Advantage New Zealand, then, in the chase for the Rugby Championship as the All Blacks deliver a reminder of their quality with the World Cup around the corner.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/new-zealand-south-africa-live-score-rugby-championship-b2375534.html

All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who ensured he won’t become the first New Zealander to let the Cup slip through his fingers, said he was “delighted” with the victory but gave hope to Wallabies fans.

Source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/07/29/all-blacks-smash-wallabies-to-seal-bledisloe-again-as-eddies-pain-grows-after-devastating-injury-to-star-prop/

All Blacks flyhalf Richie Mo'unga is also leaving the Crusaders to play in Japan next season.

Source: https://www.heraldlive.co.za/sport/rugby/2023-06-01-all-blacks-centre-havili-to-miss-rugby-championship/

All Blacks great Dan Carter has opened up on his ongoing shame for being busted for drink-driving in Paris and how "to this day I’m so grateful I didn’t injure anyone on the roads".

Source: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/dan-carter-his-drink-drive-shame-and-night-paris-cell

All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt announced that Will Jordan and Leicester Fainga’anuku will not fly to Mendoza for the match against the Pumas on 8 July and will both be remaining in New Zealand to recover.

Source: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/rugby/rugby-championship/all-blacks-hit-with-double-injury-setback-ahead-of-rugby-championship-1-july-2023/

Andy Farrell’s team has lost just two test matches out of 19 since Feb. 27, 2021; the first test against the All Blacks last summer and 30-24 in France in last year’s Six Nations.

Source: https://www.artesianews.com/2133536/6-nations-france-ireland-set-for-duel-under-netflix-glare.html

A number of All Blacks players now play their rugby abroad and are thus ineligible to play for the national team.

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/rugby/all-blacks-follow-bok-example-sam-cane/

At the depths of their struggles last year the All Blacks were stale and predictable.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/sep/02/after-bashing-by-springboks-will-real-all-blacks-turn-up-in-france-rugby-union-world-cup

By the end of the match the All Blacks had conceded 12 penalties to France’s 4, and one yellow card.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/vitascarosella/2023/09/08/france-lay-down-a-marker-beating-new-zealand-in-the-world-cup-opener/

Cheered on by a small but noisy band of their compatriots at the same Parramatta Stadium where they first beat the All Blacks in 2020, the Pumas secured only a third win over the Wallabies on Australian soil.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/australia-argentina-live-score-rugby-championship-b2375833.html

Coach Nienaber, who made four run-on changes to the side that dismantled the All Blacks last month — including starts for winger Cheslin Kolbe and No.8 Jasper Wiese — was under no illusions about what lay ahead for his team: knock-out rugby from the off.

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/rugby/never-pressure-reigning-champions-springboks-against-scotland/

Flyhalf Handre Pollard scored all the points for a Springboks side which repeated its 1995 success over New Zealand and denied the All Blacks their own chance to win a fourth title in their record fifth final.

Source: https://www.sudbury.com/national-sports/south-africa-holds-on-to-beat-new-zealand-12-11-and-win-historic-fourth-rugby-world-cup-title-7752235

Following the national team’s win against New Zealand’s All Blacks on Friday, 25 August, the star player mingled with fans at Twickenham Stadium in London.

Source: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/breaking-springboks-siya-kolisi-budgy-smuggler-faf-de-klerk-speedo-latest-27-august-2023/

Four years ago, Schmidt was the Ireland head coach when his team was steamrollered by a purring All Blacks at the same stage of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Source: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/schmidt-attention-detail-driving-all-blacks-ahead-ireland-clash.1060434

From their kick-chase, the All Blacks retained only five of their 17 attacking kicks, and conceded two more penalties.

Source: https://wtop.com/sports/2023/09/new-zealand-keen-to-fix-the-basics-in-second-rugby-world-cup-match/

Hansen, who led the All Blacks to the World Cup in 2015, said some people might be hurt by his decision to pick Folau but added that he does not agree with the player's views.

Source: https://www.heraldlive.co.za/sport/rugby/2023-05-24-hansen-welcomes-decision-to-fly-pride-flag-at-twickenham-after-folau-call-up/

He was hungry to get the ball, put in some shuddering tackles, and smashed All Blacks team-mate Tyrel Lomax at scrum time.

Source: https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/storming-performance-not-enough-highlanders

However, this year Libbok has started in three of the Boks’ games at flyhalf, while Willemse only started the All Blacks game in the No 10 jersey.

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/rugby/manie-libbok-realises-dream-world-cup-springboks/

If the All Blacks can deny them the ability to make progress via the boot, it will force the Springboks to play more expansively having opted for Handre Pollard’s solidity over Manie Libbok’s silkier skills.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/rugby-world-cup-final-new-zealand-south-africa-b2436687.html

In 2003, Carlos Spencer hit Stirling Mortlock on the chest and he ran straight towards my seat, in the very front row, behind the goalposts, to send John Mitchell’s All Blacks home empty-handed.

Source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/09/04/the-wrap-what-are-the-greatest-rwc-moments/