Wallabies and All Blacks go through - Rugby World Cup 2011 quarterfinals

Man of the match - Piri Weepu

New Zealand 33 - 10 Argentina
If you have ever wanted to witness a woman having a nervous breakdown, then you should have had front row seats in my lounge here in Whitechapel this morning. A fired up Argentina made New Zealand dig deep for a good 70 minutes before the All Blacks were able to lift themselves and book themselves into a semi-final. It's been 8 long years coming.  And after Julio Farias Cabello fired across for a try in the first half, I thought we were looking at another potential inglorious upset. Cue more nail biting and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Argentina came out and played so well. Strong defensively, holding the ABs tryless in the first half, the Pumas executed their game plan, slowing down the ball and throwing themselves into rucks.  But what I took heart from in this New Zealand performance was the way the All Blacks absorbed the pressure and kept their shape.  With patience they continued to niggle (god, I hate that word this week) away on attack and were finally rewarded with a Read try in the second half.

What were the good points of this game? The man of the match was most definitely Piri Weepu who announced on the world stage that he is now the new heartbeat of a team still grimacing from Carter's absence.  His kicking in hand and at goal were top drawer. Not so promising was Colin Slade who had yet another shaky start, but what about Cruden?!  Two weeks ago he was watching the tournament on television with a cup of a tea and a biscuit. Would he then in his wildest dreams have imagined that tonight he would be thrust into the thick of a quarter final.  And boy, he played well, trying things on the gainline, chancing his arm and executing with confidence. Could this still turn out to be a fairytale for a boy who has already in his life had to beat cancer and all the other demons that go along with that terrible disease.

This was New Zealand's first proper test at the world cup. It may not have been the thrashing that some people were predicting, but it is better Argentina put the All Blacks under pressure and gave them a game. Honourable mentions:  Brad 'the engine room' Thorne. 37 years old (my age!). He gives us all hope and he did if often with a smile on his face.  Cory Jane has magic, even if he has been a bit *ahem* naughty this week. Sonny Bill - he has to be in the starting 15 somewhere next week. Mario Ledesma - subbed with ten minutes to go, a Puma that has played four world cups walked off the rugby pitch one final time as an international. Tears in his eyes, looking to the heavens, the image of this emotional hardened warrior will stay with me for a long time. This is why I love rugby.

Australia 11 - South Africa 9
I didn't know who I'd rather NZ face next week. But now it is Australia, the All Blacks main foe and banana skin when it comes to world cups, I feel slightly (ok more than slightly) worried. Cue endless column inches and tireless cliches for the next week about the Dingo Deans/Graham Henry rivalry from our ever unoriginal New Zealand rugby journos.

Australia did not have the territory or possession but it didn't matter, because the Springboks could not muster a way of scoring a try. Like England, they have been left behind. I think the right four teams have made it through to the semi finals. Four teams that are not afraid to play some decent, attacking rugby. The Springboks and their supporters will be mightily disappointed and I feel for them, but heck and hey, they won the world cup last time, it's nice to share things around.

Australia are now almost back to full strength with an on fire Pocock leading the charge. Is it a coincidence or something more that the four teams that have made it through all have exceptional players at number 7? So, this time next week we will know who will be in the final.  I am not making any more predictions as I failed so miserably this week (only picking the ABs to overtake Argentina). This world cup could be anyone's, and at least it will be won by a team that is prepared to play with some inventiveness (as long as that team is not Australia).

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?

All Blacks V Ireland 2010 - after match comment

This was yet another test match ruined once again by the whiste happy world cup blower Wayne Barnes. I know – it was really Jamie Heaslip’s fault, but could you have sent the errant knee offender off with a yellow instead of a red Wayne Barnes? Surely the judiciary could have sorted out the rest the next day? The match was over after fifteen minutes ruining it for the paying spectators as well as the television watchers dotted throughout the world. Thankfully there were some salvageable things to come out of the match.

The new boys in black are looking good

I was particularly excited about the baby blacks coming through for the first test of the season against the Irish and the new boys didn’t disappoint. Particularly Israel Dagg who looks like a big star of the future with his darting counter attacking run and silky skills. Already he seems to have built up some kind of psychic understanding with Cory Jane where they ran some slicing lines off each other.

The thoughtful Benson Stanley provided the base for his outsides Carter and Smith to shine. I like the look of this guy, he offers difference and altogether something a bit more steady than the erratic Nonu. The gritty Franks brothers too seem like good prospects for the future and I would pick either of them any day to prop the scrum over the normal incumbent Tialata - even at this point.

With the New Zealanders playing a white hot game in the first half and springing out to a 38 point lead by half time, the three wise men thought it right to empty their bench giving the rest of the 22 a run out. Cruden and Vito didn’t have much time to shine although for now I think Carter and Kaino don’t have too much to worry about. Cruden for me just seems too small at this stage and what is the point of having a first five eight who can’t kick goals.

The pluck of the Irish

The Irish of course put up a plucky defence (how condescending were we all?) in the second half which was admirable. But the ABs had taken their foot off the gas by then (they always seem to when they’re far in the lead). I think the All Blacks would have been quite disgusted at themselves to leak four trys on their line, particularly when the Irish were playing with 14 men. Actually, I was a bit disgusted at them too. So to quote Fitzy, they’ll have to go back to the drawing board about that.