Tri-Nations Gets Exciting - SH rugby

[chuck]

This is a crosspost from another forum I frequent - and if you didn't see the All Blacks vs. Wallabies tonight - it probably won't make much sense. In fact, the only person that will probably be interested is Matt. But I thought I'd post anyway!

All Blacks 39 - Australia 10

Excellent game.

Emphatic and defiant play by the Blackness who right from the get-go with Kapa O Pango, looked to unleash a weeks worth of frustration and mongrel on the Wallabies.

Didn't start well with a dropped ball on the opening kickoff to Ali - but his next mistake was at the 40 minute mark, and in between we saw the type of performance that defines teams. The second half was no different - with pace and passion, and a lucky try to close out the game. After last week, this team was in need of that, a performance that was structured, where tackles were made, the defensive line swept forward together, the forwards hunted as a unit and rucks were hit with venom. It was mistake free, back to basics rugby. Dare it be said, it was smart rugby - led by the head - and finished with brawn and controlled fire.

With McAwe back in the saddle, the loosies were outstanding - Kaino and Rodders both settling into their roles and totally outplaying their opposite numbers. Rodney's one chip and chase was quickly seen as a lost cause - and he settled down to doing what loosies are meant to do. Which is to say, tackling until they're dead and stopping the blokes in yellow from getting anywhere near the advantage line. The tight forwards were all over it - and with Mark Lawrence preventing Baxter and co from dominating the scrum with their inability to scrum - they prospered and as CGW would say "SMASHED 'EM BRO!". Woodcock's two tries were excellent reward - but Brad was solid and cunning, while Ali just seemed to be everywhere.

The backline wasn't called upon to explode, but they were excellent as a unit - chased down everything and the kicking from hand was far sweeter and smarter than what was utilised last week. Sivi went looking for work and although I just wanted him to explode with the pace - was safe - and amazingly for a Fijian - didn't do anything to lazy. I seem to recall him even blowing one of the Wallabie loosies off a ruck early in the first half. DC - top drawer kicking - even with the slip, managed to control it. Looked for gaps and took them - tackled like a machine. Nonu - the try in the final seconds was a burner - I thought the touchie was going to bust a lung trying to keep up - his swing to the inside made Lote pause for that split second - and he got the rub of the green from the TMO. Top stuff.

The lineout. Superb. Hansen and all of the boys involved there - take a bow. Stole Aussie ball - contested pretty much every single throw. Clever set moves - mixed with the simple throws. Even Cowan got in on the act - hassling on the Aussie throws and getting right into the lineout to take part. Again - superb.

Lawrence - top game. Well controlled - despite the best efforts of his touchie to get in the way. Allowed game to flow - was sharp to the players when it was needed - but also explained his calls. Smith was lucky he didn't bother with the replay - but I was happy he stayed on - Lawrence made a fair call - and it didn't give any grounds for the game to fall apart.

Substitutions: AB ones - IMO a little pointless - Boric at the 78 min mark? Weepu didn't really have time to boss the game - while Prince Tui Teka collected another clean jersey for his efforts. To be fair to most of them, the game was a done deal by then.

The Cartel: It was a complete team performance - by the 15 on the field - and the extended squad - and the ones in management. It's always interesting to see who gets the brickbats when the team loses. And who gets the bouquets when the team wins. Everyone in the AB setup will have felt the pain after last week - irrespective of what any journalist or armchair critic would say. They took all that and responded in the single best way possible. Hats off.

The Wallabies. No need to panic and go all Chris Rattue. This was the same side that dealt to the AB last week. But they were outplayed. Plain and simple - by a team that wanted it more. Much like last week, where the team that wanted it more were coached by Robbie Deans. They have class - the ease with which they scored their try tells you that. The "pass-kick" tactic so early in the game struck me as grasping. Mortlock was solid in that backline - but he didn't bring as much back to the Wallabies as Richie did to the All Blacks. I'm not sure if the ABs should be a little nervous about that. For the AB fan - the simple fact that the Wallabies don't travel well - bodes well for the Bledisloe, if not the Tri-Nations.

This was a superb game to watch and enjoy - had me pacing the lounge with nerves, no matter how hard I tried to be relaxed. As Ritchie said - a game that sets the standard. One that they'll continue to aim for. This is a new squad - it's not the 2005 vintage, nor does it have the experience and the big names of 2007 - but on that performance, particularly backing up after the thumping last week - there's plenty to look forward too.

Big ups to the All Blacks - for a performance worthy of the great game - and the name sewn on your jersey.

