If you are reading this then you are probably one of the loyal few who have stuck with this blog, like me, for the last 6 weeks and 46 games of footy. More than just a few actually! The stats show that many posts have been read by around a hundred people. Altogether the blog has had over 3000 page views.
Delving deep into the posts reveals these 3 facts about me:
1. I love rugby in general and the All Blacks in particular
2. I was made redundant on the verge of the RWC and took that as a sign to start blogging
3. My marvellous wife Megan is pregnant with twins, our first children, and she's been in hospital for the last fortnight. It is a high risk pregnancy and she's been watched like a hawk.
Amazingly all of these strands are resolving themselves at once.
1. The tournament is about to climax with the ABs, quite rightly, in the final.
2. I have accepted a fantastic freelancing gig that I have been putting off starting until the tournament ends. After 6 weeks of sifting around watching footy it is time to start earning again.
3. After 30 weeks of pregnancy our twins need to be delivered now - by that I mean tomorrow! Friday the 21st of October. The day of the 3rd/4th playoff and two days before the grand final. The twins need out, and that means no waiting for anything.
In lots of ways this blog has been a magnificent escape. An escape from working every day and from addressing the responsibilities of my impending fatherhood. But as they say all good things must come to an end.
Megan goes into theatre tomorrow for a planned C-Section, and after that our lives will never be the same again. This tournament (and the blog) which have seemed so important to me for the last 6 weeks now seem somewhat irrelevant. The results of the next 160 minutes of rugby mean nothing in comparison for our desires for a healthy outcome tomorrow.
Would I sacrifice an All Black victory for a healthy Megan and two boys (they are identical but we don't know which) or girls? You bet! Any day of the week.
Not that I think we'll have to. I'm pretty sure the next two games will deliver a victory to Wales, then a victory to the All Blacks. Astonishingly that will give the same result as in the inaugural tournament 24 years ago.
But the only delivery that matters to us now, is the one taking place tomorrow morning.
I can't imagine a circumstance that would make me feel the need to finish the blog, because its natural full stop will be when Megan and I finally get to meet our Pebbles and BamBam. We can't wait.
Thanks for reading over the last few weeks. It has been a blast.
Go Wales. Go Black. Go Megan. Go Pebbles. Go Bambam.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Game 46 - Semi Final 2 - Australia v New Zealand - Sun 16th Oct 2011
Wow I tell you it is a simply cracker-jack day in Wellington today - quite simply one out of the box. My spy in Auckland Paul "Poor" Schrader tells me that it is just as good in Auckland... Sunny, gentle westerly and 18 degrees Celsius.
Again I've ventured up to Brooklyn from Wellington Hospital where I've spent the afternoon with my gorgeous and increasingly pregnant wife Megan. I'm here at Mary's house (long suffering wife of Poor Schrader) and we'll eat dinner before being joined by her son Zeb, my Megan, our unborn twins and my Mother Janice (the world's biggest fan of Cory Jane).
Together we will all watch the game that New Zealand has been expectantly waiting for for 24 years. I know, I know, this isn't a final, but surely either the ABs or Wallabies will have too much fire power for the damp squib French side who will be opposing either of them in next week's final.
Last night's Semi between Wales and France has taught us plenty. Wales were the best team at the tournament thus far. They had standout players in crucial positions and they played in a way where the whole team complimented each other all around the park. They were brilliantly drilled, and had a fine skipper to boot. They seemed prepared for anything. On paper, and in my prediction, they were always going to win last night.
And then the game came along and spoiled the theory. Last night showed that the best team won't always win. We have seen this proven for the last few weeks running at this RWC. Samoa deserved to beat the Springboks, who in turn should have monstered the Wallabies last week. So my worry about tonight's match has come starkly into focus.
Despite the Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw injury scares, the All Blacks look the better team for this match than the Wallabies. They are driven by a finely-honed pack, who have performed perfectly in this tournament at scrum-time and in the lineout. They have 3 excellent loose forwards, with Jerome Kaino thus far being the most consistent player at the RWC. They have rugby's best outside center combination of Ma 'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and outside of them 3 of the most inventive and clinical finishers in the business. They even have one of Rugby Union's biggest drawcards up their sleeve with SBW on the bench.
The team's only perceived weakness is the very fresh combination of Weepu/Cruden at halfback/first five. But this may end up working out for them too, as the Aussies will have had little chance to analyse their deficiencies. Make no mistake this is a very good team on the verge of greatness.
The Wallabies look much more shaky; they have lost their most potent player Kurtley Beale to a bad hammy, their scrum and lineout were both abject against South Africa and their talisman Quade Cooper has looked off-colour for weeks. They would not be here if it weren't for David Pocock whose scrambling quest for ball single-handedly bested the Springboks.
If they were to play this game 10 times I reckon the All Blacks would win by 9, but they only get one shot. Will tonight be their night? I will find out with you all in real time, without my trusty iPad. This game is way too important for me to have any distractions.
