RWC 2011 Squad Experience - All Nations

I need to get a life - but it was either do this or watch ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’. Again.

So here it is: a visual representation of which countries have the most World Cup experience. Light blue is 2011, green is 2007 (France) and dark blue is 2003 (Australia). More layers means more RWC depth, just like compost ... and while its no surprise to anyone that South Africa look to have a tonne of experience, its surprising to see some of the lesser teams match up, like Italy, Romania and even Georgia.

Ireland, New Zealand and France don’t do too badly either.

If you click on the image you should be able to download an A1 sized jpeg of it - its big I know ... bu it is the World Cup.

All Black RWC 2011 Squad World Cup Experience

Been there, done that ... but only got the t-shirt to show for it. Looking at the squad, this radial graphic shows which All Blacks have played at a World Cup before, and therefore where our core layers of experience lie.

What do you think? Any surprises in this for you? Remember Corey Flynn in 2003? No, Neither do I.

Going to work on doing these for all 20 squads - at time of posting 2-3 countries have still to announce their squads before the deadline.

First 2011 All Black Squad Named

X-Factor comes to North Harbour

BACKS: Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Hosea Gear, Zac Guildford, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu

FORWARDS: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore

Injury replacements: Wyatt Crockett, Cory Jane, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ben Smith.

Overall ... I am not displeased. Its a hard task and they clearly want experience, but really was there much to be argued on this?

The front row and loosies really picked themselves. The halfbacks and midfield is as expected and I am glad they have picked flyers on the wings. In fact the numerous combos for the back three should scare the pants of anyone stupid enough to kick to the All Blacks.

Hoeata is the new Brad Thorn in waiting. Kahui returns to show his pace and class. And Colin Slade is the right call to cover Carter at 10. There is no replacement for Carter yet, all we need in a crucial 20 minutes is someone to clear the ball and do what they are told - a role which I think Slade will suit. Don’t get me wrong ... I am a big fan of Aaron Cruden, and I think he will mature into the 10 jersey, just not this year. 

Welcome back Ali Williams too. Superb comeback, he deserves it. The guy may open his mouth and behave like a dufus sometimes ... but stick a black jersey on him and you get one hell of an All Black. He means it.

And it looks like they will not take two specialist 7s - Thompson, Messam and Kaino will cover it instead.

Two months to go. Two months to avoid injuries to key players, and nurse a couple back (Woodcock, Toeava). Two months of P Divvy trash talking to survive.

Congrats to Queensland’s Reds as well. They are worthy winners in the end. Not a great team by any stretch (their semi and final opponents both had shockers), but this must feed into confidence for the Wallabies. It may also mean more Aussie fans will cross the ditch to back their boys in the World Cup, and that has to be good for the organisers.

What do you think, Ferdy? Happy?

Ted’s Comedy Gold

"I had to find out what bloody Twitter was," said Graham Henry. "I thought it was a new guy playing five-eighth [outside-half] for England.

Nick Evans and Engerland

I'm not sure whether it went quietly under the radar or not in NZ.  Nick Evans has signed up with the bloodgate Harlequins for the next few years.  Which means he won't be coming home to have another crack at the holy grail. Which is a great shame.

 I always felt that Evans had the same qualities as Dan Carter. Quick on his feet and the magical ability to slice through a gap (something that Cruden promisingly does have). I'm not sure what the three wise men said to him before he left these shores, but I can't understand why they didn't fight to keep him, or fought to get him back.  He is a class player and I for one am disappointed. Unlike Carl Hayman who was courted heavily by the NZRU but still chose money over the jersey, Evans was always the undrstudy and treated like one. I understand why he's decided to do what he's done. This is our loss.

In England the newspapers (the Times mainly) are starting to hype up that great last bastion of free flowing rugby - the English.  One win against Australia this year  and Laurence Dallaglio and the like are full of the gumption and fighting talk that typically characterises the English rugby clubs and media. The world is in England's hands according to Lol and they should start walking with a 'swagger'.

