Much has been written about the culture of the All Blacks, particularly when it comes to their success over a long time (they have won 390 tests for a 76.2% winning record), despite their many failed attempts to win the Webb Ellis Trophy.
The All Blacks featured in a book titled Peak Performance: Business Lessons from the World's Top Sports Organisations by Gilson, Pratt, Roberts and Weymes in 2000, Robin McConnell published Inside the All Blacks in 1999 based on his PhD research, and United Kingdom-based writer James Kerr was granted access to the All Black camp for five weeks in 2010 and referred to 15 lessons in leadership regarding their team success in a book titled Legacy published last year.
Just this year, Tom Johnson and co-authors Andy Martin and Geoff Watson published Legends in Black based on Johnson's PhD.
Each chapter was based on an interview with All Black coaches and captains, and the book focused overall on the winning ethos, team culture and collective leadership of the All Blacks.
I wrote a chapter in this book about the Black Ferns, who at the time of writing had an even stronger winning mark than the All Blacks with 58 wins and an 86.6% winning record since the team began.
This winning legacy was something of which I, and many others involved in women's rugby in New Zealand, were proud.
But was it inevitable that New Zealand's reign as the world champions in women's rugby would come to an end?Some would suggest it is impossible to sustain excellence and an unbeaten record, and that the Black Ferns and their supporters should accept that the rest of the world has caught up and, in fact, surpassed them.
I'm sure the All Blacks and many other habitually successful organisations would disagree.
Champions are those who refuse to accept mediocrity, focus on the basics while encouraging innovation, and strive to maintain high standards even if it is easier to rest on their laurels at times.
Maybe the Black Ferns' shock loss to Ireland in the round robin games of the fifth Women's Rugby World Cup was due to them taking their opponent too lightly or forgetting to do the basics well while pushing the boundaries, or maybe they didn't maintain high standards.
As outsiders, we can only speculate, but whatever the reasons, the loss was a critical blow that was quickly followed by a fatal blow when Canada drew with England, ending the Black Ferns' road to redemption just like that.
That French connection is not an easy one for New Zealand rugby teams.
The All Blacks lost to France in 2007 and they very nearly did it again on our turf in 2011.
The women's tournament is in France, and maybe there is something about the French culture that doesn't bring out the best in our rugby teams.
The reaction to the Black Ferns' early exit from the WRWC has hardly caused a ripple nationally compared with the state of mourning we seemed to be in in 2007.
That's not surprising, but more importantly the loss may cast some doubt on the future funding of the 15s game in New Zealand as the national women's sevens team becomes the new ''darling'' of the union.
I don't think we should suggest women's rugby in this nation is past its prime, or is dying.
The All Blacks bounce back from failure and are supported with resources and faith from their followers.
Those who are faithful to women's rugby should also do the same.
Don't give up on the team and don't throw away its exceptional winning legacy with one loss.
With a few tweaks here and there, and a redistribution of funds, the Black Ferns can continue to be legends in black in women's rugby.
Such an undignified exit from a World Cup is a situation the team has never experienced before, and if there is anything positive to come out of this, it's that the players and management involved will know they never want to be in that situation again.