I'll give the last word to my Mother-in-Law Winifred Bull. She told Megan the other day that after Aotearoa's annus horribilis; with the Christchurch earthquakes, the Pike River tragedy and now the Rena disaster that it becomes incumbent on the All Blacks to cheer all 4 million of us up. While I see her point, it is a lot of pressure on those 15 men in black.
So, no pressure ABs, show us what you got.
80 minutes later... The All Blacks had plenty. The loose trio isolated Pocock and totally dominated the breakdown. The tight 5 were supreme at scrumtime. Everyone (except for SBW with 4 minutes to play) showed amazing discipline. The outside 3 were brilliant on defence and attack. Piri was steady and Cruden ice cold. They won the kicking battle. They won the pressure battle. And they won the top two inches battle.
They were simply way too good for the Wallabies.
New Zealand 20 - 6 Australia
Tweet of the match - "Is AC the new DC?" @SmithyInBrissy
Again I've ventured up to Brooklyn from Wellington Hospital where I've spent the afternoon with my gorgeous and increasingly pregnant wife Megan. I'm here at Mary's house (long suffering wife of Poor Schrader) and we'll eat dinner before being joined by her son Zeb, my Megan, our unborn twins and my Mother Janice (the world's biggest fan of Cory Jane).
Together we will all watch the game that New Zealand has been expectantly waiting for for 24 years. I know, I know, this isn't a final, but surely either the ABs or Wallabies will have too much fire power for the damp squib French side who will be opposing either of them in next week's final.
Last night's Semi between Wales and France has taught us plenty. Wales were the best team at the tournament thus far. They had standout players in crucial positions and they played in a way where the whole team complimented each other all around the park. They were brilliantly drilled, and had a fine skipper to boot. They seemed prepared for anything. On paper, and in my prediction, they were always going to win last night.
And then the game came along and spoiled the theory. Last night showed that the best team won't always win. We have seen this proven for the last few weeks running at this RWC. Samoa deserved to beat the Springboks, who in turn should have monstered the Wallabies last week. So my worry about tonight's match has come starkly into focus.
Despite the Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw injury scares, the All Blacks look the better team for this match than the Wallabies. They are driven by a finely-honed pack, who have performed perfectly in this tournament at scrum-time and in the lineout. They have 3 excellent loose forwards, with Jerome Kaino thus far being the most consistent player at the RWC. They have rugby's best outside center combination of Ma 'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and outside of them 3 of the most inventive and clinical finishers in the business. They even have one of Rugby Union's biggest drawcards up their sleeve with SBW on the bench.
The team's only perceived weakness is the very fresh combination of Weepu/Cruden at halfback/first five. But this may end up working out for them too, as the Aussies will have had little chance to analyse their deficiencies. Make no mistake this is a very good team on the verge of greatness.
The Wallabies look much more shaky; they have lost their most potent player Kurtley Beale to a bad hammy, their scrum and lineout were both abject against South Africa and their talisman Quade Cooper has looked off-colour for weeks. They would not be here if it weren't for David Pocock whose scrambling quest for ball single-handedly bested the Springboks.
If they were to play this game 10 times I reckon the All Blacks would win by 9, but they only get one shot. Will tonight be their night? I will find out with you all in real time, without my trusty iPad. This game is way too important for me to have any distractions.
I'll give the last word to my Mother-in-Law Winifred Bull. She told Megan the other day that after Aotearoa's annus horribilis; with the Christchurch earthquakes, the Pike River tragedy and now the Rena disaster that it becomes incumbent on the All Blacks to cheer all 4 million of us up. While I see her point, it is a lot of pressure on those 15 men in black.
So, no pressure ABs, show us what you got.
80 minutes later... The All Blacks had plenty. The loose trio isolated Pocock and totally dominated the breakdown. The tight 5 were supreme at scrumtime. Everyone (except for SBW with 4 minutes to play) showed amazing discipline. The outside 3 were brilliant on defence and attack. Piri was steady and Cruden ice cold. They won the kicking battle. They won the pressure battle. And they won the top two inches battle.
They were simply way too good for the Wallabies.
New Zealand 20 - 6 Australia
Tweet of the match - "Is AC the new DC?" @SmithyInBrissy
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Game 45 - Semi Final 1 - Wales v France - Eden Park - 15th Oct 2011
Looks like we can expect some more winter like conditions for tonight's match. Aiding the chill feeling is the fact that this will be the first match with the super late 9pm kickoff, which is for the benefit of overseas broadcasters, rather than the 55,000 spectators.
For full details of my prediction of a Welsh victory check out my Semi Final preview. I think the conditions will favour their complete game, so I am even surer that the leek will prevail tonight.
With 20 minutes to go in the build-up, I need to comment on something which has been bugging the ex-sound recordist in me. All of the "comments guys" who appear on the field in this tournament have been provided with Webb Ellis trophy "hood ornaments" for their microphones. These look ridiculous - like they've come from the $2 shop. They are in every respect wrong.
Also 65,000 punters are watching the match at the Millennium stadium in Wales - heaps more than at the actual match! That is a sure sign that the Welsh will be up for this game.
