All Blacks and Ireland 2012

On the eve of test two for the All Blacks of 2012, a few thoughts.

1. How good was this NZ backline? Offset by a Number 9 who finally looks like they can pass faster than Justin Marshall (that in itself is not a tall order at all….but we’ve had such a plethora of sluggish half backs with their inaccurate passing in the last decade, I was beginning to doubt I would ever see the day that NZ would produce someone that could even just have a hint of the Gregan in them).



2. Savea. That’s all. Just Savea.


3. Great to have Dan Carter back steering the ship, supported by the ever sturdy, ever dependable Conrad ‘runs an intelligent line’ Smith – who as it turns out has won 50 of the 56 tests he has played for NZ. This in itself is a world record. What can I say? The man is Taranaki born and bred.


4. Why does Adam Thomson do that wind wiper thing when he is on the lucky end of receiving a try? Can’t stand the guy….sorry Slugso, know you love him, but he’s no Kaino, and his showboating is hard to take.


5. Speaking of showboating….what is Ali Williams doing in this team? From the moment he snatched the Webb Ellis trophy out of McCaw’s hands at the world cup presentation last year, my patience finally wore out for this particular journeyman. Yes, he was good in his day, but he is past it now. Why Williams is allowed to stand in the front row of the haka and do the most am-dram rendition is beyond me. Probably his bezzie mate status with McCaw is protecting him somewhat. However, he doesn’t deserve to be in the All Blacks anymore.


6. The Irish weren’t as bad as the scoreline predicted. Often they had it over our forwards and took us to the wire in the back row.


7. In saying that – I wish they would stop moaning about how tired they are because they’ve been playing for 11 months. It is such a poor excuse. The All Blacks often have played for 11 months when they made the trip to the UK for the end of year autumn internationals. And you didn’t hear them complaining much about being tired.


8. So the Irish are already done and dusted. The series will be 3-zip. Well… that is according to every arm chair critic in the country. The flames are fanned of course from the parochial and arrogant NZ media (Chris Rattue, a ‘commentator’ who has had to eat his words more times than I have banged on about Robbie Deans being a traitor). Best remember people ‘pride becomes before a fall’. And to dip further deeper into my carpet bag of clichés: ‘It ain’t over till the fat lady sings’.


9. It would be nice if Richie McCaw acknowledged the opposite team a little more. It is so important to be gracious in victory and defeat (well, for the most part, unless of course Wayne Barnes has been officiating…then it is fine to blame the ref).


10. It should be another emotional night with it being the first test match back in Christchurch since the earthquake. I hope it turns out to be a spectacular one in the best possible way for everyone concerned.

The North Will Rise Again

Sure, you’re pretty so y’are.

The Northern Hemisphere's glamourpuss event rolled out over the weekend - the Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Northampton in Cardiff - and it really was a fantastic 80 minutes of rugby, deserved of all the column inches and blogshite its generated in the days since it was played.

If ever the old cliché of rugby being 'a game of two halves' could be embossed in gold, under a framed image of a single match, this was it.

The opening whistle saw ploddy huge Saints steam into the Irish, and chuck it wide ... Ben Foden returning kicks with big runs especially.  The end result was that it ended up 22-6 to Northampton at halftime. Game over.

Surely the Leinster dressing room was the setting for one of sport's most rousing half-time talks? Their riposte was to take the field for the second 40 minutes and score an unchallenged 33 points, led by fly half Charlie Sexton's personal haul of 28 points. He really did steal the mantle of the best No. 10 up there in t'North ... this was his game, like Carter stole the second Test against the 2005 Lions. Magic.

Poor old Saints just did not have any gas in the tank, and their replacement cupboard was bare. They reverted to good old fashioned English 'killing it' and cynicism I thought, with Dylan Hartley as the poster boy.

As Eddie Butler pointed out in the Guardian: Leinster have now won the HC twice in three years, Irish teams have now won four of the last six, and Ireland spanked England last time out in the Six Nations. If this Irish momentum can last through summer, and get off the plane intact, they pose a threat to Australia at RWC. They will certainly target the Wallabies with confidence now, and who could blame them? With a 10 like Sexton, BOD recovering his form, and a battery of second rowers prepared to smash away all day, they could cause an upset.

Awesome atmosphere (again) for the Heineken Cup. Constant screaming and flag waving from both sets of fans, except for almost silence when kickers are lining up shots - you could hear a pin drop over that respectful hush. Nice.

I only hope we get to see even half that sort of atmosphere recreated here for World Cup games, though with the Fun Police out already, who knows.

Six Nations 2011 review

And the moral of the story is, don't count your chickens, as this Nike Grand Slam England 2011 video would testify....



