should have beaten the Wallabies by at least 20 points. They would also have beaten the all blacks and won the cup.

K..C.

October 20th, 2011 5:09 am ET

I'm looking forward to the world cup final . Being a kiwi I will be having a sleepless night on Saturday night and hoping the All Blacks can finally win the rugby world cup after 24 years. We have waited so long for this opportunity and I hope the All Blacks bring their A game on Sunday night.
There no use saying who should or shouldn't be in the final. The plain fact is it is the All Blacks vs France. France although losing a couple of games leading up to the final will be dangerous and united.
The All Blacks will be ready for them, no complacency will be evident, just a passion to bring the Webb Ellis trophy home to New Zealand for the next 4 years.

Bias Kiwi from Mosgiel

October 20th, 2011 1:22 pm ET

All Blacks have not actually got into second gear at the 2011 RWC-watch out for a white washing-unfortunately France may suffer their greatest defeat in the RWC history.
The only downside is it would be the sweetest revenge if the ABs where playing their arch enemies Australia in the final-Go the mightly ABs

jaliya senavirathne

October 23rd, 2011 9:18 am ET

this time it has to be all blacks

Leave Your Comment

« Back to main

Previous article:
Young guns hold key in clash of rugby's titans

Next article:
Cup of woe: Why have African football giants fallen short?

World Sport Blog

World Sport provides an inside track to the major issues and stories making news in the world of sport with CNN's anchors, correspondents and journalists providing opinion and in-depth analysis as well as a left field look at all things competitive.