The Welsh forwards make an imperious start, with a prefect line-out followed by a 20 metre maul forward, but they have a poor case of the dropsies and lose their early advantage. Not to be outdone, the French return this with interest and soon find themselves inside the Welsh 22.
Both teams are chancing their arms, but the slippery conditions mean the pill is dropped at crucial moments. James Hook gets the first points on the scoreboard after 8 minutes, converting a penalty that seemed unjust to France. French open side Dusautoir is unfairly penalised for fairly challenging Welsh possesion. 3-0 Wales.
Prop Adam Jones, the last remaining Welsh "hair bear", leaves the park injured after 10 minutes. This is disappointing for Wales and the fans. He is a great character. But the Welsh are really on the right side of referee Alain Roubert who is penalising the French quite harshly at the early stage of this match.
Wales are looking bloody good, but don't make the most of early territory and possession. The score remains 3-0 until the 17th minute when all hell breaks lose. Welsh skipper Sam Warbuton smashes Les Bleu's winger Vincent Clerk into the turf in a semi spear tackle. He gets shown the red card, and the French will have a one man advantage for the remaining 3/4s of the match.
A yellow card would probably have been fairer. Now Wales must use a back to maintain 8 men in the pack at scrum-time. They've lost the best forward and their skipper. Disaster.
Morgan Parra soon puts the teams even, converting a scrummaging penalty, 3-3. After 22 minutes.
Wales are in big trouble. Well they would be IF France knew how to use the 1 man advantage, but they play clumsy floundering footy for the next 10 minutes and fail to look at all convincing.
Welsh fly half James Hook misses his opportunity to get his team back ahead by missing a 40 metre penalty after 28 minutes. Parra does much better with a similar kick on 36 minutes and puts the French ahead for the first time at 6-3. And that is the score at the break.
Surely if the Welsh had not lost Warbuton they would be all over France. Warren Gatland might still find a way to refocus his team and elect some tactics to get them back in it. The lacklustre French are there for the taking.
Ole! They're back.
Halftime has brought red bush tea and Mary's shortbread, delicious.
France start the half as if they were England. They are all about the kick, the drop kick and territory. They are counting on their numerical advantage of players to win the game, but like England (at this tournament) they don't have the skills to put Wales away.
Parra puts France 9-3 ahead after 49 minutes. but as we all know a 6 point lead is never safe in Rugby. Wales have subbed off the very disappointing James Hook, whose 2 missed penalties in this game are the only difference on the score board.
Paul Schrader, one of my companions watching this game, has just muttered, "You'd be pissed off if you paid $900 to watch this". And he's right (not that he needs to pay for too many tickets - jammy bugger). Pissed off until the world's biggest halfback Mike Phillips scores another huge try! This is the same giant who broke open the Irish game last week. Stephen Jones misses the conversion, but now it's a one point match. 9-8 France after 60minutes.
It's amazing that the team with 14 on the park are the first to score a try. It shows the Welsh resilience and also demonstrates the lack of French ambition. Most neutral parties to this match would be supporting Wales 100%.
And now it is totally all-Wales on the all-out attack. The French look less composed than against the 15 English men last week, but with 5 minutes to go they maintain the tiny lead. Until they cough up a kickable penalty. At 50 metres, the kick is within Lee Halfpenny's range... not quite, it goes one foot UNDER the crossbar. Wales are desperately unlucky.
The Welsh bombard the French line for the remaining 5 minutes to no avail. Wales have been beached as bro, they have their poor kicking and the red card to blame. The French will make their 3rd Rugby World Cup final, but must do much better if they play 15 men next week.
Final Score France 9 - 8 Wales
45 Games - 255 Tries
Tweet of the Match - "Rubbish. France had nothing, could barely beat 14 men. Here's hoping ABs can play them in the final. #RWC2011" @dbridges_nz
For full details of my prediction of a Welsh victory check out my Semi Final preview. I think the conditions will favour their complete game, so I am even surer that the leek will prevail tonight.
With 20 minutes to go in the build-up, I need to comment on something which has been bugging the ex-sound recordist in me. All of the "comments guys" who appear on the field in this tournament have been provided with Webb Ellis trophy "hood ornaments" for their microphones. These look ridiculous - like they've come from the $2 shop. They are in every respect wrong.
Also 65,000 punters are watching the match at the Millennium stadium in Wales - heaps more than at the actual match! That is a sure sign that the Welsh will be up for this game.
The Welsh forwards make an imperious start, with a prefect line-out followed by a 20 metre maul forward, but they have a poor case of the dropsies and lose their early advantage. Not to be outdone, the French return this with interest and soon find themselves inside the Welsh 22.
Both teams are chancing their arms, but the slippery conditions mean the pill is dropped at crucial moments. James Hook gets the first points on the scoreboard after 8 minutes, converting a penalty that seemed unjust to France. French open side Dusautoir is unfairly penalised for fairly challenging Welsh possesion. 3-0 Wales.
Prop Adam Jones, the last remaining Welsh "hair bear", leaves the park injured after 10 minutes. This is disappointing for Wales and the fans. He is a great character. But the Welsh are really on the right side of referee Alain Roubert who is penalising the French quite harshly at the early stage of this match.
