Kerry's DAA Sport Diaries
Kerry, our Director and passionate sports supporter gives his thoughts
and views on the topical sport issues of the day. Kerry's primary focus will be on
rugby during the rugby season and cricket during the cricket season. However he may
occassionally speak out about other sports. All thoughts are solely
Kerry's and not necessarily those of DAA.
16th April 2012 - Toddy's Masterstroke
If anyone had any doubts about the coaching ability of the Crusaders coach, Todd Blackadder, to manage the
return of Daniel Carter to the team they will have been answered. When the announcement was made that Carter
was playing at second five like many I was surprised. However this move by Toddy proved to be a masterstroke
and demonstrated his full coaching insight. By putting Taylor at first five and Carter at second five it opened
up a lot more options for the team. It gives the team two playmakers creating doubt in the minds of the opposition
as to who will be doing what. Furthermore it gives the team more kicking options as the Crusaders now have both
left footed and right footed kickers and so can attack both sides of the field.
If Toddy can keep this combination together and bring the team up
to the standard that is expected of the Crusaders then they will go
a long way. No other team in the competition can offer the same level
of skill at key positions and create the uncertainty over what will
happen next. The other teams in the competition will no doubt be asking
who is this Tom Taylor and where did he come from? Those from the
Crusaders region will have seem him playing in the past although not
at this level and knew there was another star coming. To see Tom Taylor
step up like he has at such a high level and with the confidence of
a seasoned player. Congratulations Tom Taylor on setting a new record
against the Stormers. You deserve the accolades that are coming your
way!
Normally I would not comment on the performance of the officials running each Super rugby game however this week I am
annoyed and so need to have my say. On Friday night the Blues were cost the game because of a blunder by Steve Walsh.
The Sharks were attacking the Blues line and a pass was tipped into a Blues player and regained by the Sharks player.
The Sharks then scored a try and in the mind of the referee it was perfectly fine. Rubbish! The rules are pretty simple
if the team has the ball and it is tipped into an opposition player then the ball is knocked on and a scrum should
be set. You could see the guilt on the face of Steve Walsh when he seen what happened on the big screen reply. Now
I can hear people saying that this didn't cost the Blues the game but look at the scoreline and the points difference.
I am saying had it not been for this error then the result might have been different.
Then to make matters worse the same mistake occurred in the Crusaders game. When I say the same I mean exactly the same
mistake. The Stormers were attacking the Crusaders, the ball was knocked into a Crusaders player but still the Stormers
went on to score. Such a mistake should not happen once let alone twice. This is unforgivable and such mistakes could
potentially cost a team the game and in the long run the title. Hopefully the post game review by the officials will
identify such errors and strategies put together to ensure that they do not happen again. Yes I realise it is hard
but the public have come to expect an extremely high level of performance from the officials and they need to be
matching that expectation.
One last comment I have to make regarding the officials is from the Chiefs game. In this game there were a number of
decisions that could be argued that were wrong and meant the game was closer than it should have been. Had the officials
made the right calls the Chiefs could have had easily a lot more points. But alas it was not meant to be as the decisions
were made and the Chiefs simply had to lump it. In two of the three games the right team won but in the case of the Blues
I believe that they were hard done by and had the potential to win the game.
As I write this diary entry there are several things that I am going to be watching closely the following in future game
as either things that are annoying me or highlights that I want to see:
- Pat Lam being treated fairly in what may be his last season;
- Nonu and Weepu stepping up to be the players they should be;
- The level of obvious mistakes by the officials being eliminated;
- Carter and Taylor forming a even strong bond and taking the Crusaders to the title;
- Return of McCaw to the Crusaders - we are counting the days;
- Whether the Australian teams are competitive. Yes they are guaranteed a finals position but
there is some doubts about their ability to match the skill level of New Zealand and South African teams in the finals; and
- The increasing skill level of the South Africans and the potential domination that they could have in the
competition.
9th April 2012 - Mixed Results For New Zealand Teams
This weekend seen a bag of mixed results for New Zealand teams with two of the five winning their
games. Well done to the Hurricanes and the Chiefs for coming through and flying the flag for New Zealand.
It is intriguing to see both these teams in the top half of the table whilst some of the more fancied
teams trail behind.
The Blues suffered the biggest upset of the weekend by being rolled by the Melbourne Rebels. The game was
tough but the Blues were simply outplayed and outclassed by a team that wanted it more. The result of this
game has put a lot more pressure on the Blues coach, Pat Lam, with the calls for his termination becoming
louder and stronger. I see Andy Dalton from the Auckland Union is standing behind Lam. Could this be the
kiss of death for Lam? Only time will tell but I personally believe that Lam is being hard done by and
you have to ask how the team could turn to being so poor so quickly? Lam had the team performing
well last year and almost the same team this year is performing poorly. So where is the mistake that led
to this?
The answer lies with the recruitment program for the 2012 team and with Mark Hammett of the Hurricanes
last year. If you turn back the clock you will recall the same calls were going out for Hammett to be
terminated. You may be asking yourself how can the performance of Pat Lam be related to Mark Hammett
last year? The answer to that question is the transfer of players from the Hurricanes to the Blues. You
will have seen from my previous sports diaries that I have not been kind to the transfer of Weepu and Nonu
to the Blues. I think that my opinion is now being justified by the performance of the Blues. Bringing in
these players who think so highly of themselves is hurting the morale of the team and the unity.
Rather than
the calls for Pat Lam to be terminated people should be asking for these two "prima donnas" to be cut from
the team. I am confident that with these players gone the mighty Blues would be restored. Yes, Lam
would have had a hand in the recruiting of them but he would not have been the only one. If Lam goes then all
others involved in the decision to recruit these damaging players should also go.
I can't let this weeks diary past without commenting on the Crusaders.
The game is full of all sorts of accusations including eye gouging
and interfering assistant referees. These are all distractions from
the real issue in that the Crusaders are not winning games and living
up to their potential. This is a team that is missing that X factor
and it is worrying. If the Crusaders do not start winning their games
the title hopes will be extinguished as we head into the business
end of the competition.
Watching the game there was one player who
stood out as someone who is not at the Crusaders standard and needs
to put in the hard yards if he wants to remain part of the team. That
player is Israel Dagg and he has been poorly out of form since the
World Cup. Time for Toddy to either lay down the law and seen an improvement
in form or to cut him loose and bench him as a reserve. If I was the
coach I would give him one or two games to turnaround his form and
no more than that. Is Toddy brave enough to make the tough decision?
Lets wait and see what happens in future games.
26th March 2012 - Super 15 Delivers Close Games
The 2012 season is a season where the games are close and full of excitement and this weekend was an outstanding
one with two games which went right down to the wire. Long may this continue as Super Rugby needs this to keep people
involved and entertained.
