Reigning champions have a huge following at this World Cup but not that many of them are from New Zealand• We are expanding our coverage of New Zealand. Please help us by supporting our independent journalismThree hours before kick‑off, the little square outside Tobitakyu station was already overflowing with New Zealand fans, spilling out down the road towards Tokyo Stadium. The ground holds 50,000 and by the time it was full you could see at least three-quarters of them were wearing black, mainly branded All Blacks swag. Jerseys, jackets, caps and flags. It didn’t matter that most of them have never even been to New Zealand. It’s been like this at every game the All Blacks have played. They had...
South Africa are unable to find any chinks in the armour of the world champions as they are swept aside in YokohamaQuickly recall the epitaphs. Those wondering aloud whether the All Blacks were vulnerable, whether they still hold the mantle, have their answer. With one absorbing performance that embodied resilience and rampant running rugby, New Zealand confirmed their status as favourites for a third consecutive World Cup title.Nothing is guaranteed and no trophy is claimed in any side’s first match, but the spectacular manner of this victory and the six-minute attacking raid that blew South Africa away should send tremors through the other hopefuls. Related: New Zealand stand firm against South Africa in heavyweight thriller • Fixtures, tables and results Related:...
New Zealand players and coaches are always in demand but even the best may not adapt to northern hemisphere rugbyWhen Daniel Carter joined Racing 92 after the 2015 World Cup he was treated like rugby royalty. He arrived in Paris to a fanfare, introduced on a prime time television show not as the world’s highest paid union player, as he had become with a contract in excess of £1m a year, but as one of the greatest of any generation.The expectation was that Carter would dazzle in the Top 14 as he had for the Crusaders and the All Blacks but the environments were markedly different. The signing was condemned by the Toulon owner, Mourad Boudjellal, as a triumph of...
Now that the autumn internationals have been completed we take a look at the prospects for the opening stage in JapanIreland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa Related: Jacob Stockdale scores only try as Ireland earn historic win over All Blacks Related: England denied by All Blacks and late decision in Twickenham thriller Related: England overwhelm careless Australia with Kyle Sinckler power game Related: Liam Williams leads Wales to South Africa win and first clean sweep Continue reading...
Here was a delirious and genuinely historic Dublin evening to sweep away a century of hard-luck stories against the All BlacksIn the minutes before kick-off, the All Blacks’ Steve Hansen handed over a wodge of notes to Ireland’s coach, Joe Schmidt. What was it Steve? A card? A letter? A contract? No, Hansen explained later, it was €760. He had needed a few extra tickets for the game and the only way to do it was to ask Schmidt to buy them for him. This game was such a hot ticket that even Hansen had to pull strings to get people in. But then the Irish had been waiting 113 years for this, ever since they first played, and first...