All Blacks Captain Sam Cane addresses the media following the loss to Ireland.
OPINION:
The addition of more countries at rugby's top table should be celebrated – even if it has been a painful adjustment for Kiwis.
The defeat in Dunedin was tough to take, because the All Blacks don't usually go backwards during a series and have rarely, if ever, suffered a34-point swing in the space of seven days.
It hurt even more as an accumulation, after events in Dublin, Paris and the Gold Coast last year.
Add in the defeat to Argentina in 2020 and it has been a discombobulating time for ardent All Black fans.
New Zealand were World Cup favourites after the quarter-final demolition of Ireland in Tokyo on 26 October 2019, but not much has gone right since, as they have lost to England, Australia, Argentina, South Africa, France and Ireland (twice).
It's an unprecedented list – but there is an upside.
For the sport to truly grow and become more globally relevant a longer list of contenders is a necessity.
It is already shaping as the best and most competitive ever, with up to seven countries (France, England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Wales) all with realistic hopes of lifting the trophy.
The All Blacks loss to Ireland came during a weekend which also saw Australia and South Africa lose to northern rivals. Photo / Getty
By rugby's standards that is an extraordinary number and there are another three teams that could make the semifinals with a slice of luck (Argentina, Scotland and Japan).
But what we are experiencing now in rugby has happened in many other sports.
Look at hockey.
India reached every men's Olympic final between 1928-1964, winning gold on all but one occasion.
Since then there have been eight different winners, including New Zealand, Argentina and Belgium.
For a long time men's tennis was the preserve of white, Anglo-Saxon countries, particularly Australia and the United States. Australians claimed 12 Wimbledon and 13 US Open titles between 1951-1971, not to mention 15 Davis Cup crowns.
Today there is class on every continent, which has made the very best players global giants.
Athletics has had a similar evolution, while closer to home cricket's pool of first and second tier nations has widened.
Lack of competition is the biggest issue holding netball back - with its long standing hegemony of Australia and New Zealand - which is why the recent revival of England and Jamaica is so important.
Rugby League has traditionally been a three-horse race but that changed at the last World Cup with Tonga's emergence.
Their continued rise, along with the strong prospects of Samoa and Fiji mean this year's World Cup in England could have genuine jeopardy for the established elite.
Such uncertainty and unpredictably has helped football remain the gold standard for sports, with its staggering global reach.
It has been achieved by continously elevating standards in every confederation, even if Europe and South America remain dominant.
The emergence of Belgium as a powerhouse of men's football over the past decade has shaken up the sport - in a good way. Photo / Photosport
Thirteen different nations have reached a Fifa men's World Cup final, with another 10 countries making a semifinal, including Austria, Chile, Bulgaria, Turkey and South Korea.
A tiny nation like Costa Rica reached the quarter finals in 2014, while defending champions Germany were dumped out at the group stage in 2018 and six-time finalists Italy missed the cut for Qatar later this year.
While on an entirely different scale, that kind of competitiveness has to be rugby's goal, especially if the likes of Samoa, Tonga and Fiji can eventually achieve their potential.
That will make the sport bigger, better and more likely to attract new markets and entice more fans, which is good for everyone, even if the All Blacks' historical dominance of most nations may dip slightly.
Rest assured, it still takes a special team and often a special set of circumstances to beat New Zealand, particularly at home; and this Irish team will be remembered as a great touring side.
The recent run also feels cyclical, as many of the survivors of the brilliant All Blacks team of 2015 and 2016 are in the twilight of their careers while others are still finding their way at test level; and the retirement of Kieran Read left a significant leadership vacuum.
