New Zealanders have implored their beloved All Blacks to prove their pride in the famous jersey - or at least show they're not overpaid chokers - in Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia.
Local newspaper The New Zealand Herald this week called on its readers to play coach by writing 50 words of final instructions to the All Blacks players before they headed onto the Eden Park turf.
The poll came after the All Blacks lost their past two Tests, the first time they've dropped straight games since 2004, putting enormous pressure on coach Graham Henry.
New Zealand haven't loss three in a row since 1998 and a loss on Saturday would have them struggling to retain the Tri-Nations title and Bledisloe Cup.
"You be the coach ... how to save the Bledisloe," said the front page of the newspaper, which also dedicated half of its editorial to the Test.
"You are the All Blacks. The absolute pride of our nation. The best in the world," wrote would-be coach Clayton Westwood, who lives in Australia.
"Every male in this country would kill to be you. Now get out there and give everything you've got. Then give some more. Punish them. Play hard but clean. Fight for your country's honour. Help God defend New Zealand."
Bismarck Breweries of Maraetai Beach took aim at the exodus of All Blacks stars to cashed-up European clubs - and at the country's inability to win a World Cup since 1987.
"Prove to the public you are not overpaid chokers adding a line to your CV," he wrote.
"Prove to the public that it still means something to be an All Black apart from money."
The All Blacks' famous pre-match war cry, the haka, also came in for some criticism.
"Our haka has been lousy this season. Time to produce a spine-chilling haka that sends the message," wrote Matt Greer of Auckland.
"We are about to brutalise and punish you like never before. You will see the fear in their eyes and know it's time for war."
So much for our mateship at Gallipoli, but at least one respondent put that comparison into some perspective.
"Do not worry," wrote Liz French of Tauranga.
"Rugby is not a life or death situation. Win or lose the world will still go round, the sun will still rise, your mothers, wives and girlfriends will still love you and you can bask in the knowledge that some of us do not even care."
