New Zealand have just secured their 18th successive win, this time a 37-10 win at home to Australia. Theirs is the longest winning streak in the history of rugby union.
Rarely has their dominance been so keenly felt, and the world's belief in their primacy is now almost on-par with what they believe themselves.
Adidas have celebrated the record-breakers with this very cool video:
18 and undefeated for the @AllBlacks. A new world record but now it's onto the North. Who can stop the #ForceOfBlack? pic.twitter.com/Rh4dvno47l
— adidas Rugby (@adidasrugby) October 22, 2016
While they've admittedly had a decent amount of substance to their claims, New Zealand natives have usually held a staunch belief that they are much, much better at this rugby lark than anybody else around.
With this winning record, this confidence is soaring higher than ever before, and it has reached its most sickening heights in this piece on New Zealand site Newshub.
The general thrust of the piece is that the All Blacks are so superior to the rest of the world, they might as well take the kids to play a bit of ball in the Northern Hemisphere.
It, er, sets out its stall early:
Ok, first let's be honest.
It's hard to think of a time when the All Blacks have been further ahead of the rest of the world than they are at this very moment.
In another point of honesty, we are so far ahead of the pack that we could literally send an All Black D side to Europe on the End of Year Tour with basically a whole new team and still wipe the floor clean with the 'Northern Raiders'.
So… Along the same line of thinking that has seen us dominate the rest of the world for so long, why don't we send an experimental side north for the end of year tour?
The writer is quick to write off Ireland:
I've been of the view for a very long time that there is nothing to gain by sending a full strength All Black side to the Northern Hemisphere for a month-long tour after a very long season that stretches back to the end of February.
If we were coming against the more challenging nations of Wales and England (loosely used expression there) then I could possibly see a point.
Were the writer to be challenged on his views, he might point out the slightly awkward historical fact that Ireland haven't beaten New Zealand in the entire history of the sport.
But then again, these runs exist to be broken, and we have two shots at immortality against the ABs, beginning in Soldier Field next month. We assume New Zealand will take their full-strength side, so bring it on.
[Newshub]
