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.
Showing posts with label Sitiveni Sivivatu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sitiveni Sivivatu. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Sunday, 1 November 2009
All Blacks 32 - Wallabies 19 - Tokyo
Tonight the All Blacks won against the Wallabies for the fourth time this year (although the tally does flatter the winners as the Wallabies took the AB's to the line on at least two occasions, and looked very much on par with the New Zealanders).
However, in the end with Dan Carter's boot and two beautiful tries (the first, the best I've seen from the All Blacks all year), the New Zealanders brought this game home.
The first half was incredibly even. I've always said - sagely since the mid 80s - never get the Aussies into your own twenty two as they'll pull one out of the bag. And Peter Hynes did just that, in the corner brushing off four desperate All Blacks, just before the second time whistle.
The try was awarded dubiously by the TMO after what it seemed like ten minutes of soul searching. To be fair, I would have awarded it too. (One must always give the attacking team the benefit of the doubt - even if it was grounded before it touched the chalk and then lost forward after).
The ABs weren't helped in the five minutes previous by the brainless and inept (ok, he finished with a try, but he's still inept) Sivivatu who pulled an illegal in-the-air tackle against Adam Ashley Cooper that looked distinctly malicious. Of course he was sent to the sin bin for a well deserved ten thereafter. (Why the AB coaches persist with this nutbar who can't tackle and can't catch a basic up-and-under is beyond me).
But at half time, the All Blacks got the 'talking to' and came out firing. Conrad 'runs a good straight line' Smith scored a 'good running at the line' in a straight pattern try, and then it was up to Dan and Giteau to exchange penalties for the next half hour.
Roll on the AIs.
However, in the end with Dan Carter's boot and two beautiful tries (the first, the best I've seen from the All Blacks all year), the New Zealanders brought this game home.
The first half was incredibly even. I've always said - sagely since the mid 80s - never get the Aussies into your own twenty two as they'll pull one out of the bag. And Peter Hynes did just that, in the corner brushing off four desperate All Blacks, just before the second time whistle.
The try was awarded dubiously by the TMO after what it seemed like ten minutes of soul searching. To be fair, I would have awarded it too. (One must always give the attacking team the benefit of the doubt - even if it was grounded before it touched the chalk and then lost forward after).
The ABs weren't helped in the five minutes previous by the brainless and inept (ok, he finished with a try, but he's still inept) Sivivatu who pulled an illegal in-the-air tackle against Adam Ashley Cooper that looked distinctly malicious. Of course he was sent to the sin bin for a well deserved ten thereafter. (Why the AB coaches persist with this nutbar who can't tackle and can't catch a basic up-and-under is beyond me).
But at half time, the All Blacks got the 'talking to' and came out firing. Conrad 'runs a good straight line' Smith scored a 'good running at the line' in a straight pattern try, and then it was up to Dan and Giteau to exchange penalties for the next half hour.
Roll on the AIs.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
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
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
Thursday, 4 October 2007
Rugby World Cup: All Blacks V France Selection Headaches
Right in the middle of the All Black jersey debacle, Graham Henry has called his first fifteen for the mouthwatering France V New Zealand clash at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. In there are a few selections I’m not so sure about…
For me the jury is still out on Luke McAlister. He has impact for sure (in a Carlos Spencer type way) but has he got the brain to think tactically on his feet when things are going belly up. Mauger although not so hot on defence, does offer a tactical aspect as well as something else invaluable to the All Black backline: support to Dan Carter which perhaps the 23 year old McAlister is not so au fait with yet. Considering also that this will be the biggest game of McAlister’s life, questions remain whether he has the temperament to match the occasion. I hope so but we will have to wait and see.
Other calls that raised a few eyebrows were the omission of Doug Howlett for Sitiveni ‘butterfingers’ Sivivatu; Mils Muliaina at centre plus Keith Robinson on for Chris Jack. Sivivatu has done himself no favours in his last few outings for the All Blacks with messy distribution and his own personal eye off the ball managing almost singlehandedly to up the All Black error rate to grandiose proportions (ok that's an exaggeration - but I just don't like the guy damn it). I’m surprised he is in the 22 at all as I don’t think he has either warranted his position or has the big match temperament to take it to the French. I hope he proves me wrong.
Muliaina is best at full back and with Les Bleus by the looks of things, planning to play a kicking game deep into the All Black 22 he would have been the safest man for the job. Instead we have McDonald who although is in excellent form, may not be the most reliable when it comes to the up and unders or covering tackles in the pressure cooker moments.
Keith Robinson is abrasive and probably a good starter. That is if he manages to make it through the warm ups (around about an 80% possibility that he won’t). Still, who am I to complain? I’m not Graham Henry (thankfully) so I’ll leave it to them and hope for the best. For a run down of the perceived French strength and weaknesses check out Jonny’s excellent review on Scrumbag.
New Zealand team
L MacDonald; J Rokocoko, M Muliaina, L McAlister, S Sivavutu; D Carter, B Kelleher; T Woodcock, A Oliver, C Hayman, K Robinson, A Williams, J Collins, R McCaw (capt), R So'oialo. Reps: K Mealamu, N Tialata, C Jack, C Masoe, B Leonard, N Evans, I Toeava.
For me the jury is still out on Luke McAlister. He has impact for sure (in a Carlos Spencer type way) but has he got the brain to think tactically on his feet when things are going belly up. Mauger although not so hot on defence, does offer a tactical aspect as well as something else invaluable to the All Black backline: support to Dan Carter which perhaps the 23 year old McAlister is not so au fait with yet. Considering also that this will be the biggest game of McAlister’s life, questions remain whether he has the temperament to match the occasion. I hope so but we will have to wait and see.
Other calls that raised a few eyebrows were the omission of Doug Howlett for Sitiveni ‘butterfingers’ Sivivatu; Mils Muliaina at centre plus Keith Robinson on for Chris Jack. Sivivatu has done himself no favours in his last few outings for the All Blacks with messy distribution and his own personal eye off the ball managing almost singlehandedly to up the All Black error rate to grandiose proportions (ok that's an exaggeration - but I just don't like the guy damn it). I’m surprised he is in the 22 at all as I don’t think he has either warranted his position or has the big match temperament to take it to the French. I hope he proves me wrong.
Muliaina is best at full back and with Les Bleus by the looks of things, planning to play a kicking game deep into the All Black 22 he would have been the safest man for the job. Instead we have McDonald who although is in excellent form, may not be the most reliable when it comes to the up and unders or covering tackles in the pressure cooker moments.
Keith Robinson is abrasive and probably a good starter. That is if he manages to make it through the warm ups (around about an 80% possibility that he won’t). Still, who am I to complain? I’m not Graham Henry (thankfully) so I’ll leave it to them and hope for the best. For a run down of the perceived French strength and weaknesses check out Jonny’s excellent review on Scrumbag.
New Zealand team
L MacDonald; J Rokocoko, M Muliaina, L McAlister, S Sivavutu; D Carter, B Kelleher; T Woodcock, A Oliver, C Hayman, K Robinson, A Williams, J Collins, R McCaw (capt), R So'oialo. Reps: K Mealamu, N Tialata, C Jack, C Masoe, B Leonard, N Evans, I Toeava.
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