Wales are looking bloody good, but don't make the most of early territory and possession. The score remains 3-0 until the 17th minute when all hell breaks lose. Welsh skipper Sam Warbuton smashes Les Bleu's winger Vincent Clerk into the turf in a semi spear tackle. He gets shown the red card, and the French will have a one man advantage for the remaining 3/4s of the match.
A yellow card would probably have been fairer. Now Wales must use a back to maintain 8 men in the pack at scrum-time. They've lost the best forward and their skipper. Disaster.
Morgan Parra soon puts the teams even, converting a scrummaging penalty, 3-3. After 22 minutes.
Wales are in big trouble. Well they would be IF France knew how to use the 1 man advantage, but they play clumsy floundering footy for the next 10 minutes and fail to look at all convincing.
Welsh fly half James Hook misses his opportunity to get his team back ahead by missing a 40 metre penalty after 28 minutes. Parra does much better with a similar kick on 36 minutes and puts the French ahead for the first time at 6-3. And that is the score at the break.
Surely if the Welsh had not lost Warbuton they would be all over France. Warren Gatland might still find a way to refocus his team and elect some tactics to get them back in it. The lacklustre French are there for the taking.
Ole! They're back.
Halftime has brought red bush tea and Mary's shortbread, delicious.
France start the half as if they were England. They are all about the kick, the drop kick and territory. They are counting on their numerical advantage of players to win the game, but like England (at this tournament) they don't have the skills to put Wales away.
Parra puts France 9-3 ahead after 49 minutes. but as we all know a 6 point lead is never safe in Rugby. Wales have subbed off the very disappointing James Hook, whose 2 missed penalties in this game are the only difference on the score board.
Paul Schrader, one of my companions watching this game, has just muttered, "You'd be pissed off if you paid $900 to watch this". And he's right (not that he needs to pay for too many tickets - jammy bugger). Pissed off until the world's biggest halfback Mike Phillips scores another huge try! This is the same giant who broke open the Irish game last week. Stephen Jones misses the conversion, but now it's a one point match. 9-8 France after 60minutes.
It's amazing that the team with 14 on the park are the first to score a try. It shows the Welsh resilience and also demonstrates the lack of French ambition. Most neutral parties to this match would be supporting Wales 100%.
And now it is totally all-Wales on the all-out attack. The French look less composed than against the 15 English men last week, but with 5 minutes to go they maintain the tiny lead. Until they cough up a kickable penalty. At 50 metres, the kick is within Lee Halfpenny's range... not quite, it goes one foot UNDER the crossbar. Wales are desperately unlucky.
The Welsh bombard the French line for the remaining 5 minutes to no avail. Wales have been beached as bro, they have their poor kicking and the red card to blame. The French will make their 3rd Rugby World Cup final, but must do much better if they play 15 men next week.
Final Score France 9 - 8 Wales
45 Games - 255 Tries
Tweet of the Match - "Rubbish. France had nothing, could barely beat 14 men. Here's hoping ABs can play them in the final. #RWC2011" @dbridges_nz
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Semifinals. Predictions and Prayers
After 44 games and 254 tries, we are 160 minutes of rugby away from the final. Well that's if neither game goes to overtime, and looking at the match-ups one or both of them could be that close.
So what will we see?
Firstly the two remaining Northern Hemisphere teams
Saturday 15th October - Eden Park - 9pm
Wales (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, 1 loss, 26 tries) v France (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 2 losses, 15tries)
Wales have definitely been the best team at the tournament thus far. They've escaped the ravages of injuries that have plagued most of their competitors and they have beavered away through the Rugby World Cup getting better with every game. This is really saying something because their first outing saw them get within a point of the Springboks in the cliffhanger that was Game 8.
They also had the most convincing Quarter Final victory against Ireland as they absorbed a huge amount of pressure and intensity to cooly dismiss their Celtic rivals by 12 points. The margin wasn't the highest (the All Blacks scored more) but the manner of their victory was far more emphatic. They also scored 3 superb tries in the match, which topped any other team in the Quarters.
Their strength is in playing a complete game; they are superbly drilled by kiwi coach Warren Gatland, inspirationally led by 23 year old skipper Sam Warbuton, and they seem to do everything well. They are competitive in the set piece, have flair and pace aplenty in the backs, and can defend and contest the loose ball like dervishes.
On the other hand France have been pretty much rubbish until their last game where they surprised England in the first half, got their noses in front and held on to astonish most viewers. I say astonish but really it wasn't so surprising. France have a habit of producing their best form in dribs and drabs.
The big question about this match-up is can France do it again? If they do, then they have to do more, because Wales are a better team than England. But they are capable of beating Wales on Saturday certainly. They have won their last 3 encounters after all. But I don't think they will.
I think pulling off two games on the trot will be hoping too much for French supporters.
Wales to win it by 10.
And the last two Southern Hemisphere teams standing are from around here.
