The All Blacks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against the Spingboks. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
This year will go down as one of the most intriguing All Black seasons in the professional era. A World Cup final appearance certainly seemed first seemed likely, then frustratingly out of reach, then a reality within the space of a few months - all the while with a coaching change looming on the horizon.
It made for a tense atmosphere, both enthralling and frustrating at the same time. It culminated in Paris, agonisingly short of a fourth World Cup title. Let's have a look at the highs and lows of how the All Blacks got there.
A dream start
All Black Damian McKenzie in action against Argentina in the Rugby Championship match in Mendoza. Photo: gaspafotos / PhotoSport
Remember when a lot of peoples' first choice first five for the All Blacks was Damian McKenzie? Ian Foster thought so too in the first test of the season, a resounding 41-12 win over Argentina in Mendoza. This was actually a pretty big moment, it did a lot to allay any fears that the All Blacks were going to continue their unfortunate propensity for creating unwanted history.
Mt Smart magic
Richie Mo’unga of New Zealand scored the final try of the match. Photo: Photosport
This is when things started to look very promising with a 35-20 win. Yes, the Springboks came in with a team missing Siya Kolisi, Handre Pollard or any recognised test goal kicker, but the way the All Blacks dismantled them after only 20 minutes showed that the parts were there to seriously challenge for the World Cup.
Domination at the 'G'
Cam Roigard of New Zealand holds the Bledisloe Cup aloft as Sam Cane and the All Blacks celebrate their win at the MCG in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday, 29 July, 2023. Photo: Scott Barbour / Photosport
Not much was expected out of the Wallabies, despite what Eddie Jones had to say. The crushing 38-7 win in front of 84,000 did have one positive for Rugby Australia though, as it showed that the Melbourne Cricket Ground was fully capable of hosting of World Cup final in 2027.
Wobbles in Dunedin
Shaun Stevenson of the All Blacks is tackled by Tate McDermott of Australia during the All Black Vs Australia match at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand, on 5 August 2023. Photo: John Davidson / Photosport
Foster turned over his side considerably, including debuts to Shaun Stevenson and Samipeni Finau, but they ran into easily the best Wallaby performance of the year under the roof at Forsyth Barr. The Aussies led 17-3 at halftime and really were unlucky it wasn't more, but the All Blacks impressively found a way to set themselves up for a big finish and nerveless penalty kick by Richie Mo'unga to win 23-20.
Twickenham hammering
Scott Barrett of New Zealand is sent off during the game against South Africa at Twickenham, 2023. Photo: photosport
The All Blacks' unbeaten streak came to an extremely abrupt halt just a fortnight out from the World Cup, destroyed 35-7 by the Springboks in the heaviest loss in the team's entire history. Almost everything went wrong right from the start, with the Boks reversing the Mt Smart narrative by camping out in the All Blacks' 22 for the first half an hour, while Scott Barrett was sent off for the second time in his test career. About the only bright spot was a glimpse of what the future holds for Cam Roigard in a brave display, albeit long after the result had been settled.
The World Cup
Will Jordan scores his side's first try during their Rugby World Cup against Italy at the OL Stadium near Lyon. Photo: AFP / Francis Bompard
As much as they didn't want it, another couple of records were created in Paris as the World Cup opened in sweltering conditions. The 29-13 loss to France meant it was the first time the All Blacks had lost consecutive games in the Northern Hemisphere ever, also the first time they'd been beaten by 13 points or more in successive tests. Then came a long, interminable wait till the next big game, with regulation floggings handed out to Namibia, Italy and Uruguay. The Italian victory, by a 96-17 margin, really showed just how capable the All Blacks are of utterly embarrassing an opposition if they are in the right mood.
Glory and revenge against Ireland
New Zealand celebrate the victory during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France Photo: Xavier Laine
The test of the year, if not the last decade. Everything NZ rugby fans had wanted to see from this All Black team was on display back in Paris, against an Irish side running high on confidence after 18 straight test wins. Will Jordan's second-half try was as crucial as it was spectacular, while the patient defence as the clock ticked over into four minutes of injury time was a masterclass in rugby intelligence. The final score of 28-24 meant the Irish once again didn't go further than the pool stages, while all of a sudden the All Blacks' jittery form had solidified into a force that could go all the way.
It all came down to a couple of kicks
Ardie Savea of New Zealand dejected after losing the final. Rugby World Cup France 2023, New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa FInal match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 29 October 2023. Photo credit: Paul Thomas / www.photosport.nz Photo: DAVID KLEIN
After giving the banged-up Pumas a 44-6 toweling in the semi-final, the stage was set for a third meeting with the Springboks. Everything was on the line, but what we got as a spectacle paled in comparison to the previous two tests. This was tight warfare rather than the expression of talent that both teams had shown at Mt Smart and Twickenham, with all the points in the first half coming from the boots of Mo'unga and Pollard. Beauden Barrett scored the only try of the game in the second half, meaning he became the first man to score two tries in World Cup finals, but Mo'unga couldn't convert. Moments later, Jordie Barrett watched his penalty goal attempt slide away, and that was that. 12-11 to the Boks, the end of Foster's reign.
Verdict
The season featured the best the All Blacks have played (Ireland) and the worst (South Africa in London), a retention of the Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship and a World Cup final spot. Paradoxically, nothing less than a World Cup win would have deemed 2023 an official 'success', but given how the All Blacks came back from being so down and out after two heavy losses, it's pretty hard not to be somewhat impressed with how they acquitted themselves in the end. Over to you, Scott Robertson.