Thursday 16 August 2007

Rugby World Cup Team Profile - New Zealand

Current World Rank: 1

Random cliché: The All Blacks are chokers

Murray Mexted likely to say of them: ‘Their zinzanian moves move me to tears’

Stephen Jones likely to say of them: ‘They won by 50 points but the opposition was pitiful and they poached all their star players from the Pacific Islands’.

Headline most likely in local rag after defeat: Stone the coach

Glamour boy of the team: Daniel Carter

Greatest Moment (in last four years): Humbled the British and Irish Lions in 2005 (and Alastair Campbell in the process)

Worst Moment (in last four years): Thrashed by SA in Tri Nations decider in Durban 2004 (oh, and the wee matter of a world cup semi final against Australia in 2003)

Redeeming Features: Byron Kelleher's haka. Panto but passionate.

Weak link: Line out

Incumbent star: Carl Hayman

Rising star: Brendon Leonard

6 comments:

Nursedude said...

My sixteen year old daughter would agree with Dan Carter being the glamour boy. She never watches rugby with me...unless "Total Rugby" is on doing a profile of him, then she comes towards the TV like a moth to a flame.
Teen lust aside, I do think the Kiwis are the team to beat in France. I don't see any Northern opposition beating them. If there are any Bannana skins to slip on, I think it will be the Wallabys(Might be those new yellow Lycra jerseys)

Ferdy said...

Hey nursedude! Sorry I haven't been in touch. I've been on dial-up for the last week. There has got to be a lesson in there for me about patience...
Thanks for all your great comments. I agree with you. I think the Kiwis are the team to beat, but it remains to be seen whether they will win. It just takes one bad game and the other team to play a blinder....

Nursedude said...

Hey Ferdy, I have another idea for a column feature of a different sort: Handicapping the bottom feeders for this RWC: Tonga, Portugal, Japan and the USA.(I am may be American, but I am brutally blunt)

Ferdy said...

Good point nursedude. Maybe you should write it for your blog and I could link to it? Let me know what you think?

Nursedude said...

Ferdy, you know what, I can do that. I will write it tomorrow-just put a new entry in a few hours ago, but I think that sounds like a plan.

Anonymous said...

the sheep shagging motto of the all blacks (i wonder how long it took them to think up such an original name)is to "win at all costs" whether it involves taking in non- new zealanders or intimidating referees,opposing teams,or just plain breaking of the rules ot the game! hopefully it wil be northern hemisphere refeees controlling their games to put a stop to their cheating ways.they rally should restrict themselves to sheep shagging and they have only won the cup once in 20 years unlike thereal champs australia!