World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry has called for perspective over his old side's recent woes, before Saturday's third and deciding test against Ireland.
After a convincing first-up victory over Ireland at Eden Park two weeks ago, the All Blacks fell to a 23-12 loss in the series' second game, played at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The defeat was the All Blacks' first under the roof at Dunedin and their third loss in their last four matches.
But amid the fallout and nosediving public sentiment towards the team, Sir Graham insists more should be made of how good the visiting Irish team have been, rather than the All Blacks' faults.
Pointing at an increasingly competitive northern hemisphere scene, he says Ireland's achievements aren't given the proper recognition of NZ rugby followers.
"I think we've gone completely over the top here," Sir Graham told AM. "I can't believe how bad it's been.
"We've got to give some credit to other teams. Ireland are a very good rugby side and we lost a player in the first 20 [minutes], so we were down to 14 [men] - it's very hard to play with 14.
"We've got to give credit to the northern hemisphere - they won four games out of four. The French are scary, the Irish finished second [in the Six Nations].
Wales finished last last year and topped the Six Nations the year before. They've got good sides over there now.
"Us New Zealanders don't believe anyone's any good, apart from us.
"We've just got to give them some credit and we need to lift our own standards, if we're going to compete, and that's good for our standards, good for the game."
Sir Graham insists the All Blacks will bounce back from Saturday's loss, when they take the field in the series-deciding encounter at Sky Stadium this week.
"I think the All Blacks will be brilliant on Saturday," Sir Graham added. "They'll make a statement and it'll put everybody to bed again."
Ex-All Black Eroni Clarke, whose son Caleb could feature in the decider, concurs with Sir Graham, as another to confidently predict a series win for coach Ian Foster's side.
"You've got to back the All Blacks," said Clarke. "The All Blacks are hurting and there's nothing more dangerous than a hurting All Black team.
"I certainly can really look forward to the game in Wellington, I can see the All Blacks really turning it around too."
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