Tri Nations 2009

So much Carter this and Carter that it makes me sick. How about Sivi owning that game? Fuck he was everywhere!

Overall a very messy game and Henry must be extremely worried about this side not able to handle the ball in attacking situations.

Nonu had a couple of good runs but I still agree that he is very predictable these days. Dummy pass try to cut back in ... don't work anymore fool!

Lukey Mac def had a better game @ #12, now he just needs to learn how to tackle.

Sivi had a good game aside from dropping the ball at least twice.. was sick when they had him as first receiver out of the scrum (with DC loitering on the outside)!

I'm hoping for Aussies to win. Naturally because this would give ABs a change to take out Tri-Nations. But somehow I doubt it. heh

SA 28 Aust 12

Springboks rule, Wallabies drool! :>

Didn't see the game but apparently the Boks smashed them more than the scoreline would suggest even!

What's everyones take on the centre dillemma for ABs? Seems they are leaning towards shifting Nonu there with Donald starting alongside Carter. Is Conrad Smith becoming one of the most injury-prone ABs of recent times? He's awesome but it seems ages since he's strung together a decent run of test caps..

Most excellent game from the boks. They played some gorgeous running rugby and the score line is def flattering the Wallabies. Tries from set pieces is what impressed me the most, not often you see that these days.

Only thing I didn't like is that we took the foot off when it looked like we had the game in the bag. Allowed for 2 tries that would have never been scored if the scores were closer.

Can't see Henry going any other way with the midfield.

I wonder if all the Cantabrian scum who said they'd rather support the Wallabies than the All Blacks after Deans was passed over and jumped ship are still carrying out their threat? What do they think of their Messiah now?

So much for supercoach Deans.

Deans is still a great coach. He doesn't have much to work with right now though.

It was more a jab at the fanatical Cantab nutcases than Deans himself.

Losing Tuqiri didn't help. What did he do to get dumped anyway?

None of those nutcases read biggie though...

All about players really, Deans is a good coach, as is Henry... only difference is Henry has better players to work with. Australia has far fewer at the moment.

No one knows yet however it will be all clear soon when he needs to make it public before he can join the NRL again.

I always thought Tuqiri was shit anyway.

And it wasn't a dig at you either Nacoa. If you don't mind I'd like to extend my posting topics to beyond those people who are here to read them.

Does nobody else remember the huge upcry and the ridiculous calls made about how some people (read fanatical Cantabrians) would rather support the Wallabies because of their god Deans???

Too much tv done fried our memory sticks???

Copied from another forum:

Pierre Spies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3muAkT0K9Y

- He plays Number 8 - 6'4, 108kg
- Runs the 100m in 10.7 seconds (matching Habana for pace and equal to Lomu in his peak)
- Bench presses the most in the team
- Jumps the highest in the team and is only 23 years old.
- Playing number 8, running around all day to every ruck and maul, but still picks up the ball and outsprints backs from the crusaders and the winger from the Chiefs in the final.
- He placed first in shotput in SA at highschool and 3rd in discus
- He fell ill in 2007 and missed the world cup. While he was out, he played 6 games and scored nine tries.
- Also, he played WING for the Bulls last year when they had an injury

Fark.

And in other news, looks like DC is going to be playing at 2nd 5 outside of Donald for the next game. Nice one you fucking retards, play the worlds best 5/8th out of position against the best team in the world.

I knew Spies was a machine, but had no idea he runs 10.7 over 100m...

A mate of mine who supports Canterbury was HOPING the Wallabies would beat the ABs...to shake things up a bit, he reckons.

I can't understand some of these people. It's the fucking BLEDISLOE CUP.

Spies is a monster alright.

Really don't get the DC move to 2nd 5/8!

Believe it when I see it recorded properly.

As I follow a lot of NFL, and college football, I see a lot of over-inflated 40 times put up. As in ridiculous times that would be faster than usain bolt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Spies

My word, those Aussies were angry men!

