ruggerblogger

All Blacks V Wales - Millennium Stadium - 2009

2009-11-08T04:03:00.002+13:00

So Warren Gatland has spoken. The All Blacks have lost their 'aura'. (That is of course compared to Gatland's side of 20 years ago when Gatland himself played for the All Blacks). But - press rewind here. Gatland actually just warmed the bench for Sean Fitzpatrick so never actually played a test himself for New Zealand.

Don't get me wrong. If Gatland was the All Black coach now, I'd be having a chortle at all the digs he's making at the opposition. But in reality, as much as Gatland would like to think he knows All Black rugby now, sadly he doesn't. I mean, he played for the dirt-trackers in the late 80s. Yes - admittedly, the ABs definitely had an aura of invincibility then ... but Gatland wasn't part of that as he never played a test for them. He just stood, salivating from the sidelines, like any frustrated understudy naturally does.

Three hours out from the 2009 Welsh - NZ game at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and it could be anyone's game (that's if you believe Gatland and the Western Mail). Or it might just be the game that turns the table for those 'hopeless' All Blacks. (I mean let’s face it, at the moment it seems that only S.A have their number).

But I guess time will tell. . I’m in New Zealand. It’s half three in the morning and it’s time for bed so I don’t care anymore.The best team will win and I think, that like the last 53 years, that team will be in black. If I'm wrong, I'll eat my hat (or delete the post hurridly in the morn).

All Blacks 32 - Wallabies 19 - Tokyo

2009-11-01T01:23:00.007+13:00

Tonight the All Blacks won against the Wallabies for the fourth time this year (although the tally does flatter the winners as the Wallabies took the AB's to the line on at least two occasions, and looked very much on par with the New Zealanders).

However, in the end with Dan Carter's boot and two beautiful tries (the first, the best I've seen from the All Blacks all year), the New Zealanders brought this game home.

The first half was incredibly even. I've always said - sagely since the mid 80s - never get the Aussies into your own twenty two as they'll pull one out of the bag. And Peter Hynes did just that, in the corner brushing off four desperate All Blacks, just before the second time whistle.

The try was awarded dubiously by the TMO after what it seemed like ten minutes of soul searching. To be fair, I would have awarded it too. (One must always give the attacking team the benefit of the doubt - even if it was grounded before it touched the chalk and then lost forward after).

The ABs weren't helped in the five minutes previous by the brainless and inept (ok, he finished with a try, but he's still inept) Sivivatu who pulled an illegal in-the-air tackle against Adam Ashley Cooper that looked distinctly malicious. Of course he was sent to the sin bin for a well deserved ten thereafter. (Why the AB coaches persist with this nutbar who can't tackle and can't catch a basic up-and-under is beyond me).

But at half time, the All Blacks got the 'talking to' and came out firing. Conrad 'runs a good straight line' Smith scored a 'good running at the line' in a straight pattern try, and then it was up to Dan and Giteau to exchange penalties for the next half hour.

Roll on the AIs.

Tri Nations 2009 - Still alive and kicking

2009-09-07T16:22:00.001+12:00

It’s amazing how one game can change everything in world rugby. Less than a week ago and the Springboks were invincible world beaters that were so far ahead of the rest of the teams in the world, all we could do was stand back in awe and admiration. This week and the Wallabies with an injection of passion and desperation, blow that aura of invincibility to smithereens. How quickly the tables can turn with a fickle media and public.

Already the sniping at Springbok talisman John Smit has begun. (Maybe there is a point to this considering he was annihilated by a scrum that has up until very recently, been a world laughing stock). The murmur of usual clichés have started to gain in volume: ‘The boks are poor travellers, they don’t know what to do when someone applies pressure to them, they’ve got a stupid coach’ etc etc. It just goes to prove that any team, no matter how fearsome, is only as good as its last game.

Good news for the Tri Nations too. This means the last two games won’t be dead rubbers – although the All Blacks will have to play out of their skins and score four tries in each match to have any hope of retaining the trophy. Call me a pessimist but I can’t see how it will be possible with the current players in the All Blacks. Especially if Henry decides to continue tinkering with his backline and playing everyone out of position. Dan Carter is the world’s best number 10. Why would Henry play him at 12? And what impact can an out of form Mils Muliaina possibly make at centre? He has struggled in his own position, so what kind of cutting incisiveness will he make at centre? Not much I should imagine.

If Henry picks the slovenly Tialata who I see is back training with the squad, well then I’m going to trot off to the TAB and put some money on the South Africans myself. I thought the silver lining from the losses we have had this year would be that Henry would shave the players from the team who turn up but clearly look like they can’t be bothered. We need to get rid of the dead weight. Not keep on flogging a dead horse by playing inept players with no brains for the game or passion.

Breaking news – just into the NZ media......

2009-08-12T14:50:00.003+12:00

More cut throat headlines from the cutting edge NZ media courtesy of the NZ Herald:

"All Blacks: Weepu injury scare
New 2:30PM Wednesday Aug 12, 2009

Further injury concerns for the All Blacks after halfback Piri Weepu went down at training this afternoon.
The All Blacks are holding a one-day training camp at the Trusts Stadium in West Auckland today and were practicing taking high balls when Weepu went down. He was helped from the field by an All Blacks trainer, putting no weight on left ankle.A concerned Graham Henry had a chat to the halfback but it is not yet known how serious the injury is.”

It’s almost as bad as last week’s headline in Stuff: ‘DiCaprio dates another model’ or what about this one (another Stuff speciality): ‘Tourist groped Minnie Mouse’.

What will be next? “A leaf falls to the ground.” Is the NZ media the worst media in the world? Quite frankly, I think its up there. As for Weepu – it’s rugby, people get injured, do we really have to read about him rolling his ankle and falling on his wobbly bottom in training?

Half way point in the Tri Nations 2009 - fall out and theories

2009-08-12T14:21:00.002+12:00

Half way through the Tri Nations and it looks like the Saffas are going to steam roll the very mediocre All Black and Wallaby outfits this year. Or will they?

