They lost but they’re still champs, says Defence Force chief.
The discipline and camaraderie of the Black Caps at the Cricket World Cup has led to them being held up as an example to a group for whom those qualities are quintessential - the New Zealand Defence Force.
Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Tim Keating has written to the 14,000-plus Kiwis under his command to salute the performance that took New Zealand to its first World Cup final against Australia in Melbourne last month.
The message was entitled "Black Caps remind us 'how we play the game' is important".
Keating wrote he had seen the homecoming receptions at Auckland Airport and The Cloud after having his imagination captured by the team's performance.
"We were all disappointed they did not win, disappointment akin to a lost Rugby World Cup or America's Cup, which might have expected to linger. I am sensing from most New Zealanders that this will not be the case. Instead, the overriding emotion is one of national pride. This pride, I believe, stems from the way the team played but, more importantly, from the way they conducted themselves. It is this that resonated."
Keating outlined what his charges could take from the campaign.
Kiwi Soldier's on patrol, as the New Zealand Soldiers take over road blocks and patrol villages around the outskirts of Dili, East Timor, 2006. Photo / Wayne Drought
"The Black Caps' consistent message was that their efforts were for the crowds, for the supporters and for the people of New Zealand. That is, that their contribution was about something greater, and more meaningful than the contest alone. This is what patriotism is all about.
"As a Defence Force, we, like other New Zealanders, tend to be modest and understated in our success. We give due credit where it is due. The enduring image of Grant Elliott offering his hand to those just conquered, aptly captured this sense: conduct and compassion speak to the values that we hold dear.
"The Black Caps may have lost the final to a better team, but they are our champions. As a Force for New Zealand, this is a timely reminder to us of what we have learned at great cost on operations.
"Success is paramount, but an essential ingredient of that success is how we conduct ourselves. This is the international reputation that gives us currency in contributing to coalitions beyond the size of our commitment."
Keating hoped similar goodwill could be harnessed for the Anzac Day centenary commemorations on Saturday.
"This is the next event in which we want to ensure that the meaningful wave of patriotism that was witnessed with the Black Caps, is again unleashed on a national scale."
Kiwi troops last week left for Iraq, where they will train local forces fighting Islamic State. The mission is likely to last at least two years.
