RUGBY

Just sat three the three games today.
Australian drop ball feast in 2nd half.
France just didn't turn up, they want to go a la France!
And England just then, if they were Johnson's tactics then woe not only Aust needs a change in coach. That Youngs was dreadful sloooooowwwwww feed and so many friggin' box kicks (he's been watching Genia overdo it) and what's this taking drop goal attempts and penalties from 1/2 sideline, why the frig not go for a try!!!!!!!!!!

 

Forgot to mention the injuries to South Africa, fancy having to play Samoa in a dead last of the pools matches.
I've 'done' my saver on France but my investment on the All-Blacks looks mighty safe!

 

Genrally agree Mark.

Relationship between the kinesio-tape all down the front of Ruaridh Jacksons right thigh and him pulling up with a hamstring injury to his right leg 5 minutes into the game..... Anyone?

Not the best advert for kinesio tape.

 

Its wide open now. The All Blacks just lost Carter for the rest of the tournament.

 

Go Blacks!
Best team in the world, with full complement, by a (insert whatever word in local dialect meaning 'large margin").
I can't lose as I backed the Blacks and had a saver on France! .... but i'd have rather lost my money to see Australia in the final!

 

On paper the All Blacks should hammer France easily, but that was what should have happened at the last two World Cups when France eliminated the All Blacks. We all know about the All Blacks choking at previous World Cups that they were favorites to win.

NZ has a long memory; forget about France eliminating them in previous World Cups --- the NZ/France equivalent of the NZ/Australia under arm bowling incident is the Rainbow Warrior bombing and its come up a lot this week.

...also interesting to read about the security arrangements that are in place if France win :sinking:

Bring it on.

 

Somebody really needs to take control of my diary. Once again I'm going to miss the game as I'll be on an airplane. As a neutral I don't care who wins as long as it's a good game.

 

I can't believe this; they are choking!!

 

Hows the blood pressure Craig ?

 

Its OK now, they survived rather than won. Every pundit predicated the All Blacks would thrash france ... they only won by a point!!! It could have gone anyway until the end. The French really did outplay the All Blacks, so the ALl Blacks were very very very lucky. All the possession and territory stats were in the Frances favour!

 

Well done to the Frogs - they were not wiped out.

However, a bigger well done not just to the Blacks but to the Kiwi nation as a whole for putting on a great competition and filling the stadiums for every match whether their team was playing or not.

The gentlemen will do better next time!

All the best

Bill

 

Am a HUGE fan of McCaw, absolutely rapt that the best team in the world won!
I think the All-Blacks have a problem with the French as the French are so French they don't realise there's a better team than them!
(What was the final penalty count?
I have formed a hypothesis that the team in the lighter coloured outfit in rugby games gets penalised more)

 

How long until it is Sir McCaw ?

 

This sums it up:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/5838469/All-Blacks-are-Rugby-World-Cup-champions

 

Doubt it, but since the England team were honoured when they won, the All Blacks should be also, especially as Newsbot points out, after a rotten all round year in Kiwiland. I raised a pint of Old Peculier to them in recognition.

All the best

Bill

:drinks

 

Not to be one to rub salt into the wound ... but this was too good ... my parents just emailed me with this:

 

Ah yes, my lean on this is all New Zealand'ers are so dirty that they weren't born Australian that they keep this dribble up......luckily for the Arena'ettes then ain't it Craig, my antipodean cousin

 

You guys should stop being so nice, the French were the better team on the day - motm was French. The ref did not have his best day, Weepu must thank his lucky stars that no one saw his punch or it would have been a Red.
I cannot believe that little thanks has been given to the French for their display - other than a slapping them with a NZ$4,000.00 fine for daring to approach the AB's gurning display.

The fact the English didn't complain about the French wearing white should also be noted.

Allsaid with tongue in cheek, what a great competition that was and the right team won in the end, bragging rights for 4 years.