The weekend started with the Hurricanes v Blues game where it looked for certain money that the Blues were going to
win the game.The so called big stars who were ex Hurricanes players were also hoping to the Hurricanes coach, Hammett,
that he had made the wrong decision to let them go. However it was not to be their night with the Hurricanes clinching
the win right on the final whistle. Weepu has taken responsibility for the loss suffered by the Blues and he has been
taught a tough lesson. In the dying seconds of a game lock the ball down and hold onto it for dear life. Don't kick the
ball away as you risk losing possession which is exactly what happened.
I am pleased that the Hurricanes came away with the win as it teaches Weepu and Nonu a real lesson in that they are not
bigger than the game. The Hurricanes proved that they did not need non-team players such as these players. Instead
players who are prepared to put it all on the line and play the full 80 minutes will always come away with a win.
The other game of the weekend that was close and outstanding was the
Crusaders v Cheetahs. Here we had a team playing on its new home ground
and had not played at home for almost two years. The emotions were
high both with the fans and the team and the Crusaders came away with
the win albeit by only 7 points. The game was one where the result
was never certain to the end and both teams had good and bad spots
in the game. It was disappointing that the scrums reverted to no contest
due to the Cheetahs losing their props. The Crusaders had the Cheetahs
on the ropes and had they been able to put more pressure on the scrum
it is likely that they would have dominated the game in the second
half. It was not to be and so it remained a close game throughout.
Watching the game it could be said that the Crusaders have the personnel
to win the games and the competition but they have not quite got it
together yet. There is a feeling that they are trying too hard and
expect that everytime that they get the ball something magical is
going to happen. It is a different team this year and they need to
let things happen with patience and the results will come. Great teams
show patience and work on the basics until they know they can dominate
the game and then breakout. This is what the Crusaders of the old
use to do and this is what the team now needs to be doing. If the
coach, Blackadder, and the senior players can instill patience into
the team they will be capable of winning the title. If they don't
instill that patience then that title will be a long way off.
One of the surprises of the Crusaders game was how it ended. The final hooter had gone, the Cheetahs were down in their half but most
important they had possession. They had attacked all game and it would have reasonable to expect that the same would occur.
However the ball moved from the forwards to the back line and they kicked it out ending the game. Was it to secure the losing
point or were they scared of the Crusaders? I believe that it was the first and which is disappointing because they had players
who threatened and broke the defence all night. If they kept going they could have come away with the win. Too late now and the
Crusaders get the win to christen the new stadium.
13th March 2012 - Rugby Loses A True Legend
This week I have decided not to publish a rugby diary but instead acknowledge
that New Zealand has lost a true rugby legend Jock Hobbs. Our sympathies
are extended to the Hobbs family and our thoughts are with them. Right
to the end Mr Hobbs showed tremendous strength and dignity.
Mr Hobbs started in representative rugby with Canterbury and was a player of real ability. He went onto higher
honours and played 39 games for the All Blacks of which 21 were tests. He captained the All Blacks in 16 games.
Unfortunately like a number of players today his career was cut short because of ongoing concussion problems.
Mr Hobbs was not lost to rugby however as he became a formidable administrator and he is credited with saving the
game in New Zealand. In 1995 when rugby turned professional the World Rugby Corporation was trying to sign as many
players as they could. However Mr Hobbs was one step ahead of them and targeted the right players to convince others
that the World Rugby Corporation was not the right way to go. One can only imagine what the game would be like now had
Mr Hobbs not stepped in and saved the game.
Having saved the game when it turned professional Mr Hobbs was lost to rugby for a while but came back when he could
see the vision of New Zealand hosting the Rugby World Cup and making it a huge success. Mr Hobbs put the hard yards into
the negotiations and he can be credited with winning the hosting rights. Mr Hobbs was right in that New Zealand hosted
an outstanding tournament and it was only fitting that he was there presenting the special 100 caps to McCaw and Muliaina.
With all the recent turmoil in rugby the current administrators could take a lesson from the manner in which Mr Hobbs
went about running the rugby business. He did it with thought, prestige, honour and integrity. The same could not be
said about the current administrators.
This day will always be remembered as the day that we lost a rugby
legend and the whole rugby public will be feeling that loss. Farewell
Mr Hobbs and may you rest in peace. You will never be forgotten.
5th March 2012 - Otago Rugby In Disarray / Crusaders Falter
The talking point this week has to the Otago Rugby Union and the disaster in which
they find themselves. I hear people criticising the New Zealand rugby union but quite
rightly they are not prepared to bail out the Otago Union. Lets face it any business with
debt in excess of $2m and no cash to pay it is not easy to save it. As I see it there are two
problems here and which need to be solved if other unions are not to go the same way.
The first problem is the obvious incompetence of the people running the union itself. Did they not
realise the perilous state in which they found themselves? Do they have the understanding of what
it takes to be in business? Were they getting regular reporting as to the financial situation and
performance? These are all key questions and which need to be answered. If this was a standard
business action would have been taken well before now and heads would have rolled. Did they not
understand that this is a business and it needs to be run in that manner?
The second problem is the ITM Cup and the fact that it is being run as a professional competition.
Any union in this other than Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury are never going to last when
they are expected to pay their players for playing. This level of competition MUST be amateur.
It is never going to make it easy if players are paid. I have heard of one union where a player
(All Black) was paid his full wages by that union but only ever made one appearance for that
province. Is that fair? Definitely no and I fed up with the big boys making it hard for the
real rugby lover out there. Steve Tew I am pointing the finger at you!
Time for the ITM Cup to be overhauled and new ideas put forward. One suggestion that I have is that
we move towards the way that the NRL is structured. Why not have the Super 15 as the premium product
with the All Black stars and then have the ITM Cup as amateur (or lower paid) being played underneath.
The ITM Cup could then become a feeder competition for the Super 15. Look at the New Zealand Warriors
and their feeder teams. Works fantastically for when a player is out of form or when a player is injured.
The games could also be the pre-game entertainment for the main Super 15 match. What do you think about
this approach?
Whatever the outcome Otago rugby needs to be saved somehow but the New Zealand Rugby Union has to step
back and say what are we doing wrong and how can we fix it? To continue on the same track as they are
now will do nothing and will be to the detriment of New Zealand rugby.
The Crusaders v Highlanders game will be remembered for two things. The first being that the clock went
haywire and left the players in a state of confusion. All sorts of excuses have been offered but in today's
world these things should not be allowed to happen.
The other memorable part of the game is that it was a fierce game with both teams doing all they could
for the win. The Highlanders came out with a passion and I don't believe that the Crusaders were actually
ready or expecting them to be so tough. Based on previous form it would have been reasonable to assume
that the Highlanders were beatable and no doubt the Crusaders were targeting this game as a win. However
it wasn't to be and the Crusaders narrowly went down. The score line could have been worse for the Crusaders
if the Highlanders had not blown some of the chances they had. Clearly Blackadder has to head back to the
drawing board and put a new plan together.
27th February 2012 - Super 15 Week 1 Opens With A Bang
If week one of the 2012 Super Rugby season is anything to go by we are
in for a very exciting season and a lot of nail biting games. I never
anticipated that the games would be so close but that is what the
rugby public wants. They want the teams to be close and the games
even closer.
