What Makes the All Blacks Special?

Even as a South African, it’s easy for me to recognise the New Zealand Rugby Team as not only one of the best rugby teams of all time, but one of the most successful sports teams of all time. Since their first recorded test match in 1903, they have boasted a win rate of 74% which, at the time of writing, is the highest of any international side. They have won more Tri Nations Titles (10) and more Rugby Championship Titles (6) than any other team. New Zealand also shares the record for the number of World Cups won (3) with South Africa and are the only team in the competition’s history to win two titles consecutively (2011 & 2015). How does such a small nation with such a small population regularly produce such consistently dominant performances on the field? I’ll be discussing two big reasons as to why they are so successful.

#1 The Culture Works

For decades, its been a dream of many young boys growing up in New Zealand to one day pull on the famous black rugby jersey of the All Blacks. It is seen by many in the country as a tremendous honour and responsibility to carry on the legacy left behind by so many rugby legends. The jersey is seen as a symbol of respect for something much bigger than the player who wears it. This is reinforced by a culture of humility as well. Players are encouraged to respect authority, to respect each other, and to remember to play in service to their country, rather than themselves. One doesn’t need to look far to find footage of athletes who speak arrogantly and aggressively, but in contrast, it is difficult to find footage of a successful All Black player who’s speech isn’t characterised by being softly spoken, honest, and grateful in nature.

While watching Amazon’s documentary, All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks, one can find several examples the team culture being like that of a family. Throughout the documentary, players are forgiven for mistakes and poor performances, while simultaneously being reminded of the personal responsibility they have in order to correct those errors. When it comes to disciplining players, they need not be threatened by coaches, but reminded of the honour to play for the team. A reminder of the honour associated with wearing the shirt seems to often be all the motivation a true All Black needs. Players are also given the opportunity to take sabbaticals in order to rest, make big decisions, or attend family matters such as the births of their children. This suggests that All Black culture, while demanding and intense, is also sensible in the way that it cares holistically for each player.

#2 They Know Who Their Rivals Are

In Performance Psychology, goals can be set and achieved through two different types of motivation- Ego and Task orientation. Ego orientation is characterised by an athlete who is motivated to play his sport because of the rewards and affirmation he receives after the final whistle. He is motivated to entertain and impress and is more sensitive to extrinsic feedback. In contrast, a task orientated athlete is motivated to play because of the intrinsic joy he feels while playing the sport. He enjoys winning, but also recognises that improving one’s skills is a different kind of win. He is motivated to grow his skills and master his sport, regardless of what the opposition does, or what was on the scoreboard on a particular day.

I’m confident that most Performance Psychology professionals would characterise All Black culture as being highly task orientated. Even when they are winning most of their games, the coaches and players seem to constantly be looking for ways to improve themselves. They don’t just maintain high standards, but they look to improve their standards constantly, regardless of what their opposition do. This limits the chance of complacency creeping into the team’s culture. This is summed up by former head coach Steve Hansen in All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks when he says, “Every dropped standard that you walk past and ignore is a standard you’re accepting.”, and “The All Blacks’ greatest rival is the All Blacks.”

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Dave Roebuck