Assistant Jason Ryan and backs Aaron Smith and Rieko Ioane insist that New Zealand are “never scared to lose” as the Kiwis gear up for a World Cup quarter-final with Ireland.
Three-time world champions, the All Blacks will pit themselves against the top-ranked Irish in a blockbuster last-eight clash in Paris on Saturday, with the winners set to face the victors of the Wales versus Argentina duel in Marseille.
The New Zealanders have responded admirably since losing the tournament’s opening match to hosts France – their first defeat in the pool stage of the competition – scoring 36 tries and 240 points in their remaining group matches.
Speaking in an All Black conference in the buildup to this weekend’s tussle, Ryan was asked whether the fear of failure is a motivator for the men from the Land of the Long White Cloud.
“We have talked a lot over the last few months over the legacy of the black jersey and what it means,” the forwards coach told reporters.
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“You talk about someone like Sean Fitzpatrick, he properly set the All Blacks legacy alight with what he did. Are we scared of failure? No. But do we want to embrace the legacy and what we want to achieve? Yes and we want to walk towards it.”
However, world No 1 Ireland have won three of the last four meetings between Andy Farrell’s charges and the All Blacks, and claimed a historic series victory in New Zealand in July 2022.
That run of form came after the Kiwis went undefeated in this fixture for 111 years, until Ireland’s sensational victory in Chicago seven years ago.
“My energy is pushed more towards the opportunity that is in front of us. If you’re held down by the weight of the past you won’t be able to do anything,” veteran scrumhalf Smith said. “You won’t be able to play well, you’d be too scared to try anything.
“I don’t think there is the burden or the statistics or the weight on us like that. It is a final at a World Cup for us and we are ready to go.”
Outside centre Ioane added: “We are never scared to lose. If there are any questions in our belief, it is unwavering because we know what we have in this group.
“For myself, the fear of losing doesn’t ever cross my mind. We don’t like to take a glass half-empty view on things.”
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