They’re world class. They’re warriors and defenders and peace makers, but most of all, they’re us. We’ve all known an All Black, maybe we were even related to one or maybe we just bumped into one walking along the street in Blenheim or Balclutha or Parnell or Whakatane or at the golf course or at the beach. They’d stop when we said hello and they’d chat and make us feel like we’d met a world-warrior and a cousin or a neighbor all rolled into one. Andrew Mehrtens, Keith Lowen, Wayne Smith, Leicester Rutledge, Brian Ford…, they’re household names because they’re us.
They epitomize what’s good about us too. Straight-talking and honest, humble even after just winning the world cup, and they don’t just believe in hard-work, they do it. And you know what, these are all the same reasons we like Australia’s Wallabies too.
They’re ferocious on the rugby field. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be facing the haka knowing that in just a few minutes those hulks will be attacking me and my mates. But they’re not ferocious and they’re not hulks and they’re not really attacking other players; they’re decent, respectful eN-Zedders. They know they’re fighting for every one of us. Because like us, they were little kids once, staying up late to watch an ABs game on the other side of the world, kicking a footy around in the back yard or at school or at the beach…
They all wear the black jersey with the silver fern and that changes them from ordinary to extra-ordinary. They’re respected and they’ve earned that respect, not because the won a Bledisloe or a Willy-Webb Ellis…, they’re respected because they play as a team, they respect their coaching staff, they play for their cousins and neighbours back home. They play for the All Blacks – not the brand, the people, their predecessors. We aren’t focused on the score board; we’re focused on the quality of the game, the effort made by each player, the never-give-up attitude, their we-can-do-this… The All Blacks, this current squad and all those before them, put eN-Zed into the consciousness of so many people around the world. They represent us all, their values are ours, their dignity and humility and their professionalism, their giant-sized hearts are ours. The All Blacks are our Ed Hillarys and our Charlie Uphams and our ANZACs.
The All Blacks are us. They are our identity. And that’s what’s so good about the All Blacks.
eN-Zed 