The right values and winning all matter – but the hard work begins long ago

The Rugby World Cup 2015 All Blacks squad has been named. The stage is set. What an exciting six weeks ahead for all rugby fans. We fondly remember the way New Zealanders responded to hosting Rugby World Cup 2011 as fans from all over the world came to our place to enjoy a fantastic festival of rugby as well as our people, culture and landscapes.

And then to win after 24 years was an extraordinary moment for our game and for our country. Soon we face that challenge again. We have a strategic goal of winning at RWC2015. No team has won back-to-back titles. We have not won away from home. It’s a big and exciting challenge.

Success at pinnacle events and over time matters to all sports teams. For us, it helps maintain the value of the All Blacks brand.  Since the last World Cup the All Blacks have won just under 90 percent of matches, 83 percent over the professional period of the game. 76 percent since the All Blacks played their first Test in 1903. A proud achievement. But it’s not just success – the value of the brand also derives from what the team stands for – hard work, respect, honesty, professional, innovative. 

The fact that we sell out All Blacks matches, that many of our sponsors have backed us for many years, some like adidas over decades, through thick and thin, shows that the work we put into maintaining a winning team, and one rooted in values people respect, has been successful.

And when it comes to our values; that’s down to the support of our players. They take the job of upholding the team’s values very seriously.
 
The building blocks for continued success at the top, also reflect what we do to support the game across the country and what we did many years ago to inspire and develop the All Blacks of today. It starts on those playing fields on Saturday mornings as youngsters get their first taste of rugby. Through clubs and school rugby, through the efforts of an army of volunteer coaches, referees and others, skills are honed, bodies are conditioned, ambitions are fuelled. Talent is identified and supported early. Our domestic competitions (ITM Cup and Pink Batts Heartland Championship) are the pathways to higher honours and a vital part of our high performance story.

Investec Super Rugby, the toughest international regional rugby competition in the world, is where our best players ultimately prove they have what it takes to pull on the black jersey. New Zealand teams have won three of the last five Investec Super Rugby titles, and finished runners up the other two years. All proof that our high performance strategy pays dividends.

That strategy extends across other national teams as well.

The New Zealand Under 20 team was back on top of the world this year after securing the Under 20 World Championship title in Italy. We haven’t done so well in recent years until then, but the important point here is that the competition grows our players. Many go on to Super Rugby. We have specific targets in that regard – for example a third of the 2013 team secured 2015 Super Rugby contracts. It’s all about building depth in our game to ensure continued success.

And let’s not forget the Maori All Blacks. It’s great, through the support of our Major Global Sponsor AIG, that they have enjoyed a quality touring programme in recent years. The team helps promising players test their mettle against quality international sides and so press for higher honours.

So we have laid the foundation. Rugby World Cup 2015 is upon us. Get behind our #Belong campaign and show your support for the All Blacks.  I can’t wait.