Motions — All Blacks—Rugby World Cup 2015 Victory

I seek leave to move a motion without notice in recognition of the All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup 2015.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.

I move, That this House congratulate the All Blacks on their historic victory at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. On Sunday morning the country woke up at the better part of 5 a.m., full of expectation and excitement, and a degree, probably, of trepidation, to witness the final of the Rugby World Cup and to see whether dreams could become history and whether the great All Blacks side that we had witnessed right up until this final could ultimately bring home the Rugby World Cup. In beating Australia 34-17 the All Blacks not only made history but proved to the world what a great All Blacks side they are and how proud of them we can be. We witnessed what will ultimately be the final game with the All Blacks for a number of players. To those, we wish them all the very best as they take their careers down the next pathway, whatever that might be.

It is easy when you look at rugby to think of it just in the context of being a sport and, obviously, our national game, but when it comes to this All Blacks side one thing that they have proven is that it is not just the deeds that they do on the field; it is, in fact, the deeds they do off the field. Who will forget the way that this team acted as great ambassadors of this country, right through the entire world cup campaign and right up until after the whistle had been blown, when Sonny Bill Williams took the unusual and, dare I say it, remarkable step of giving his medal to a young lad who had raced on to the paddock?

We want to take this moment as a House, I think, putting aside all of our party political viewpoints, just to say on a united basis that we have enormous admiration for this team, for the captaincy of Richie McCaw, and for the coaching staff led by Steve Hansen. We thank them for what they have done in terms of doing something that no other team has ever done before, and that is win back-to-back Rugby World Cups.

I was in the privileged position to be there for both the semi-final and the final—

💬 Hon Ruth Dyson: Were you?

Well, I was, yes—I was, actually. I had a very nice chat and a beer with your boss, actually, after the game, in that spirit of united bipartisanship. I must admit that after the semi-final I had a brief chat to Richie McCaw and I asked him who he thought would be in the finals. He said: “I don’t know, but I hope it’s Australia because we’re going to take them apart.” And that is exactly what they did.

They are a fine All Blacks side. They will be absolutely and rightfully adored by the public when they get off the flight from the United Kingdom tomorrow. They are an All Blacks side that makes every single one of us feel good, and they deserve our congratulations.

I think it is very rarely that I can stand up and say that I totally agree with the Prime Minister. I do want to put on record the thanks of New Zealand to the Prime Minister for being such a good sport in posing with Sam Whitelock, just to show the perspective of rugby players and politicians in New Zealand.

I also want to put on the record thanks to a few people. Thanks to the people who initiated the Rugby World Cup. It was something that was done in the 1980s when rugby was not going quite as well as it is now. It has gone, in a relatively short time, to being probably the most important individual trophy as far as New Zealanders are concerned. I think that that has been important in rebuilding the image of rugby in New Zealand and around the world.

I want to acknowledge the late Jock Hobbs, who took rugby into the professional administration era. He got in Chris Moller, Steve Tew, Neil Sorensen, Don Tricker, and, earlier, Dame Therese Walsh—people who have set a platform of professional administration off which this team has been able to grow. I want to acknowledge the World Rugby award winners: Nehe Milner-Skudder, Julian Savea, Portia Woodman, and Kendra Cocksedge, who did not get quite the recognition that some of the others did coming out of that ceremony.

But a special acknowledgment for Dan Carter for his enormous contribution throughout a wonderful career.

💬 Hon Member: Hear, hear!

I note my colleague from Canterbury saying “Hear, hear!”. Dan Carter has broken my heart as a Hurricanes supporter on a number of occasions. His career and especially his vision in the final and his skills in the final were the like of a fly-half that, I think, will be a while until we see one so good again. We do not know yet, officially, the future of Richie McCaw as far as rugby is concerned, but if you ever had someone who could lead by example, who could develop a team of leaders around him, and who could really make a difference both on and off the field, then Richie McCaw has done that.

I want to have my final comments in acknowledging the work of Steve “Shag” Hansen. His dry humour is something that New Zealanders are finding very, very special. I am going to be frank. When Steve first got the job I had my doubts, but the first time I heard him speak—actually, at the Wainuiōmata Rugby Club—I had no doubts whatsoever, because what was clear was a ferocious, but well-hidden, intellect, a wonderful sense of humour, and the ability to select for the longer term, which has meant that he has built a team that is really special. It is a golden era, and I for one hope that he will think very, very carefully about the possibility of being the first coach to take two. Thank you.

I would like to rise and add my voice and the voice of those Green Party supporters who are also supporters of the All Blacks, in support of the motion put by the Prime Minister.

I would like to start by talking a little bit about the French, actually, because one of the great things about this particular Rugby World Cup was that it put to bed so many ghosts that we have about how we played against France in the past. I happened to spend that game in 2007 in a pub in London, coincidentally, as it turned out, completely surrounded by French people. I just happened to wander into a pub to watch the game and it turned out it was a French pub. We were pretty cocky, so to speak, and we thought we had it. It was to our absolute horror that that game turned against us, particularly as we were surrounded by what must have been 200 cheering French people. It was a sort of catastrophic moment in our national psyche, for those of us who are fans of the game. So to have beaten France by a larger margin than we beat Namibia in this particular world cup was a particular high point. But, of course, the greatest high point was the finale on Sunday morning, which I also did get up to watch at 5 o’clock in the morning with many, many New Zealanders.

