Andrew Dickens: The great battle between the All Blacks and South Africa

The game of rugby this weekend is starting to take on a life of it’s own. 

Some have called it the biggest game of rugby since the last World Cup Final featuring the same two teams - and this is even though the Lions have just toured Australia in a record-breaking financial success. 

But it is going to be a cracker. It’s been fortified by Eden Park’s record as a fortress - 30 years and 50 games where the All Blacks have not been defeated. 

We’re vulnerable as the last test against Argentina showed, meanwhile the South Africans seem genuinely inspired by playing at Eden Park. 

It’s been 8 years since they have done that. The revenue is generated by them, and I wonder if it's been purposeful to keep them away from it for so long. 

And the French have been in the media as they were the last to beat New Zealand at the Garden of Eden way back in 1994. Interestingly the first time I went to an All Blacks game, only to see them lose. 

They too have been rhapsodising about the mythical qualities of what is a pretty patchy stadium. 

There’s a very real chance we’re going to lose this one. Graham Henry has been quoted as saying there’s something not quite right with the team’s mentality. 

Yet it’s a reminder that if the biggest game of rugby in the world is to be played, it had to played at Eden Park. 

The good people of Christchurch who are about to take possession of a spiffing new stadium will argue that Eden Park’s self declaration that the park is our national stadium is misplaced. 

But that’s not true. Eden Park is sacred ground and Auckland still needs to figure out how to make it better, because it’s the best place for what is about to happen this weekend. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got a game of rugby this weekend, and this
game of rugby this weekend is really starting to take
on a life of its own. Some are calling it
the biggest game of rugby since the last World Cup Final,
featuring the same two teams, and this even though the
Lions just toured Australia in a record breaking financial success.
But no, this is a very big game. The whole
world is looking at this game and it is going

(00:21):
to be a cracker and it's all being hyped up
and fortified by Eden Park's record as a fortress thirty
years and fifty games where the All Blacks have not
been defeated and we are vulnerable, as the last test
against Argentina showed. Meanwhile, the South Africans seemed genuinely inspired
by playing at eden Park. Did you do know It's

(00:42):
been eight years since the South African's played at eden
Park and the venue is venerated by them, And I
wonder if it's been purposeful to keep them away from
eden Park for so long, to not let them step
on the pitch because it fires them up. And the
French have been in the media yesterday they were the
last to beat New Zealand on the Garden of Eden

(01:02):
way back in nineteen ninety four. And here's a fun fact.
That was the very first time I ever went to
an all that game, and we lost. But what an
amazing try. The try from the end of the world,
they said, nineteen ninety four, last time we lost. And
the French have been rhapsodizing about the mythical qualities of
Eden Park two, which we all know is a pretty
patchy stadium. It's very good, it's good, but you know

(01:24):
it could be so much better. Now there's a real chance,
a very real chance, we're going to lose this one.
Graham Henry was quoted yesterday as saying there's something not
quite right with the team's mentality. Yet it is a
reminder that if the biggest game of rugby in the
world is to be played, it had to be played
at Eden Park. The good people of christ Church, who

(01:46):
are about to take possession of a spiffing new stadium,
will argue that Eden Park's self declaration that the park
is our national stadium is misplaced. But that's not true. Sorry,
christ Church. You've got a beautiful stadium. It's going to
be awesome, But Eden Park is sacred ground and Auckland,
possibly the nation, but certainly Auckland still needs to figure

(02:08):
out how to make Eden Park better because we need
a place like Eden Park. We need it in Park
because it's the best place for what's about to happen
this weekend. For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge,
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