On the Cusp of History

Could the current All Blacks squad be the finest of all time? Scotland on Sunday sports columnist Iain Morrison thinks so writing that “their success over the years in terms of statistics and the numbers that the All Blacks generate are jaw-dropping.” “They have won 35 of the 467 Tests that they have undertaken. They have a winning record against every country in world rugby, including the Springboks, who are the only team to come remotely close (it stands 55 per cent in favour of the New Zealand). As former Scotland and Lions skipper Gavin Hastings says, the World Cup monkey is the last obstacle between this team and a place in the pantheon. ‘Without doubt this is an excellent team but, like all New Zealand teams in recent times it will be judged on the World Cup,’ Hastings says. ‘They could win every match up to the World Cup final and if they lost that one the people of New Zealand, rightly or wrongly, would judge them harshly. If they win most of their matches beforehand and then the World Cup final they will be considered the equal of any of the great sides.’” The All Blacks play Scotland in Edinburgh on 13 November.