Edwards: Blacks are the best

Edwards: Blacks are the best

18 Nov 2008

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards believes the All Blacks are the benchmark in world rugby, not the Springboks.

Despite the Boks being crowned world champions a little over a year ago, they have not done much in 2008 to strengthen their claim as the world’s best team. Apart from their win over the All Blacks in Dunedin and a 53-8 hiding over the Wallabies, the rest of the performances have been sub-standard, while the last couple of scratchy wins over Wales and Scotland have done little to enhance their reputation.

However, they have managed to beat Wales three times this year (and once after the World Cup at the back-end of last year), but Edwards believes the All Blacks hold the mantle as the game’s leading nation.

“Throughout history, they [New Zealand] are the standard-bearers for the game,” said Edwards. “That’s not to say that the northern hemisphere teams can’t beat them at certain times.

“They are probably the most respected name in world rugby, and the ultimate challenge I suppose is to play against the All Blacks.”

Edwards continued to wax lyrical about the All Blacks on tour ahead of their Test at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

“This current crop of players they’ve got are up there with the tradition of the past of the All Blacks. Their aggression at the breakdown is second to none, and their scramble defence has done fantastically well,” said Edwards.

“They were totally dominant throughout the game against Ireland last Saturday – on paper, it was a very strong Ireland team.

“It’s the ultimate challenge in world rugby to play against the All Blacks, and we are looking forward to the challenge.”


89 Comments

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  • 51.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:46 pm

    #49 Richie_7: Personally speaking I’d rather have the William Webb Ellis Cup than consistency, but hey, that’s me !!

  • 52.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:49 pm

    #48 NZINCHINA: Probably fairly similar to SA vs NZ head-to-head since 1991, yeah. It’s not the best record but we do love the Big Cup.

  • 53.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:54 pm

    #51 Mick:

    Yeah, so then I guess you’re not too fussed with regards to the Boks performances after the WC, since you have the Webb Ellis trophy. Well, come to think of it, the Boks performances for the next 4 years don’t mean anything really

  • 54.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:54 pm

    #30 It is just a game:

    Okay It’s justa game………….You can share the Dog Box with Ig. But don’t you go getting Ig, yourself, and me into any trouble with the Law………No spray paint cans!

  • 55.BlackPanther: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:55 pm

    #35 NZINCHINA:

    I believe his speeches post-RWC95 Semi and also post-Final were awarded…..shall we say…..a different type of Award. It was an Honour bestowed on him and presented by Eugene Terreblanche. A bit like being knighted.

  • 56.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:55 pm

    #52 Mick:

    Sure and why wouldn’t you fantastic achievement that it is, but you’d be lying if you said dominating the Ab’s is not what every SA fan wants, you last did it in 76′ a while ago now.

  • 57.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:56 pm

    NZINCHINA, were you the blogger that said “Watch and learn, boys, watch and learn !!” about half way through the first half against France at last years RWC quarter final ??

  • 58.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:59 pm

    #57 Mick:

    I think the phrase was ‘game over’ a little premature in hindsight, thats rugby life goes on.

  • 59.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:59 pm

    #57 Mick: `

    Yeah, he was also the guy that said “heads up chaps” after his team beat the Boks 19-0 earlier this year. Nice chap this NZINCHINA

  • 60.It is just a game: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 12:59 pm

    #54 cane: No. The stadium name changing will be a official seremony celebrating the events of WC 2011 and toact as a everyday reminder. You see the Irish have Croke Park, we have Coke Park and 2011 NZ will have CHOKE PARK. :lol:

  • 61.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:03 pm

    #59 Richie_7: He usually uses the word “zeroed” when he refers to the CT game Richie.

  • 62.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:04 pm

    1094327″>41 It is just a game:
    Not sure where you can read more about the Train Crash, except it occured during the ABs transit from (the then) Salisbury to Pretoria in 1949.

  • 63.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:06 pm

    #56 NZINCHINA: Only one dissapointing thing about winning RWC 07 was that we were on track to play NZ in the final and didn’t. You are right, that would have been sweeter, if we had still won.

  • 64.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:17 pm

    #33 Sir Stodders:

    Thank you for that Sir Stodders.
    I enjoyed the read.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    I really enjoyed the read 8)

  • 65.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:18 pm

    #61 Mick:

    How about “ling” – thats Chinese for zero as well.

  • 66.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:26 pm

    zero, zilch, zip, nada, ling…….? No sure it sits right !!

  • 67.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:27 pm

    #36 Mick:

    Hey Mick………

    SA have a measly 48.8% winning ratio against the Lions. (14% drawn).

    NZ have a 76.3% winning ratio against the Lions. ( 7.9% drawn).

    Congratulations ……you can hold them to a draw more often than we can…. 8)

  • 68.Cheetha Champs: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:29 pm

    I think the correct response to this headline is “duh”…….

