The wheat from the chaff

All Blacks 23 - Wallabies 22
Sydney

The Wallabies had everything to play for after their energising victory in South Africa a week earlier.  Sure, they would be tired but at home, playing against a Carterless New Zealand outfit that had the Tri Nations in the bag, this test was always going to be a good chance for them.

And for a long time in this match it really looked like they were going to do it.  With stars like Kurtley Beale and Lachie Turner in the Australian backline, the green and golds looked the more threatening team with ball in hand in the first half.  They were assisted by an All Black side that was playing at its worst.  Errant lobbing passes, butter fingered passing, wayward kicking. It just wasn't clicking for us.

For New Zealand there was also no rub of the green in this test. I'm sure Australian rugby supporters would disagree with me, but it appeared that Mark Lawrence missed an awful lot and the bounce of the ball was definitely going Australia's way.   And incidentally, who else isn't tired of the merciless hate campaign being waged against Richie McCaw.  It seems that now whenever the All Blacks win, it's all down to McCaw getting away with murder. Well here's a note to all the McCaw knockers. It's not the case.  Our number 7 is simply streets better than your number 7 so nya nya nya nya nya. Stick that one up your jumper and please stop moaning!

Cruden's first start has been heavily criticised.  An altogether smaller guy than anyone else on the pitch, he was bullied heavily by the Ozzies off the ball.  I think he showed some nice touches however and showed some resilience.  Colin Slade coming on in the last twenty injected a new dimension and I'm glad he shone.  I've often wondered why he hasn't been selected before.

There were plenty of All Blacks last night that didn't put their names up for honour.  There are some that I'm finding myself wondering why they're even in the team.  Corey Flynn of course is the main culprit. I could only groan when Mealamu limped off the field knowing it was now going to be an even harder night at the office.  Thank God Flynn didn't score a flukey try (you know, one of those ones where he often finds himself on the wing) and we had to witness his arrogant little chicken 'I've scored a try' dance. That would have been more than I could take.

Muliaina butchered a try by - you guessed it - not passing.  He seems to have a resistance to passing to his teammates - although he is rather fond of the hospial pass.  I feel like I'm the only All Black supporter in the world that is getting more and more annoyed with him. Please next game, watch him and see what I mean.

Speaking of overrated - what must the Ozzies be thinking of Matt Giteau at the moment?  The most expensive player, I don't think I've ever seen a game where he lives up to his press.  Whatever way, the Wallabies need to find a new kicker, and pronto too.

We missed Joe believe it or not. Izzy Dagg has star quality, but defensively he was found wanting on the flanks. 

Kaino is the most underrated All Black. As far as I'm concerned, he came off the bench and helped save the game for us.

So well done to the ABs and well done to the Wallabies.  It was yet another thrilling game of rugby that had everyone on the edge of their seats.  Sorry to Oz that we beat you again, for the 10th time.  (But really, I"m sorry but I'm not that sorry).

British and Irish Lions get the consolation prize and win showing true passion

This was another week for the history books with the British and Irish Lions showing true class and grit to steamroll the Springbok second string side and leave Peter De Villiers with egg on his face. Lote Tuqiri is suspended permanently from the ARU and the All Blacks squad for the 2009 Tri Nations is announced with no new surprises. A wee footnote too about the whole sad Basteraud affair.

British and Irish Lions' 28-9 victory over South Africa

The British and Irish Lions came back from the disappointment of losing the 2009 series in South Africa by taking Peter De Villiers’ back-up team to task and completely annihilating them out wide and up front. The Baby Boks, controversially sporting white armbands to reflect their solidarity with Bakkes Botha after he copped his ban had no answer to a spurned Lions outfit with fire in their bellies. The northern hemisphere lads played with style and ended their seven game losing streak in what was in the end, a dramatic and hugely entertaining tour. As usual there was exciting play on the field matched by ineptitude and brain farts (Ronan O’Gara take a bow), the usual underhanded dirty play (Simon Shaw and Schalk Burger), bitching and moaning about the officials from members of the public and British media (the usual suspects, Stephen Jones, Robert Kitson etc etc) and yet more idiotic comments from the South African coach. Although South Africa look like the team to beat in the Tri Nations – can they really be considered such a potent force when they have a complete donkey at the helm? Interesting Lions comments here by Chris Hewett summing up the good and the bad of the tour.