I just remember the tension of the Rugby World Cup 2011 when we were so close—playing, coincidentally, France—and it could have gone either way, and, again in this one, putting to bed that ghost. When it comes down to it, not only is this particular All Blacks team the best in the world at this particular time but I think that we can say with some confidence that it is the best team that there has ever been, as proven by the fact that it has now won two world cups. So it has been an extraordinary stretch for the team.

The All Blacks is an extraordinary team. They are led by extraordinary people, both on and off the field, and I do want to acknowledge Steve Hansen and the support team because I think that they have done an extraordinary job, with a group of extraordinary people.

I would also like to just comment that I did see one tweet on Sunday morning from the Black Ferns saying “Congratulations, lads. Good to see that you’re following in our footsteps.”, because the Black Ferns have, of course, won four world cups. So the All Blacks are now continuing that trend, which is all great to see.

So, on behalf of myself, on behalf of Green Party supporters who are real fans of the game, congratulations to the team, congratulations to the support team, and well done.

New Zealand is proud of our All Blacks. The build-up was masterful and the excitement was high throughout the whole tournament. Individual players’ stories held us captivated throughout—from Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma‘a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu, to the most-capped prop, Tony Woodcock. We wish them all the best. Richie, whatever you do now, know that New Zealanders do support you.

What has been truly great to observe has been the team—the comments from the players acknowledging everyone, not just those on the field but the support staff, the management team, and everyone involved. It has been about a whole team effort. Through that team, history has been made—the most tries scored in a Rugby World Cup final, the first final won by New Zealand on foreign soil, and the first back-to-back tournament win. It brings to mind the amazing results of the New Zealand Black Ferns, who have, as noted, won four back-to-back world cup titles on foreign soil. Having missed out on the last tournament, they must feel the pressure now as they prepare for 2017. I know everyone in this House supports them in their campaign to reclaim that title. And, importantly, we would like to acknowledge Portia Woodman and congratulate her on being named Women’s Sevens Player of the Year.

Today we celebrate and acknowledge greatness. It is indeed a joyous opportunity for All Blacks supporters to join together in celebration. Around the world the feat has been celebrated by Hollywood A-listers and international pop stars, right down to my friend’s neighbourhood in Hamilton, as that full-time whistle blew. Across the country the shouts of joy rocked homes and whole neighbourhoods.

Churchill said: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Attitude defined everything for this team. The All Blacks personified it on and off the field, and it determined the outcome of the Rugby World Cup. It spoke volumes as players such as Sonny Bill Williams and Beauden Barrett showed the world how humble, how giving, and how selfless New Zealanders can be.

It is a great privilege for me to stand on behalf of New Zealand First—as one of those whose participation in rugby did not involve much more than throwing a rugby ball around with mates—to give my heartfelt congratulations on behalf of this, the New Zealand Parliament. To the All Blacks and to everyone involved in making this victory happen, you have done us all proud and we thank you all.

Kia ora, Mr Speaker. I want to add my voice to that of David Hasselhoff and Kevin Costner and all of my other good friends in Hollywood, and, of course, to that of the 51st Parliament in congratulating the All Blacks on a mighty win.

I do not know about these guys who got up at 5 a.m., but I was up at 4 a.m.—in fact I did not go to bed. That is right, because we were waiting up, in eager anticipation, watching all the pre-match commentary about whether or not so and so was going to score a try, or who was going to get their first. But we were all amazed at the Ngāti boy, the “scudder” attack on the Australian back line, as he scored that try. In fact, we were not amazed because that is just how we roll on the East Coast.

But I want to congratulate these guys on their black-to-black—I mean, back-to-back—victory. I want to see them back again, in 4 more years, for the “three-peat”. That is right. I think “three-peat” is the new cry from this moment on. In fact, I am feeling a little sorry right now for my other friend Chuck Norris, who, though he may have given his spirit to the Wallabies, was not banking on 5 million—almost 5 million—spirited, parochial Kiwis backing this All Blacks team. So I add my voice to those in congratulating Richie McCaw on leading in the way that he did.

Actually, I just do not understand how Steve Hansen did not become Coach of the Year, despite all of the deliberations that have been had over that. Yes, OK, the Wallabies did try very hard and maybe their coach deserves something for that, but Steve Hansen is top in my books along with Ma’a—local boy, my bestie, and my selfie buddy. What other friends do I have? Actually, I have another friend, Kawhena Woodman, whose daughter Portia was recognised, as everybody said, as the women’s sevens player of the year, and I want to congratulate Kendra Cocksedge, the women’s player of the year. In fact, the last group of people I want to congratulate is the indigenous women’s team who won the gold medal in tug of war.

💬 Hon Member: Yes.

That is right—in Brazil—a gold medal for tug of war. We are just a nation of winners and I love being a part of that and I add my voice to the rest of this country in congratulating the All Blacks.

On behalf of the ACT Party I would like to add my congratulations to the All Blacks. I think members will agree that I am completely capable of giving quite a lengthy treatise on why and how I agree with all of the earlier contributions, but I also have the kindness not to actually do it. Suffice to say that I think that the All Blacks are an outstanding group of individuals. They have succeeded at this Rugby World Cup, but actually for the last 11 years they have had an 86 percent win rate. That has happened in an extraordinary culture that is reflective of the wider culture of New Zealand, and it is something of which we should all be very, very proud. Thank you.

Motion agreed to.