- Written by Alastair Telfer
- bbc sports
Everyone remembers the first day they arrived at school or a new job. A feeling of being afraid of looking out of place or making a mistake.
Everyone has those days. But not everyone can become an All Black.
Over 139 years, more than 1,200 men have donned the shirt of one of rugby’s most famous and dominant teams.
They have won over 77% of their Test matches, which is more than any other men’s team. They have won the Rugby World Cup three times. No men’s team has won more games.
Their practices and culture have become synonymous with success, not just in sport, but in the wider world.
they are outstanding. But when you first join that hallowed club, the last thing you want is to stand out.
“The first day I was excited, but also scared,” Richard Kahui says, recalling arriving at the camp in 2008 at the age of 23.
“I didn’t want to be disappointed, I didn’t want to be late to a meeting or drop the ball in practice.
“The first thing I do is meet the team manager and get my room key and all my new kit. It’s as exciting as Christmas.”
This kit symbolized being part of a team. But waiting for Kahui in the team room later that night were two senior players, Conrad Smith and Keven, carrying a black book that revealed the special meaning behind becoming an All Black.・It was Melam.
Muster
Players can now be called up for international duty simply by being added to a WhatsApp group chat.
In 2004, Smith discovered his choices more publicly.
After New Zealand lost to Australia in the semi-finals of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, new head coach Graham Henry was keen to bring in some new talent.
“I was alone in my apartment and I wasn’t expecting to hear any announcements, but then I realized it was time, so I grabbed a sandwich and turned on the radio,” said Smith, who played only one season professionally. . Rugby back then.
“The opposing center, Casey Laulala, had his name in alphabetical order, so I remember thinking it might not be for me.
“Then S got a call and my name was called, so I put down my sandwich and the phone started ringing.”
Four years later, Kahui didn’t even have a radio. He had to call his best friend, All Black Stephen Donald, who turned on his mobile phone and placed it next to the speaker so Kahui could hear the announcement. .
“Donald’s name was called before mine, and I could hear his family screaming before it went quiet,” he says. “And then I went further down and my name came up.
“The phone started ringing, my mom and dad were crying and I almost cried too.
“I noticed it just like everyone else.”
fool
The All Blacks’ ceremonial pre-match war dance is one of rugby’s most iconic spectacles.
They insist they are not trying to excite opponents. Rather, it’s for yourself. Some of the most meaningful performances take place in private, away from cameras and confrontations.
“There’s a process when you join a group and the haka is a big part of that, especially on tour where you have a new group of players,” Smith says.
“On my tour [Europe 2004] There were seven or eight of us debuting, maybe more. You talk a little bit about yourself and your journey, where you’re from and who you are. Everyone welcomes you.
“In the first haka, you’re up against proven players and you do it. It’s very special because the whole team is there and it’s not just about the haka, it’s about the jersey, the tradition and the proud history of the All Blacks. “And now is your chance.”
“The message was: ‘Don’t let that deter you. You’re meant to be here. You’re going to be the custodian of the jersey, so leave your mark on the jersey.’
Kahui’s experience was similar.
“The team welcomes everyone into the room and does a big haka to welcome them to the team,” he says.
“Just talking about it makes me feel funny.
“It’s one of those high-energy, emotional moments in your life, and at the end of it, you shake everyone’s hand. When you walk out of that room, you feel special. You are not treated or talked to any differently. All black.
“Being able to sit at the same table with guys like Richie McCaw, I feel like I have the right to do the things that other guys are doing. As a rookie, it was intimidating, just like it was on day one. , by the end of the game it felt like one of the special days of my life.”
The fundamental message to all newcomers is to leave behind what has been achieved and mark your time in the famous black jersey. It’s more than a metaphor. The All Blacks literally write their own story.
When Smith and Meram approached Kahui on the first day, Smith, now a senior player, handed him a black book.
“There are some things that only All Black players get. One of them is a black book with all the information you heard at the meeting,” says Kahui. “But there are also a lot of blank pages. I need to create a diary of my time as an All Black.
“After the meeting, Conrad Smith gave me his book to look at. It had dates and the teams he played for, how he felt, and what it meant. It was really amazing to look into his book and into his mind.”
