It’s happened before. In the mid-1980s, rugby contact with apartheid-era South Africa had driven many Aucklanders, in particular, away from the game. The first World Cup game, at Eden Park between the All Blacks and Italy, saw the ground less than half full.
By the time the final was played four weeks later, when the All Blacks beat France 29-9, the match was a sellout, 46,000 people packing in, some of them paying $1000 for a scalped ticket. The nation’s love affair with rugby was rekindled.
As the All Blacks captain, Scott Barrett has suffered from the envy that the remarkable success of the Crusaders has engendered. Again, it’s nothing new in our rugby. The great Auckland side at the end of the 1980s into the 1990s frequently triggered the green-eyed monster of jealousy.
But in the process of 40 years speaking at rugby clubs from Kaikohe to Bluff, I never heard one word of criticism over the fact that 10 of the winning All Blacks in the ’87 World Cup final were Aucklanders.
And in 2011 and 2015, how many cared that Richie McCaw was a Crusader to the core? Barrett may not win the captaincy under Rennie, but if he does, and the All Blacks succeed, put your money on grumpiness over too much Crusader influence melting away.
FIVE STARS FOR CALEB, ONE FOR THE GAME.
On a beautiful, balmy Auckland night at Eden Park, halftime was reached in the feature game of round four of Super Rugby Pacific with the Blues leading the Crusaders 19-13. A riveting second half looked likely.
Would the Blues unleash more attacks down the flanks of the kind that had already produced two terrific tries for Caleb Clarke? Would the Crusaders stage a dynamic comeback the way they had against the Chiefs a week earlier? Sadly, the answer to both questions would be the same: No.
Five minutes into the second spell, there was another perfectly executed try by Clarke, and that was about it. The match basically limped to a conclusion in a flurry of dropped passes, aimless kicking, and, for the Crusaders especially, a nightmare time at lineouts.
The good news for the Blues was that they’ve cracked a long, painful succession of below-par performances against the Crusaders. For the Crusaders, life doesn’t get any easier, having to face a feisty Highlanders in Christchurch on Saturday.
ONE MORE FOR THE BOOK.
As early as it is in the season, it would be astonishing if Dave Rennie hasn’t already pencilled in Clarke for the left wing position in the All Blacks. A powerful runner, who at 26 hasn’t lost any of his speed, Clarke has never been in better form during a career that already includes 32 tests.
ANOTHER COUPLE, AND MAYBE A THIRD.
In the Hurricanes’ 59-19 humbling of the Waratahs in Sydney, nobody played better for the Canes than second-five Jordie Barrett, hooker Asafo Aumua, and centre Billy Proctor. Barrett looks refreshed and hungry for action after his spell in Ireland.
Aumua is in the All Black mould of burly, explosive runners that dates back to the great Sean Fitzpatrick. Proctor showed the sort of skills and awareness that saw him in the All Blacks last year. As good a player as he is, there will be a lingering question mark.
In 2025, he was never quite able to reproduce at test level the classy touches he’d shown in Super Rugby. In the meantime, though, the Canes, now lying third on the table, can enjoy the benefits of the polished combination between Barrett and Proctor.
RETURN OF THE MAC.
Damian McKenzie’s return for the Chiefs in their 57-24 whipping of Moana Pasifika in Hamilton was so impressive he’s another player it’s hard to see coach Rennie ignoring at national level.
The prospect of McKenzie coming off the bench late in a test, and carving up tiring defences is exciting. He also produced the tackle of the round when Moana lock Allan Craig looked set to score in the 25th minute.
With fearless, perfect, technique, McKenzie drove him into touch just a couple of metres short of the line. McKenzie did need to get everything right, as he was spotting Gray, a massive 41kg.
The Chiefs are now the top New Zealand side on the Super table, on 13 points, just one behind the leading Brumbies. We’ll get a great read on exactly where the two sides sit in a fortnight, when the Chiefs travel to Canberra to play the Brumbies. And after the Brumbies’ 24-31 upset loss to the Reds, there’s a good chance the Chiefs could be heading to the top of the competition.
JAMIE’S MEN DO THE JOB.
It wouldn’t have been an easy week for Jamie Joseph after learning he’d missed out on the All Black coaching job. It would have got even worse if his Highlanders hadn’t dug deep, after being down 32-29 with 10 minutes to play, and fought back for a 39-31 win at home against the Force.
In the process, another sevens star, 22-year-old Caleb Tangitau, showed what an electrifying player he can be on the wing, scoring two tries and being a constant danger on attack.
BRAVISSIMO!
It was a weekend of shock results in the Six Nations. Scotland beat France 50-40 in Edinburgh, and have the chance next weekend in Dublin to win the title for the first time since it changed from Five Nations to Six in 2000.
But that’s really small change compared to Italy beating England 23-18 in Rome after the Italians had lost 31 successive tests to the men from Twickenham. How has that result been greeted in England? Not well.
Let’s finish with a quote from the London Sunday Times rugby writer, Alex Lowe. “England delivered a performance devoid of leadership, intelligence, discipline, or accuracy.”
Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism.