Gregor Paul - The Captains Run: What it Takes to Lead the All Blacks

Contents

CONTENTS

Enjoy, which is not easy. I think its really important to embrace, and I wish I knew at the beginning what I knew at the end, because I would have enjoyed it more. I wouldnt seek the job, I wouldnt go trying to be the All Blacks captain; if its meant to be its meant to be, and be inclusive. There are so many people around, especially with the All Blacks today, who have great ideas, and to be honest, the All Blacks captain is about building an environment and creating a team that makes decisions.

SEAN FITZPATRICK

Dont worry about the stars, theyll help you. Worry about the guys that are coming on, the guys that might have a bit of pressure on them. Look after them, because the good guys in the team, theyll be your assistants, theyll help you. Thats the nature of the Kiwi, I think. The last guys I ever had to worry about were Bryan Williams and Ian Kirkpatrick. I needed them and I spoke to them they were great. But the guys who might be getting a bit of stuff poked at them through the press you know, this modern media sort of stuff theyre the guys to go to give your shoulder to if you want.

ANDY LESLIE

Focus on playing well first, dont hold back. I think subconsciously at times I held back from my natural game just because you didnt want to give away penalties or be overly aggressive. I think subconsciously I did pull back on that side of my game a little bit. So play well first and then the other thing is ask for help, or get people around you who can help you that you trust. You dont have to do everything on your own, thats probably the big thing.

REUBEN THORNE

Remember that the captain is the main conduit between players and management and to make sure that that role is well done and when you start to dig into that, it opens up into everything from player welfare, strategy, selection, making sure management are doing the right thing. So I guess that understanding that you are the conduit you know, the senior player so understanding that role and making sure that balance is right.

GRAHAM MOURIE

Always lead from the front. You need to listen to your senior people around you and if you feel you are under a lot of pressure, real pressure, dont be afraid to change the game plan, no matter what the coaches say. You can wear it if it fails. Thats your choice you have to make. The question you have to ask yourself is whether I am big enough to go outside the game plan and do something different.

BUCK SHELFORD

ITS HOPELESS. ALL over. It has to be. Not even the All Blacks could escape from the hole in which they currently find themselves. Not even this All Blacks side, which has won all 13 of its tests in 2013, can be seriously thinking they can still win their fourteenth and become the first professional team to go through a calendar year undefeated. Its too late and the 52,000 people packed into the Aviva Stadium in Dublin know it.

Ireland, after 108 years of trying, are finally going to beat the All Blacks. They are within 60 seconds of the final whistle and they lead 2217. The crowd, having seen their golden boy, Johnny Sexton, push a penalty wide six minutes earlier to leave the door ajar for the All Blacks, have regained their confidence that its all over. They arent fretting that Sextons miss will be costly. How could it be? The Irish have the ball and they are well inside New Zealands territory. Ireland cant lose it from here.

They get 10 seconds closer to victory when No. 8 Jamie Heaslip smashes another metre to create a ruck. Another 10 seconds disappear when, after a laboured recycle, halfback Conor Murray passes to lock Mike McCarthy, who chugs into the throng of black shirts desperate to strip him of possession. They arent able to and Murray once again has the ball, this time opting to pass right to flanker Kevin McLaughlin. He charges into the All Blacks in the hope more time will be eaten up. There are 28 seconds left when the ball becomes available for Murray, but before he can pass it, referee Nigel Owens has blown for a penalty. Its to the All Blacks. Owens is signalling that the Irish sealed off the ball and says: Number 17... straight off your feet. Ireland prop Jack McGrath has handed the All Blacks the faintest lifeline.

The All Blacks have possession, but their position is still mostly hopeless. They have less than 30 seconds to conjure a converted try from midway inside their own half. Its a near-impossible mission, but obviously captain Richie McCaw doesnt think so. He grabbed the ball as soon as Owens awarded the penalty, tapped it and took off. Hed made a full 10 metres before Owens blew again to bring him back. The captain hadnt taken the penalty from the mark and another 10 seconds have been wasted. But McCaw doesnt remonstrate at Owens pedantry. Theres no reaction from the skipper, no sense of frustration or panic. He turns and throws the ball to Aaron Smith, who is standing on the mark and calmly tells the halfback to tap and pass to someone.

Ben Smith is that someone and he makes it to almost halfway. The recycle is quick and two passes later Kieran Read is crashing into the Irish. Another quick recycle has Beauden Barrett probing the right touchline, before hes tackled and the ball is moved to lock Sam Whitelock, who smashes another few metres. The tension is incredible. The noise is deafening. The clock has turned red, signalling the 80 minutes are up and that the All Blacks cant afford even the tiniest error. One mistake and the game is over.

The All Blacks give no sign that they are feeling the tension. Their fifth-phase play sees Maa Nonu push a wide pass to Ben Smith, who comes back infield. The All Blacks forwards are there in a flash, protecting the possession. Aaron Smith looks to his right and doesnt flinch when he sees that it will be Owen Franks taking possession, with his brother Ben the next available recipient. The Franks brothers are brilliant scrummagers and tough men but this is not their scene. Pass and catch isnt their natural game but Owen has his hands out, takes the ball and passes nicely to Ben, who crashes into the tackler. Owen makes sure the ball comes back. Hope is maybe rising as the All Blacks are now on Irelands 10-metre line. And Ireland are wilting.

Smith fires left to Aaron Cruden, who himself makes a long pass to Ben Smith. One more pass leaves Kieran Read in space and he charges into the nearest defender but flips the ball back to Smith as he does so. The All Blacks are up to Irelands 22 and then Nonu, playing at halfback, takes them well inside it when he sneaks down the blindside. The Irish crowd are losing their confidence. Not their voice, though, but the noise is now aimed at willing their team to hang on.

The All Blacks can maybe sniff blood and another charge by Ben Franks leaves space on the right to explore on their eighth phase of attack. Julian Savea has come off his wing to create confusion in the Irish defence. He passes to Liam Messam, who runs strongly, bringing the All Blacks to within five metres of the tryline. Whatever momentum has been built, though, is stalled by a wobbly pass by Smith, which sees Nonu have to gather a bouncing ball back on the 22. The crowd lifts, their roar suggesting they believe its the mistake they have been waiting for. But Nonu has an acre of space, takes off and makes good ground before hes stopped.

What was once unthinkable is now a probability. If the All Blacks attack left, they have a chance to score. And thats what they do. Cruden fires a flat pass to Dane Coles and the reserve hooker somehow, with two Irish defenders on him, slips the ball to Ryan Crotty, who flops over the line. Dublin is stunned. And then the Irish are heartbroken when Cruden who is given a second attempt due to an early charge-down attempt lands the winning conversion. The All Blacks produced 11 immaculate phases in 95 seconds to pull off the greatest escape ever witnessed in a test match.