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.

Tri Nations 2009 - Still alive and kicking

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.

All Blacks 29 - Wales 9

A great day today for New Zealand sport. The Kiwi rugby league team producing the upset of the century by defeating Australia and winning the Rugby League World Cup. Yay - we've won a world cup that isn't for lawn bowls. Awesome and well done to Steve Kearney and his guys.

The All Blacks followed up with a comprehensive final score against a spirited Welsh side in Cardiff this morning - but the score did flatter the ABs who were pants in the first half. The naughty step award could have been shared by Carter and Cowan who both had off nights.

Highlights? Great plays by Mealamu, McCaw, Kaino and of course Rodney (does he ever have a bad game?). Awesome too Joe, and even Sivivatu was OK. But the biggest highlight was definitely the haka stand-off. Now that's the way to issue a challenge. Brilliant!

For full match report read here

A Super 14 Malaise

So the Super 14 has kicked off.

And in the middle of one of the best New Zealand summers since the 80s, we’re all still licking our wounds and avoiding mention of the 'rugby' word after the disastrous world cup tournament in October. You can imagine, there’s not much interest here in Aotearoa while there's cricket to watch and vitamin D to collect. Oh, and of course I got married too last month, so I had other things to keep me occupied!

South Africa in doubt?
I haven’t been paying much attention to the opening games of the tournament - but judging by osmosis, South Africa already look like a union in doubt. With Matfield, Smit and James now overseas plying their trade and the likes of Habana and Pretorius injured, their glory days of the World Cup are already looking short-lived. Hopefully it won't be world chump time all over again, aka 2003.

Nick Evans set to set alight the Blues
If I had to hedge my bets, I’m guessing it will be the Auckland Blues this year that will be the runaway success. They’ve always had a backline that scintillates, but now with a quality first-five in the likes of Nick Evans, the tournament is theirs for the taking.

Canterbury won't do is this time
Robbie Deans is off to the Wallabies and although the Crusaders are a team to be reckoned with, I seriously doubt whether even they with a coming-back-into-form Carter and a loved up Richie McCaw will be able to pose a serious threat. Their rugby might be getting a bit past its used-by- date.

Colin Cooper - not a good coach
As for the Hurricanes? Sure, they beat Waikato in the weekend. But only a biased Dom-Post reporter would not admit that Colin Cooper is a weak coach that can't read a game, judging by his past results when you've allegedly got a plethora of world class players at your disposal. Or maybe the So'oialos, Collins', Hores and Tialatas aren't really cracked up to be what they are either.

So, the tournament is gonna be a long one. Maybe by June, I’ll be vaguely interested again.

• Dream on Jim. The Hurricanes didn't do it last year and they won't do it this one either

• Keep your mind on the game: Richie McCaw and gorgeous Dancing with the Stars gal Hayley Holt hook up