Grand slammers: no-one.
Winners of the Six Nations: England.
Most emotional moment: Italy beating France and Nick Mallet's tears of joy.
Best try: Imanol Hardinordoquy for France against Scotland.
Peter de Villiers award for craziest coaching speech: France's Lievremont announcing that his team has 'betrayed' him after they fall to Italy by one point and branding them as cowards, followed closely by the dour Warren Gatland moaning about Ireland's penalty count when in fact the Welsh had the highest penalty count of the lot.
Best individual performance by a back: Chris Ashton's four try swallow diving extravanganza against Italy.
Most scandalous moment: the illegal throw in by Wales to clinch a try after the ball boy and touch judge got rule 19.2 in the rugby book wrong.
Most huffiest commentator: Brian Moore for the beeb although kudos to him for being possibly the first man in the history of the sport to use the word 'hitherto' while commentating on a game of rugger.
Best match: A dead heat - Ireland V England and Italy V France.
Worst match: Scotland V Wales (I did the unthinkable and fell asleep during an international test match).
Most overrated first five eighth: Toby Flood.
Funniest quote: Keith Wood - 'Ronan O'Gara makes kicking look sexy'.
What referrees really should say: 'Crouch, touch, put the kettle on for a cup of tea, engage.'
Team that consistently has the most internal dramas: Wales, always Wales.
Fading star: Chabal.
Skill quality of the rugby played: 7/10.
Entertainment quality of the rugby played (bar Scotland V Wales): 9/10.
Best performance of the tournament: Ireland in 'that' test.
Teams on this showing that would deserve to make it to a RWC semi or final: possibly Ireland.
Teams that probably will make it to a semi/final even though at this moment in time I don't think they have a hope in hell, but stranger things happen during a knock-out comp: France or England.

IRB rankings after the 2011 Six Nations: 1. NZ, 2. Australia, 3. South Africa, 4. Ireland (up 2 places), 5. England (down 1 place), 6. France (down 1 place), 7. Wales, 8. Argentina, 9. Scotland, 10. Fiji, 11. Samoa, 12. Italy

Six Nations XV:
15. Adrea Masi (Italy)/Chris Patterson (Scotland), 14. Chris Ashton (England), 13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), 12. Gordon D'Arcy (Ireland), 11. Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 10 Jonny Wilkinson (England), 9. Mortan Parra (France), 8. Sergio Parisse (Italy), 7. Sam Warburton (Wales), 6. Sean O'Brien (Ireland), 5, Paul O'Connell (Ireland), 4. Richie Gray (Scotland), 3. Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy), 2. Dylan Hartley (England), 1. Thomas Domingo (France).

England V Ireland - Six Nations 2011

An amazing performance by Ireland - if they could play like that in October, the World Cup could well be theirs...

Poor old England rugby team. I actually felt a bit sorry for them in the end. Poor old Nick Easter was so dejected in his after match captain's interview. Losing to Ireland in a rather incompetent way effectively shredded their hopes of winning any slam. But still, they won the Six Nations and I think they can hold their heads high. They're building, and they really did play some promising and entertaining rugby in this wonderful tournament.

For the ruggerblogger round up of the Six Nations, watch this space in the next couple of days. If you want to know what the esteemed Stephen Jones of the Sunday Times thought of the match - you can read here , subscription free (just don't tell Rupert, ok)?

The Six Nations decider 2011 - England verse Ireland

Mark Cueto is a rare breed -  a winger that doesn't score tries.

Well, it's been great to be back in the Northern Hemisphere, to soak up the wonderful atmosphere that is the Six Nations. 

As an All Black fan trying to gauge what this will all mean for the World Cup, a few interesting things.  England's resurgence after years of dross is exciting for the game. As much as it pains me, I think England, whether they win the Slam and the Six Nations or not this year, have to now be considered as genuine Rugby World Cup 2011 contenders.

The main reasons: they've always had good forwards, but now that they've finally found some men out wide that can chance their arm means a whole new dimension has finally been added to their play (it's only taken about a decade to catch-up).   Chris Ashton brings a frisson when he gets his hands on the ball. And I love their halfback - Youngs. He's dynamic and has a great pass.  At such a young age, he has the world in front of him.

In the forwards, well England have always boasted a strong front row and their locks don't look too shabby either. I think the key areas where they will probably be found a little bit wanting are still in the loose forwards. Scotland had it over them in this department of the game last week, and I don't know whether Martin Johnson's loosies will ever pose a serious threat to the Southern Hemisphere flankers.

England's main weapon however, remains the same as it was in 2003 and 2007. Jonny Wilkinson. He knows how to play tournament rugby, and we all know that he is the best in the world to push a drop goal over when the pressure is piling up. He also is the calm in the storm, he can make decisions under pressure and his team will trust him if the chips are down to know what to do.