Tuqiri gone

No, I won’t be sad that Lote Tuqiri has been banished from the Wallaby set-up. I just wish that those breakers of All Black supporters hearts - Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau would join him. But in all seriousness - the termination of Lote’s ARU contract is all very mysterious, especially with Dingo Deans wandering into the fray and adding his support to John O’Neill’s decision. Tuqiri has allegedly been involved now in one too many off the field mishaps where alcohol and no doubt pig headed aggression have been to the fore. A great rugby player to watch who could really cut a defensive line open with his running and skill, in form Tuqiri was always dangerous. So no, heading into the tri nations with our straggly lot of butter fingered bambini I’m not sad at all that he’s been dropped. Although rugby will definitely be the poorer now for his departure.

Graham Henry and his fan club

Another All Black squad announced for the Tri Nations and another chance for the talk back radio callers and message board bloggers to have a good moan about Ted. Griping about the All Black coach is becoming more of a national sport than the national sport. As usual, the knives are out for Henry because:

A/ He’s not a cantabrian
B/ He’s not dingo deans
C/ He’s not either of the above
D/ He picked Rokocoko and Toeava
E/ He didn’t pick Messam or Masanga

Firstly – although the media would say differently, polls suggest that Henry still has support of at least half the country. All the doubters that hassle Henry should take a good hard look at who else is in the wings if he goes? Colin Cooper, Ian Foster, Pat Lamb?! Yeah right. People think the player depth in this country is bad – I think the coaching stocks are more depleted yet. The day Colin Cooper becomes All Black coach is the day I give up on rugby completely.

So Henry’s selections. He’s made some that I kind of scratch my head at. I’m definitely with the punters who think he was mad to reselect Rokocoko and Toeava. Roks has looked sluggish for years now and as for Toeava – how many chances does he need before the selectors stop selecting him? The guy can play amazing rugby but when it comes to the crunch, his nerves fail him in the big ones. As one witty blogger posted: “Toeava can wear the jersey of anyone in the backline- whether he can actually play in any of these positions is highly questionable!” Meanwhile, Tialata who I think is the true Achilles heel of the forward pack sneaks through unnoticed. Why?

Good things about the selections? At least Lauaki didn’t another call up. Also, Messam doesn’t have it at the moment and they were right to let him go. Another time maybe for him.

The sorry saga of Basteareaud

Poor guy has been through the mill. I thought this Rosemary McLeod column was a good compassionate take on the follies of youth.

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

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?

Why do the All Black coaches persist with Sivivatu?

So Graham Henry has announced the All Black team to face Ireland with a good thing being that Joe Rokocoko makes a return to the wing. However, I’m not so thrilled about the reselection of Sitiveni Sivivatu on the other. I mean, Why? The guy can’t defend for peanuts (several tries against the All Blacks this year have been directly related to him and his shoddy defence).

And if that wasn’t bad enough, has he scored any tries for the All Blacks for the whole of 2008? I mean, he’s meant to be a winger for one of the best backlines in the world for Pete’s sake. Declan Kidney’s Irish will be licking their lips I’m sure and no doubt there will be plenty of punts on the fact that several Irish bombs will be heading Sivivatu’s way come the weekend.

I’m not the only one that’s frustrated – here’s a very succinct letter to the editor in the DomPost in June from an equally exasperated fan, summing up Sivivatu’s capabilities quite well: “Hopelessly out of position in most of the games and his handling is dreadful. Apart from his burst of speed and the compromising photos he has of the selectors, there is not much there. C at best verging on D.”

Amen to that brother.

But for handling errors, bad defence, lack of positional nouse, not to mention poor sportsmanship, the main reason why he shouldn’t be in the team is more clear cut. He has a record in the courts of domestic violence. Ok – only once that we know of, and everyone deserves a chance of redemption right? No. Not when it comes to the All Blacks. His membership should have been stripped as soon as word came out that he had hit his wife. For a country that is drowning in the blood of its many domestic violence scandals, there should be no room for a person to represent the national team in what is supposedly the national sport.

He can seek his redemption out of the public eye as far as I’m concerned. Mud sticks

Rugby World Cup: New Zealand V Italy

As is often the case, the All Blacks and Azzurri are drawn to play each other in their opening match of this Rugby World Cup tournament. This could be both a good omen - think 1987 and John Kirwan’s spectacular try which will remain forever famous in the YouTube archives. Or alternatively not so good - 2003 where the Italians were thrashed by a ruthless All Black outfit with a peerless All Black backline inspired through the likes of Carlos Spencer and Joe Rokocoko. Unfortunately, this was the match that Tana Umaga was injured. And from here the wheels started to slowly come off the 2003 All Black campaign; letting the likes of Jonny Wilkinson’s boot and Stirling Mortlock’s cunning in.

My pick is New Zealand to win by at least 25. I could be hopeful. I could be misguided. In fact, I have my eyepatch on for sure now. Let’s just hope history does and doesn’t repeat itself (if you’re an All Black fan that is).