"A lot of teams are at the pinnacle of their evolution," drones Sir Lawrence. "Can New Zealand get any better? This England team is still evolving. Imagine how good they could be in a year's time, and in four years."

According to the media, England's fresh blood are the new golden boys that are going to lead the white roses into the light of glory..."Our win in Australia (yawn) has told everyone we can beat the best teams." According to Dallaglio, we need to watch out for Courtenay Lawes, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole and Chris Aston who are leading the way to an England resurgence in the backline.  It's a matter of 'watch this space' or potentially 'more of the same hype but nothing different'.  You decide.

The sad thing is that he is probably right.  A world cup tournament is different to rugby tests played week in and week out.  We all know the All Blacks don't play well in tournament pressure cookers (baring South Africa 1995 when we did play very well indeed but got beaten on the day by a better team - and no - I'm not daring to mention Suzy).

England had a dismal world cup in 2007 losing 40 - 0 against South Africa in the heats.  How any team can lose 40 - 0 and then go on to play in the final of a world cup tournament says something for how well tournaments sort the wheat from the chaff (IMO not much at all) but also, something for England's spirit (and the very wonderful goal kicker Jonny Wilkinson).

I still don't think England deserve to walk with a swagger yet though. One win against an Australian side that has been beaten ten times in a row by the All Blacks? It reminds me a little of that old saying- one swallow does not a summer make.

Blogging rugby

It's been nearly four years since I started blogging. I had just returned from a seven year stint in the UK and was frustrated at the level of sports reporting in NZ. Particularly the fact that women hardly get a look in on the sports pages when it comes to sports journalism. With the 2007 rugby world cup looming, I thought it would be a good idea to have a go myself on the sport that I am most ardent about and the team that I love - the All Blacks.

A few interesting things to note in that time since I've started this blog:

• I've endured yet ANOTHER world cup loss for my team, and lived to tell the tale
• I've sung the national anthem for an All Black test match
• I had a former All Black help put up the marquee for my wedding (Keiran Crowley). I decided this was a very good omen for my future married life.
• I have a loyal readership of three people on this blog and one of those people is my mother (and quite often even she doesn't read it)
• Most people that visit this blog do so accidentally. They mainly come from Ireland and have typed 'Doug Howlett' into a search engine. Although it frustrates me that people are not coming to read my rants on rugby I still appreciate them visiting so for some SOE: doug howlett, doug howlett, doug howlett
• The best insult I've had on this blog was from a random commenter who likened me to a sheep shagger because I had been mean to Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll
• I have often had to change my opinions about things and eat my words. Currently Piri Weepu is someone I am eating humble pie about. For a long time I didn't like him as a player but I've had a complete turnaround not just based on his last few performances for the ABs but also because I think he is becoming an inspirational role model for kids in this country through his conduct off the field.
• Several All Blacks have been arrested or gone to court since I started blogging and a large part of this blog for me is saying 'it's not ok' to hurt your girlfriend by assault or beat up a friend in a pub. This kind of thing has to stop. It's not good to have someone representing your country who is basically just a mindless thug off the field
• My longest serving reader and now friend is a fellow ruggerblogger called Nursedude. Please check his blog out here

Why all this sentimental revisiting the past you might ask? Well, it's a bit of an end of an era for me because I'm packing up my bags again and heading to live in London for the next year on Wednesday.

This means ruggerblogger will take a different turn. I'm going to start blogging with some friends (more to come about this so watch this space) and so we can give both northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere perspectives on this blog (but still at this address). Hopefully this will mean I can pull more readers in and this blog will have some more lighthearted postings.

So here's to thet build up for 2011. I'll be back in NZ in time for the tournament. Please keep with me and tell your friends about this blog if you think anyone might be interested in a stroppy girl with loud opinions about rugby. Here's to the next year together.