The season started with the Crusaders - Blues game in which both teams attacked and counter attacked with
potential. In the end it came down to the final few seconds of the game where Piri Weepu had a
chance to win the games for the Blues. He took the kick but bombed which must be difficult for the coach
as Weepu was bought into the Blues as the game winner. The Crusaders when they had the lead did not shut
down but continued to attack and defended with real passion. That passion led them to a 19 - 18 win.
Congratulations must go to Bleyendaal for an outstanding Super rugby debut.
If there was a downside to the game it was that it did not consist of outstanding play but instead it
could be said that it was an ugly game. This is of course a reflection of the fact that the team
is still coming together and learning but it bodes well for the future.
An interesting aspect for next week is that Zac Guildford is due back
from his suspension. The question for Blackadder is should he bring
Guildford back into the team or stick with the team who won this week.
I will say it now Guildford is not worthy to be put straight back
into the team, he needs to earn the right to be part of the starting
line up. If and that is a big if he should start off the bench but
definitely not as part of the starting lineup.
In the other games the results were:
Brumbies 19 - Force 17
Bulls 18 - Sharks 13
Highlanders 23 - Chiefs 19
Reds 25 - Waratahs 21
Stormers 39 - Hurricanes 26
Lions 27 - Cheetahs 25
20th February 2012 - Super 15 Preview
The rugby season has rolled around very quick and the excitement is building and I can't wait for the season to
start. The big question is having recaptured the Rugby World Cup what is the New Zealand appetite for weekly rugby.
Judging by the interest that I have received as to whether I was going to be producing his sport diaries on the
Super 15 it would seem that there is a big appetite. I say bring it on and lets get this season started. Will I
be face the wrath of the New Zealand Rugby Union? Last season a reader of the diaries threatened to report myself for
my opinions.
At the start of any Super rugby season there is the unknown of how the teams will go with new players being signed, players
retiring last season and the cutting of players for other players. There has been a shakeup with a lot of the teams and
we will see players in differing colours when we might not have otherwise expected. Rather than focus on all teams I will
look at the New Zealand teams and give my opinion and at the end I will predict who the finalists will be.
Crusaders
The Crusaders will be a force again this season with the return to a home stadium which is currently under construction. Will
this new stadium be a fortress for the Crusaders? I definately think so. The Crusaders have the big stars such as Carter, McCaw,
Dagg and the like but they also have up and coming players who possess that special Crusaders talent. These players include Maitland,
Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd and Bleyendall. With Blackadder as the coach who is focused on delivering another title to the province
it is going to take a very special team to topple this team. Expect to see the Crusaders in the finals again and filled with more
desire and passion than last season.
Chiefs
The Chiefs have undergone big changes not only in terms of playing
personnel but also the coaching staff. The coaching staff of Dave
Rennie and Wayne Smith bring expertise to a team which also promised
but always failed to delivered. These men have a long road ahead of
them but it is going to take a significant change in culture for the
results to start to show. In terms of the playing talent the Chiefs
have attracted outstanding talent in Aaron Cruden and the so called
star of rugby Sonny Bill Williams. If these two can stay fit and team
up with Richard Kahui the backline has the potential to fire some
big shots but only time will tell if they can. The biggest problem
for the team is that the tight five could be deemed soft and may find
the tight up front competitions hard to take. Be interesting to see
if they can compete, my view is that they will struggle for the last
20 minutes of any game. I believe that Chiefs will finish 6th or 7th.
This will be better than previous seasons but not quite good enough.
Blues
The Blues have always been thereabouts and this season it is likely
that they will be more than thereabouts with the team that Pat Lam
has put together. The team has imported Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu as
the big signings and this will make a big difference. The Blues have
an outstanding backline which may consist of players such as Nonu,
Weepu, Renee Ranger, Isaia Toeava and Alby Mathewson. This will be
a hard backline to beat if they can all get on the field together.
The forwards look strong and will try to dominant the teams that they
play. I will say it now but I believe that the Blues will be in the
finals but not reach the grand final. The semi-finals will be as far
as they go however.
Highlanders
What does this season hold for this team? If the pre-season is anything to go by then the team is in for a difficult season with a lot of
their topline players out already for a period of time. The team has some star players such as James Haskell, Colin Slade, Andrew Hore, Hosea Gear
and Adam Thomson. However that is really where the team starts and ends as the balance of the players are solid but not the stars which are
important for a good Super rugby season. The team will play with the usual passion but that will take them only so far. The best that they will
do this season is 9th although may sneak into 8th.
Hurricanes
Last season was a tough season for this time and the coach Mark Hammett had a hard team to manage. He has obviously decided to put the team on
a path of rebuilding and developing a new culture. Gone on the players who could be viewed as being prima-donnas and those left are the players
who can wear the Hurricanes jersey with pride. The team has the World Cup starts of Conrad Smith, Cory Jane and Victor Vito and they are going
to need bit of their experience and knowledge to get the team through a season which will come with a lot of ups and downs. Don't expect anything
from the Hurricanes this season in terms of reaching the finals. 10th is likely to be their finishing spot for the year.
Who am I predicting to be the finalists and likely winner for the year?
Crusaders - 2012 champions
Will I be right? Do you agree with my predictions? I will find out as
the Super rugby season rolls on and the teams sort each other out.
If you think I am wrong then tell me who you see winning the competition
and who the Champion will be. I challenge you to put your opinion
on the line.
12th December 2011 - Black Caps Stun Cricketing World
What a stunning performance that the Black Caps pulled off in the test match against Australia. Like the rest of the
cricketing world I was absolutely stunned that the Blacks Caps pulled off the victory when all seemed lost for them.
I am forever hopeful that now that the cricketing public know that the Black Caps can do it that the roller coaster
ride we have been taken on in the past will not continue again.
The most amazing aspect of the test match was that this is only the 3rd win in 28 tests on Australian soil and that
they have never beaten Australia since the 1985-86 season. That is a long time between drinks for the New Zealand
public and they certainly deserve to celebrate now.
Australia looked odds on to win the match when they were approaching the lunch break very comfortably placed at 159 for 2.
However Black Caps captain Ross Taylor had different ideas and reintroduced Doug Bracewell back into the attack. With Bracewell
proving hard to play and taking wickets Australia went nervously into lunch at 179 for 5. No-one could have ever dreamed Australia
would be sitting like that nor could they expect to see what happened after lunch. Australia tried to fight after lunch but that
drive, desire and skills of the pass were not there and they capitulated and were all out for 233.
Congratulations go to the Black Caps for fighting hard when the match seemed lost and producing the result of the year.
I must commend Doug Bracewell on a magificent bowling effort to skittle the Australians and he should go down in histry as being
the man who turned the match for New Zealand. Without him do we have the firepower to win other matches? Hmmm we can
only hope and pray that he stays fit and healthy for the rest of the cricket season.
If there was one shinning light for Australia it would have to be David Warner who played magnificently and scored an unbeaten
123 in the second innings. To play and score like he did must have taken considerable effort on his part especially when his team
mates were falling around him. Well done mate and well played.