Now England take note for 2015 : No 4 day turn around for any team, no expensive tickets and no dwarf throwing bars. No new law interpretation just before the start of the competition

IRB - do not under any circumstance allow Bryce Lawrence anywhere near a game of rugby again

 

However the AB defence was good enough to keep them out (apart from Dusatoir's) so though i agree the French were more aggressive, and showed more attacking skills on the day, the 'better' team won IMO as the AB defence was superior to the French attack.
Didn't realise 'Both ends' threw a punch but am very aware of Rougerie's clawing of McCaw's face, far worse a crime.
Agree Bryce had a few shockers!

 

I didn't realise that the French kept the AB's out of there 22 for the whole of the second half -

I don't know what to do for the next few weeks, its a shame that its all over now, maybe catch up on some sleep.

2015 seems a hell of a long way off - and according to the press we might have Grumpy as a Coach.

One thing of interest does the IRB keep an injury account - this world cup was rather brutal

 

Play-off for 3rd-4th was pointless, who remembers 3rd and 4th, though the way they played obviously the players cared, mark

 

Just out of interest Craig and all Kiwi's, how do you feel about other teams reacting "aggressively" towards the Haka? Maybe the Frogs did go a bit OTT in the final but it seems reasonable that a challenge should be met with a response.

There does seem to be a sense in the rest of the world (at least in the northern hemisphere) that the Haka is a bit of a sacred cow and that the authorities feel that since this is a part of Kiwi culture, opponents should not be allowed to react at all.

All the best

Bill

 

The haka, and the Pacific Island equivalents, are a great spectacle, despite all the white arms and legs flailing away. I wish all the opponents would react, would love to see the Wallabies reply in an aggressive manner shout with much menacing the well known Aussie war chant "Tie me kangaroo down sport"

better leave the 4th verse out though just like rolf does

 

I probably going to get myself into 'hot water' for this .....

What do you think the Irish would do?

 

Exactly Craig, make a wonderful spectacle and frighten the beje*us out of your All-Blacks!

 

Just looking at Mark's post (63), Rolf's looking a bit older these days isn't he?

I don't suppose that I shall ever see the English team give the Frogs the Agincourt two fingered salute before the match. I live in hopes though.

All the best

Bill

 

it's official, I love New Zealand.
How ironic that the best team in the final lost by 1 point and a man down.................. And what a party in Auckland after. Bloody Victory parade the next day caused us to miss our flight to Fiji but all in all an awsome trip.
Life plan part 2:
-Teach the welsh to kick
-Find a job in New Zealand. Anyone Hiring Orthotists?

 

Another humiliation at the hands of the All-Blacks. Apart from some astonishing ref decisions, the score could have been worse. The forwards were much better and weren't belittled but the backs, they kicked any chance of a close game away; Deans a nice bloke but has to go.....

 

what 'some astonishing ref decisions' were these? No one blames the ref for a win.

The Aussie love affair with Quade Cooper is costing you guys dearly. Your ball was quicker today but while Aussie still lingers on with the old Rod McQueen 'bash-recycle, bash-recycle, bash-recycle routine you are never going anywhere. Modern Rugby requires hard and smart players, the AB's have this in abundance - personally they didn't even have to turn it on today - and the ref (even though he is Welsh) had a blinder- good communication, quick desicions, ref'd both sides and consistant.

I think you are right about Deans, he should stop asking the man in the mirror for help - as he knows no more than he does.

If England and Scotland can beat you guys then Argentina might be tough.

Woodern Spoon anyone?

 

Yep, the ref had a shocker; but the All Blacks totally outplayed the Wallabies and Australia lucky the score was not a lot more!

 

Jonathan please read before you reply, I never said or indeed believe that the ref was the reason the Allblacks blitzed the Wallabies, most annoying.
The most obvious was the penalty on the Wallabies 22 from the kick-off he penalised the Aus for the receiving player being in front of the line at kick-off, Higginbotham I think it was was soooooooooooooooooooooooo onside it was ridiculous, the commentators were rightly aghast at such a simple ref mistake.
So Jonathan do you comprehend what I have said?
By the way I invested heavily on an All-Black win, I was never worried about that, despite the All-Blacks being no where near right yet.

 

I do like the Haka by the All-Blacks. First saw this performed in New Zealand by some Maori performers about 21 years ago. Definitely nothing quite like it!

 

A great spectacle, I never miss it. Just got to ignore all the white legs up the back.