WELLINGTON, New Zealand — When David Kirk held aloft the Webb Ellis Cup after his team won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, he could not have imagined that nearly a quarter-century later he would still be the only New Zealand captain to have done so.
The All Blacks, as the New Zealand team is known, have dominated international rugby in the years since, except when it matters most. In the other World Cups — in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 — New Zealand came up short despite usually entering as a favorite. They are a favorite again this year as the 20-team tournament returns to New Zealand, with play beginning Friday and concluding on Oct. 23.
Four years ago, New Zealand had its worst World Cup, being knocked out in the quarterfinals by France. A lack of leadership on the field in crucial games contributed to the semifinal failures in 2003 against Australia and in 1999 against France.
“I honestly thought at that time that New Zealand would win every second one, maybe — possibly even more regularly,” Kirk said. “They are pretty much the No. 1 team in the world every year, so there was no reason to suspect they wouldn’t win the World Cup.”
That anomaly has earned the team the tag of choker, and it is why New Zealand fans remain cautious. They will get their first look Friday, when the All Blacks play the opening match in Auckland, against Tonga.
“Of course I’m nervous,” said Hadleigh Lynn, a fan from Wellington. “The pressure is on them. They are at home, and they’ve got the whole country here watching them. I think they will be feeling the nerves as well.”
That anxiety has only been heightened by a loss last month to Australia in the deciding Tri-Nations match in Brisbane, Australia, which came after a loss to South Africa the previous week.
New Zealand was outplayed by Australia in the opening 40 minutes and had no answer to the hard-hitting intensity the Wallabies brought to the breakdown or the fleet-of-foot back line.
Not only did that 25-20 victory earn the Wallabies, New Zealand’s biggest rival, the Tri-Nations trophy for the first time in a decade, it also lifted the morale of the Australians, who along with South Africa and England shape up as New Zealand’s main foes in the coming weeks.
The Wallabies’ performance was similar in many aspects to the passion and intensity the French showed in the quarterfinal four years ago. Then, New Zealand showed an inability to change a game plan that was not working. This year that seems to be different.
In Brisbane, it may have taken a halftime pep talk from the coaches to bring about a change in tactics, but at least it happened, and that allowed the All Blacks to get back in the game.
History may also be on New Zealand’s side, and it will take some comfort from the fact that the winner of the Tri-Nations, a competition among the Southern Hemisphere powers New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, has never gone on to win the World Cup in the same year. The defeat has also ensured that there will be no complacency from the New Zealanders.
“I hate losing, so it was difficult, but we have a real focus now and there’s certainly no overexpectation or complacency,” New Zealand Coach Graham Henry said. “We have a very experienced side with experienced leaders, but also some young guys who will bring a lot of excitement and talent.”
Kirk also believes the players’ experience — and their past World Cup encounters — will give them an advantage. The 30 players have made a total of 1,133 appearances for their country, a figure unrivaled by any previous All Blacks squad. Only the South Africa squad, with 1,224, has more.
Nine of those, including the captain, Richie McCaw, fullback Mils Muliaina, fly-half Daniel Carter, prop Keven Mealamu and lock Ali Williams, have each played more than 50 matches. Perhaps more important, they will be embarking on their third World Cup; another seven players will be playing in their second.
“They’ve got a very experienced and capable coach,” Kirk said. “They’ve got depth. They’ve got star players in important positions.”
New Zealand has also lost only 8 of 84 matches in New Zealand since the game turned professional after the 1995 World Cup, and Kirk said that would be a big advantage.
“You just have to look at the statistics and how difficult teams find it to win in New Zealand,” he said. “That’s partly the conditions, partly because the All Blacks play even better at home and partly the intense focus on rugby in New Zealand.”
Henry, the only New Zealand coach to get two shots at the World Cup, sees playing at home as an inspiration for his players.
“One of the special qualities of rugby in New Zealand is the expectation of the public, and that’s one of the reasons why we have been so successful,” he said. “There will be huge expectation and I think that brings out the best in the guys.”
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