“They say this is your book, take care of it, and if you return it the first time you play the game and include a photo of you playing it, you can have it forever. ”
The book was introduced after Graham Henry took over as manager after the 2003 World Cup. Smith believes a cultural shift was needed and credits Gilbert Enoka for helping make that change happen.
Enoka would eventually be established as the All Blacks’ head of leadership management and mental skills. But initially his idea was treated with suspicion and he had to pretend to be a masseuse.
He was a big force behind the introduction of this little black book.
“There were a lot of different opinions about the book, but the main idea was that it represented the All Blacks,” Smith says. “The first few pages were about heritage, giving a little bit of history and what they accomplished.”
This book explained how New Zealand’s different cultures were linked by a common love of black jerseys and silver ferns.
“Then there was a blank page and it was up to you,” Smith added. “I didn’t have to write, I could draw and do whatever I wanted.
“I started writing notes for each game. I think you understand that playing one Test is special. So you want to play 10 or 20 times.”
“I wrote what I cherished from the game. I didn’t write about all 94 Tests…After the first 20 or so, my notes got shorter because they weren’t special anymore. Not because I grew up with my own routine. ”
Smith and Cowie were rivals for the midfield position, but the All Blacks have a culture where senior players help future stars.
“I don’t think people realize how much they can help someone, but they do it because they’ve been there before,” Smith says. “When I started my All Blacks career, when I sat there quietly and said everyone was nervous, I realized how important it was for Tana Umaga to talk to me. Ta.
“That left an impression on me, so I thought I would do that if I were in that position. It was the same with Richard. He’s someone I really respect and value.”
A culture of winning and the Rugby World Cup
Smith and Cowie both took part in the All Blacks set-up in the shadows.
Despite being one of the best Test teams in the world, they won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and have since fallen short in the five subsequent tournaments.
The decisive blow came in the quarterfinals of 2007, when they lost to France. Something needed to change.
“That 2007 team was as good as any other team, if not better.” [that won the World Cup] Also in 2011 and 2015,” said Smith, a veteran who played in all three tournaments.
“We didn’t have that mentality quite right and we weren’t quite as prepared for the World Cup as we were in 2011 and 2015.
“At the World Cup we realized we were lacking in that respect and we had to change that. “The attitude we had to keep the All Blacks at that level was great, but we still had to go into the World Cup. I had to adjust that.”
“We had to recognize that the specificities of the tournament could pose new challenges.”
In 2011, Smith and Cowie both started in the most high-pressure match in New Zealand rugby history. It posed a challenge that would test even the most prepared teams.
Four years after their shock defeat to France in the last eight, they faced the same opponents again on home soil in the final. A win would end a 24-year wait for the game’s biggest prize.
“We worked hard on things like mental skills and stayed in the blue instead of red,” Kahui says. “Blue is calm and staying in the moment without thinking about the consequences. Red is negative thinking, when you’re thinking ‘what if?'”
Few people thought about what actually happened.
Injuries have ruled out first- and second-choice fly-halfs Dan Carter and Colin Slade. After 34 minutes, the All Blacks’ third choice number 10, Aaron Cruden, also disappeared.
Now, wearing a jersey several sizes too small and carrying the immeasurable weight of the people’s expectations, he has been given the mission of making a splash at the World Cup.
Donald duly converted the decisive penalty in a tense 8-7 win.
Kahui says the lessons learned from a series of disappointments at the World Cup – that the tournament required an extra level of preparation and mental fortitude from the legendary All Blacks culture – have paid off. .
“In training in 2009 and 2010, we trained in a scenario where he lost his flyhalf twice,” he says.
“So when we lost three in 2011, it felt like we were setting ourselves up for it.
“Looking back, you can see how much planning and process went into winning the World Cup. It doesn’t happen in one year. It takes four years to do it right. The staff. and the planning of the leadership group was phenomenal.”
Both Mr. Smith and Mr. Cowie are now retired.
There is a new custodian of their famous black jersey and a new legacy is being written.
The next two weeks will show whether the pages of their own black book include a record-breaking fourth World Cup and another glorious chapter in All Black history.