Sunday 16th October - Eden Park - 9pm
New Zealand (RWC 2011, 5 wins, 38 tries) v Australia (RWC 2011, 4 wins, 1 loss, 26 tries)
This is a real head vs heart prediction.
The head says that Australia have had the better build up, and have played more tough rugby leading up to the game. They've had injury woes, but can still field their most crucial players in this match. The All Blacks have had an amazing preparation over the last few years (where they planned for every nth detail), but are surprisingly ragged.
The two things AB fans all knew going into the Rugby World Cup was that there is depth aplenty in New Zealand rugby, apart from in two positions; #7 and #10.
The departure of Dan Carter, then Colin Slade due to groin issues has seen a new player hoisted into the first five limelight. Aaron Cruden made an excellent debut against Argentina but he was helped in no small way by Piri Weepu. The Aussies will be targeting this combination and will try to disrupt the both of them. Expect the Wallabies to try many antics at scrum-time to disturb Weepu's kicking options, and force him to hurry the ball out to Cruden. If the Manawatu man can pass Sunday's test then he has a great future ahead of him.
The other crucial position is blind side flanker. The Wallabies David Pocock is on fire and he single-handedly saved his team against the Springboks. We all know that a fully fit Richie McCaw would probably just pip Pocock to the title of World's Best Open Side. But he isn't fully fit.
If Richie can hold parity with Pocock and lead his men, the All Blacks should be able to best the Australians. If he can't then all bets are off. So the head has its doubts about an All Black victory. But the heart says they will do it. Of course they will!
My utmost hope is that Piri in his last few minutes on the field has the gall to hold four fingers in Quade Cooper's face and say to him "Four more years!"
Sadly that's not his style, and also I don't think we'll be counting any chickens as the game goes down to the wire.
All Blacks to win a tight tight match, possibly in extra time.
So what will we see?
Firstly the two remaining Northern Hemisphere teams
Saturday 15th October - Eden Park - 9pm
Wales (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, 1 loss, 26 tries) v France (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 2 losses, 15tries)
Wales have definitely been the best team at the tournament thus far. They've escaped the ravages of injuries that have plagued most of their competitors and they have beavered away through the Rugby World Cup getting better with every game. This is really saying something because their first outing saw them get within a point of the Springboks in the cliffhanger that was Game 8.
They also had the most convincing Quarter Final victory against Ireland as they absorbed a huge amount of pressure and intensity to cooly dismiss their Celtic rivals by 12 points. The margin wasn't the highest (the All Blacks scored more) but the manner of their victory was far more emphatic. They also scored 3 superb tries in the match, which topped any other team in the Quarters.
Their strength is in playing a complete game; they are superbly drilled by kiwi coach Warren Gatland, inspirationally led by 23 year old skipper Sam Warbuton, and they seem to do everything well. They are competitive in the set piece, have flair and pace aplenty in the backs, and can defend and contest the loose ball like dervishes.
On the other hand France have been pretty much rubbish until their last game where they surprised England in the first half, got their noses in front and held on to astonish most viewers. I say astonish but really it wasn't so surprising. France have a habit of producing their best form in dribs and drabs.
The big question about this match-up is can France do it again? If they do, then they have to do more, because Wales are a better team than England. But they are capable of beating Wales on Saturday certainly. They have won their last 3 encounters after all. But I don't think they will.
I think pulling off two games on the trot will be hoping too much for French supporters.
Wales to win it by 10.
And the last two Southern Hemisphere teams standing are from around here.
Sunday 16th October - Eden Park - 9pm
New Zealand (RWC 2011, 5 wins, 38 tries) v Australia (RWC 2011, 4 wins, 1 loss, 26 tries)
This is a real head vs heart prediction.
The head says that Australia have had the better build up, and have played more tough rugby leading up to the game. They've had injury woes, but can still field their most crucial players in this match. The All Blacks have had an amazing preparation over the last few years (where they planned for every nth detail), but are surprisingly ragged.
The two things AB fans all knew going into the Rugby World Cup was that there is depth aplenty in New Zealand rugby, apart from in two positions; #7 and #10.
The departure of Dan Carter, then Colin Slade due to groin issues has seen a new player hoisted into the first five limelight. Aaron Cruden made an excellent debut against Argentina but he was helped in no small way by Piri Weepu. The Aussies will be targeting this combination and will try to disrupt the both of them. Expect the Wallabies to try many antics at scrum-time to disturb Weepu's kicking options, and force him to hurry the ball out to Cruden. If the Manawatu man can pass Sunday's test then he has a great future ahead of him.
The other crucial position is blind side flanker. The Wallabies David Pocock is on fire and he single-handedly saved his team against the Springboks. We all know that a fully fit Richie McCaw would probably just pip Pocock to the title of World's Best Open Side. But he isn't fully fit.
If Richie can hold parity with Pocock and lead his men, the All Blacks should be able to best the Australians. If he can't then all bets are off. So the head has its doubts about an All Black victory. But the heart says they will do it. Of course they will!
My utmost hope is that Piri in his last few minutes on the field has the gall to hold four fingers in Quade Cooper's face and say to him "Four more years!"