On another note is it time for Ricky "Punter" Pointing to go. This
cricket commentator certainly thinks so. Don't destroy a wonderful cricketing career by continuing to play and play poorly. Go out
gracefully and be remembered as one of the all time greats.
5th December 2011 - Black Caps Deliver Bad Result Again
Who was surprised by the result over the past few days in the test match
against the Australians? It would be reasonable to say that I did
not share the same optimism that the Black Caps had. Just as well
really because they were a complete flop and I would even be prepared
to go as far as to say they were a flop. Why is it that we must continue
to suffer these embarrassments.
The Black Caps seemed to be fooling themselves believing that winning against Zimbabwe was going to be the catalyst for a change of fortunes.
In addition they took confidence from the fact that they scored runs in a practice game against Australia A. How deluded were they and why did
they take the rest of New Zealand with them? Zimbabwe are well below the calibre of Australia and the practice game was just that, a practice
game. To come out believing that these represented a new found form for the team was going too far. It should have been viewed as being
a stepping stone and that Australia were going to be a bigger hurdle to overcome.
The reality is that the batsmen continue to be a complete failure and highlight just what a big step it is to go from first class cricket
up to the big time and mixing it with the stars of the game. I am firmly of the belief that it is time for the batsmen to take a step
back and have a good look at themselves. More time is required in the batting nets and to continue to do so until they can prove that
they have the skills necessary to mix with Australia.
There is a lot of other problems with the team and these include the bowling attack lacking potency, poor fielding skills and team leadership.
The coach would have been gutted by this result and rightly so. They were completely humiliated and need to do a lot of soul searching if they are
to come back from this. Attention now turns to Hobart and whether there will be another humiliation or if the Black Caps can fight back and
get the result that us cricket followers are yearning for.
14th November 2011 - Cricket Season About To Begin
With the completion of the 2011 rugby season we turn our focus towards the summer sport, namely cricket, which is about to commence.
In New Zealand we have a cricket team being the "Black Caps" that
runs hot one game and then cold the next. We have the players who
should be capable of matching anyone in international cricket but
seem to lack that mental prowess to do so. Over the next few months
Kerry will be watching the cricket and giving his thoughts on the
games as we wait for the rugby season to begin. You can expect that
Kerry will be very opinionated on the Black Caps as for years he has
followed them and be let down so many times. Watch this space and
lets hope that Kerry is not too controversial.
Already with the tour of Zimbabwe we have seen the usual happening with them winning and then dropping one or two games. There was no way that Zimbabwe
should have been able to beat the Black Caps in the last one dayer played there. Zimbabwe fielded a team that many of the top first class sides in
New Zealand could have easily beaten. However it was not to be and the Black Caps went down.
The focus for the Black Caps is now the test series against Australia and this series should be an absolute stunner. We have New Zealand who struggle
to play consistently against an Australian team that is rebuilding and got absolutely hammered in South Africa in their first test match. If there was
ever an opportunity for New Zealand to make a clean sweep of the test series now is the time. Can they do it? Hard to know until we see what team
decides to actually turn up on the day.
24th October 2011 - All Blacks Are The World Champions
The All Blacks have done it and been crowned world champions and the rightful holders of the William Webb Ellis Trophy. Congratulations to Richie and his men, we are
extremely proud of you and it is fantastic to see you getting the rewards that you have been working 8 long years for. Enjoy the moment and bask in the glory of win.
We must praise France for taking it to the All Blacks in a game where France had been written off and everyone assuming that the All Blacks would romp home. France
played the better game on the night and came extremely close to clinching their first World Cup title. We knew right from the moment that the haka was performed that
we were going to see a hard fought game. France finally broke the ludicrous rule by the IRD and charged the haka. This is exactly what the game needed as for too long
teams have had to stand there and watch the All Blacks perform the haka. Well done France, you have more than earned the respect of the DAA team.
If we have a look at the game it would be fair to say that the All Blacks played within themselves and played the better game the week before against Australia. The
All Blacks seemed hesitant to try anything, were non-committal and basically played it safe. In some respects this was disappointing as everyone expected them to come
out firing. They didn't do that but it didn't matter as all they needed was to win the game by one point which is exactly what they did. The stats for the game showed
exactly how passionate the French were and how the All Blacks never really threatened France. It is clearly a game that will never go down in the records books as
being a game that everyone will remember for the play but rather for the All Blacks winning their second World Cup after years of trying.
There was one disappointing part to the game and it occurred afterwards. This demonstrated to me a lack of respect for the team, the jersey and the country. What
was it? It was a tweet on Twitter from Cory Jane which said "Are we allowed 2 drink now???? Or will the media report this haha" Maybe it was said in the spirit
of fun but it was done in poor taste. Having been caught drunk only a couple of weeks prior more self control should have been exercised. Yes he could celebrate
but to make fun of what the country considers to be serious is pathetic. If the New Zealand Rugby Union is to show that they view this as being inappropriate
they will ask Jane to issue a formal apology and to make an example of him. Will we see this? No we won't because there is no leadership within the union that
wants to front up and see the drinking problem that some All Blacks have. I for one will continue to push for the appropriate punishment to be dished
out to Jane and believe that he should receive a suspension from all rugby for a minimum of 4 weeks. Only then will Jane learn that drinking to excess a
nd the All Blacks do not mix. Until we see something from the Union I will question the attitude of Jane, the All Black management and the Union.
17th October 2011 - Is Bill Coming Home To His Birthplace?
Before I make any comment about the games let me just put on record that I was disappointed that the coaches let Dagg and Jane play over
the weekend after they got drunk the previous week. Yes they played well and in some eyes may have redeemed themselves but what message
does this convey to the world and our binge drinking culture. They should have been dropped!!
Semi-finals are played and the finalists for the William Web Ellis trophy have been found. Well done to both the All Blacks and France
on achieving this magnificent feat and succeeding through such a tough competition. Is there anyway that the trophy (Bill)
is not coming home to his birthplace being New Zealand? No I do not think there is any chance. The All Blacks were very clinical in their
defeat of the Wallabies and based on current form I doubt that France will even come close. I am mindful that they killed us in the last
World Cup but the All Blacks are a far different team and whilst confident are not as cocky as they once were.
How I see the game being played on Sunday is for the All Blacks to come out and try to play their brand of rugby. France will take
a different tactic and attempt to slow the game down which may frustrate the All Blacks. However the All Blacks will remain strong
and win this game by quite a margin and will do so with class. Winning margin? I am going to stick my neck out and say by 15 points.
The All Blacks were very dominant against the Wallabies but there is one chink in their armour and I have talked about it in previous
rugby diaries. This chink is the ability to score points when it matters. In last nights semi-final it turned out in the end not to be
important but in the final it could be the difference between winning and losing. What I am referring to here is our goal kicking. Weepu
missed several key chances last night and this needs to be addressed. If France try to shut the game down like they did against Wales
then goal kicking is going to be crucial. Weepu needs more practice and especially for those kicks which are near the 5m to 15m position
on the field.