For me, the jury is still out on Toby Flood. Sure, he looked good against Italy and found a few gaps. But to be realistic, Italy were shocking the day England played them and I don't think that was down to England's brilliance. Still, with Wilkinson on the bench, maybe Johnson can afford to have Flood out on the field - for although he is not that great, he isn't dreadful either.

Other weak links for England? Definitely Mike Tindall and Shontanye Hape - they lack penetration and just seem a wee bit ploddy out there. It will be interesting to see what Matt Banahan does against the Irish tomorrow. He seems to inject real impact when he is on the field. If I was Johnson, I would have been starting him for every test.

My personal favourite in the England team is Steve Thompson.  When the All Blacks play England, I always hope Steve Thompson isn't on the field.  I think that might be the ultimate compliment for him.

So, England tomorrow against Ireland. I personally of course want Ireland to beat them.  Why? Because I'm a terrible, fickle person, and also because the English media is unbearable about their rugby team when they're winning.

I think the game could be very close. It is being played on Irish soil, and England haven't had to travel to hostile territory in this tournament much (excepting the Welsh game). In fact, is it just me, or does England in general try not to tour very much (it was a few years ago they played the All Blacks in NZ). 

Ireland have a chance. They have Brian O'Driscoll, they have Paul O'Connell. They have a strong back row and backs that can run and break the line.  Where Ireland will struggle is in the scrum.  But if they can get parity there, and if they can maintain their puff through to the 80 minute mark, then this will be a very close game indeed. But too close to call I think. Come on Ireland!

Additional notes:

1. Is it just me or is the England captaincy becoming a bit of a poisened chalice? First for Moody and then Tindall? Will they get their places back in the team let alone the captaincy when world cup time rolls around?
2. I think England will have a good chance of reaching a world cup final, as long as they don't meet New Zealand beforehand. If they do, it will be curtains for them. Let's not forget, for all that English rugby supporters drone on and on about the All Blacks 'choking' at world cups, the English rugby team has never beaten the All Blacks during a World Cup tournament.

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British and Irish Lions keep up their losing ways

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.

Ireland down, Doug Howlett's Munster to go

It was another good day at the office for the All Blacks when they took on Ireland at the magical Croke park on Saturday night.

Not such a great night for Ireland who had hyped the game up quite considerably beforehand - which is not surprising as the talk-ups between test matches - particularly in the NH - seem to be part and parcel of tests nowadays.

Unlike the rest of the critical New Zealand rugby public, I thought the All Blacks showed a lot of heart. To restrict both Scotland and Ireland to tryless final scores says a lot about this team’s excellent defensive structure. And the backline looks exciting when it gets a bit of space.

Star player for me was Ma’a Nonu who made Brian O’Driscoll and co look ordinary. An easy looking fend flicked O’Gara into a green heap at one stage and the Wellington man ran some great lines – especially leading up to try he built with Joe Rokocoko.

New Zealand was a bit selfish when it came to releasing the ball. Particularly – and surprisingly – from Mils Muliaina. There were at least three passes that he didn’t release on potential overlaps and I’d like to think that will be picked up by the coaches and remedied come Cardiff. There’s no "I" in team Mils!

Meanwhile the All Blacks prepare for a midweek test against Doug Howlett’s Munster. Whether the Munster men will turn in a haka to challenge the Abs is anyone’s guess. I hope they do – it will make a good spectacle.

Highlights of the weekend

The polite Irish crowd remaining silent during the penalities - unlike us uncouth colonials who heckle and boo to our hearts content when the opposition kick for goal.

Australia taking it to England’s forward pack. Dingo Deans must be laughing smugly after the way the British media has harranged the Aussie scrum.

Lowlights

Ireland’s lack of guile, often getting pinged for offences when they were right in front of the ref. What was up with that?

Ireland taking up to five minutes to come onto the pitch before each half - keeping the crowd, the world and the other team waiting. Maybe a little prima donna-ish perhaps boys?

Rugby World Cup: Ireland pasted by triumphant France

France 25 - Ireland 3

It seems the luck of the Irish has finally run out. In a lacklustre display against a hungry French team they were reduced to just three points off a Ronan O'Gara drop goal. From here, it was bleak for Brian O'Driscoll's men. The big question is who is the most disappointing of the Super 6 in the Northern Hemisphere? England or Ireland? And was France that good or was it just that Ireland were completely abysmal?

Back again tomorrow for match analysis of South Africa V Tonga and England V Samoa. My heart says PI but my head thinks England can't play worse than last week and the South Africans are hitting gears like there's no tomorrow. We shall see.

For now now, I leave you with a scrumbag exclusive and the Wallabies ploy for derailing an All Black campaign (if either team makes it as far as a semi, that is). Ka kite.

Are the wheels coming off the Irish Wagon before the Rugby World Cup?

