Gregor Paul, writing for the New Zealand Herald, reflects on a Tri-Nations display which he argues showed complacency on the part of the All Blacks.
"Graham Henry's fears that his players could take an unconscious dose of complacency into the All Blacks have all but dissolved.
For the first time in the professional era, the All Blacks will come into a World Cup having not won the Tri Nations. Australia are the side with all the momentum; the team that many observers will pick as the favourites; the team who are maybe coming good at exactly the right time.
Neither Henry nor his players will have enjoyed defeat in Brisbane. Given their record over the last eight years, losing has hardly been a habit. Victory would have been nice. It would have kept the foot on the throat of the Wallabies, netted a Tri Nations and sent another ripple of confidence through the squad."
RSS feed