Finally we have someone in the team that can kick drop goals. Cruden was an absolute pro when it came time to kick one and we need to get
him in the pocket everytime we are down near the French goal line and chances of scoring a try look remote. For such a young man he displayed
characteristics of someone that everyone should be looking to. If he can keep doing the drop goals then the All Blacks will be lifting that cup
high. If Dagg at anytime during the game thinks he can have another go Richie needs to give him a slap around the ears - he does not have the
necessary skills to do so and he proved it last night.
The disappointing game over the weekend has to be the Wales v France game as it was not the style of rugby that everyone wanted to see. But lets
face it Warburton got what he deserved with the red card and sending off. The tackle was dangerous and whether the player got up or not is irrelevant
as the rules are clear about this type of tackle. I see some are arguing that it should have been a yellow card because it was not that serious
in the end and that as a result the ref then cost Wales the game. What a load of rubbish - if anyone cost Wales the game Warburton did as he was
the tackler. Don't blame the ref for applying the rules and doing the right thing.
Of the two upcoming games what will be the game of the weekend? Well clearly it is the 3rd and 4th playoff. Both Wales and Australia have nothing
to lose in terms of this game as they have both done themselves proud. I suspect that what we will see is a running style of play where they
will both want to score points and throw the ball around as much as they can. Who will be the victor? I say Australia should come out on top
in this game. I will categorically state right now that in the next World Cup (subject to the draw) that these two teams will play for the
trophy.
10th October 2011 - Semi-Finalists Found
This past weekend was a spectacular weekend of rugby and the games were hard fought and full of passion which is exactly what
we wanted to see. Did everyone pick the right winners over the weekend? I came close with three out of four winners and never
expected the French to get up over the English like they did. It will be interesting to see if there are any team changes
during the week but at this stage I still anticipate a Wales v Australia final. Lets have a look at each game over the weekend and what came
out of those games.
Wales (22) v Ireland (10)
This was a game where the result could have gone either way on the day as the two teams were extremely well matched and past history
showed that one team never dominated over the other. The Welsh deserved to win this game as they stuck to the game plan, made a limited
number of errors and put up a strong defensive wall that Ireland could not break through. The coach, Warren Gatland, has put this team
through intensive training including a camp in Poland which the players admit almost killed them and his regime paid dividends on
Saturday night. The Welsh were the far superior team on the night and when you analyse the game we find that they were superior in
every phase of the game. Ireland were extremely lucky to lose by what they did as had the Welsh given it their all I am confident that
the winning margin would have been much higher.
Based on the games throughout the World Cup Wales have the potential to go all the way and you will have seen from an earlier rugby diary
that I have picked them to be in the final. Even if Wales do not win the World Cup this time around there is a lot of warning signs for the
rest of the rugby world. This is a young team who are still building experience and there is no doubt that the longer they are together and
the more experienced they become the more formidable they will be. I will make the call now but I expect Wales to win the World Cup in 2015.
England (12) v France (19)
This game was a boilover game and has stunned the rugby world. No-one expected that England who are supposed to be a powerhouse of rugby to lose
to a French team which is in complete disarray. I know I certainly didn't - I expected it to be close but thought England would sneak through.
France came out with a fire in their belly that no team was ever going to overcome. They were fiercely criticized in the media and written off
and that gave them the determination to prove everyone wrong. Not only was this a factor but they played a better game of rugby by sticking to
what they did best. England on the other hand had no answers and were left with the forlorn hope that Wilkinson would be the answer. England
lost their game plan due to the style of French rugby and were in the end left embarrassed.
Les félicitations la France - vous êtes un demi-finaliste noble
If there is one positive out of this game for English fans it would have to be that the English Rugby Union may finally recognise that they have
been too arrogant, cavalier and now paid the price. The whole World Cup campaign has been poorly managed and disorganised with too many instances
which have tarnished the image of the cup. These instances include Mike Tindall with his Queenstown antics, the hotel incident in Dunedin and
training earlier than scheduled so they didn't have to face so many questions from the media. English fans will be demanding a clean out of officialdom
and rightly so. England have been humiliated and heads deserve to roll. Question - why didn't Martin Johnson do the admirable thing like the South African
coach and fall on his sword? Too arrogant maybe? You decide.
South Africa (9) v Australia (11)
If any match was to be classed as the match of the weekend this would have to be it. The game was fierce and combative with neither team giving an
inch. In the end the game came down to the team that made the least mistakes and Australia was that team. South Africa looked from the kick off to
be the team that would win this match but they made far too many mistakes at crucial times and let points go begging. Australia were resolute in their
defence and fought hard. Australia were lucky to get through but a win is a win and they move onto the next stage. There were three Wallabies players
who were the saviours for the team and without them Australia are in trouble. These players played like men possessed and were Pocock, Horwell and
O'Connor. Well done guys you did your team and country proud.
The coach, Dingo Deans, must be a worried man as he still has a weakness at first five with Quade Cooper and has no alternative but to keep playing him.
Cooper is far too casual and was caught out on several occasions. Deans needs to have a private session with Cooper and help overcome this casualness
and loss of faith in his skills. If Cooper can go back to how he use to play then Australia will be tough for the All Blacks to roll. If you put Cooper
with Genia, Ioane and O'Connor you have a potent combination that could score points from anywhere on the field.
New Zealand (33) v Argentina (10)
This has to be the most disappointing game of the weekend although for All Black supporters they got the win and have gone further than the last
world cup. The All Blacks were expected to front up and demolish the Pumas. They failed to do this and have left the rugby world with a lot of questions
about how much further they will go. The Pumas have revealed a weakness in All Black play being that if the ball is slowed down the All Blacks will
struggle to score points. No doubt the other teams seen this and Henry needs to further develop a game plan to combat this. Yes the All Blacks were
patient when it was happening and did not push the passes like they use to but it is a kink in their game that can be easily exploited. Weepu was
an enormous star on the night and saved the team from an embarrassing narrow win. We need to protect this guy during the week because if he is injured
leading into the semi-final I doubt that the All Blacks can beat the Wallabies.
Lets give Aaron Cruden a big pat on the back and thanks as he saved the game for us. Here is a guy who ten days ago was packing to go away on
holiday and is now faced with running the backline for a semi final. This is a huge step up for the guy but he did like a true professional
and the All Blacks are very lucky to have him.
If there is one aspect to this game which has soured the reputation of the All Blacks for me it is Dagg and Jane out drinking days before a crucial
match. Where was the management controlling the team? Where is the discipline? These two do not give the jersey, the team and the country the respect
that is required of a player at this level. I demand that Henry stand them down for one game as punishment. I don't care how much we need them or even
how important the game is, no player should be getting drunk during such an important campaign. No player is bigger than the team and they should pay
the price. Will they? No because Henry is too weak and can't face the prospect of being criticised for leaving them out. Would like to see Henry
prove me wrong but I doubt he will.