Granted the South African team is very good but will they be good enough when they’re away from home? And is it just me or does anyone else think this Springbok team bears a striking resemblance to the English of 2003 with a kicker in Steyn that is as metronomic as Jonny Wilkinson, a forward pack who can clinically wear down any opposition and a back line that looks rather short on ideas and attack. Mind you – as an All Black supporter, who am I to dis the South African backline when the NZ backline currently doesn’t look like it would be able organise a piss up in brewery.

It seems that rugby’s pendulum has swung. Where as four years ago in 2005 a team that played glorious, attacking rugby was the victor, rugby now is won by strong defence and having a man in the backline who can kick all your territory and points. Of course, It helps if you can get into the ref’s head at the breakdown as well. For New Zealand, we’ve never been much good at this (current popular theory is lack of intelligence). We suffer most with Welsh and Irish referees who seem to collectively hate us.

Whether it’s the old rules or the ELVs, everything is up the whop at the moment when it comes to rugger. The kind of rugby we are seeing being played and won this year is the kind of rugby that normally only appears at rugby world cup tournaments. Low risk rugger where you batter and squeeze the life out of the opponent with a one man point scorer. Maybe it’s good for the All Blacks that is happening now. Maybe the pendulum would have swung to a more attack based game by 2011. Or maybe we will be able to better deal with what is before us in two years time if we have a bit of practice and do the hard yards in pain now.

Sports after dark blog - the endangered All Blacks

Woeful All Blacks

2009-08-02T19:08:00.009+12:00

This match was upside down and back-to-front even before it had begun. To start, the national anthems were played in an order that bucked tradition with the beautiful South African anthem sung before New Zealand's was delivered at it's usual dirge like pace. (Why can't they quicken it up - it's not supposed to be sung so slow).

The All Blacks then issued South Africa with a what I can only presume was meant to say 'we mean the business so you better watch out' by presenting their Kapo o pongo haka. All spit and eye rolling. I'm not really a fan of this haka, but in the past when it has been performed, we've had proud men with mana who lived up to their early pukana by following up the challenge by playing some meaty rugby on the field. Sadly, this was not to be the case last night.

Things started off well for the All Blacks though. (Another upside down moment). Usually so slow out of the blocks, they drew first blood with the gazelle like Isaac Ross crossing the South African line. Stephen Donald brought his kicking boots to the party and slotted over a penalty and a conversion. We dared to hope it might be a good night.

Instead, it decided to turn itself to custard.

A regular phrase in the commentary box as the night wore on was 'brain explosion'. And the All Blacks were having plenty of those playing some of the most dimwitted rugby I've ever had the misfortune to watch a New Zealand rugby team play. They just had no answers to the mighty kicking boots of Steyn who scored all of South Africa's points - with a record breaking 8 out 9 kicks and the only try of the evening. When Steyn wasn't asassinating us with his goals, he was assassinating our hapless and inept backs with his high bombs.

The All Blacks as a collective, fumbled, dropped the ball, missed tackles, got pinged, penalised and told off by the pedantic Nigel Owens. But this wasn't the Welsh ref's fault. New Zealand lost this fair and square because we were useless and the Boks were infinitely better. Why the All Blacks persisted with trying to run the ball from under their own goal I will never understand. We played much of the game (nearly 80%) in our own half. We're afraid of our lineout misfiring so we don't kick for touch anymore. But running it from your own 22 when you've got the world champion expert scavengers ready to capitalise on any mistake you make? Completely idiotic. Brain explosion, brain fart, brain dead.

South Africa were brutal and took it to the All Blacks. Deserved winners, I can't see how they won't win the Tri Nations although in saying that, they're not the best travellers so maybe this might be Australia's year too. Either or. All I know is that 2009 isn't going to be New Zealand's. This isn't a blip, it looks more like a black hole. At least we can all console ourselves in the knowledge that this time, we're not peaking between world cups.

Getting beaten

2009-08-01T15:02:00.004+12:00

Ok. It's terrible, I haven't updated for a week because I've just been feeling so blah about rugby since the All Blacks lost to the Springboks. I also accidentally wiped my old blog template and now I'm stuck with this green thing until I have the time and inclination to get around to fixing it. Grrrr! Are there any web designers out there who could give me some advice about bringing my blog into the 21st century?

But back to me feeling blah. My team, the team that I love and adore, is going through a serious blip at the moment. The scarey thing is, I'm worried the blip is going to turn into something longer than a blip. And then what? How long does a blip need to last before we'll be calling ourselves the the Wales of the Northern Hemisphere. Once, one of the greatest rugby teams in the world and now, with money ruling the day, struggling to keep up with even the minnows (read the match against Italy to see what I mean).

I'm overreacting yes. But the signs are worrying. Our backline seems to have lost the natural instinct to attack. Is this because they're being coached to stand so flat? Is it because they don't appear to have any collective intelligence (yes, yes, I know Conrad Smith has got a law degree and 'runs a good straight line' blah de blah blah blah). Why do the coaches persist with selecting players like Tialata and Eaton? The whole world has gone mad. What's happened to Mils Muliaina? He's lost his spark. The wingers have lost their speed. And Andrew Hore has lost his accuracy throwing into lineouts - although sadly I have to acknowledge it was never actually a strong point for him anyway).

The Springboks were the better team last week. Yes, yes, there was playing at altitute and the one week turnaround and the jet lag for the All Blacks to have to contend with. But I'm a bit afraid that this week we'll have no excuses if we come out second best. Of course, you're only as good as your last game. And I live in hope. I will for another day at least.

All Blacks beat Oz

2009-07-18T22:18:00.005+12:00

Final Score:
NZ 22 - Australia 16

This was always going to be a good game. And to be quite frank, a game I didn't really know we could win. But in the end, win we did, and the beautiful thing was, we won with some extra grace to let the crowd of All Black supporters come away with more satisfied hearts.

The All Blacks started badly and those Australian backs, well as usual, they started on the front foot. Berrick Barnes has magic feet and danced across the All Black line in the first ten minutes to send shivers down kiwi spines. I really thought it was all over rover from this point with the shoddy porous holes in defence left by Nonu, Smith and McDonald. The Australian backs with Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper et al are a potent lot and I've always rated them against our own. Not very patriotic, but very true.