Ireland 23 - Italy 20

How can this be? Was this the luck of the Irish coming into play? Ireland dubiously won against a fired up Italy in the dying minutes of Saturday’s ‘friendly’. Some parts of the British media are saying the Azzuri may feel aggrieved the TMO Derek Bevan awarded Ronan O’Gara a fumbled try off an alleged forward pass as the clock ran into full time.

Eddie O’Sullivan must be slightly worried that without Brian O’Driscoll, the Irish team appear to be faltering on the home straight – just under two weeks now before the Rugby World Cup kicks off. The Italians shunted the Irish pack around the field, had superior defence and disrupted a disjointed Irish backline (missing the centre magic). In what was expected to be a walkover, the Irish stumbled but didn’t strive against the underrated Italians.

Some are saying Ireland’s weak showing in these build up games is a blessing, because resting on their laurels they will not be when the crunch games kick off next month. I think they have reason to panic. Without BOD they are looking increasingly one dimensional and Eddie O’Sullivan and co must consider themselves lucky to get away with this win over the weekend.

Rugby World Cup : Latest shock from Ireland

‘Shock as Brian O’Driscoll is revealed as next Harry Potter!’ reveals Fred Frogley; magic and rugby correspondent of the Galway First. A Potter specialist close to BOD’s manager confirmed last night: “This scar mysteriously appeared overnight and has singled out this Muggle as the new one to lead us against the forces of darkness.”. Meanwhile, Mikaera Tewhata, rugby player turned boxer, anxiously exclaims ‘I want to call BOD to apologise’ for the punch last week that threatened to end the Irish captain’s 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign. Unfortunately for Mikaera, BOD instructed BT to place a toll bar on all New Zealand rugby players in fear they may threaten to break any more bones in his already battle worn body. So Tewhata will just have to make do with apologizing the Tana Umaga way: through telepathy.

Brian O’Driscoll injured again (due to New Zealand rugby thug)

I felt pretty bad for Brian O’Driscoll when I heard that he had been the victim of foul play against some rugby thug in France during a World Cup warm up match. Bad, but secretly relieved that he hadn’t suffered the fractured sinus and lacerated face on NZ terra firma. Thank god, I thought. He won’t be calling up his publishers and putting poison pen to paper again on his outlook concerning those cheating, spear tackling kiwi rugby players.

So I was a bit horrified to discover the culprit in Bayonne wasn’t a French man at all, but yes; a New Zealander. The British press no doubt will have a field day with the fact that Makaera Tewhata is of course a Maori from the land of the long white cloud. I wouldn’t be surprised if soon there was a conspiracy theory floated after this regarding the NZRFU paying off New Zealand rugby players abroad to target potential threats to the All Blacks. Poor old BOD must feel that he is always in the firing line and I finally concede that he has some right to feel bitter.

It is terrible for O’Driscoll less than a month out from the Rugby World Cup tournament. I admit I did not like him after the witch hunt launched on Tana Umaga during the 2005 British & Irish Lions tournament (helped along of course by Alastair Campbell; a man who as far as I’m concerned has Iraqi blood on his hands, and the ever snivelling ‘Sir’ Clive). O’Driscoll of course had a right to feel disappointed and aggrieved, but as a one eyed New Zealand rugby supporter, I do feel that the spear tackle in that tournament was indeed very dangerous (proven by a dislocated shoulder), but not intentional.

However, with brainless idiots like Tewhata bringing shame on us, his people, and acting as he has done this week, I wouldn’t blame O’Driscoll and Irish rugby supporters for feeling anger towards New Zealand rugby. I just hope BOD can recover in time for the tournament, because without him, it will be a lesser event.

Rugby World Cup Profiles - Ireland

In this lull before the Rugby World Cup, I have decided to follow the lead of fellow esteemed bloggers and publish my thoughts on each top ten team heading into the World Cup Competition and what I think their chances are. Here are my thoughts on Ireland:

Current World Rank: 5

Random cliché: The pluck of the Irish

Murray Mexted most likely to say: ‘Everyone knows I’ve been pumping Gordon D’Arcy for a couple of seasons now’

Stephen Jones did say: ‘Ireland has a feeble scrum, weak scrum-half and undermanned lineout and unbalanced back row’ (ouch – don’t hold back Mr. Jones)

Main headline in the local rag when they lose: ‘It was a cheap shot’

Glamour boy: Brian O’Driscoll

Greatest Moment: Triple Crown winners for last two years running

Weakest Moment: Losing to France in the dying minutes of the 2007 Six Nations, thus ruining their best chance ever to date of winning the tournament.

Weak link: Ronan O’Gara’s tackling

Redeeming features: Keith Wood – ex captain and now star commentator. He even cried on telly in the last world cup when Ireland lost to Oz. A man that in not afraid to show his emotions and has a nice shiny head to boot. Great for Ireland and great for rugby.

Incumbent star: Paul O’Connell

Rising star: Gordon D’Arcy