The following was written by Will Carling on the New Zealand website, RugbyHeaven.

“What Henry has clearly not learnt is any manners. The comment that Jerry Collins would not have made the All Blacks is shocking, that Collins showed the uncommon decency of formally ending his NZRU contract before opening formal negotiations with another party indicates that Jerry is a class act. Graham Henry’s conduct is nowhere near the same level.

Collins played amazing rugby for Henry and I think that’s a very poor way of saying thank you to a true rugby hero.

What also appears weak about the New Zealand game is the banality of the on-field leadership. If Richie McCaw is to be retained as the All Black captain, fine. But who are his generals? And do they really know how to win a game?

What really reminds of how amazing I could be at times, is the games when we won by winning on the scoreboard and not the television coverage.

The All Black brand was about one thing only and that was winning the game.

Generations of New Zealand rugby players have carried that attitude onto the field when wearing that symbol of selfless, commitment and honesty. Martin Johnson knows that and although his appointment has been justly criticised, the fact remains that he is a special individual and he brings an essence of that old All Black intimidation back into the England changing room through presence alone.

When a young player walks into a changing room and Johnson is standing there, the fantasy of playing for England is shattered by the awesome reality that he is expecting every man in the room to give as much as he has. You can feel the expectation of success from this champion, he will create an environment that will guide players to the upper echelon of performance and he will attract the right people to the team in all aspects; decent, hardworking team players will thrive under Johnson.

The All Black jersey is no longer a shroud of pure team dedication and ruthless intent to win. It has been commoditised – it’s been made to look pretty.

But the game is not about attractiveness, it is about scoring more points than the opposition over two 40-minute periods. That’s the rugby I know, that’s the rugby on which my admiration for the All Blacks is based. And yet I am left questioning why New Zealand, who once personified the ultimate winning machine is now the temperamental, hard-to-drive Italian sports car.

Win or be pretty that is the question; if the answer is ‘pretty’, then don’t complain when you lose. I am reminded every morning when I see my face in the mirror of how good I must have been, because to go with all those awful, beastly, dreadful games ugly England won narrowly – I still have my good looks.

Face it New Zealand you do not lose very well do you?

All the more reason to drop the ‘nice guy’ act and put that Black hat back on.

Speaking of losing… sleep, I won’t be over the Irish test matches. My opinion of Ireland can be wrapped in the following sentence.

Hopefully they will be good enough to play like England again someday.”

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