But what was heartening in this match is that NZ came back and showed more mettle than what they ever did when playing France and Italy. An All Black attack saw McCaw - all round saviour - slot in a try and from there, possession and territory was ours. Of course Australia gave us a good game, but at half time when Tialata was subbed and Hore went off for his lineout sins, I kind of relaxed.

We always looked like we were in the box seat. (I might have relaxed too because I'd had a few more wines at this point). There's no doubt that New Zealand and Australia are very even. I think the referee was also kinder to us in general and the All Blacks definitely had the rub of the green. But we also showed real grit and determination from coming back when the chips were down, our breakdown and our defence grew, and that was a good omen, particularly as the game wore on.

What made me most pleased was that the much maligned Stephen Donald played a good game. He slotted the goals over when he needed to and found some important gaps. He comes across as such a nice guy and I for one really want him to do well. Tonight he might have silenced a few of his detractors. I hope he continues to believe in himself and improves in South Africa. I have some faith that he will.

Well done ABs. Phew. I'm proud of you. George Smith, sorry ... (but not really).

Henry All Black coach until 2011 and the Rugby World Cup

2009-07-09T17:17:00.002+12:00

What other All Black coach (in fact what other coach anywhere for that matter) can claim two NH grand slams, more Tri Nations trophies than you can shake a stick at, a whitewash of the British and Irish Lions and a vicelike grip on the Bledisloe cup - not to mention a continued world ranking of No 1 in world rugby? Sorry, but last time I looked, Henry is the only man. That’s why I’m pleased he’s been reappointed to coach through until the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Putting his impeccable record aside however, Henry haters are still a dime a dozen. Normally thriving down red and black way, these grumps ironically can’t see past the fact that Robbie Deans has also failed at a Rugby World Cup – oh and did I mention the fact he sold out to the enemy? (And yes I can be parochial here, a New Zealand rugby man of Deans’ stature coaching the Wallabies is like Alex Ferguson packing his bags and moving north London way to manage Arsenal).

Yes - the All Blacks without Carter, McCaw, Williams and So’oialo looked shaky at best for the Inveco series last month. And yes - All Black fans may have to be prepared that this current New Zealand team may well have to relinquish the Tri Nations title and Bledisloe Cup in the next couple of months. Especially if the Wallabies live up to expectation and the Boks can ignore the instructions of their mad coach long enough. But that’s life. It’s a sport. You win some and you lose some.

It seems we’ve been so spoilt with our winning rugby team in this country that we’ve become very sore losers when we don’t get our way – and we’re getting an ugly reputation for it. When did we become like this? Spoilt children that throw all their toys out of the cot when our team loses to a better team on the night? Let’s shoot the coach! Honestly, it’s not cool. Chris Rattue et al, are you listening?

I mentioned in my last blog that we’ve got no-one else anyway. If people seriously believe Ian Foster or Colin Cooper could be the answer, then they’re delusional. In fact, I’ll strike out here and now partly blame the current crop of All Blacks’ form on Cooper and Foster’s shoulders. I mean, the Hurricanes had eight All Blacks who just months earlier swept the cream of the Northern Hemisphere teams aside for New Zealand. How did these same players under Cooper manage to look so mediocre? Every time I tuned in to the Super 14 this year the Hurricanes looked shoddy, overweight and lethargic. Their form under Cooper went backwards. How can one group of men look so good under one coach and so apathetic under another?

Henry is a wily old bugger who’s had a dramatic coaching tenure. Under the cosh numerous times he’s proved he can handle the criticism that is routinely piled on him. He’s experienced it from all corners of the earth after all. But no matter how polarising he is and no matter how thick his skin must have had to become to cope with the continual flak, Henry to me always seems - under that dour school teacher persona of his - a person who truly can inspire his players.

A famous Henryism (did he steal it from Madonna I wonder?) is ‘Express yourself’. Often repeated by players in post match interviews it appears to have become a motto which is now part of All Black doctrine. It’s got kind of a new-agey vibe to it but it’s also to the point, inspiring and simple. I think that’s Henry’s coaching style in a nutshell and I’m pleased that we’re sticking with a man who’s shown he’s got a backbone, and a big heart. He knows the glories of success and the horrors of failure. I’ve no doubt that he’s the right man to take us through to 2011– even if there are a few hiccups along the way.
I'm sorry but Billy who? This is priceless.

British and Irish Lions get the consolation prize and win showing true passion

2009-07-06T17:43:00.004+12:00

This was another week for the history books with the British and Irish Lions showing true class and grit to steamroll the Springbok second string side and leave Peter De Villiers with egg on his face. Lote Tuqiri is suspended permanently from the ARU and the All Blacks squad for the 2009 Tri Nations is announced with no new surprises. A wee footnote too about the whole sad Basteraud affair.

British and Irish Lions' 28-9 victory over South Africa

The British and Irish Lions came back from the disappointment of losing the 2009 series in South Africa by taking Peter De Villiers’ back-up team to task and completely annihilating them out wide and up front. The Baby Boks, controversially sporting white armbands to reflect their solidarity with Bakkes Botha after he copped his ban had no answer to a spurned Lions outfit with fire in their bellies. The northern hemisphere lads played with style and ended their seven game losing streak in what was in the end, a dramatic and hugely entertaining tour. As usual there was exciting play on the field matched by ineptitude and brain farts (Ronan O’Gara take a bow), the usual underhanded dirty play (Simon Shaw and Schalk Burger), bitching and moaning about the officials from members of the public and British media (the usual suspects, Stephen Jones, Robert Kitson etc etc) and yet more idiotic comments from the South African coach. Although South Africa look like the team to beat in the Tri Nations – can they really be considered such a potent force when they have a complete donkey at the helm? Interesting Lions comments here by Chris Hewett summing up the good and the bad of the tour.

Tuqiri gone

No, I won’t be sad that Lote Tuqiri has been banished from the Wallaby set-up. I just wish that those breakers of All Black supporters hearts - Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau would join him. But in all seriousness - the termination of Lote’s ARU contract is all very mysterious, especially with Dingo Deans wandering into the fray and adding his support to John O’Neill’s decision. Tuqiri has allegedly been involved now in one too many off the field mishaps where alcohol and no doubt pig headed aggression have been to the fore. A great rugby player to watch who could really cut a defensive line open with his running and skill, in form Tuqiri was always dangerous. So no, heading into the tri nations with our straggly lot of butter fingered bambini I’m not sad at all that he’s been dropped. Although rugby will definitely be the poorer now for his departure.

