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France celebrates their 2009 Test win over the All Blacks in Duniden - Source: Photosport -
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The 27-22 loss to a determined French team on Saturday night has been received with the usual gnashing of teeth and wailing all around this rugby-obsessed nation.
Defeat can be a bitter pill to shallow and inevitably accompanied by a litany of excuses, castigation and blame.
But the fact remains that All Black losses are still dreadfully rare, even given the tightening of competition in the professional era.
History shows that prerequisite for victory against the All Blacks is extreme effort and courage, superb skill and perhaps a dash of good fortune.
Limited success
Remember only five nations (Australia, South Africa, England, France and Wales) have actually tasted victory over New Zealand.
The fanatical Welsh have lost their last 20 encounters against the All Blacks, with their last victory song heard way back in 1953.
England, recently "World Champions" for four years, have emerged winners in only four of the last 20 matches against New Zealand.
France are a supposed bogey nation but have managed to triumph on only 12 occasions in 47 tests.
Indeed, before the last two infamous reverses at Cardiff and Carisbrook, the All Blacks had tamed the Gallic nation in eleven tests of the last fourteen.
The Wallabies have certainly been a thorn in the New Zealand side in recent years but have still only triumphed seven times in the last 20 clashes.
The Springboks have been the deadly, dastardly foes down the years but actually have managed just four triumphs in 19 matches since 2001.
Scotland (21 losses; two draws), Ireland (21 losses; one draw) and Argentina (12 losses; one draw) have had some great teams over the years but a win remains a fairly improbable dream.
Over the last two decades (apart from 1998 when John Hart's team lost five on the bounce) the All Blacks generally finish on the wrong side of the ledger a couple of times a year.
They can be hard to stomach but in a strange kind of way losses serve to extend the legacy and are what makes this team so great.
Memories
Beating the All Blacks remains rare, precious and memorable and can create some very special sporting moments.
Think back to England in 2003, a team at the absolute peak of their powers. Jonny Wilkinson kicking goals from everywhere in the Wellington wind and a six man English scrum defying the Black pack as they got up by two points on a cold June night.
We could recall France needing a try 'from the end of the earth' to ice a series victory in 1994 against a All Black team that would go on to greatness and near immortality just a year later in South Africa.
What about the 1986 and 1998 Wallabies who managed convincing, unique victories on New Zealand soil? Men such as David Campese, Steve Cutler, Simon Poidevin, Steve Larkham, John Eales and Tim Horan ensured those two squads were very special teams.
How about Argentinian magican Hugo Porta kicking four penalties and three dropped goals to carry his team to an unlikely 21-21 draw on a Buenos Aires afternoon in 1985.
We could recall the South Africans of 2008 who needed a freakish piece of individual brilliance from Ricky Januarie to gain their first-ever Test win at Carisbrook.
And last week, a good but by no means great French side produced an 80 minute display of character, guts and skills that got them over the line against tremendous odds.
Time heals
With the soothing passage of time even some of the incredibly painful World Cup losses are easier to stomach.
They were to a wonderful, possibly best-ever Wallaby team (Australia - 1991) a squad that has destiny on its side and a whole nation on its shoulders (Mandela's South Africa in 1995), a team that produced 30 minutes of rugby the like of which will never be seen again (France in 1999).
These moments and teams will forever be sanctified and saluted in their respective countries as they managed to take down the mighty All Blacks.
It is time for New Zealanders to learn from losses, be dignified in defeat and celebrate the fact that not winning (occasionally) can make a team stronger and serves to add lustre to a beautiful legacy.
And after all, Napoleon once conquered half of the known world but it is not his long list of victories that are most vividly remembered.
It is Waterloo where the combined forces of Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, Russia and the Netherlands were finally able to defeat the original little general.
What is your view? Should we celebrate All Black losses? Have your say on our messageboard below
Add a Comment:
Post new commentkillerkiwi63 said on 2009-06-20 @ 11:34 NZDT:
Not sure we should celebrate our losses, but we should wake up to the fact we are going to have them. I for one hated that we lost last week , but I CANT WAIT for todays game to happen cause I know our guys are going to put on a real show today. I just hope the weather plays its part. Go you All Blacks, I will be glued to the PC (cos we cant get our AUSTAR to work in the middle of the NT)
Jackdaw said on 2009-06-19 @ 15:24 NZDT:
We don't celebrate losses, but we must remember this is sport. If the result were a foregone conclusion, or if one team "should" win, who would bother to take any interest. So its necessary to lose at times, and it makes games like this one coming up a helluver lot more interesting. It's sport.
RedLady said on 2009-06-19 @ 14:41 NZDT:
I think I'll save my judgement for when they get beat by France again on Saturday.
turny013 said on 2009-06-19 @ 14:27 NZDT:
No way - is he suggesting we should have tried that for the last four World Cups - Yeah Right , that will work down on the farm................. (maybe it would we haven't had a farmer in the team for years)
CharlieB said on 2009-06-19 @ 13:02 NZDT:
No way!! Winners are grinners and losers go home man..