New Zealand NIMBY central

We’re over a year away to the rugby world cup (in fact, 521 days according to the ruggerblogger rugby world cup countdown widget) and the New Zealand public has a terrible bout of NIMBYism. That is “Not In My Back Yard’ ism. Sure, we were reasonably happy initially to be granted hosting rights to the 2011 world cup, but as time ticks on, it becomes evident that we’re just a bunch of miserable ‘not on my tax payer dollar’ buggers (to rival any of the greatest nimbys out there).

We’re miserable about new stadia being built. We’re miserable about old stadia being renovated. We’re miserable about stadiums that aren’t going to be built at all. We’re miserable that the roads won’t be good enough, that the public transport system will be exposed for the squeaking operation it is, that Auckland doesn’t even have a public transport system.

We’re unhappy that hoteliers are threatening to charge people a thousand dollars a night – that’s not the kiwi way mate! (But in saying that, how can we get into the tourism industry for a piece of that pie come 2011?).

Speaking of pies – we’re still mad at Suzy from 1995 serving up a dodgy one to the All Blacks that night before that final. (One of the biggest miseries of 2009? That Hollywood has now made a film about said test match. The worst horror movie for any true New Zealand rugby fan has to be one committing one of our many world cup losses to celluloid).

When we’re not wailing and gnashing our teeth about Wayne Barnes and why he is still reffing, or the logistics of putting on a tournament that four billion people are going to tune in to, (really, this could potentially be the worst public relations exercise ever for New Zealand – I’m seeing pub brawls, streakers and possible muggings of UK Times reporters in darkened ally ways) we’re moaning about an ad for the rugby world cup. Not even an ad in fact. Just the song of the ad. ‘Right here, right now’ is a cover from the 1991 Jesus Jones UK hit. Yes – the song does belong back in the 90s at all those bogan rugby club functions of yesteryear. But do we really need to dedicate a half hour of news to it moaning about the lack of patriotism, Dave Dobbyn Verse the Feelers, music culture (or the lack of) in New Zealand?

When we’re not up in arms about songs and stadiums and Stephen Jones, we’re upset that the Springboks are bigger, hairier and burlier than us, have got a better rolling maul and are much better at doing those things that New Zealanders just can’t seem to get a grip on - drop goals from their own half for example. And let’s not even mention the potential ascent of the Wallabies as the Warratahs find themselves at the top of super 14 table midway through the tournament. I will not go there, I will not go there.

But speaking of super 14, we’re also mad at that! It’s long and boring, the games should be in the afternoon, not at night time, what about the fog? The Dew? The rule changes: bad = too many tries scored. Bad = not enough tries scored.

One glimmer of hope and consistency in this rugby nation where we are all united? Referees. We hate them all.

When it comes to rugby in this country, the tall poppy has mutated into an angry narcissistic beast. What was once our national sport has now become our national kicking boy. The NZRFU can’t win when the team is winning. So I’m not quite sure what needs to be done next. But if this is what it’s like with over a year out, the mind truly grows glum thinking of what’s to come.

Henry All Black coach until 2011 and the Rugby World Cup

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.

Meanwhile, down in New Zealand....

Jim Kayes of the Dom Post is all in a lather after the Rugby World Cup schedule was announced for 2011. It appears both semis and the final will play in the upgraded, purpose built for the occasion, Eden Park. In other words, Auckland will be getting the good games. 'Auckland hogs Rugby World Cup hosting!' Jim huffs away angrily. Meanwhile, the Stuff website angrily derides those naughty and selfish Aucklanders with a poll - that kind of highlights they haven’t found a good rugby story for a few days:

How do you feel about Auckland getting the major games of the 2011 Rugby World Cup?
1. Gutted.
2. They should be spread around more.
3. Makes sense

All I can say is – who cares - and more importantly - what loser would be gutted about this? It’s in 2011. Can we stop sniping at each other for even half an hour?! And wasn’t Auckland hosting the major World Cup games always going to be a no-brainer? Obviously not, for some factions of the gutted (and rather pathetic) New Zealand media.