Graham Henry and his fan club

Another All Black squad announced for the Tri Nations and another chance for the talk back radio callers and message board bloggers to have a good moan about Ted. Griping about the All Black coach is becoming more of a national sport than the national sport. As usual, the knives are out for Henry because:

A/ He’s not a cantabrian
B/ He’s not dingo deans
C/ He’s not either of the above
D/ He picked Rokocoko and Toeava
E/ He didn’t pick Messam or Masanga

Firstly – although the media would say differently, polls suggest that Henry still has support of at least half the country. All the doubters that hassle Henry should take a good hard look at who else is in the wings if he goes? Colin Cooper, Ian Foster, Pat Lamb?! Yeah right. People think the player depth in this country is bad – I think the coaching stocks are more depleted yet. The day Colin Cooper becomes All Black coach is the day I give up on rugby completely.

So Henry’s selections. He’s made some that I kind of scratch my head at. I’m definitely with the punters who think he was mad to reselect Rokocoko and Toeava. Roks has looked sluggish for years now and as for Toeava – how many chances does he need before the selectors stop selecting him? The guy can play amazing rugby but when it comes to the crunch, his nerves fail him in the big ones. As one witty blogger posted: “Toeava can wear the jersey of anyone in the backline- whether he can actually play in any of these positions is highly questionable!” Meanwhile, Tialata who I think is the true Achilles heel of the forward pack sneaks through unnoticed. Why?

Good things about the selections? At least Lauaki didn’t another call up. Also, Messam doesn’t have it at the moment and they were right to let him go. Another time maybe for him.

The sorry saga of Basteareaud

Poor guy has been through the mill. I thought this Rosemary McLeod column was a good compassionate take on the follies of youth.

British and Irish Lions keep up their losing ways

2009-06-29T15:24:00.005+12:00

Another eventful weekend of rugby saw the All Blacks winning a scratchy and frustrating match against Italy, South Africa taking the Lions series in Pretoria and more red faces in the French camp.

The Lions lose by two points in a thriller - and the moaning begins

After the melodramatic and unsuccessful 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand went pear shaped for the Lions, the high pitched squeals of Brian O’Driscoll, Clive Woodward and Alistair Campbell complaining as they actively launched a hate campaign on Tana Umanga could be heard throughout the world.

Unfortunately for Woodward and co, the moaning didn’t translate into points on the field in 2005 so it was a good idea when the Lions squad of 2009 decided to keep their complaining about the opposition behind closed dressing room doors for their tour of South Africa.

This all unravelled after the scintillating second test when several incidents off the ball saw a number of Lions players hospitalised (and lest we forget Schalk Burgers’ very obvious eye gouge in front of cameras, touch judges and other team members).

South Africa turned up to play dirty according to the spotless Lions who of course with players like Simon Shaw and O’Driscoll would never do anything collectively underhanded as a spear tackle or eye gouge. Yeah right.

So now that the Lions have lost, the dressing room door has been opened and the insults in the British media are out. While I agree that Schalk Burger should be punished for his offences (and since writing this, has been), the British and Irish media maybe need to take a look in their own back yard before they get all self righteous and start throwing stones.

It is bad when the game is played dirty, but it isn’t just the All Blacks and Springboks who are guilty of those offences. The British and Irish Lions lost and already the moaning has gone up a gear. It looks like sour grapes, as per usual. Haven’t they learnt anything?

All Blacks at new lows

It was a shambolic and frustrating display at Jade Stadium on Saturday night for the All Blacks’ test match against Italy. The Italians managed to restrict the All Blacks to the smallest ever margin and the celebrations were evident in the Azzuri coaching box after the game.

The problem for the All Blacks according to the media is all about the 9 / 10 axis. Personally I think there are a few more rotten apples in the barrel of the New Zealand backline. For a start, where is the attacking potency of yesteryear? It certainly wasn’t on display on Saturday. This is as much to do with Luke McAlister’s error ridden game as it is to do with a lack of intelligence and collective nous.

Poor Mils Muliaina - who was the best back by far on Saturday - cannot be the brains for a backline that had arrogance (yes, trying to run in your own 22 for the majority of the game because you think you’re going to score a 10 try haul against the Italians is arrogant) and stupidity (even when the 10 try haul didn’t look like it was going to happen, they didn’t know how to change their tactics. Duh – dumb).

Why did the backline stand so flat behind the first five eighth? Murray Mexted - love him or hate him - was right. The All Blacks had no go forward and never really looked like getting over the gain line. Instead the fancied themselves doing little flashy moves that came to nothing: running criss cross dummies and executing silly little hospital passes to each other. It was a depressing sight to watch.

Once an attacking team with flair and ingenuity, I fear to say they look more like an English backline now – running backwards and sideways, pointing and yelling idiotically, and no structure or skill. This is not looking good for the Tri nations at all.

The only upside (and I’m clutching at straws here) is that the South Africans under their foot in mouth prone coach Peter De Villiers may not be as strong as they could potentially be. After all, the Lions theoretically were never expected to beat the Boks. But the northern hemisphere side took them pretty close and often played the better rugby.

Also, the Wallabies only managed the one try against France in what was described a ‘turgid’ match on Saturday. Not exactly the roasting that everyone was expecting. Only time will tell I guess

Bastereaud

The New Zealand media is having a field day with plays on Bastereaud’s name and the sentence ‘lying bastard’. All very obvious and unsubtle. The unwitting centre it turns out didn’t get assaulted by any New Zealand thugs but into a scuffle back at his hotel room with his team mate.

Wellington mayor and property developer Kerry Prenderghastly waded into the drama demanding Bastereaud make an apology to the people of Wellington. How very typically parochial of us. I guess the police investigation costs should be covered by the French but it’s become a bit of a non story now and I do kind of feel for the ‘French Nonu’.

