Tournament Point

I’m jealous, Ferdy. Living in London, the All Blacks v Springbok games in SA each year were my favourite - kick-offs that matched British Summer Time perfectly. Yes ... watching a Test match, in daylight, at the pub. Old skool, all day, Test Match Fever!

So, we only need a point to take the Tournament? Done I reckon. Not saying we’ll thrash the Boks, but the eight changes P Divvy has brought in emphasise their loss of direction recently, and reflect a need to try something a little bit different. Only a little bit though, its all about execution for them this weekend ... time to step up for John Smit’s Century Test. And how good is that? 100 Tests for the Boks - outstanding.

After last weekend’s dismal efforts by my other teams (the Turbos and the Hammers, someone has to support these teams) I am keen for the All Blacks to produce an emphatic win on South African soil. I am looking forward to Cowan scrapping with that feisty nugget Francois Hougaard, and I bet our guys are relishing the chance to run at those little fellas at the back: Aplon and JP Pietersen. Plus, will Juan Smith adapt to these new rules at this pace?

Let’s hope the 90,000 spectators at Soccer City don’t spook our boys. Will Vuvuzelas be allowed?

And as for all this tripe about SA going it alone after 2015? What rubbish. Go on, I dare you SARU. You need us as much as we need you ... talk about throwing your toys. Cry babies.

DEBUT

While Ferdy is off at re-orientating herself to UK life at The Big Chill, enjoying a bass bin battering from the likes of Massive Attack, M.I.A. and Roots Manuva, it falls to me to step up and repay the Good Lady's faith in giving me ‘game time’ on ruggerblogger. So, here goes ...

Now, I’ve got to admit, I am not a huge Sevens fan, but I was really enjoying that game on Saturday night ... then a Test Match broke out and I had to settle in for 65 minutes of old fashioned see-saw. It was a New Zealand victory based on two early pounces of expansive, flowing rugby, and long periods of defence when the Wallabies had all the possession. Hell, we even kicked our way out of trouble; at least twice Carter hoofed the ball 50-60m down the field, and it was refreshing to see this pragmatic shift in strategy. Despite the new interpretations finally catching up to New Zealand’s long standing willingness to run the ball from everywhere and carry the ball into contact, in tight games like this it is nice to know that Carter’s boot can conservatively thump us to a better gain in field position. A Plan B perhaps?

Yes, the match looked uncomfortably close for periods when the teams were only 7 points apart and those Canary Yellow jerseys seemed to be holding phase after phase ... but so many times they struggled to gain ground after the first tackle, let alone multiple phases. This All Black pack could stop inflation.

Deans’ team (presently) just lack that cohesion to really steel their enthusiasm. At this stage, players with 2,7 or 15 caps will never compete against our more experienced core of players in the 25-45 cap zone, but I’m with Ferdy ... give them time. Shining lights like Will Genia (quiet on Saturday), David Pocock and Drew Williams will always put them in good stead for the final rounds in 2011.

These All Blacks are just in scintillating form and brimming with confidence at the moment. Are we peaking? Is this another 1994, 2002 or 2006? I don’t believe we peak ... I think we just crash for 10 minutes every four years, with calamitous effect.

For now though, I’m feelin' the love again this year. I am enjoying this Tri Nations. I feel ‘comfy’ with this team. With that whopping Bledisloe Cup in the trophy cabinet for another year, the last hurdle - the icing on our 2010 cake - is not just the Tri Nations win, but doing it with an emphatic away win in the Rainbow Nation ... no, not the North Shore - South Africa.

Laterz
Slugso

PS Woodcock was very, very lucky. Richard Loe will be smiling.

Wow

Australia 28 - NZ 49

• NZ - seven tries and another bonus point
• Australia - three tries
• Two yellows and a red card to Oz (naughty Drew Mitchell)
• One yellow to NZ (Owen Franks)
• An overly pedantic referee
• Ozzies coming to life when they're down to 14 men
• Cory Jane's little kick chip across to Mils Muliaina for a try
• Richie McCaw everywhere and man of the match again
• Joe Rokocoko is back
• Etihad stadium turf was a bit of a disaster
• Is Kieran Read the new Zinny?
• Robbie Deans is depressed
• Even people in the Christchurch press are eating their words about Ted
• I'm still not writing off the Wallabies just yet

But

• The All Blacks are looking good
• All is right with the NZ rugby world in this moment in time
• Signing off from a beautiful rainforest in Northern NSW

Israel Dagg = Yes. Rene Ranger = No

All Blacks 31 - Springboks 17. Cake Tin/Wellington. Tri Nations 2010

So another comprehensive win for the ABs against a Springbok side that is beginning to look decidedly creaky. However, I still have problems....

I have a huge respect for Graham Henry as a coach. I think he is unparalled in tactical nous. No matter the old fuddy duddies that think Robbie 'dingo' Deans should be taking over the team. It is proven that Henry has the goods being the most successful All Black coach on record. But why would he pick Rene Ranger who is yet another All Black that has been charged with assault? It's not a good look for the team. And the people that are borderline like this - never make it far (eg. Sitiveni Sivivatu, Sione Lauaki, Adam Thompson to name a few).

Ranger is young. He wasn't great this evening under the high ball and in the tackle. He was lucky in fact not to sent off for a shoulder charge. (He wasn't so hot against Wales either when he butchered a try with a three man overlap). He did finish a good try but I still don't think he should be representing the All Blacks or New Zealand in any sport in this period. Prove him innocent, and then he can prove himself on the field.

Now Israel Dagg really is the great white hope. He is a superstar in the making. Tonight, after only a few minutes, he managed to splice apart the defence of two of the best rugger players in the world (Spies and Berger). Which brings me to the person which is keeping Dagg from a starting berth:

Mils Muliaina- yes, he's playing fantastically at the moment, granted. But a niggling thing keeps creeping into my soul when I watch him play. The man is selfish. He would rather not pass or offload. He's always hoping for the try that wins another 80 minutes into the selectors hearts. I hope Dagg will be in the starting 15 that leads us into a sudden death play off in a world cup game. I think by this time next year he will have more to give than Mils.

The Springboks. They were again beaten soundly tonight. Yet again, another yellow was given in the opening ten for Roussow attempting to threaten McCaw with a slight eye gouge (although on replay it looked rather harmless). McCaw himself was lucky not to be yellow carded in the second half of the match, and I borrow Green and Gold rugby's saying that our great All Black captain should be renamed His Highness Field Marshall Richard McCaw, Order of the NTBYC (Never To Be Yellow Carded).

Even with another thrashing, the Boks were gracious and lighthearted in defeat. I wish we could be more like that. I respect them and I certainly am not writing them off for 2011. They'll be back but I really do believe they need some fresh blood and legs in there to get them going again. And maybe it's time for them to look at changing their gameplan. Freeflowing rugby is back on the menu. Pity it's between world cups.