3rd October 2011 - All Black Campaign Gets The Wobbles
The past weekend has stunned the rugby world and the All Black supporters. First we have Richie out due to an ongoing
foot injury and then the most devastating news - Dan Carter gone! Our thoughts go out to Dan Carter at this time as this
has to be the worse news for him especially given that potentially this was his year and may never play in another World
Cup. We say maybe as a player of his calibre could play for a considerable time but he would be past his peak if he did
play in the next World Cup and do the All Blacks want to be carrying such a player. Time will tell.
It is clear from the body language and comments of the coaches that
Carter was pivotal to the success of the team and now without him
their game plan is in shatters. Whilst I understand that the plans
have to be developed that way shouldn't they have had a contingency
plan in case the worst did happen. If they didn't factor in such a
contingency then that is poor planning on the coaches behalf and you
have to question the wisdom of not doing so. The coaches should have
planned ahead as there were indications with other teams such as Australia,
South Africa and England that this was a tough competition and injuries
were highly probable. They all suffered injuries to key players and
now it is the turn of the All Blacks.
So what options do the All Blacks have? Colin Slade has to be the
first pick as replacement given that this is his specialist role although
he does lack the big game experience that the coaches need at this
point in the tournament. Makes you question whether playing Carter
through the Tri Nations was the smartest move especially if Slade
needs more experience. Slade had a wobbly start to the Canada game
but did come right before he was subbed off. Aaron Cruden has been
called up to the squad as cover but that is all he really is. He is
not a big game player and we know from past history what happens when
he is put under pressure. This leaves the possibility that Piri Weepu
could become the number 10 for the team but why would you do that?
Yes he had a good game against Canada in that role but he is the first
pick for halfback. To shift him from halfback to first five exposes
further issues for the team as the next choice for halfback (Ellis)
is good but he doesn't offer what Weepu does.
The All Black coaches are going to have to go with a Weepu / Slade combination and rework the game plan
so that Slade is not put under too much pressure. This therefore means that Weepu has to take more of a role from halfback and
in particular more of a kicking role. He has considerable vision and could dictate play from halfback in a far superior way
than what he could at first five.
Are the All Black chances in doubt? I don't think it is all doom and gloom but clearly the challenge to win the World Cup has
become more difficult. The All Blacks have now moved from probable winners to the position of being a contender along with England,
Australia, South Africa and Wales. Yes that's right you heard it first - Wales are a contender. If the All Blacks can hold together
and not let this take their focus away from the final goal they could win this World Cup. Yes a valuable player has been lost but it
is not as though the All Blacks just lost the quarter final. So lets be positive and stand behind the team at a time when they really
need us.
Quarter finalists have been determined and we have some interesting match ups ahead. Matches ahead of us and my predictions for the
outcome of those matches are:
- Ireland v Wales (Wales to win this)
- England v France (England to win this)
- South Africa v Australia (Australia to sneak home)
- New Zealand v Argentina (New Zealand to win this)
The South Africa v Australia game is going to be the match of the weekend and whilst I am picking Australia to win I am wary of the
Boks and how they have slowly been peaking at the right time. This will be a very close and hard fought game and the winner of this
match is likely to be the winner if they knock off the All Blacks in the semi final. Bring on next weekend - I can't wait!
26th September 2011 - Almost Predictable Weekend
Before I comment on the rugby over the weekend I must take this opportunity to congratulate the New Zealand Warriors
on their stunning result Saturday night and making the NRL grand final. If there was ever a team that deserved to make
the final they are the one. Since 1995 us loyal supporters have been hanging in there for the elusive title and maybe
this year we will do it. Manly will be tough opposition but we have the team and attitude to do it. Good luck boys,
we are 100% behind you.
Turning to the rugby over the weekend now it would be fair to say that the results were pretty much predictable except for
the Scotland - Argentina game. This had to be the game of the weekend with it seesawing between both teams. In the end
Argentina just came out on top with a replacement player, Gonzalez Amorosino, skirting down the sideline,
side stepping several players and going over for the winning try. Incredible how the Scots let him score that try given
their defence during the game. Tough luck Scotland but shows rugby is an 80 minute game and you simply have to keep
trying.
Something that did come out of the Scotland - Argentina game and which the All Black coaches need to think about is the ability
of Scotland to kick drop goals. I have always held the belief that the winning of the cup will more than likely come down
to a drop goal. Can Carter kick them? Yes we know he can but unless you do it regularly under pressure you cannot perfect
the technique required. It is likely that he will be rested this weekend against Canada but that would have been an ideal
opportunity for him to try under pressure. Yes, he kicked one this weekend but we need more of them and more regularly.
Talking to an expert in the know he also agrees with that sentiment and added
that points need to be accumulated at every opportunity whether it be by drop goal or penalty. Tries will be harder to come
by as the Cup goes on. We are both agreed there are some real danger signs here for the All Blacks as they seem to be
focused on scoring tries whenever they can. Lets keep an eye on this and if the All Blacks lose by a drop goal remember
you seen my thoughts here and that I have been proven right.
The result of the All Blacks - France game was pretty predictable and it was the winning margin that no-one that was
certain about. France tried hard and tested the All Blacks on a number of occasions but they were never going to be
good enough to beat the All Blacks on a night which held a lot of emotion due to the last World Cup and Richie's 100th
game for the team. Good on the All Blacks for winning the game but I do have some worries heading into the last pool game
and then the quarter finals.
The worries I have heading into the important stage of the Cup are:
- The All Blacks again did not seem to show the same level of passion, aggression and determination in the second half.
It was almost like they decided that they had done enough to win and that instead they would hang on to the end but at the
same time look to accumulate tries. This is an 80 minute game and requires 80 minutes of hard work and effort. We cannot
drop the intensity when we think that the game is won.
- Goal kicking misses continue to plague us and also other teams. The goal kickers need to have a session on their own
where all they do is kick goals from every position on the field. We cannot let this situation continue as that could be
deciding factor in the final. I accept that they maybe already practicing but more time is required. It has been said that
the ball is the problem but we can't keep using that as an excuse. Look at South Africa playing Namibia. The South
African goal kicker didn't seem to suffer the same problems with the ball.
- Try time celebrations - every try on Saturday night came with some form of celebratory gesture / dance by the All
Blacks. Yes celebrate the try but don't get too carried away. When you have won the final only then do I think you
have earned the right to celebrate. Until then a slap / hug etc is sufficient. Score the try, acknowledge it and then
get back on with the game.
Lets acknowledge the win and focus on the next game. Henry has already said that some of the team not selected Saturday
night will be chosen this weekend. Rightly so. Every player needs to have a run before we hit the quarter finals so that
they are mentally ready in the event that the team suffers an injury. We should see the welcome return of Read and it
will be interesting to see how he goes. Hopefully he is over his injury and hitting top gear again - we will need him
and his defensive skills for the quarters. Roll on Canada.