He is just a young guy who is (obviously) a bit stupid and panicked. Now his reputation has been tarnished with this story making rugby pages throughout the world. How embarrassing for him and his family. As Graham Henry said, he’s a young guy and all young guys do stupid things from time to time. Unfortunately for him, this one has made worldwide headlines.

All Blacks verse France post mortem

2009-06-23T14:20:00.001+12:00

The All Black / France inveco series - although a frustrating affair has been a good barometer of where the All Blacks and New Zealand are set for 2011. Unfortunately the barometer indicates that we’re currently not in a very good position.

Tialata and Rokocoko need to go

Firstly, our lack of depth has been sorely exposed. Although it was hard to lose to France in the first test in Dunedin, the old saying is true that you learn more from your losses than your wins. What can we in the end take from this assorted mish mash of All Blacks who were filling in for the superstars and how do they improve if the superstars don’t find their fitness on time? Firstly, Henry and the selectors need to seriously consider dropping the deadwood from the team that didn’t do much in the super 14 and weren’t too flash in the tests either. That means Tialata and Rokocoko should be replaced until they ‘find their form’.

Favourable stats but no go forward – what’s happened to our backs?

A big worry as far as I was concerned was the lack of potency in the backline which by New Zealand standards is surprising. Whether this was caused by the lack of finesse around Cowan and Donald’s game or whether it was more to do with the sluggish forwards is anyone’s guess. Even though the media rabbited on about the forwards beating the French in the second test, with wonderful performances by Mealamu and Thorne aside, it still didn’t look to me like the French were quivering in their boots when it came to the All Black scrum. More work needs to be done.

Where’s our trophy? Boo hoo hoo.

The anti Henry brigade was given further ammunition when the All Black coach admitted he had not told his team they needed to win the second test by six points to retain the silverware. It was news to me that there was even silverware to be won but really - what saddo cares about some tin pot trophy that no-one even knows the name of anyway? Well obviously, the balding, middle aged red necks of the New Zealand media – that’s who. “Henry’s gaffe was sheer stupidity!” screams the self righteous Jonanthan Millmow from the Dominion Post. As far as I’m concerned there’s only one trophy that we all really want and that hasn’t seen the light of day in NZ since 1987, but that’s a whole other story.

Meathead All Black supporters give the rest a bad name

The embarrassments continued well after the tests for this country when the French team were pelted with rubbish by moronic All Black ‘fans’ at Carisbrook after the first test and the French centre Mathieu Bastareaud was assaulted outside a cab rank by a group of meatheads after the Wellington test on Saturday. It just depresses me so much when I hear about this and I wonder – are this country’s rugby supporters of the zombie ilk? Most are good but the small minority who don’t have two brain cells to rub together and need booze and violence to make them feel like real men are letting the rest of us down. There is a divide in this country – those who like rugby and those who don’t. The reason lots don’t like the game are because of the zombies who boo, jeer and assault. And they’re giving the rest of us a bad name internationally too.

Which leads me onto - the lack of singing in the anthem?

It’s good that everyone’s going on about the fact that the All Blacks look like a pack of stuffed morons when they line up for the anthem and barely move their lips. But they’ve always been like this so I’m surprised people are going on about it now. Their actions typify a section (not all) of New Zealand society who are very repressed, staunch and dour. Basically singing a song to the emotionally retarded = bad as it means you are not very masculine. Doing a haka and getting angry = good however as it means you’re very manly and primal. It’s all macho bullshit as far as I’m concerned but apart from Graham Henry standing on a chair and giving them all a singing lesson I really can’t see what’s going to be done about making them sing. Personally, it would be preferable if they only performed the haka a couple of times a year. Having pride in Maori culture is great but the haka is now overdone and is more posturing pantomime than a spiritual expression of our indigenous culture. And if these All Blacks are so proud of the Maori culture, why is it they won’t sing the words to the Maori verse of the anthem?

2009-06-16T15:40:00.000+12:00

Hello, I’m back. It’s been a while since I last posted on here and I have toyed with the idea of closing this blog down. But as per usual and true to form, when test time arrives in the southern hemisphere, I just can’t resist.

I’ve stayed mainly silent on the Super 14 this year because I didn’t watch a heck of a lot. As a Wellingtonian/Taranakian I could tell half way through the season that the Hurricanes would yet again be pipped at the post (why anyone thinks Colin Cooper is a halfway decent coach remains a mystery to me). Along with the rest of the country, I’m tired of Super 14. (And it’s a shame that the NZRFU preferred to stick their heads in the sand and sell their souls to Sky by agreeing to an extended competition for this already tired tournament).

The Bulls deservedly won the Super 14 and if I was a member of the British and Irish Lions, I would be feeling very squeamish about facing the Springboks this weekend, based on that result alone. Of course, the British papers are having none of it and are doing their usual by pumping up the Lions as much as they can. But I think this tournament will be another whitewash along 2005 themes with many a lion going home with his tail between his legs. At least they haven’t got Alistair ‘dodgy dossier’ Campbell there making a general nuisance of himself on the sidelines this time around.

Of course as an All Black supporter, I’m also feeling squeamish about NZ facing the Springboks this year. Particularly if last weekend’s drubbing at the hands of the magnificent French is anything to go by. However, I haven’t slipped into full panic mode yet. The All Blacks were without their superstars and it was the first game of the season. There were some promising moments for a green team. Particularly the way we managed to claw back the score in the second half. In saying that, there’s definitely some flaky flotsam in the team that don’t deserve to be there but with no one in the wings, we’re stuck with them. I’m not one to mention names. (Tialata. Tialata, Tialata).

For once it is great to have a decent French team visit down under and properly challenge us. It makes test week here in Wellington a lot more exciting. I’m picking an All Black win this weekend but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if we lost either. At least no-one could accuse us of peaking between world cups anymore.

Steve Walsh speaks out

2009-04-28T17:17:00.002+12:00

An interesting in article today on Stuff about disgraced rugby referee Steve Walsh:

Read it here

Graham Henry on Tony Veitch

2009-04-17T10:36:00.002+12:00

I was completely gobsmacked to read on the front page of the paper today, a statement from All Black coach Graham Henry sticking up for ‘popular’ sports Jock and TV newsreader Tony Veitch.

For those of you not familiar with New Zealand current affairs, Tony Veitch yesterday admitted in court to being guilty for violence so bad against his former partner, he broke her back in two places.