[matt]

Looks like I am the only person interested Chuck

Thought you'd jinxed it after posting this comment when the Boks went on to suffer home defeats against the Wallabies & the ABs but their subsequent smashing of the Green & Gold on Saturday certainly puts the cat amongst the pigeons once again.

Does look like your lot will probably retain their title now but it's certainly been one of the more refreshing & entertaining 3Ns in quite a while. And all this played under the 'boring' ELVs too. Crikey!

[matt]

And what's your take on James Nutbrown who looks like he's just signed for the Ospreys?

Don't know much about him myself but know the Ospreys are desperate for scrum halves after Marshall & Williams left & with Mike Phillips still injured...

[chuck]

Hey matt,

Yeah - the 3N finale this week looks to be a cracker - with the extra tension of the Bledisloe Cup being on the line also. Pity it's in the armpit hicktown of Brisbane!

I like the look of the Black - their hitout against Samoa - where they cracked the ton - left them with a few things to work on - but the better for having put on 80 minutes against a hard tackling island team.

Tuitavake definitely felt it - his headclash means he's out for this weekend's game.

It'll be a tense one. The shackle-draggers were utterly woeful in the final game against the Bokke - I've got the game on file, and have watched the highlights. They just weren't there at all. Kind of like how they were when they turned up to play against the Blacks in Auckland - they were kind of all happy and larrikin like at the start - and got trounced by a squad of stony faced warriors who realised they had to fight for every inch of that field and use every scrap of possession.

But Deans is a damn good coach - and he'll be taking no shit from anyone.

I'm not expecting the ABs to underestimate them at all - Tackles McAwe will be back in the 7 jersey - DC will be running the backline. And I fully expect a decent 15 point win.

But I'll be happy with a one point win.

The Bokke - from such great heights - beating the ABs in NZ for the first time in 10 years - they've really collapsed. Pieter de Villiers has some interesting ideas, and the quota system is really messing up their selection policies. Nice to see old Percy "Blow-Dry" Montgomery get his 100 test caps and then promptly retire.

Jamie Nutbrown - he's not as much of a mouthy twat as Marshall is/was. He's an ex-Canterbury boy - played some first five as well from what I recall. In the Canterbury squad, had the misfortune be stuck behind Dan Carter, Andrew Ellis, Stephen Brett - who are all class acts.

He's played for the NZ A squad - and he's a decent S14 player, that more than likely was never in the running for an AB jersey. He'll be decent I suspect - what's the Osprey's forward pack like? I see he'll be working with Holah again.

[chuck]

GO YOU GOOD THING GO!!

The Blackness smash the lily white, bug eyed, convicts out of Lang Park with performance of poise, painful aggression, and large helping of mental smarts.

Lovely, Lovely, Lovely.

Tony Woodcock scores a try - breaking every known law and sprinting a good 25 metres to score. Gives even more credence to the call - that should ring out across all good pubs when the man plays : "I love the Cock!".


In fact - he's even been cited.

Tony Woodcock has been cited by the Front Rowers Union (the FRU) for several violations of the Offences Against Propping Act. The charges follow last night's Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane when Woodcock was seen running with the ball in the act of scoring a try.

We understand Woodcock will be charged with the following violations:

1. Handling the ball without being bound to another forward;

2. Running more than five metres with the ball;

3. Loitering with intent to carry the ball in open play.

Speaking on grounds of anonymity, an FRU source said that Woodcock faces a long ban. “It’s taken the FRU a long time to get over Richard Bands’ efforts in 2003 – I mean if props all start running like wingers we’ll have every man and his dog wanting to join the union. It’s bad enough as it is allowing the Australians as members.”

Woodcock’s hearing date has yet to be set but it is thought that the FRU is prepared to wait until the Right Dishonourable Tache “The Walrus” Jones is available. Jones is known to be particularly critical of southern hemisphere props and the FRU is hopeful he would hand down a long ban to Woodcock.

It is understood that the Baxter Defence (as in “I wasn’t tired because Al Baxter’s such a shit prop that I can’t even lean against him without the filthy dingo falling over”) is not an acceptable defence.

According to our FRU source the FRU also considered citing John Afoa but “fortunately he made a right balls of it when he kicked the ball.”

Several Wallaby backs are likely to present evidence and they are also thought to be considering action under the Trade Descriptions Act - one unnamed Wallaby remarked "We've got our livliehoods to protect and frankly we'll be out of work soon if wingers can call themselves props. If Woodcock's a prop that's a complete myth."