At OL Park,
We sometimes wonder during this World Cup if the All Blacks still fascinate the world of rugby in 2023 as much as in their most prosperous years. If we are to believe the wonder of the Uruguayan three-quarter center Juan Manuel Alonso Dieguez, Thursday evening despite the defeat suffered against New Zealand in Lyon (0-73), the answer is not in the slightest doubt. “Sam Whitelock and Damian McKenzie came to have a beer with us in the locker room,” says the person in the mixed zone with a childish smile. It’s truly an honor and a dream for me to play against this team. I’ve watched the All Blacks my whole life and just seeing the haka up close gave me goosebumps. I took pictures with Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke and sent them to my friends, who went crazy. »
Like certain opponents of the American basketball Dream Team, during the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, rugby players did not hesitate to assume their fan postures in front of a team which had not yet officially qualified at kick-off Thursday evening . In 31 years, selfies on smartphones have simply replaced disposable devices. Contested after its historic defeat (7-35) against South Africa at the end of August, then after its logical setback at the opening of the World Cup against the Blues (13-27), this New Zealand selection seemed destined to return to rank and kindly leave the field of the big favorites of the most prestigious competition there is.
The All Blacks are ‘incredible to watch’
But his three demonstrations in the process, with an average difference of 73 points against Namibia, Uruguay and especially Italy, left their mark, whatever one thinks of the quality of the opposition. “We clearly saw a difference compared to our previous matches,” notes South American captain Andres Vilaseca. We just played against the best team in the world. » The expression is asked: have the partners of Aaron Smith, who quietly rested outside the group of 23 on Thursday, just like Ardie Savea, become the big favorites of this World Cup in France?
We were able to ask Juan Manuel Alonso Dieguez the question, and the eyes of love were still out on his side: “When they have the ball, they are quite simply the best team in the world. All the options, all the cross kicks, the follow-up kicks… It’s incredible to watch. » We almost forget to point out that Uruguay resisted the oil spill for twenty minutes, even offering a try refused to Ardao by a few centimeters (0-0, 13th). From Damian McKenzie’s first try (7-0, 20th), it must be recognized that the heavy artillery of the All Blacks was unstoppable, like the ketchup theory of dear Cristiano Ronaldo.
“We knew how to be surgical and patient”
“Uruguay gave us a hard time,” notes All Blacks captain Sam Cane. In the first 20 minutes, we kept our composure and knew how to be patient so as not to let mistakes make us doubt. » No, there is no doubt in these players, a precious mix of experience (Smith, the Barrett connection, Cane, the new record cap holder for the All Blacks Sam Whitelock) and versatility (McKenzie, Fainga’anuku). “Very proud” of the reaction of his group since this delicate September 8, Ian Foster appreciates: “I think we bounced back well after the first match and that we learned from it. I have the feeling that we are gaining momentum. There, we knew how to be surgical and patient.” Two virtues which will not be too much when Ireland or South Africa appear in the quarter-finals, on October 14 or 15.
The good thing about this draw is that it doesn’t matter if we finish first or second in our group. [en fonction du résultat de France-Italie ce vendredi]we will have a monstrous match against us,” smiles Ian Foster ironically.
Damian McKenzie, who is far from having a guaranteed starting place given the competition, makes the same collective projection: “The last matches have been open. We found the right balance between hand play and foot play. We know that it will be more closed in the quarter-final, so we will have to find the right balance.”
“The All Blacks tire you out little by little”
Not sure that the 28-year-old blond will pass behind the back or with one hand given the XXL opposition that is coming. For him, the important thing was already to blaze there, in a match with relative pressure, in order to convince his coach to bet on him. “You have to do everything to show yourself,” says the back. Competition is healthy in training, we push each other to the top. »
Uruguay violently paid the price for this rise in power, as evidenced by its coach Esteban Meneses: “The All Blacks tire you out little by little, and that’s how they end up winning, that’s the way best team in the world. We don’t blame Esteban Meneses: given the poor appearance of the match delivered by a reshuffled French XV against his selection (27-12), he was not going to make the Blues the favorites to win their first world crown.