All Blacks Peaked To Early - Bob Dwyer

[The InnFORCEr]

All Blacks peaked early
Tuesday Jul 10 07:00 AEST


Former Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer thinks the All Blacks have passed their prime, peaking a few years ago when they demolished France.

Dwyer has told The Australian that he feels the All Blacks are in decline ahead of September's World Cup.

"In some ways it's inevitable that they're in decline. When you are at an absolute peak, the only way you can go is down," Dwyer said.




"I believe the All Blacks have been steadily, if minutely, been playing worse, month by month for the past 18 months."

While Dwyer thinks New Zealand are still the best team in world rugby, he feels they are now beatable, having been at their best in 2004 when they thrashed France 45-6.

"I've never seen a team play like they did for the full 80 minutes that day," Dwyer said.

"When I think of the best rugby I have ever witnessed I'd have to say Australia for half a game against England in Sydney in 1991 and again for half a game against South Africa in Cape Town the following year. But never have I seen the type of rugby the All Blacks played against France that day sustained for an entire Test match."

Australia faces the ultimate test of its standing in the return Bledisloe bout in Auckland on Saturday week and Dwyer is not sure the Wallabies are going as well as he had hoped.

"After the Melbourne Test I thought we were on the right track. After last Saturday, I'm not so sure," he said.

Of course the last thing current coach John Connolly wants to hear is talk of an All Blacks side on the way out. The Wallabies, who have struggled to win away from home for the past few years, can't afford to have the All Blacks fired up by such talk.

Even if they are in decline, the All Blacks still present a formidable hurdle to the Wallabies' hopes of Bledisloe, Tri-Nations and World Cup glory.

[hopep]

Yes they ARE beatable.
The Saffers failed to grap that and have lost a psychological momentum going into the RWC.
Aust is the only nation going into RWC with a win over the ABs this year.

[Nick]

I think it will take a monumental effort by eithr South Africa or Australia to beat New Zealand at home infact I dont think Australia has beaten the All Blacks at home in 6 years.

While it's true you are only as good as your last game I think any team that writes the All Blacks off for the world Cup is fooling themsevles.

All I think this really proves is that form on the night is what counts despite history and that all of the top tier nations are dangerous. Nothing new really.

I think Dwyer is dismissing some pretty good rugby since 2004 by the All Blacks, in fact last year was insanely good - is he not getting enough media?

[Burgs]

We haven't won at Eden Park since 1986 apparently

[The InnFORCEr]

We haven't won at Eden Park since 1986 apparently

Just like winning, the longer it goes on, the sooner it is more likely to change

[Princess Leia]

Of course Bob Dwyer is going to speak dribble like that.....HELLO!!!!!!

[travelling_gerry]

He's always spoken dribble....but hey...this time he might be right...time will tell....

[shasta]

Of course Bob Dwyer is going to speak dribble like that.....HELLO!!!!!!

Settle down there Princess.

Read what he actually said, not the conclusion the headline writer wants us to jump to. I think he's right that TO THIS POINT they are not as good as when they slaughtered France. He also says that after Saturday's effort against the ZA reserves he's not sure The Wallabies are on track to beat them at Eden Park either.

Me? Well I'm just hoping for repeat of Buddha's maiden Test in 1978 and Staniforth to do a Cornelson

Now that was the best day's Rugby I can remember - bar none

[Nick]

They Had a Pretty Good Year last year too and absolutely smashed the French... In fact in '06 they beat the off record defeat of France... NZ Last Few Years Below

2006 Internationals

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
10 Jun New Zealand v Ireland Hamilton 7:35 pm 34-23
17 Jun New Zealand v Ireland Auckland 7:35 pm 27-17
25 Jun New Zealand v Argentina Buenos Aires 11:40 am 25-19
06 Nov England v New Zealand London 4:30 am 20-41
12 Nov France v New Zealand Lyon 9:00 am 3-47
19 Nov France v New Zealand Paris 9:00 am 11-23
26 Nov Wales v New Zealand Cardiff 6:00 am 10-45