Boks got well and truly raped... awesome

well the filthy yaya's sure cocked that one up, now they need a bonus point vs the AB's or New Zealand wins the Tri Nations. again

I give the boks roughly 0% chance of scoring 4 tries vs NZ so thats leaves either beating NZ, (somewhat unlikely)....or a close grindy defeat (reasonably likely)


game on....as they say

actually my hung over post isnt that accurate. News says AB's need 2 bonus point victories, which might not be easy esp vs the yaya's

LOL@ Smits, freakin' dominated.

Aussies looked sharp, Genia made an immense difference imo.

Great to think we still have a shot at winning the 3N after our start to the tourny induced doomsday-esque reactions. I'm confident that we can do it.

Well according to this we need 2 victories, 1 with a bonus point to draw. Then wouldn't it come down to points diff?

http://www.trinationsrugby.net/fixtures.html

lol, I love this guy....

- Peter de Villiers.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/2843192/Springboks-put-boot-into-Hamiltons-image

For once he is on the money!

Fair call although I wouldn't have thought 1 day prep in the Tron will be sufficient time to adjust especially coming from the Gold Coast (it will be freezing in the Waikato)..

Especially given the Boks reputation as being poor travellers, it seems odd.. Maybe there's simply too many bleks in the Waikato for them?

AB's team for the weekend:

15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock. Reserves: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 John Afoa, 18 Adam Thomson, 19 Rodney So'oialo, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Isaia Toeava 22 Cory Jane.

Nonu is in the spot where he is best suited, imo. Donald @ 12 is a bit tho...

This is the best solution as it leaves Carter where he should be, at first 5/8. Although it seems they'll be switching up the first receiver role anyway. Where else would you have put Donald?

Nonu was good at centre off the bench against Aussie, though I suspect he will have his defence tested more by the Boks.

After thinking about it, I don't think I would have it any other way, ie Carter 10, Donald 12, Nonu 13. This way Carter still runs the show, with Donald as an extra kicking option.

I hope they use them similar to 6 and 7 in league, a playmaker on each side of the ruck... will mean they can start something from anywhere, and split the defence

Stop kicking fucking penalties, we need tries.

Plus if we don't score tries South Africa will beat us, they will kill us with penalties and drop kicks and there's no way we can try and match them them scoring points off the boot.

good fight back, but not good enough

:wavesflag:

Hats off to the BOKS...... they are a sensational side really. 4 or 5 genuine math winners across the park

What I don't understand is how a team just goes through the motions then finally when they are down 20 points they finally flick the switch and the intensity picks up. Surely as professional athletes they should be able to do this a lot quicker.

Because it has taken until now for them to get angry.

They are playing far to much rugby in uneven peaks. Look at this year. The All Blacks don't finish their program until mid-December, then they are expected to be back at full throttle in fucking MID-FEBRUARY for the pajama rugby of Super 14. By next June as well as the current under-performers (prematurely burnt out) a whole new swag of these All Blacks will be suffering burn out as well - something REALLY hard to come back from.

They have to give some of these guys a good rest THIS year.

Henry and co didn't look at all, it seems, at the ANZC talent available when Conrad Smith and McAlistair were injured, instead preferring the proven failure that is Donald. Sure, the ANZC is a lower standard but Donald is also a confirmed failure at this level. Nonu is all at sea now the ELV's are history and kicking is the name of the game. There are any number of wingers better than Rokococo playing ANZC cup rugby who would be able to step up.

The coaches are stale, in a groove, over committed to set of players who are tired, out of form, or burnt out and out of fresh or innovative ideas.

We need a new coach and a blank piece of paper for the northern December tour.

Henry and co won't look outside the failures of their existing cosy squad of All Blacks. Rokococo, Sivivatu, Donald and Nonu should have all played their last games at this level. Leave several of the other players at home and take a development squad up to Europe. We need to dump the non-performers, send a squad that will uncover new talent, and do it now.

Just watched the replay on Prime -- thought it was a pretty awesome game.