Sadly that's not his style, and also I don't think we'll be counting any chickens as the game goes down to the wire.
All Blacks to win a tight tight match, possibly in extra time.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Game 44 - QF 4 - New Zealand v Argentina - Eden Park -- 9th Oct 2011
Here are a few of my favourite things from this match...
no live blogging!
My beautiful wife Megan out of hospital for the night.
The warmth of the Schrader-Daish safe haven.
Our twins safe inside Meggy's belly.
Glorious Mary Daish - Toad in the Hole in all our bellies.
Mils running on alone for his 100th test, then his tears during the anthem.
Kapa o Pango!
A white Steinie apiece for Schrader and Me.
Piri's first penalty straight and true.
Conrad's scrambling defence.
The Double Kick; Piri to Cory to Mils.
Los Pumas throwing the ball over the dead ball line.
Taking the 3 when it is there.
6-0 after 25 minutes.
Los Pumas scoring a huge upset first try. (7-6 after 32 mins)
Piri 3/3 after 35 minutes... and back in the lead.
Aaron Cruden stepping up.
A 12-7 All Black lead at half time. (Better than being behind)
I hope Cory Jane doesn't have a fag in the changing rooms.
The only gay ref in the village.
Spider cam.
A pink panther in the crowd (but back to 12-10 ahead).
Piri 100% from 9 kicks at RWC... and a 15-10 lead.
SBW's offload and haircut.
Aaron's Ma'averlous break.
Kevin Mealamu human ball bearing.
At last an 8 point lead! 58 minute wait mind. 18-10 ABs.
At last an All Black try to Kieran Read. 23-10 after 67mins PHEW.
Jerome Kaino - everywhere and hard as nails.
Piri's 7/8 kicks, he has some nerve and is Man of the Match 26-10. 72 mins gone
Brad Thorn's try (almost with Zimmerframe) 33-10
Cory Jane you have redeemed yourself.
Final Score New Zealand 33 - 10 Argentina
44 Games - 254 Tries
Tweet of the Match - "Weepu of Mass Destruction!!!" @RaybonKan
no live blogging!
My beautiful wife Megan out of hospital for the night.
The warmth of the Schrader-Daish safe haven.
Our twins safe inside Meggy's belly.
Glorious Mary Daish - Toad in the Hole in all our bellies.
Mils running on alone for his 100th test, then his tears during the anthem.
Kapa o Pango!
A white Steinie apiece for Schrader and Me.
Piri's first penalty straight and true.
Conrad's scrambling defence.
The Double Kick; Piri to Cory to Mils.
Los Pumas throwing the ball over the dead ball line.
Taking the 3 when it is there.
6-0 after 25 minutes.
Los Pumas scoring a huge upset first try. (7-6 after 32 mins)
Piri 3/3 after 35 minutes... and back in the lead.
Aaron Cruden stepping up.
A 12-7 All Black lead at half time. (Better than being behind)
I hope Cory Jane doesn't have a fag in the changing rooms.
The only gay ref in the village.
Spider cam.
A pink panther in the crowd (but back to 12-10 ahead).
Piri 100% from 9 kicks at RWC... and a 15-10 lead.
SBW's offload and haircut.
Aaron's Ma'averlous break.
Kevin Mealamu human ball bearing.
At last an 8 point lead! 58 minute wait mind. 18-10 ABs.
At last an All Black try to Kieran Read. 23-10 after 67mins PHEW.
Jerome Kaino - everywhere and hard as nails.
Piri's 7/8 kicks, he has some nerve and is Man of the Match 26-10. 72 mins gone
Brad Thorn's try (almost with Zimmerframe) 33-10
Cory Jane you have redeemed yourself.
Final Score New Zealand 33 - 10 Argentina
44 Games - 254 Tries
Tweet of the Match - "Weepu of Mass Destruction!!!" @RaybonKan
Game 43 - QF 3 - Australia v South Africa -Wellington Regional Stadium -- 9th Oct 2011
We've broken Megan out of hospital! So whatever happens in the next 80 minutes of footy is a bonus.
Our wonderful friends Paul and Mary live a stone's throw from the maternity ward, and they're feeding us Toad in the Hole while we watch this evening's rugby feast.
If you've read my Quadter Final Prediction you'll know I think the Australians will win this match. So much so that I've gone double or quits with a winning bet from last night's French victory on the Wallabies today.
The conditions are absolutely perfect at the Cake Tin. The first 10 minutes of the half are all Bokke. They are attempting to monster the Wallabies aside. But the Aussies are hanging in there. I think they'll try and absorb the initial Springbok pressure and not try to leak too many points, then strike like a viper in their own time.
Ha Ha! After 10 minutes under the pump. The Wallabies get great field position from a Quade Cooper kick, and their back-line pounced on the surprised Boks. Magnificent skipper James Halwell busts over for the try. Bieber (James O'Connor) fluffs his conversion though. 5-0 Australia after 13 minutes.
