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Ali Williams took another on the chin yesterday as the All Blacks went through post mortems about their shock World Cup exit.
Expulsion from the Blues and a broken jaw interrupted his season but the giant lock stood tall as he spoke about his feelings in the aftermath of the quarter-final defeat to France.
"We don't have any regrets what we have done in the last four years, we have just got to move on and a lot of us will be better people for it, for the last four years," he said.
"We are just gutted really, just shocked, don't know what to say."
Williams felt the test was going well until the French discovered a few sparks of brilliance, while the All Blacks battled to find any great rhythm to their game. "That is the reality of it," he said.
"If you knew the end result you wouldn't play would you?
"For me personally, the difference between me four years ago and now is huge.
"I have to thank everyone in the team and the camp who made me a far better person. That motto, 'better people make better All Blacks'; well I am definitely a better person, definitely a better player - unfortunately today wasn't the day for us.
"That is sport. France came to play, the better side won. They deserved to win."
Williams knew the public would also be gutted about another World Cup failure but would also be proud of what the All Blacks had done as a team. The reality of the defeat would probably not kick in for some time.
"At the moment it is a game of rugby we lost; there was more riding on it, so it hurts more," he said.
Losing was the toughest time in rugby. "But it is a game. Yes we put a lot of emphasis on it in New Zealand and we wear it on our sleeves and it is in our heart and it is in our blood - but the reality is it is a game and you win some, lose some and, unfortunately, in years gone past and this year we did not win the one that counts.
"No one has regrets, no one is looking back and giving it any what-ifs, we put it out there, we lost and there is nowhere to hide."