19th September 2011 - Upset Weekend
What an amazing weekend of rugby and in particular Saturday. Yes the All Blacks played and we will address that shortly
but lets look at the biggest result of the weekend - the Wallabies v Ireland game. Who picked that result? I certainly didn't
expect to watch the Wallabies be knocked over in that fashion. The Irish played with more determination and
passion and deserved to walk away with that result. Until the Wallabies start working as a team and not as individuals
they are never going to win this Cup. I am pointing the finger at Quade Cooper in particular. On several occasions he
took the wrong option and cost the team valuable possession. Unfair to blame it all on one man but he stood out from
the rest.
One interesting question regarding that game is what were the Wallabies coaches thinking in terms of the timing of
reserves coming onto the field. Five minutes to go and they bring on a couple of players? Was that a dumb tactical
move? I certainly think so and one player, Higginbottom, should have been on not long after the start of the second
half. "Dingo" Deans has a real problem ahead of him now - he has to get that team functional and face the tough
finals run in. Good luck mate, you are going to be needing it.
What has the Ireland result done to the cup? Well personally I think we now have a very lopsided cup with the strength
of rugby, being the Southern Hemisphere, on one side and the Northern Hemisphere on the other. Is this the worst outcome for
the organisers of the World Cup? I certainly think so and potentially could harm the ticket revenue that they expected
to receive. Why do I think that?
- Could the All Blacks or France secretly throw the game this weekend? If you were the coaches of either team
and looking at the potential quarter and semi finalists it is something you need to consider. Lose this weekend
and you get the weaker side of the draw and a far easier run through to the Cup final. Win and you face the prospect
of having to play South Africa / Wallabies. Lets see if this becomes a factor when the game is played this weekend.
- Assuming the Wallabies get through to the Semi Final this is the hoped for final being played a week earlier than
anticipated. This will be a big game but draws away from the actual final. Will the interest be the same for the Cup
final? Only time will tell. I fear that it will not.
- The organisers were relying on the Australian tourists to flock to the country as the World Cup progressed. Given
that their team is performing well below their true potential I doubt that we will see the same level of interest now.
Less interest mean less ticket sales which results in a bigger loss for the organisers.
The All Blacks result on Friday night was a given even before the game itself was played. The Japan coach John Kirwan
conceded this was not a game that they were looking to win. Despite that we have to give credit to Japan as they held
the score of the All Blacks to less than ninety and is a vast improvement on games in the past. All Blacks played well
and got the result. I think that is all we can really say about this game in terms of the result.
You will have seen in the past my thoughts about Sonny Bill Williams and if I may say so I think I have been proven
right in that he is a better impact player than a starting player. If the coaches cannot see this then they are clearly
not the right people for the job. As soon as he came on he had an immediate impact and the Japanese were unable to
easily contain him. Yes it was a 2nd tier team but he still had an impact and that is what you want from a player
like him.
Will we have anymore upset results this week? I certainly hope there will be and I have my fingers crossed that
neither the All Blacks or France will throw their game.
12th September 2011 - Opening World Cup Weekend
The Rugby World Cup is finally here and underway and what a start to the competition. The opening weekend was incredible
with passion, determination and drama. No upset results over the weekend but there were a couple of close calls for
the more fancied teams. Could a better start to the weekend have been scripted? I suspect not. Looking
forward to the rest of the competition.
Lets turn our attention to the game we had all been looking forward to, namely the All Blacks v Tonga. They say that rugby
is a game of two halves and lets be honest the All Blacks won the first half and Tonga won the second. It was a game that
promised a lot but in terms of performance by Richie & his men underdelivered.
It is almost
as if at half time the All Blacks thought that the game was won and that they just had to keep doing what they doing and
they were going to clock up the points. However Tonga had different ideas and we have to commend their coach Isitolo Maka
on the timing of his substitutions and especially that of Alisona Taumololo. The Tongan prop led the way, fired up and
team and got the reward in the second half when the All Blacks were under huge pressure on their own goal line. We have
to commend Tonga on the effort and for taking it to our boys.
Whilst it was an average game for the All Blacks there were some positives to come out of the game including:
- Richard Kahui had a tremendous game and must have the coaches thinking about the starting backline. With
Conrad Smith to come back and hopefully pair with Nonu it only leaves room for Kahui on the wing. Who is the
winger that is going to miss out? Who really cares - if Kahui is going to be playing like that we need him in the
starting line up. The coaches cannot deny him further game time.
- Israel Dagg had a strong game putting more pressure on that fullback position. I only wished that he had done
more during the game to cement his place in the starting line up.
- Sonny Bill Williams hit back at the criticism and I will admit I was wrong to question his selection. Yes he made
mistakes but lets be fair so did a number of other players. I still think he would be better coming off the
bench as an impact player when the opposition are getting tired.
One concern I do have is Richie McCaw. There use to be a time where he was the best openside in the world
and could steal ball at the drop of a hat. However that same Richie was not evident in the game on Friday night and
during the Tri-Nations. I will conceded that his workrate cannot be faulted with him being in the first three
to the ruck on at least 30 occasions. However I cannot recall him getting any turnover ball. Are we seeing the demise
of Richie as the best? I certainly hope not as we need him to win the Cup but I do fear that we might be.
Game in summary - All Blacks played well in some parts but could have done so much better. They got the win and can look
forward to the next game but have they satisfied the fears of the Nation? I think there is a lot of worried people
out there still - they know we have the skills to win but not confident they have the perfect combinations or
determination to do so yet. I know I am in that camp.
Biggest drama of the weekend - Wales v South Africa. Wayne Barnes has hit the headlines again and this is going to
a controversy that won't go away especially if the cup chances of Wales have diminished as a result. I believe that
it was a penalty goal and Wales were robbed. When are the IRB going to recognise Wayne Barnes is a dubious ref? Furthermore
when did he last have his sight tested? This together with several missed forward passes has me wanting his termination
at the Cup. At least now New Zealand is not alone in a hatred for Wayne Barnes - Wales have now joined us.
8th September 2011 - The All Blacks Prayer
Here at DAA we bow our heads and recite this prayer every morning this week leading up to the cup and will continue
to do so until Richie holds that golden trophy aloft. The author is unknown but we thank them for the writing of
this prayer.
Our players who art in Black,
Hallowed be thy game.
When full-time come,
... thy will be done.
In 2011 as it was in '87.
... Give us each game our daily victory.
And forgive us our previous shortcomings.
As we forgive those who coached in '07.
And lead us not to knock-out round failure.
But deliver us from World Cup drought.
In the name of McCaw, Carter and the Holy Webb Ellis......
Amen
7th September 2011 - All Blacks Team Against Tonga Named
Graham Henry announced today his first team for the World Cup and who will be facing the formidable Tonga on Friday
night. The team itself was reasonably predictable but Henry caught this rugby commentator offside with a couple of
names. We have Israel Dagg in which is so desperately needed after Mils Muliaina was found to be wanting in the last
test match against the Wallabies. Henry has openly admitted that ""He (Muliaina) has been one of the top fullbacks in
the world for some time, having a bit of a flat patch at the moment but knowing Mils he will respond to that". One can only
hope that Dagg forms part of the core starting XV for the All Blacks however I doubt this to be the case. Henry still rates
Mils highly and we will no doubt see him back for other pool games and the quarter finals should the team make it that
far.