Here’s what Henry had to say: “Veitch was fair, objective and had a good "feel" for people and their situations. He never got involved in "bagging" individuals after the All Blacks' 2007 Rugby World Cup defeat in Cardiff. Because of his qualities as a journalist and his willingness to help others, Tony has many supporters in the community and they all hope that he gets an opportunity as soon as possible to be able to get on with his life."

Earth to Mr Henry?! How can you possibly compare the two things? Tony was nice to your rugby team so he’s a good guy? But he kicked a woman so badly when she was already down on the ground that he fractured the bones in her body? How can you compare that Mr Henry to rugby? How dare you compare that!

I’m so disgusted not just with this Veitch case, but the horrible ‘z list celebrities’ who have come to Veitch’s defence (Bernadine Kerby, Susan Davoy, Hamish Carter – you’re forever on my black list). Meanwhile, the victim, Veitch’s former girlfriend Kristen Dunne Powell, has been vilified in the press and by the public for the last six months while short man Veitch swaggers around saying how happy he is it’s all over and how he wants to start having ‘kiddies’. (Excuse me while I vomit).

As for Graham Henry – well you’ve broken me Graham. I’ve supported you through thick and thin, through the hard times when you lost the world cup and the country was against you. But I can’t support you anymore. Not after this. Now I know what you truly think about women and where you rate domestic violence in the big scheme of things.

I think Women’s Refuge Heather Henare best summed up my feelings about Graham Henry by saying, “Veitch supporters should be embarrassed after he was convicted of a "serious charge". As for Henry - that's somebody else who needs to go to counselling, if you ask me. It's completely irrelevant for the situation. To compare them both is hideous.

"We're talking about someone who had a broken back as a result of an assault."

You can read the background to the Veitch case here

You can read the victim Kristin Dunne Powell's statement here: 'Innocent people don't plead guilty'

A taste of their own medicine?

2009-03-13T14:04:00.000+13:00

The end of 2007 and the disastrous World Cup campaign for the All Blacks was further exacerbated for New Zealand when a number of high profile players from the team decided to pack up and play for the English, Irish and French clubs. Panic and misery ensued and it did look like all was lost for New Zealand rugby with the dollar just not being able to match up in the face of the strong Euro and Pound.

This time it looks like a few of the English clubs will be getting a taste of their own medicine with the latest of their own to pack up and ship out being Jonny Wilkinson. Jonny’s been a loyal servant for Newcastle for nearly 12 years but is looking to further his options in Toulon. The question is – why are France still so wealthy with big money to offer still when everything seems to be turning to custard in the UK?

And who will be the next to leave?

The lack of Six Nations coverage in New Zealand

2009-03-11T11:30:00.003+13:00

The northern hemisphere is in the middle of another six nations right now. Not that you would know about it in NZ. A small blurb might appear in the paper on Tuesday morning about who won what, but generally New Zealanders in this alleged rugby mad country wouldn’t know the first thing about who is playing who or winning what in the major northern hemisphere international rugby tournament.

The reasons? Well, the tournament isn’t screened on free-to-air or sky sports (on any of Sky’s three sports channels for that matter). If you are a hard core rugby fan and have money flowing in these tight economic times, you might be able to fork out an extra $10 a week on top of all the other sky goodies to get the rugby channel.

The rugby channel does show the games – at about three o’clock in the morning. It also shows a whole load of other rubbish (third division slog fests between King Country and Waitaki old boys and rugby panel discussions lead by right winger Wanganui mayor Michael Laws - a reactionary sort of block who really doesn’t need another soap box to start preaching on – especially considering he’s a politician - yeuch).

I’ll give the rugby channel a miss thanks. But I think it’s pretty crap that this supposed rugby nation of the world can’t cast it’s myopic eyes north occasionally to see what’s going on in another part of the world.

But that’s the state of NZ television unfortunately.

Luke McAlister returning to New Zealand

2009-02-27T14:26:00.001+13:00

Luke McAlister has rejected lucrative offers from several wealthy French rugby clubs to come back to New Zealand. He’ll be dotting down into Auckland airport when the Northern season ends in May. It is assumed he’ll get dispensation from the NZRFU to take up All Black duties immediately in June (normally you can’t represent the All Blacks unless you’ve played the previous season in the Super 14). It’s great news for Graham Henry and his team, who have had their work cut out for them after the player drain of 2008.

With the English economy in dire straits the boot appears to have shifted dramatically to the other foot for a number of British clubs. Struggling with salaries as sponsorship deals go kaput, left right and centre, a number of English clubs have to contend with their players cutting the apron strings and seeking the more lucrative options on French shores. Here’s Wasps chairman Mark Rigby expressing his concern. I'm sorry, where did Riki Flutey come from again?

Six Nations, Tony Veitch and the silly old Super 14

2009-02-16T18:06:00.004+13:00

More rugby on both sides of the hemisphere this weekend with the six nations bringing out a list of predictable results, although still quite spicy all the same. Particularly with the Welsh getting a bit of a scare from England. The sweet chariots (am I allowed to call them that?) even outscored those tricky welsh by two tries to one! What? Old Twinkletoes Williams (although thanks KLK - I didn't see the game so didn't realise that Williams wasn't playing) getting sidestepped by Armitage? Very impressive and I’m sure that will give Warren Gatland something to chew over before next weeks’ matches.

Ireland are sounding on form although we need to keep in mind they were only playing Italy so maybe it might pay not to get too excited yet. I mean, It’s all very well to look impressive against the probably wooden spooners of the tournament.

Even though Scotland were pipped by France this weekend, I’m still picking them to upset the apple cart this tournament. Don’t ask me my logic for this – it’s just a feeling.

Meanwhile, down south and the super 14 has started triggering the usual ‘it’s too early’ cries of woe in all the national newspapers. I’m not a huge super 14 fan. This might be because my team (Hurricanes), always seem to play quite ineptly, especially considering they've got so many supposed All Blacks representing them. I wasn’t surprised to hear on Saturday that they’d been beaten by the Warratahs (again). I think poor coaching might have something to do with it although for some reason, everyone in Wellington seems to think Colin Cooper walks on water. This baffles me.