F. Steyn and du Preez are fucking machines

jesus christ we played like shit

yet we still nearly won, the last 20 odd we were a different team, although we didnt deserve to win

a few too many weak links in the team at the moment

the All-Slacks had a few moments of shining brilliance in the latter second half

BUT what tends to detract from these are the dumb moments - not getting the basics right eg catching the ball - still too many ball-handling errors

this does not inspire confidence. no point displaying the odd sophisticated set-piece without the solid basics to fall back on.

All Blacks played best rugby I've seen in ages... for about 30 minutes of a second half...

Well done SA. Well deserved.

First off hats off to the Boks, they are the better team at the moment, and are playing to the current rules better than anyone in the world.

Secondly however the Boks are everything that is wrong with rugby now at the moment. The game has become about nothing but drop goals and penalties. If they want rugby to become watchable again they need to approach this.

Maybe looking at something along the lines of 2 points for a penalty/drop goal and 1 for a conversion. Give some motivation to start playing attacking rugby again. I understand that union is a chess match of sorts but it's getting ridiculous when teams are winning without ever even trying to attack.

Bar a quick counter the Boks don't even try to score trys, they get close to the 22 and kick. What a boring f*cking gameplan. League ftw.

You know a "try" is called a try because originally it was worth zero points, it just gave you the chance to try and kick a goal? That once a drop goal was worth four points? That for the balance of the history of rugby a try was worth the same as a penalty - 3 points?

Rugby FOOTBALL has always been as much a kicking game as it has been a running a game. Whinging that we don't like the way everyone plays the game and smugly trying to tell the rest of the world we somehow have the moral high ground because we like running rugby will get us exactly what we got in Cardiff - a richly deserved lesson on where arrogance can get you. Graham Henry - and a lot of NZ fans - have not learnt from Cardiff.

But Graham Henry's mindset hasn't changed, he says he will not change trying to play a type of rugby the rules, night rugby and the skills of players make inherently error riddled and risky. Somehow, the rubbish his teams are dishing up now the rules have changed back is "better" than the rugby played by the Boks - its ok though! We win everywhere except on the scoreboard!

Henry has to go, and we need to get a coach who understands that you win test matches by smashing the others guys up front with big, mean and shit-house cunning forwards then just playing error-free percentage rugby in their half and slowly throttling the life out of them until the flood-gates open with fifteen minutes to go and you run in two or three trys. That is how the All Blacks USED to play.

If we are going to persist with Henry and persist with this style of rugby then we won't win the 2011 RWC unless we do something to skew things towards our style, but the NZRFU doesn't appear to have thought this through. For example, if we are going to persist with playing high risk rugby at night in winter, shouldn't we ensure the top 3-4 venues at least have enough underfield heating to keeep the dew of the grass and thus keep the ball dry?

Honestly canadian.boogerbrain... thats one of the worst sports posts Ive ever read. When the All Black side were "great" ...they were also one of the most boring strangling kick orientated sides around

The modern AllBlacks have somehow gotten it into their heads that theyare the Harlem Globetrotters of world rugby, which simply doenst work at the highest level. Especially not vs the attrition style of a team like SA.

Cant blame the Boks for simply playing the game in the most effective style possible, in fact we should learn from them. I do agree with you though that fundementally the game is crap compared the league

Agree with Roman and gummi too, the All Blacks werent all that bad and for the last 20 minutes they were brilliant. We just happen to have 2 superstars in our side right now and thre Boks nearly triple that

Fuck rugby. The game is riddled with retarded rules, boring games, bone headed administrators and players/coaches who think their shit doesnt stink. I only really watch the games these days b/c discussion is near impossible to avoid

I am actually more interested in the ANZC to be honest. the rugby New Zealand teams play in that at least makes sense.

And you can assume that was changed for a reason. (Interesting though- I didn't know that)



Sorry I should have been clearer. NZ needs to learn how to play a game like the Boks do. Those are the rules of the game as it stands and to ignore is stupid- although I don't think we even have the kicking depth to play the type of strategy the Boks do.