From the restart Kurtley Beale goes through the South Africans like a dose of salts. He breaks through to the Springbok twenty two, passes to a fatty who spills it. The Wallabies look red hot. Their pressure is rewarded by a penalty. This time Bieber pops it over. 8-0 Wallabies after 17 minutes.
The Springboks are too organised a side to give up though and they put the heat back on the Wallabies. Quade Cooper is possibly one of the finest rugby players in the world but he's definitely the most unpredictable. He tries to run the ball from his right hand corner and gets nowhere.
The Boks put the blowtorch on the Australians but their hearts must sink as Henrich Brussow limps off the field. He's been their best player thus far at the cup and he's gone for the duration. Kiwi ref Bryce Lawrence does them no favours either as he misses some Wallaby hands in a ruck under their own posts. The Aussies survive yet again!
Morne Steyn misses a 52 metre penalty on 28 minutes. His namesake Francois would probably have nailed that. If the Springboks had played this way in any other game thus far they'd have a comfortable advantage by now. But the Wallabies are not an ordinary opposition, with players named Kurtley, Digby and Quade you can't expect predictable.
My favourite Springbok Bryan Habana is the next South African in the wars. He takes a huge knock to the scone and looks like he is in cloud cuckoo land. His team are playing with great enterprise and 100% commitment, but they simply don't have the final 5% of brilliance to bust the Australian defence.
They've turned the ball over 12 times in the first 35 minutes, and you can't do that and beat a world class opposition.
A replay shows that Radike Samo put a cheap-shot shoulder charge into Habana's head in a tackle. I'm currently cheering for Gold but that will change if they keep on like that. Morne slots a penalty on the 39th minute. Then he has another awarded for the last play of the half. It is a huge 55 metre plus effort which he understandably misses. The score is 8-3 at half time.
The South Africans have tried everything and not cracked the Aussies yet - they will need to keep it up in the next half. I think that if the Wallabies can score first in the next 40 they might be able to hold them out, but they cant afford to switch off at any stage.
The first ten minutes of the second spell are more of the same. The South Africans are big and strong in the set piece. The Wallabies are scrambling in defence and dangerous in the counter attack. The Springboks bust the Wallaby line at 45 minutes and look to score a try, but the vital final pass was correctly adjudged forward by Lawrence.
Habana is showing the pride of a lion. He's had some sickening blows to his cranium, but he has stayed on the park by virtue of sheer courage alone. Sadly he and his skipper Smit are subbed out after 50 minutes of play.
The Wallabies are in real trouble at scrum time. It is in the set piece where the Bokke have a clear advantage, but they are unable to find gaps to capitalise on this superiority. But the Wallabies are losing discipline and have coughed up a kickable penalty - that is meat and drink to Steyn. 8-6 to the Wallabies after 55 minutes.
The Springboks don't need tries to win anymore. 3 points will do it. They'll aim to camp in the Australian half and wait for mistakes. The Wallabies surely need a try or they won't hold the South Africans out.
The Springboks take the lead with a Morne drop goal bang on the 60 minute mark. The Wallabies need to play some footy now. 9-8 RSA. Morne is controlling the game, and his opposite Quade Cooper looks seriously rattled - he needs to find his mojo or his team will not get back nto this match. He has a shocking brain explosion at 63 minutes as he kicks valuable possession out on the full with an ill-timed and terrible kick.
Should Deans take him off? Should the Wallabies have Matt Giteau in the reserves? 15 minutes left to find out.
The difference in the game right now is hunger. None of the Australian game breakers; Samo, Genia, Cooper, Beale or Ioane seem to want to do the damage themselves. They need to tough it out and get some hard yards. Patrick Lambie misses a drop kick on 68 minutes. The Aussies need a team talk or something.
Berrick Barnes looks like he wants to be "that guy" for Oz. His kicking is gaining the Aussies some momentum, but they don't have the skills in the set piece to make advantage of the easy yards... UNTIL the Boks have an unusual lapse of discipline and concede a tough but kickable penalty. "Oh Baby Baby Baby!" O'Connor puts the Wallabies back in front. 11-9 Australia with 8 minutes to go.
If the Springboks can score again - anything - a penalty, a drop or a try I'm sure they'll win. But that is a big "if". They throw everything at the Wallabies in the last minutes, but can't do it.
We will have a new World Champion from this tournament - the Springboks are gone. Not from lack of effort, but possibly from lack of enterprise. The team who scored the only try wins the game. I love it when that happens.
Final Score Australia 11 - 9 South Africa
43 Games 251 Trues
Tweet of the Match - "Can hear Waltzing Matilda being sung at the stadium from up at our place" @bbqbevo (He lives in Ngaio, some 4 km from the Stadium!)
Our wonderful friends Paul and Mary live a stone's throw from the maternity ward, and they're feeding us Toad in the Hole while we watch this evening's rugby feast.
If you've read my Quadter Final Prediction you'll know I think the Australians will win this match. So much so that I've gone double or quits with a winning bet from last night's French victory on the Wallabies today.