One last thing. I began to think I was going mad when I heard that Tony Veitch was being brought back to television through Murray Deaker, another grumpy old rugby fart (are there any other types on New Zealand television?). But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Veitch has also been nominated in New Zealand’s media awards for top sports presenter! I guess all this goes to prove (not that we needed it proven anyway) that the New Zealand media is right down there at the bottom of the dung pile of world television. If you’ve never heard of Tony Veitch – lucky you. If you have– here’s an article from the Dropkicks site that sums up my feelings too.

Winston Churchill at the Sunday Times

2009-02-09T14:14:00.005+13:00

Just a quick question here. Is it just me or do The UK Times rugby hacks seem to fancy themselves as some sort of Winston Churchill type orators? Boys – quick reminder, it’s actually just rugby (and northern hemisphere rugger at that). No need to get so hot under the collar with all the trench warfare references.

Here’s just a scattering of the many Churchillian type comments over the last weekend. (Honestly – why are they so pompous?):

England must beware yellow peril against Wales – David Hands
Discipline must be the watchword before Millennium Stadium clash after England make habit of incurring referee's wrath – David Hands (again)
Ireland can dare to dream of glory – Mark Souster
For goodness sake, let us see an England team prepared to give every last shred – S Jones

(The 'yellow peril' reference is particularly confusing).

Six Nations 2009

2009-02-09T14:14:00.004+13:00

It is a sad fact that in New Zealand, the six nations is not shown on Sky Sport. I really love the Six Nations and I can’t understand why the major international rugby competition of the northern hemisphere is not televised if not on terrestrial, then at least on Sky.

So that’s my excuse for not watching any of the tests this opening weekend for the Six Nations. However, it looks like it could be a quite even competition with France going down to Ireland, Wales sneaking past Scotland and England beating Italy more convincingly than they’ve managed for a while.

Everyone’s money seems to be on Wales at the moment. But I wouldn’t be surprised by a few upsets this season (Watch out for Scotland!). At least the beeb show highlights every so often, and of course, there’s always youtube.

The unsavoury side of rugby

2009-01-26T15:59:00.003+13:00

Now I love the All Blacks. But the love is sometimes tested when a small portion of the team continue to let the rest down by oafish and violent behaviour. Over this summer period of taking it easy, there’s been some alcoholic hi-jinx and with that, a few appearances made in the district courts by All Blacks (Adam Thompson and Sione Lauaki take a bow) of the 2008 squad.

I can tolerate some people’s bad behaviour – or are willing to let them have one chance of redemption. But when the same old faces are making those court appearances time and time again, it’s time to get tough. For the record, two people I don’t believe should ever be seen in an All Black jersey again because their off-field behaviour are:

Sione Lauaki – who has let himself down again with his thuggish behaviour, getting into a domestic incident with his girlfriend where he trashed a motel room. This isn’t the first time Lauaki’s been in the dock for general thuggishness. He was also put through the system before in 2006 for seriously assaulting a security officer and I’ve heard rumours about other times too. The guy is an awful rugby player but also sounds like an awful person. If he’s picked in the All Black squad for 2009, my patience and loyalty with the NZRFU will be sorely tested.

Sitiveni Sivivatu – his name has been bandied around more than once for suspected assault charges on women (including his wife). I wish the All Black coaches could look outside the box and find another winger to represent New Zealand. Domestic violence is a serious problem in this country and it depresses me that this guy seems to be the only winger the All Black selectors think can do the job.

Meanwhile, in the Northern Hemisphere the rugby world has been rocked by the admission that Matt Stevens, a South African born English prop, has a problem with cocaine (to what extent he uses has not been revealed, but he was caught in a routine drug test which means he has now had to fess up). The hammer is set to fall on Stevens’ career with a two year suspension most certainly ending his professional rugby playing days. An insightful article written in last weeks’ Guardian questions this punishment when misdemeanours made by other rugby playing acquaintances are hardly given a hand slap:

“Clubs and provinces all over the world have stood by drink-drivers, players found guilty of assault off the field and those banned for dangerous acts of foul play, such as eye-gouging and stamping on heads. Stevens hurt no one but himself, even if he tarnished the image of his club, his adopted country and the sport itself. To dump him would be as negligent as the player himself has been. He has never been in more need of support, but equally there has to be a deterrent element. A ban until the second month of next season, as long as tests showed the player to be clear of the drug over a period of months, should be supplemented by not being considered for England until the 2011 Six Nations. He would still be able to earn his living, but he would not be seen to have got away with it.”

Two questions to leave you with:
Are the public immune to All Black misdemeanours because there are just so many of them?
Is domestic abuse worse than cocaine abuse?

Best and worst of rugby in 2009

2008-12-22T10:30:00.007+13:00

The end of year rugby awards have been rolled out by the Guardian and I thought I would add my two pence worth too with a very strong New Zealand bias (of course).

Best player
Guardian: Shane Williams (Wales). Harsh on Richie McCaw and Dan Carter but Williams deserves recognition for proving conclusively that height and weight are not the sole measure of a rugby player's worth.
ruggerblogger: Absolutely Richie McCaw.

Best coach
Guardian: Robbie Deans (Australia). Warren Gatland, Graham Henry and London Irish's Toby Booth were all in the frame but the post-World Cup improvement of the Wallabies has been a credit to Dean's tactical acumen.
ruggerblogger: Warren Gatland for reviving Wales after their simpering exit from the World Cup in 2007.

Best young player
Guardian: Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland). Even in a losing Leinster side at Castres on Friday night he showed class, skill, composure and fortitude. I'd ink him into my British and Irish Lions squad now.
ruggerblogger: Welsh fullback Lee Byrne. That guy looks slippery and dangerous.

Best match atmosphere
Guardian: Guinness Premiership final, Wasps v Leicester, Twickenham. A world-record crowd for a club match and a significant milestone in the history of the professional game in Britain.
ruggerblogger: Well of course, it was the New Plymouth test match for the All Blacks V Samoa. Although the crowds at Croke and Munster for the All Blacks grand slam were even better.