My gripe is with the fact that rugby has actually become quite boring to watch. It's ruled by the whistle and stoppages. Last night was a good example.

So although you think my post is one of the worst posts ever you fundamentally agree with me. Rugby has turned to shit.

As much as purists will hate to admit it sports these days are more about exposure, entertainment and TV contracts. Look at the growth of the 7 a side game as an example. It's followed world-wide and the spread of competitive countries is amazing. It's because it's an entertaining (running) form of rugby. Same thing is happening with cricket and the 20/20. More and more people are turning away from rugby because it is just not fun to watch anymore. At what point do the ruling bodies have to look to modify the game to keep fringe fans and develop new fans internationally?

Do you have any actually evidence for this statement? Test matches sell out. The Air New Zealand Cup is booming. The Hieniken Cup and six nations is booming. Rugby is going off the hook in South Africa. The only people who seem to agree with you would be people who have the comprehension and attention span of a guppy, for whom rugby league is an ideal game.

The only area of concern in terms of popularity would seem to be the Super 14/15. New Zealanders have decided that is a stale competition, but it is hardly "more and more people" switching off.

if you guys were winning you'd be bitching less about how boring rugby is

I don't really find the rugby any different to when I was watching 10 years ago. There maybe more kicking but lets face it most of time people are kicking because thats what the situation requires, especially in tests where territory is important. And there are always going to be the kicks that turn out to be aimless but hey thats the game, same in league and soccer.
Would rather watch a crappy game of rugby over 7's any day.

They always will. Regardless of the quality of the product.



Agreed. However the AirNZ cup is New Zealand teams playing a NZ style of rugby. It's actually entertaining.



They are well established rugby countries and well established rivalries. They will always be followed. The question is how many of these competitions are bringing in new fans? As a new fan can you even follow the complexity of the rules in union? Or do you get bored to death watching kick, kick, penalty. Penalty kick, kick. Union can be an amazing game, I just don't think the current standard and rules bring out it's full potential.

lol, just saw adi jacobs and ricky januarie on k' road.

gave them the big thumbs up from across the street

Blinkers much?

How about the record low tv ratings? The record low crowds for All Black games? The game in Christchurch earlier this year was a record low for a test match there. Why else are the IRB experimenting with rule changes such as the ELVs if they aren't trying to arrest a falling spectatorship?

"test matches still sell out" - you're as deluded with your sport as you are with your belief that somehow by being enthusiastically leftwing will erase the guilt you carry from coming from a rich background. I at you sir.

PvD ... some smart ass reporter asks him if he think that the boks might find something to do in Hamilton tonight (Saturday night) and his reply
"Yes Uhmm we found the Tri-Nations cup"

scathing....
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10597069


Donald runs at the defensive line in the manner of a startled horse, and his presence has the effect of sending panic throughout the stables. He should never wear the black jersey again, because he simply isn't good enough.

Outside him, Ma'a Nonu dropped the ball four times in a display that should also end his test days.

Why is it that All Blacks coaches (not just Henry) persist with fuck up hookers who are incapable of throwing the ball into a line out accurately? How many chances can they possibly give Andrew Hore? He has destroyed our line out, which means EVERY time the ball goes out against a good line out we are favoured to lose the ball. Fuck off you seal killer...

Rubbish, it was a 3-point game.. Richie McCaw opting for a scrum instead of a guaranteed 3 points in the final 20 mins was fkn retarded

No doubt this Boks side is strong, but come on, we play terrible rugby for the majority of the game - gifting them penalties all ends of the field and handing them a soft intercept try - yet still only lose by 3 pts?

As much as I hate Henry and co it's not the end of the world

Funny how much the whole team (especially Carter) improved once Donald was taken off the field - that experiment was a complete mare.. bring back Aaron Mauger

fuck i hate chris rattue

Can't say I like him ... but he is spot on in that quote.

All Blacks for Saturday:


Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Isaia Toeava, Ma'a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Hosea Gear.


WTF?? That dopey fat fucker Hanson right royally screws up for years, and our best young lock pays the price for his stupidity??? Oh man, this selecttion panel has to GO!!!!