2006 Philips Tri Nations

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
08 Jul New Zealand v Australia Christchurch 7:35 pm 32-12
15 Jul Australia v South Africa Brisbane 10:00 pm 49-0
22 Jul New Zealand v South Africa Wellington 7:35 pm 35-17
29 Jul Australia v New Zealand Brisbane 10:00 pm 9-13
05 Aug Australia v South Africa Sydney 10:00 pm 20-18
19 Aug New Zealand v Australia Auckland 5:30 pm 34-27
27 Aug South Africa v New Zealand Pretoria 1:00 am 26-45
03 Sep South Africa v New Zealand Rustenberg 1:00 am 21-20
10 Sep South Africa v Australia Johannesburg 1:00 am 24-16

2005 Internationals

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
03 Jun Probables v Possibles (trial) Napier 7:10 pm 32-37
10 Jun New Zealand v Fiji Albany 7:10 pm 91-0
06 Nov New Zealand v Wales Cardiff 5:00 am 41-3
13 Nov New Zealand v Ireland Dublin 3:30 am 45-7
20 Nov New Zealand v England London 3:30 am 23-19
27 Nov New Zealand v Scotland Edinburgh 3:30 am 29-10

2005 Lions Tour

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
04 Jun Bay of Plenty v Lions Rotorua 7:10 pm 20-34
08 Jun Taranaki v Lions NPlymouth 7:10 pm 14-36
11 Jun NZ Maori v Lions Hamilton 7:10 pm 19-13
15 Jun Wellington v Lions Wellington 7:10 pm 6-23
18 Jun Otago v Lions Dunedin 7:10 pm 19-30
21 Jun Southland v Lions Invercargill 7:10 pm 16-26
25 Jun All Blacks v Lions Christchurch 7:10 pm 21-3
28 Jun Manawatu v Lions PalmerstonN 7:10 pm 6-109
02 Jul All Blacks v Lions Wellington 7:10 pm 48-18
05 Jul Auckland v Lions Auckland 7:10 pm 13-17
09 Jul All Blacks v Lions Auckland 7:10 pm 38-19

2005 Philips Tri Nations

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
30 Jul South Africa v Australia Pretoria 1:00 am 22-16
07 Aug South Africa v New Zealand Cape Town 1:00 am 22-16
13 Aug Australia v New Zealand Sydney 10:00 pm 13-30
20 Aug Australia v South Africa Perth 10:00 pm 19-22
27 Aug New Zealand v South Africa Dunedin 7:35 pm 31-27
03 Sep New Zealand v Australia Auckland 7:35 pm 34-24


2004 Internationals

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
01 Jun Probables v Possibles (trial) Auckland 7:35 pm 29-27
12 Jun New Zealand v England Dunedin 7:35 pm 36-3
19 Jun New Zealand v England Auckland 7:35 pm 36-12
26 Jun New Zealand v Argentina Hamilton 7:30 pm 41-7
10 Jul All Blacks v Pacific Islanders Albany 7:35 pm 41-26
14 Nov New Zealand v Italy Rome, Italy 3:00 am 59-10
21 Nov New Zealand v Wales Cardiff 6:30 am 26-25
28 Nov New Zealand v France Paris 8:45 am 45-6
05 Dec All Blacks v Barbarians London 4:00 am 47-19

2004 Philips Tri Nations

Date Game Venue Time(NZ) Result
17 Jul New Zealand v Australia Wellington 7:35 pm 16-7
24 Jul New Zealand v South Africa Christchurch 7:35 pm 23-21
31 Jul Australia v South Africa Perth 10:00 pm 30-26
07 Aug Australia v New Zealand Sydney 10:00 pm 23-18
15 Aug South Africa v New Zealand Johannesburg 12:00 pm 40-26
22 Aug South Africa v Australia Durban 1:00 am 23-19