The hard corrective that Australia endorsed New Zealand last Friday by 47-26 , not only meant that the most important team on the planet lost the first Rugby Championship since 2016. The All Blacks seem to have serious doubts in their game and six weeks of Let the World Cup begin (September 20 - November 2), it is becoming increasingly feasible that this year they can be dethroned in Japan after winning in the last two editions.

The victory of the Australians was the biggest against the Kiwis in its history, and also served to send a message of hope to the rest of the candidates for the title: "No, the All Blacks are not invincible . "

While it is true that New Zealanders played the entire second half with one man less for the expulsion of Scott Barrett in the last minute of the first period , the numerical inferiority does not explain everything that happened last Friday in Perth. The defense made water in the second half and the opening Beauden Barrett, the best player in the world in 2016 and 2017 , seemed paralyzed by the situation and could not even give his team some oxygen. All this has generated a feeling of concern for the most important event of the year, since it seems that the feeling of unbeatable that they had before does not exist.

Hansen, first designated

Doubts make the public have lost confidence in someone who seemed untouchable as All Blacks coach Steve Hansen . The world champion coach in 2015 came out at a press conference to try to justify the bulky defeat against the Wallabies . "I know that on the scoreboard the difference is impressive, it is not often that someone scores so many points against us . But we were 16-12 at halftime, we were still in the game and that's when Scotty (Barrett) is ejected," He tried to explain. "Then the game became something completely different. Then we made a lot of mistakes in defense, and that with a team like Australia, with a lot of talent to find spaces, you pay for it, " Hansen added.

And the last results are the least worrying for a team with the expectations that New Zealand had: victory adjusted by 20-16 against Argentina, and a draw against South Africa at 16 , in addition to the historic defeat already mentioned. "If you look at the latest results, we are still a bit rusty. In June we said that the Championship was not our priority, if the World Cup, " said Hansen himself.

Save No. 1

New Zealand media have also been very tough on the All Blacks after Friday’s unexpected defeat. "The destroyed All Blacks", "The Wallabies shock the All Blacks " or "ridiculed Hansen" , were some of the headlines that could be read in the main newspapers of the country.

The tragedy could have been greater if Welsh had managed to win England in the British derby this Sunday. The victory of the English by 33-19 makes the Kiwis maintain for the moment the number one in the world ranking , place of which they have not been lowered in almost ten years.

Although the situation does not seem conducive to start a competition of the importance of a World Cup, four years ago the All Blacks arrived after losing in the Championship and got their second consecutive title. But Hansen and his people will need to make many adjustments beyond superstitions to get back to having options to be on the top of the podium again.

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