Isaac Ross was calling the line outs so has probably paid the price due to that, however you have to wonder why an inexperienced player is calling them in the first place. Strange that Hore is still there though as the throwing was the biggest problem against SA, we seem to have an obsession with having the best scrumager at hooker even when it is destroying our line out.

Reaction and gummi Ive been talling you clowns for years that Rattue's articles are always spot on if you see through his antagonistic hyperbole.




Who the hell is this guy and whats the point of him?

O would you fuckup. Getting one thing right does not = always spot on. He writes 100's of bullshit articles every year

Two of the finds of the season making way for a has-been and a never-will-be, and Joe just keeps on being selected....this is an absolute pisstake. You get the feeling Ted keeps picking Joe just to spite the public, wtf is wrong with him?

Now is the time to get De Malmanche, Gear et al into to the side to start, we can't win the 3N and we've already secured the Bledisloe, give them some burn in the primetime man.

Fuck this season.

I can't believe they haven't selected Gear

Yeah Rattue is one of NZ's top sports journos cos "he writes 100's of bullshit articles!"

Rattue wrote an article calling this AB squad one of the worst ever..... before the test series vs France

Joe must suck some DIIIIICK!

Seriously tho, wtf?

Henry said that he did not get a chance to even receive the ball, as forwards did not set up a good enough platform... Um, hello, look at Siti!

Yeah, Rattue can be hard to read sometimes but I still quite enjoy his articles.

He is, more often than not, on point imo. Tells it like it is.

Wow what a fkn genius he is. Dude, that was blatantly the weakest ABs squad in years, my 4 year old cousin (female) could've told you that.

Rattue deliberately stirs shit imo. Well that's the only explanation I have for the nonsense he comes up with.

well that would be one explanation

sure is hard to explain his continued selection given his recent performances ...

He's a cock. Never any middle ground with that wanker. He deliberately goes as far as he can with opinion (note I didn't say "his opinion" because I don't actually think he has one) solely to stir controversy and get people talking.

I really don't think he even believes his own bullshit anymore. It's just all hype to get people talking. If we win: we're the GREATEST THING EVER SINCE BABY JESUS. If we lose we're the WORST THING EVER SINCE SODOM AND GOMORRAH. There's just no middle ground and no reasoned opinion. It's just bullshit to create headlines and sell papers. That's all.

He could work for Fox News.

So how about those All Blacks...

Good turn around. I don't want to take anything from AB's win, but fuck Aussies looked disinterested.

Ha! I learned the location of Chris Rattue's house last night. How much is this information worth ya reckon?

Plenty to SBW's family I would think :>

Awesome game on the weekend. By far the best 80min of rugby played by any team in the 3N this year. However in saying that how shit is Aussie they just didn't turn up at all.

From what I read there will still be a report done on the AB's year so far in regards to management and couching but I doubt they will be making any changes. Perhaps the win was not that good for them after all.

Sick game.

Probably the best attacking rugby I've seen all year.

Cory Jane was outstanding and Toeava played his best game in the black jersey so far. Rococoko was great also. All the forwards especially the loose trio played really well too.

Golly, I went and watched the All Blacks at Eden Park vs. Australia, and went to watch them play in Wellington as well. The Australians were woeful in Wellington, the TV made them look at lot better than they are.

THIS WALLABY TEAM IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS.

That they should have beaten the All Black's in Auckland and Sydney shows how awful the All Blacks have been this year.

The All Blacks played a LOT better this game, they put on consistant pressur and it showed on the Aussies. By the time the AB's had finished with that pretty boy O'Conner he looked like all he wanted was a bottle of warm milk and for his mummy to come on the field and give him a cuddle.

But one swallow doesn't make a summer and the AB's have to back up this performance.

The Wallabies didn't pressure us anything like the Boks did, we had time with the ball in hand rather than the onrushing SA defensive line. Plus our back three weren't bombarded with high kicks all night either, basically the Wallabies are even worse than we think we are.