OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cardiff | Thursday 1.00pm.
THE All Blacks are nervous about their reception by the public when they return to New Zealand after their crushing defeat in the World Cup semifinals.
A welcome home parade, organised when victory in the final seemed assured earlier in the tournament, has been cancelled after the shock 43-31 defeat by France and a different reception awaits the team when they arrive in Auckland on Tuesday.
”There is a nervousness about going back and facing the general public,” said seasoned flanker Josh Kronfeld. ”We hear through partners, friends and family that there have been some interesting comments that have gone through the media.
”That does make going home rather daunting, especially when you get that sort of reaction.”
Speaking hours before New Zealand were taking on South Africa in the third-place playoff, Kronfeld admitted the All Blacks had ”panicked” in the second half of the semifinal when they threw away a 24-10 lead.
Fullback Jeff Wilson said: ”We blew it and it just happened to be our biggest game of the year — that is the harsh reality.” — Reuters
‘We blew it’ — Jeff Wilson