    Of course they are.

  • 69.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:29 pm

    #66 Mick:

    lol

  • 70.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:29 pm

    Brits and Saffas fighting out 0-0 draws…..Now that’s Entertainment.

    :)

  • 71.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:31 pm

    #57 Mick:

    Now that Mick…………….is a great Post……………

  • 72.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:36 pm

    #67 cane: Yes, 21 wins and 16 losses and a surprising 6 draws. We played some very good Lions teams in 55 and 74 and they obviously enjoyed touring SA !!

  • 73.It is just a game: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:40 pm

    #67 cane: You have to remember that in the early days teams travelled by boat. Since NZ is a lot further away from the British isles than SA most of the Lions would’ve played against the Kiwis suffering from severe cases of seasickness.

  • 74.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:43 pm

    Lost the first 6 matches straight too, and only registered our first score in the fifth match in 1896.
    So we were “linged” the first 4 times we played the Lions !!!!

  • 75.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:44 pm

    #73 It is just a game: And scurvy !!

  • 76.foxpox: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:45 pm

    Nzmychina/Stodders/Cane
    Dumela.
    Pre/Post isolation stuff is rubbish and frankly I don’t give a hoot about it refs were bad on both sides (good book out , view from 2 different perspectives can’t remember the name). Luyt was a bloody tosser for even bringing it up after 95.
    Aske O’Driscoll about Tana.
    Whatever we say as SA fans the ABs are consistantly a better side than us but all I am saying is that the legs go a bit wobbly when the big one comes up.
    Don’t listen to the political interferance rubbish. Than donkey has been flogged to death. Don’t think we could field a far better side and if anyone has to change it is some of the palefaces who have been outplayed by other palefaces left at home.
    Love your work

  • 77.cane: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:48 pm

    #73 It is just a game:

    As opposed to Altitude sickness when they played “fixed” matches on the Veld.

  • 78.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 13:55 pm

    #77 cane: The Lions have got off lightly on that one – only 14 games on the highveld out of 43 played. Should have played them more there.

  • 79.foxpox: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:02 pm

    #77

    Would have thought that the Kiwi’s would have been long used to scurvy.
    Remember Jacques Kallis comment about not knowing what altitude they were playing at in Durban (true story). Fixed is a nasty word ask Norling. The RNZAF failed then they sent in Norling to finish the SA Hun off.

  • 80.Mick: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:04 pm

    #79 foxpox: Very funny !!

  • 81.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:07 pm

    #76 foxpox:

    Very wobbly

  • 82.Tbozknows: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:14 pm

    Too much was made of Ireland who pushed a second string ALL BLACKS a few years ago. I remember that game as Carter did’nt play, McCaw, among others..

  • 83.foxpox: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:14 pm

    Anyone know whats happened to Ashwin Willemse??

  • 84.tokolosi: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:38 pm

    of course the abs are the benchmark post isolation but they still choke every 4 years so they are definately not the teamto look to when in the wc

  • 85.It is just a game: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 14:39 pm

    #77 cane: We all know that altitude is not a factor in rugby. Otherwise SARU would’ve been smart and let the Boks play all matches at Ellis Park or used a stadium in Lesotho.

  • 86.Spindoc: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 16:00 pm

    The bottom line is…..If you employ a “Joker” expect to play like clowns

  • 87.dquinn25: Reply to this comment
    18 Nov 2008, 18:28 pm

    Youve got to remember that the king of the hill can only usually go down, once you become champions everyone wants to beat you and they always raise their game for you. Anyone who thinks last years world cup was a fluke by SA is seriously deluded “oh but they never played Australia France or NZ” so f==king what.

    the All blacks had the easiest group by a mile and got knocked out the world cup by France who lost 3 games in the competition, one of which was a complete hammering by Argentina(who were undoubtedly the third best team in the world at the world cup) who the boks beat reasonably comfortably.

    they never played Australia? this will be the mighty Australia who managed to score f==king 10 points against England and lose the quarter final, a team which the Boks played 4 times in 2007 and had an aggregate score of 164-38.

    The world cup was no fluke if anything the boks won it playing the vast majority of games in second gear.

    the All Blacks do set the standard outside world cups though, because they do the basics so well something that the Boks have only done occasionally this year. but that doesnt make the Boks unworthy champs, every year between world cups past and future the All Blacks have set the standard in between, does that suddenly make every other winner Unworthy?

  • 88.lapoftherugbygods: Reply to this comment
    19 Nov 2008, 07:44 am

    Springboks vs All Blacks. whos the best team over history? That argument will carry on till hell freezes over. As an AB fan there is nothing better than facing the green machine.
    ABs best at moment but SA refs rule.

  • 89.Nils: Reply to this comment
    19 Nov 2008, 16:32 pm

    #87 dquinn25: No problems at all, South Africa were worthy champions. :)

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