The name that caught me off guard was Sonny Bill Williams starting at second five and Nonu being pushed out to centre.
Yes SWB needs game time but why against Tonga? We recognise that there is a lot of competition within the squad and
maybe Henry is testing SBW out in terms of whether he can step up to a big match like this. But that is no reason
to start SBW now. Why couldn't he wait until a later game such as Canada or Japan? Personally I would have liked
to have seen Nonu remain as second five as he is so dangerous from that position. Centre is not an ideal fit for him. Maybe
have SBW coming off the bench as an impact player when the opposition are tiring is a better option. If he had open space
he could be lethal as an impact player. Only time will tell as to what Henry does about the second five / centre pairing.
My overall impression with the team is that we have the skills and the players to comfortably beat Tonga. Given the
level of expectation from the public out there these players need to play
hard, show mental toughness and deal to Tonga. Tonga are not the easy beats that some commentators have said they are
and this is going to be a tough test for the All Blacks but I am confident they will win this.
The team announced today was:
- Tony Woodcock
- Andrew Hore
- Owen Franks
- Brad Thorn
- Ali Williams
- Jerome Kaino
- Richie McCaw - captain
- Victor Vito
- Jimmy Cowan
- Daniel Carter
- Isaia Toeava
- Sonny Bill Williams
- Ma'a Nonu
- Richard Kahui
- Israel Dagg
Reserves:
- Corey Flynn
- Ben Franks
- Anthony Boric
- Sam Whitelock
- Piri Weepu
- Colin Slade
- Cory Jane
5th September - DAA Shows Their Support
Have you seen the DAA offices lately? If you have a close look you will find that we are proudly supporting
our favoured teams for the World Cup out the front of the office. If the Cup goes as planned there could be
trouble in the office when the teams supported meet. If you are going past give us a toot to show your
support also.
28th August 2011 - All Blacks Lose Tri-Nations
What an amazing result that we seen tonight and one that not many expected. Losing the Tri-Nations 20-25 to the Wallabies
was a tough night for the All Blacks. Congratulations to the Wallabies as they were the better team and it has been several
years since they last held the trophy aloft. Is this the start of the derailment of the All Blacks
campaign to win the Rugby World Cup? Personally I don't think so, I think it was more the case of several mistakes happening on the night
and the Wallabies showing far more passion than the All Blacks. If anything this is a good result for the All Blacks as it should
make them realise that they are not as invincible as they had appeared to be.
The most glaring mistake is not that of the players but the Coach himself. What was Henry thinking by resting key players? Haven't
we learnt from the past that resting key players does not work? It is unbelievable that Henry can continue to make the same
mistake and yet seem unaccountable. Not good enough! Yes resting players is wise but you have to be careful about who you are resting
and how you rest them. Perhaps he need to think about resting some via the reserves bench.
I am going to not to summarise the game play by play but instead I am going to list what I believe were the things that the
All Blacks need to be giving though to or do something about:
Warning signs were there when the Wallabies stared down the haka with passion in their eyes.
All Blacks seemed shell shocked and unable to recover during the first half.
The forward were hammered by the Wallabies and had nothing to respond with during the first half
Adam Thompson should have come off earlier in the night when he first injured his elbow. He was in no shape
to tackle Samo when he made the burst and scored the try for Wallabies
Loss of Thompson and Read was a blow to the loosies. Hard for a team to operate when the two of top loosies are injured.
Had the coaches not anticipated such an event could occur?
Why did it take so long for the All Blacks to complete up front and hold the ball? Second half showed that it was hard for
the Wallabies to complete when the All Blacks did
The All Blacks have a fantastic centre pairing in Nonu and Smith. Smith was solid on defence and saved embarrassment for
the All Blacks in terms of the scoreboard. Whilst on the other hand Nonu was barnstorming on attack and back to his best.
Henry has to keep these two as the pairing, we cannot afford them to be separated.
Where was Jane? He seemed to have gone missing whilst Guildford got challenged heavily by the Wallabies. The wingers
continue to be a problem and we may have problems there in the World Cup. Give Guildford another chance, he is a better
player than he showed during the game
Yes the All Blacks suffered a loss tonight but lets not panic. It is the Tri-Nations after all. If the same errors and play
occurred in a pool play match then we need to be worried. Henry has plenty to work on and this will make the team stronger
and more passionate. Let the Wallabies enjoy their moment, do not get too depressed about this result and look forward to the
World Cup.
23rd August 2011 - All Blacks Team Named
So, today the three wise men namely the coaches have announced the men to carry the hopes of a nation in winning the Rugby
World Cup. It would seem that the squad has gone for speed rather than power in the backline whilst in the forward pack
it is a pretty solid selection with a couple of surprises. This is one of the most experienced squads and New Zealand
is going to need that experience if they are to succeed. We certainly hope that they succeed or it is going to be a
very dark day for New Zealand.
One the biggest concerns that I have is the depth of the squad. If we lose Brad Thorn, Richie McCaw or Dan Carter to
injury the All Blacks are in trouble. We do not have at this stage the depth that is required to take us all the way.
Therefore Henry is going to have to manage the players very carefully. The obvious solution is to target a game where
they are confident of a win but the margin is not as important as the ability to give non-key players a run. That game
has to be Canada. There is the Japan game also. However the All Blacks cannot take the view that Japan is an easy game
because they are a team on the rise and their coach John Kirwan has very high hopes for their performance.
By far one of the biggest disappointments has to be the naming of Sonny Bill Williams in the squad. How does he continue
to justify selection when he is not demonstrating the mental abilities one would expect of such a highly paid player?
Furthermore when is he going to be told that attempting to offload every time that he runs with the ball is not always
possible nor wise. Sometimes going into a ruck or maul is more beneficial and allows the team to retain the ball
and to continue applying the pressure. Offloading runs the risk of the ball being turned over and any momentum lost.
Who could replace him? There is a number of options and there would have been far better players available in terms of
form and mental attitude. Think about Richard Kahui.
Other aspects of the All Blacks squad announcements that we should be thinking about are:
Israel Dagg should be the starting fullback and Muliaina an off the bench player. Dagg is an excellent broken play
game breaker and we need that
Is Ali Williams too old? Can his body take the combative style of the World Cup? Perhaps it is time he is an off the
bench player also.
Has Dan been practicing drop goals? We have our fingers crossed that he has. Yes he slotted one this year but we
need more of them.The World Cup games are going to come down to the ability of him to kick penalties and drop goals.
Is the Wallabies still the "bogey" team for the All Blacks? People take delight when Robbie's team gets beaten but
we have to be honest and recognise that he is a wise man and looks to have a plan culminating in a World Cup Victory
Saturday's Bledislow is going to be a barometer as to the selections made but not a defining moment. That is going to
come when the All Blacks front up for their first pool game in the Rugby World Cup.
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