ANZUS Rugby?

The more I think about it the more I agree with the whispers about NZ and Australia going their own way. South Africa threaten it often enough and I get their gripe but it probably is best for all right now for the Republic and Australasia to go their own ways. Australia have been very vocal of an Asian push while NZ seem to have their eyes more on an untapped hugely commercial US market. The Boks will find willing opponents up North though the problem will be the 6 Nations. With the English RU pulling the strings and their history of sticking to tradition (and moreover not wanting to have little chance of winning the "7" Nations) that's going to be a hard nut to crack, though they surely aren't stupid enough to not realise constant game time against a southern tier one team is going to raise their game substantially and turn them into real world heavyweights.

It isn't as absurd as it seems. A lot of the travel would be cut and new markets and new comps would be a huge publicity boost for the sport. The problem is always going to be Argentina. The IRU needs to be pumping $ into Brazil. World rugby is crying out for a change, but the bigwigs are wary of annoying the existing fans. This should keep everyone happy.

Perhaps Australia and the US could even combine once a year in a one off attempt at beating the ABs?

The Walleagles

Hurricanes v Highlanders R14 2014

Malakai Fekitoa

How do you pick between the canes and the highlanders? Highlanders have a lot out through injury and judiciary and are playing in the capital but i think i'll back them. 6 wins from 10 games and 3 of them losses by 2 points or less, they could very easily be sitting top of the table.  I think with Leuia out, much as i respect a departing tim bateman, the Canes will miss what has been a feature of NZ teams of late of having one powerhouse in the centres.  We saw the crusaders stutter early season with no Fruean and Lee-lo out of sorts.  While Fekitoa squares up against conrad smith it won't always be one on one and Smith can be caught out by big, straightening centres.  But will be a good match up there and looking to see broadhurst impress. Playoffs crunchtime.

You're keeping quiet...

I, like many kiwis, felt he didnt give the ABs a fair game at the breakdown.  The Irish had a great opening 30 with a little luck going their way.  Kearney showed a surprising lack of speed while "scampering" away down the touchline but he couldnt shake Read off and how important was that 2 points that the eightman saved his team?  What I saw as the All Blacks were trying to get back into the game was a combo of 3 things hampering them.  One was ball handling just as they were getting a roll on.  Two was laziness at their own rucks allowing Heaslip etc to come over the top and pressure Smith.  Three what I saw as Owen blowing any and every possible small infringement versus NZ while allowing the Irish to knock on, O'Brien and co play at the ball while prone on the ground, and multiple side entries.  No major catastrophic calls but a lot of little ones hindering the ABs.  Then one bad call that could of put the game out of reach....the penalty for the pulled down maul that from the angles I saw it could only have been Ireland (Healy I think).

Either way...this tour has just added to the legend that this team can get out of any sticky situation.  They don't ever light the stadium on fire like the class of 97 but they play more measured and more consistent.  They still contend justifiably as maybe the greatest ever.  Take a bow Steve Hansen and Graham Henry.

Pieces of Eight

Cant wait to see Read's impact in the Nov internationals.  He has moved on as a player since last meeting any northern oppostion and his wide ranging game, freeing up wingers down the outside lanes is incomparable in today's game.

For those of you who haven't followed AB rugby that long you wouldn't know the story behind the Bring Back Buck campaign.

An inspirational captain who re-entered a game after having a testicle placed back in its scrotum and stitched up, making the list of 7 Most Horrific "Man Injuries" In Sports, only to have some teeth knocked out.  The man who reinvented the All Black Haka unwittingly propelling the brand to greater heights, and who spurred the birth of the Bring Back Buck campaign which lives to this day since his dropping in 1990.

An up and coming #8 in Zinzan Brooke who lacked that raw edge but had all the skills of an outside back.  Rumour has it that Buck was dropped to keep Zinny in the "amateur" game (he had just signed with Manly Sea Eagles before asking Graham Lowe to rip up the contract) by giving him the All Black jersey.  This certainly played a part but the snake in the grass was team mate Gary Whetton who long held aspirations to be the All Black captain, even going as far as to jettison Shelford's role in the French Barbarians match versus the ABs.

