Monday 15 September 2008

All Blacks beat the Wallabies to retain the Bledisloe and Tri-nations in 2008


One good thing to come out of the All Blacks losing that infamous day in Cardiff last year is that I really don’t get so amped now about whether we win or lose. In fact, when the All Blacks fell to South Africa and Australia in the early stages of the Tri-Nations this year, I was disappointed yes, but not devastated. Maybe I’m growing up?

Still, I was pretty happy on Saturday night when the All Blacks managed to come back from the pit of defeat and then hang on by a grimy fingernail against a spirited Wallabies side. (So happy I managed to spill four pints of beer in one single arm movement of whooping joy much to my cohorts chagrin).

It was a great test match and everyone (down in the SH anyway) seems to be calling it a triumph for the new ELVS. One thing’s for sure – for a rugby final – which this definitely was, it certainly had it all.

The match could not have been more different to the World Cup final played by England and South Africa last year. For a start it had risk and adventure and huge pace. The winner was decided through the amount of tries scored, not by the amount of (boring) penalty and drop kicks. Imagine a Rugby World Cup final with seven tries scored? Impossible (especially if the English rugby team has anything to do with it).

So the All Blacks are number one again. Even Daniel Carter in a moment of uncharacteristic joy may have signalled so too as he crossed the line for the decisive try that was to end the Wallabies’ hopes of Bledisloe glory. I’ve actually never seen him smile so much after the game. In fact I have never seen so many All Blacks so unstaunch in celebration. An indication if ever there was how sweet this success was after the lows of the earlier tests this year and the valley of woe in Cardiff.

For a match report read Matt's @ Green and Gold Rugby

7 comments:

Nursedude said...

Hi Fergie, love how you have tweaked the layout of your blog. It was a helluva good game. There sure were not many games like THIS in France last year, that's for sure. Clearly the All Blacks are THE team to beat in the world of Union right now-but I think Australia is much improved from a year ago, as well. I think the biggest threat to the All Blacks is the potential loss of players with visions of Euros or British Pounds in their eyes. At least Graham Henry can keep the circling buzzards at bay for at least another year. I don't think there is any doubt that the four best nations in the world at this moment(NZ, Aus, RSA and ARG) are ALL southern hemisphere teams.

Nursedude said...

I should not write after coming home after a night shift-sorry Ferdy, don't send you husband over her to kick my butt.

Matt @ Green and Gold Rugby said...

What's going on here then you two?

Congrats to you guys on the win. Singing for them last week Fergie obviously got them over the line.

Despite the names you've lost, you've still got amazing depth.

It's only taken me 3 days to get that out! ;)

Ferdy said...

Nursedude - you're fine, I don't know what you're talking about! Good to see you back here - although I haven't exactly been setting the blogging world alight recently. I'm averaging about two blogs a month, so it's nice to get some comments to know people still occasionally come by here from time to time.

Matt - what can I say? I'm obviously pretty happy at the moment but I do feel your pain, believe me. If it's any consolation, the Wallabies are looking good. Equal to the All Blacks really. The game could have gone either way.

I'm just happy for now the Bled remains at home (where it belongs) for another year ;-)

Naly D said...

The Naly D Scene: Monthly Blog Spotlight... ruggerblogger

Matt @ Green and Gold Rugby said...

Hi Ferdy.

Thanks for linking to me. Would it be possible for you to change the link from http://greenandgoldrugby.blogspot.com

to

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com

thanks

Matt

Total Flanker said...

Ferdy - with the greatet respect I think you are mising the point. There's no way on earth that this would have been a try-fest had this been the Rugby World Cup Final - not least because NZ would have been unlikely to have been there :)