That famous dead-bat line from the former English cricket administrator AC Smith – “No comment, but don’t quote me” – sprang to mind as the All Blacks dutifully plodded through their media obligations on a lovely sunny afternoon in Weybridge. In this case a brace of Smiths, Conrad and Ben, were sent out to tranquillize the expectant press corps and did so with courteous ease. If there was a trophy for dousing pre-match excitement, New Zealand would be regular world champions.
Sticking on the highlights of last Saturday’s storming win against France might have been smarter public relations but there appears little desire to boost newspaper coverage outside New Zealand unless a commercial partner is involved. In a vain attempt to liven up the desultory top table exchanges, someone even asked poor Owen Franks if he knew what type of aircraft – “Was it an Airbus?” – had just flown over the team hotel. It is such a shame because this New Zealand side contains some brilliant players with fascinating stories to tell.
The solitary exception, happily, came when Conrad Smith, now into his final fortnight as an active All Black, was asked about New Zealand’s rugby rivalry with South Africa. The outstanding centre did not hesitate, making clear any contest involving the two countries carries an extra edge. “They’re a special opponent,” he stressed. “I grew up during the apartheid era so Australia were the traditional foe when I was younger. I didn’t know as a child how big the South African rivalry was but, in my time as a player, it’s got back to where it was previously. They’re our ultimate rival. That’s not to talk down the other great nations we play but I think most of our guys would agree there’s something special about playing them.”
The All Blacks coach, Steve Hansen, was saying the same last weekend. Confronting the Springboks on a regular basis has clearly bred a mutual respect that, according to Smith, makes this weekend’s semi-final even spicier. “We have a good relationship with most teams we play but they have a respect for the game. I think that’s why we’re able to play at our peak but then walk off the field, shake hands and be chatting to them five minutes later. The more you play the more you enjoy those sort of experiences.”
There may be some keen to detect in those words a subtle dig at the northern hemisphere but the 34-year-old lawyer, who is heading to south-west France to play for Pau after this tournament, has been playing Test rugby for 11 years and is simply expressing his personal opinion that match-ups with the Boks mean more than any other. This weekend would be an even sweeter prospect if his old midfield sparring partner Jean de Villiers were still around to oppose him but pining indefinitely for old friends is not the All Black way. Smith warned: “I was gutted for Jean when he was injured – I’d imagine I’ve played more against him than anyone else – but we’re very aware of what Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel bring to their team. They’re a couple of their major strike weapons and they’ll take a bit of containing.”
It is, of course, the physical thunder of the South Africans that poses the biggest threat to Kiwi ambitions of reaching a World Cup final in the northern hemisphere for the first time. As they showed against France the All Blacks have as solid a defence as any but a motivated Springbok remains a very dangerous beast. The sight of a black jersey normally brings out the best in them and makes this fixture reliably competitive. “There is a consistent level of physicality but also performance,” confirmed Smith. “Neither of us ever seem to catch the other on an off night. In the last five or six years it’s always been tight, regardless of the final scoreline. I’m sure this one will be just the same.”
The keynote message within the All Blacks’ camp, consequently, has centred around the need to step up again following the record-breaking performance in the quarter-final. “Our goal is go better,” insisted Smith. “We won’t have the same opportunities we had against France.” New Zealand have played South Africa three times at World Cups and won only once, a statistic that may just encourage the Boks further. Come Saturday evening no one will care what either team did or didn’t say at their pre-game press conferences.