However, Zinny went on to become the world's best ever number 8.  A player so competitive he would challenge Grant Fox and company at Auckland to goalkicking contests, and we can all remember his mammoth international drop goals against South Africa and England.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdo2nsr_b0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0nfYW-wIZ4

My question to you is,....is Kieran Read already the world's best ever eightman?

Master Class at Ellis Park

Finally.  All the hype, all the expectation, all the discussion.  Baited breath.  A game lived up to its name.  Not ruined by an act of stupidity from player or referee.  Billed as the game of the year and it was all that.  The South Africans wanting revenge for what they saw as a stolen victory in New Zealand must have been deemed at least equal favourites versus a travel weary All Blacks.  Yet a New Zealand team that felt robbed of a respectable win weeks earlier, and excited, not intimidated, by the Ellis Park challenge.  And we knew it was going to be brutal.

Everyone knew tthe Boks were going be at their physical best.  The question was how much aggro, how much push and shove, how much biffo was going to be dished out.  Either way it didn't worry this New Zealand team.  They are the one team that can stand up to the Springbok intimidation test.  All the talk about Ellis park and you just know that this All Black team revel in these situations.  What you saw on Saturday was the result of 6 years of intelligent work by Graham Henry and Steve Hansen.  A team that learnt to change games to take the ref out of the game, a team that has such self-confidence in themselves that no deficit is unreachable.  This raw confidence coupled with a smarter and less legible game plan makes this AB team what they are today.  The way they pick up their game as required shows they always have another gear.  De Villiers try in the 58th minute threatened to completely derail the All Blacks.  A 3 pointer to the Boks would have put them in the box seat, one hand on the trophy and in prime position to turn the screws.  With their bonus point in the bag they could have resoughted to their traditional game and force New Zealand to counter but really 20 minutes was always going to be too long to hold out this NZ team.  In effect 3 minutes was all they needed to wrap up the championship and have the Boks asking questions of themselves as to whether they were up to saving the game.

With whom do you start?  Messam had clearly his best game in a black jersey.  He didn't shy away and let the selectors know that Kaino can't just walk back in.  He finally showed some real muscle but I still question his size and I'm sure that while the coaches were happy they still realize he can't impose himself on the game like his predecessor.  And the added explosiveness when Luatua took the field was very noticeable, though granted, much of the hard work had been done.  But I see Retallick as our enforcer and not Messam.

Savea has become the complete winger.  His improved ability and confidence under the high ball has been evident over the season but now it's the deft little touches that are making the difference.  His subtle move infield to create space for Read to skirt away for his try down the touchline was perfectly executed.  There's a frightening gap between our best wingers and the rest.  Now we just have to sort out that haircut.

The complete package

Aaron Cruden was sublime.  Steady all day with Du Plessis and co rumbling down on him all game long til, face battle-scarred, leaving the field at the hour mark.  Barrett on and imposing himself on the game immediately, first being run over the top of by a very impressive Bok captain and letting in 5 points before 3 minutes later bamboozling the same man and leaving 3 others clutching at air to claim the Rugby Championship with a bonus point try.  Barrett finally stood up defensively, despite the miss on De Villiers that threatened to steal not only a victory but the whole Championship, making a handful of telling tackles with the team going backwards, including one spectacular on le Roux.  But Cruden takes my man of the match.  A Jack amongst giants.

A Jack amongst giants

Read continues to raise his game to yet another level.  His wide ranging game, bearing down the outside channels receiving and distributing with all the class of an international centre is unmatched in today's game.  We had Carter, we had McCaw,....now the mantle of World's Best has been passed on.  A very different skill set to Zinzan but at this "early" part of his career already the best ever eightman?

Best ever eightman?

Northern Hemisphere should be scared.