Former Welsh and Lions rugby star Jonathan Davies says the All Blacks paid the price for their arrogance with an early exit from the World Cup and Wales do not need New Zealand coaches.
In his column in the Independent on Sunday, the former first five-eighths is highly
critical of the All Blacks and team officials' attitude.
"There are two good jokes in circulation. Firstly, what do you call the seventh and eighth place in the 2007 World Cup? The answer: the Bledisloe Cup," he said.
"Joke No 2 - where are the world's most under-achieving coaches? Answer: New Zealand. Where have the Welsh Rugby Union's top three officials gone looking for a new coach? Answer: New Zealand.
" ... I suggest that now is hardly the best time to go worshipping at that particular shrine.
"What happened to New Zealand and Australia last weekend is still difficult to grasp, as was the arrogance they brought with them into the tournament.
"This applies to the All Blacks, especially. They never used to be like that. Supremely confident, yes, but never arrogant. It applied to the coaching staff as well."
Davies said coach Graham Henry's rotation policy didn't work and the reduced game time for players was a "big minus".
When it came to the crunch, they didn't have the game awareness or the mental toughness to impose their superiority.
"They had far more possession and territory than France but couldn't cope with the pressure."
Davies said, while the Super 14 was exciting to watch, it was far removed from the vital realities of what successful rugby was about.
He said "winning ugly" was a newish phrase in the game but every World Cup, bar the first one in 1987 which was claimed by the All Blacks, was won ugly.
- NZPA
