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Gilbert Enoka talks All Blacks 'sense of entitlement' at 2007 RWC

Dan Carter loos on as the All Blacks scrum against France. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

The year 2007 was one All Blacks fans would quickly rather forget, given the pain of a worst-ever Rugby World Cup result making for a continued Webb Ellis Cup drought, despite the dominance the team had enjoyed in the recent seasons.

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When Gilbert Enoka joined the setup seven years earlier at the turn of the millennium, mental skills coaching wasn’t a thing and the stigma around the proposed role was so worrisome that he operated under the fake title of team masseuse. Nowadays, he is recognised as a trailblazer in his field.

During the recent Rugby World Cup, Enoka was the longest-serving member of All Blacks management, bringing up 300 tests against Italy in pool play.

Reflecting on the 2007 World Cup defeat, Enoka didn’t mince his words.

“We obviously went to France with a team that was in pretty good shape, we had a sense of entitlement actually,” he told RNZ. “We thought we were going to go all the way without actually having to do the work.

“My area was exposed, we choked. That was the area I was responsible for so I had to look at myself. I had to admit that I needed support in my area which enabled ourselves to develop the skillset that can actually enable the All Blacks to front the challenges they get in pressure moments like that.

“So, players took a hammering and to this day, many of them remember it, but because of the actions that occurred from that, it became a springboard into the future and I think that had a big part in us winning the next two World Cups.”

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Since those World Cups, Dan Carter’s “walk towards pressure” motto has joined the many iconic pressure-related sports quotes and contributed to rugby’s overall evolution, especially in the attitude towards the Rugby World Cup as an event.

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The challenge that the absolute pinnacle of the sport poses for players mentally is immense, with four years of anticipation building to an event that has only happened ten times in history. Seizing that moment can be harder than envisioned.

“Well I think back in 2007, we didn’t want to experience pressure, the mindset was so totally different, we thought that we want to play in a way so that we don’t go into pressure and if you don’t go into pressure it just means that you’re going to be in control all the time.

“One of our learnings that came out of our reflections from ’07 was that if you don’t get any pressure then you don’t get any performance, and if you don’t get any performance then you don’t get any outcome.

“And so, the mindset completely flipped on its head. So we now had the mindset that we wanted pressure. Reframing pressure to be the opportunity to achieve something great, you never achieve anything great unless you’re in that pressure zone.

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“You develop a skillset that enables you to crystalize in those pressure moments rather than crack.”

Enoka himself is a fountain of inspirational quotes and was credited by Beauden Barrett after the recent quarter-final win over Ireland for dropping some words of wisdom on the team to manage emotions.

During the interview, Enoka said “Pressure’s like water, it will always find the crack.

“Failure is part of the dance, we’ve learnt that you might lose the battle, but don’t lose the lesson, take those forward with you.”

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Liam 334 days ago

Can't see how this guy is held in such esteem when he was in charge in 2007 and had been leading that area for 7 years at that point. Credit for accepting failings, but at that point there was decades of sports psyche data and theories in other sports to look around at. Especially if you were a pro and that area was your only job.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

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