Mon, 15 Aug 2011 6:24a.m.
Opinion By Jim Kayes in South Africa
It's been 25 years since the All Blacks played a game in Port Elizabeth and 41 years since their last test against the Springboks in the coastal town about halfway between Durban and Cape Town. Little wonder then that, despite the absence of skipper Richie McCaw and star first-five Dan Carter, the All Blacks were given a raucous reception when they flew into town. The scenes at the airport were like those normally associated with royalty, national leaders or rock bands. The crowd was loud and proud in declaring their allegiance to the men in black and the players were visibly taken aback. It was the same an hour or so later when they trained at Nelson Mandela University, with a large section of the dressed-in-black crowd singing the New Zealand national anthem as the players walked in.
If a reminder was needed, however, that we are in South Africa - where crime is a fact of life that goes hand in glove with the massive unemployment - it came in the huge number of police that followed the All Blacks from their hotel to the training venue.
These are odd times for rugby in South Africa. The Springboks might be the defending World Cup champions but few of their supporters (and none of their media) give them much chance of winning a third title in New Zealand. The Springboks have lost their last four tests to the All Blacks and have won just one of their last nine Tri-Nations tests with three consecutive defeats to the Wallabies, including two in South Africa. Late in the test at Durban there was the bizarre sight of an Australian scrum driving the Springboks backwards.
This seems an old and tiring Springbok side and if the rather weakened All Blacks side can beat them it's difficult to see them recovering at the World Cup. Equally, an All Blacks win would probably mean Colin Slade's played well in his big chance to show he is Carter's deputy. Victory could also mean the wings - probably Isaiah Toeava and Hosea Gear - have performed, increasing the pressure on the coaches as they try to decide who to pick for the World Cup.
The All Blacks have played four tests in Port Elizabeth - in 1928, 1949, 1960 and 1970 - without tasting victory. If that changes, the scenes at the airport suggest that while it will be bad news for South African rugby, many of the Port Elizabeth locals will be smiling.