Quote of the year
Guardian: "My England man put rampant rabbits to shame" — Angel Barbie gives the lowdown on England's ill-fated "Pony Club" visit in Auckland.
ruggerblogger: “I second my fellow Kiwis who advise that most of New Zealand regard the NZRFU as a conga line of bumbling **: a motley collection of provincial oxen, who glower at the world from a thicket of cauliflower ears, protruding foreheads, homespun jumpers, and dark mutterings about bloody PC gone mad, the rest a pack of failed businessmen, opportunists, and strategically shaved chimpanzees, conspiring to reduce the All Blacks to a 'Brand', and sold like a Big Mac Happy Meal.” – BBC message board - bjammin187

The Oliver Postgate memorial award for biggest clanger
Guardian: The manner of Brian Ashton's removal as England head coach did the Rugby Football Union absolutely no credit.
ruggerblogger: The Auckland Four and their mishaps.

Unsung hero
Guardian: Step forward Al Baxter, the much-maligned Wallaby prop. He deserved his sweet moment of revenge against England at Twickenham.
ruggerblogger: Richie McCaw. Ok, ok, he's not unsung. But captaining an All Black team to a 19 - 0 win over South Africa in South Africa, completing another grand slam tour in the UK and Ireland where all the Northern teams remained tryless, a hard fought Bledisloe win, Captain of the winning Crusaders in the Super 14, leaderhip and influence, not to mention picking yourself up after the humiliation of 2007. What more did he have to do to get IRB player of the year?

Ugliest aspect of modern rugby
Guardian: Tediously protracted bouts of aerial ping-pong between two mediocre kickers.
ruggerblogger: The greedy British and French clubs. Too much money and not enough skill, still.

Best overseas signing
Guardian: Still early days but Quins' purchase of Nick Evans looks a better bet than, say, Newcastle's investment in Carl Hayman.
ruggerblogger: I always said we’d miss Nick Evans. Carl Hayman just needs to come back home.

Forgotten man
Guardian: Phil Christophers (Castres). Feels a long time ago since he played for England, doesn't it?
Forgotten man: Andrew Sheridan. He was once the great white hope. What happened to him this year?

Best referee
Guardian: Nigel Owens (Wales). By his own admission it can be tough being a referee, let alone an openly gay one. Deserves respect for his honesty and, more often than not, his officiating as well.
ruggerblogger: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa). Let’s the game flow and doesn’t get too whistle happy.

Media man of the year
Guardian: Alastair Hignell, who hung up his microphone in May. An inspiration to his many friends and still toasted — often repeatedly — around the hotel bars of the world.
ruggerblogger: Why does it have to be a man?

And one of my own:

Biggest mystery: Why - if the All Blacks are the biggest money spinners when it comes to rugby - does the NZRFU not have any money?

Check out Total Flanker for his best of 2009 awards

Tribute: John Drake ex All Black and Sky Sport Commentator

2008-12-17T14:53:00.000+13:00

It was a shock to everyone in rugby circles (I’m not in a rugby circle strictly speaking – unless you count me and my Dad watching a test match in front of the telly as a ‘circle’ - but I was shocked too) to hear of the passing of John Drake, ex All Black and rugby commentator for the NZ herald and Sky sport.

Drake was one of the few All Blacks that was in a world cup winning team. He was also a very good commentator and brought a lot of insight into his commentaries – a responsibility he had no choice but to shoulder when he was stuck calling a match with Tony TJ Johnson or Nisbo. I think I”ve sometimes criticized Drake in this blog but most mainstream rugby commentators in this country and abroad get the ruggerblogger treatment from time-to-time.

That doesn’t take away that he was a very good rugby player and an expert on one of the most complicated games on the planet. At 49, he was too young to die. My sympathies are extended to John’s family and whanau, his colleagues and friends.

Carl Hayman returning to New Zealand from Newcastle?

2008-12-11T12:03:00.002+13:00

By pure guess work I pondered nearly two months ago that Carl Hayman might think about returning home to New Zealand after Northern Rock – the bank that sponsors his UK club Newscastle – had to be bailed out by the UK government during these last few turbulent months of the credit crisis. Now it looks like my speculation might actually turn into reality.

Although Hayman’s return isn’t confirmed – the speculative news gets unbelievably better for rugby supporters in Taranaki. It looks like the big man might be planning on signing up with his home province and returning back to Taranaki – with a super 14 contract extended to the Hurricanes.

Great news indeed, although it’s all still up in the air at the moment so we can’t completely count our chickens. Unlike Richard Reid - Otago chief poobah - who was quoted as saying on Hayman’s possible return to Taranaki:

"I don't think it is accurate, Carl may be interested in returning to New Zealand but I think it is drawing a long bow to say that he would settle in a place like New Plymouth." Erm note to Richard – sometimes blood turns out to be thicker than water. We’ll just see eh?

Meanwhile up North, apparently Hayman has not exactly had the most successful time of it. Plagued by injury and not with the same calibre of players and coaches that surrounded him in the back shirt; it would be easy to understand why his form has probably dipped.

However, a quick skim of the BBC message boards and you would think that the strength of the Northern hemisphere forward packs have been too much for him. Here’s a delightful little quote from ‘Jagdiver’ who writes of Hayman’s ability:

“I've never seen him do anything special - best TH in the world - cobblers!! Done nothing for Falcons but trouser his pay. Hopefully the first of many overpaid under abilitied (sic) foreigners to clear off and allow some of the excellent British & Irish players in the lower leagues to step up.”

It seems people of Jagdiver’s ilk have short term memories indeed. Wasn’t it only a couple of weeks ago that the English rugby team got beaten soundly, again, by all top three sides in the Southern Hemisphere?

Two weeks fly by and all of sudden everyone up north gets a case of amnesia and starts hammering on again about how they’re just so superior in strength, forward play and not to mention – an oh so superior club competition. Same story – different year. Yawn.

And sorry – but the real greed? It’s not players like Hayman. Of course you’re going to take the money if it’s offered to you. You’d be a fool not too! The real greed comes from the European clubs that are not only killing the game at national level for their own countries, but also managing to make it grossly unfair when they drain players from countries that don’t have the financial prowess to keep up with them.

Could it be that this global credit crisis might actually do the world of rugby some good in the long run? I hope so.