The conditions are absolutely perfect at the Cake Tin. The first 10 minutes of the half are all Bokke. They are attempting to monster the Wallabies aside. But the Aussies are hanging in there. I think they'll try and absorb the initial Springbok pressure and not try to leak too many points, then strike like a viper in their own time.
Ha Ha! After 10 minutes under the pump. The Wallabies get great field position from a Quade Cooper kick, and their back-line pounced on the surprised Boks. Magnificent skipper James Halwell busts over for the try. Bieber (James O'Connor) fluffs his conversion though. 5-0 Australia after 13 minutes.
From the restart Kurtley Beale goes through the South Africans like a dose of salts. He breaks through to the Springbok twenty two, passes to a fatty who spills it. The Wallabies look red hot. Their pressure is rewarded by a penalty. This time Bieber pops it over. 8-0 Wallabies after 17 minutes.
The Springboks are too organised a side to give up though and they put the heat back on the Wallabies. Quade Cooper is possibly one of the finest rugby players in the world but he's definitely the most unpredictable. He tries to run the ball from his right hand corner and gets nowhere.
The Boks put the blowtorch on the Australians but their hearts must sink as Henrich Brussow limps off the field. He's been their best player thus far at the cup and he's gone for the duration. Kiwi ref Bryce Lawrence does them no favours either as he misses some Wallaby hands in a ruck under their own posts. The Aussies survive yet again!
Morne Steyn misses a 52 metre penalty on 28 minutes. His namesake Francois would probably have nailed that. If the Springboks had played this way in any other game thus far they'd have a comfortable advantage by now. But the Wallabies are not an ordinary opposition, with players named Kurtley, Digby and Quade you can't expect predictable.
My favourite Springbok Bryan Habana is the next South African in the wars. He takes a huge knock to the scone and looks like he is in cloud cuckoo land. His team are playing with great enterprise and 100% commitment, but they simply don't have the final 5% of brilliance to bust the Australian defence.
They've turned the ball over 12 times in the first 35 minutes, and you can't do that and beat a world class opposition.
A replay shows that Radike Samo put a cheap-shot shoulder charge into Habana's head in a tackle. I'm currently cheering for Gold but that will change if they keep on like that. Morne slots a penalty on the 39th minute. Then he has another awarded for the last play of the half. It is a huge 55 metre plus effort which he understandably misses. The score is 8-3 at half time.
The South Africans have tried everything and not cracked the Aussies yet - they will need to keep it up in the next half. I think that if the Wallabies can score first in the next 40 they might be able to hold them out, but they cant afford to switch off at any stage.
The first ten minutes of the second spell are more of the same. The South Africans are big and strong in the set piece. The Wallabies are scrambling in defence and dangerous in the counter attack. The Springboks bust the Wallaby line at 45 minutes and look to score a try, but the vital final pass was correctly adjudged forward by Lawrence.
Habana is showing the pride of a lion. He's had some sickening blows to his cranium, but he has stayed on the park by virtue of sheer courage alone. Sadly he and his skipper Smit are subbed out after 50 minutes of play.
The Wallabies are in real trouble at scrum time. It is in the set piece where the Bokke have a clear advantage, but they are unable to find gaps to capitalise on this superiority. But the Wallabies are losing discipline and have coughed up a kickable penalty - that is meat and drink to Steyn. 8-6 to the Wallabies after 55 minutes.
The Springboks don't need tries to win anymore. 3 points will do it. They'll aim to camp in the Australian half and wait for mistakes. The Wallabies surely need a try or they won't hold the South Africans out.
The Springboks take the lead with a Morne drop goal bang on the 60 minute mark. The Wallabies need to play some footy now. 9-8 RSA. Morne is controlling the game, and his opposite Quade Cooper looks seriously rattled - he needs to find his mojo or his team will not get back nto this match. He has a shocking brain explosion at 63 minutes as he kicks valuable possession out on the full with an ill-timed and terrible kick.
Should Deans take him off? Should the Wallabies have Matt Giteau in the reserves? 15 minutes left to find out.
The difference in the game right now is hunger. None of the Australian game breakers; Samo, Genia, Cooper, Beale or Ioane seem to want to do the damage themselves. They need to tough it out and get some hard yards. Patrick Lambie misses a drop kick on 68 minutes. The Aussies need a team talk or something.
Berrick Barnes looks like he wants to be "that guy" for Oz. His kicking is gaining the Aussies some momentum, but they don't have the skills in the set piece to make advantage of the easy yards... UNTIL the Boks have an unusual lapse of discipline and concede a tough but kickable penalty. "Oh Baby Baby Baby!" O'Connor puts the Wallabies back in front. 11-9 Australia with 8 minutes to go.
If the Springboks can score again - anything - a penalty, a drop or a try I'm sure they'll win. But that is a big "if". They throw everything at the Wallabies in the last minutes, but can't do it.
We will have a new World Champion from this tournament - the Springboks are gone. Not from lack of effort, but possibly from lack of enterprise. The team who scored the only try wins the game. I love it when that happens.
Final Score Australia 11 - 9 South Africa
43 Games 251 Trues
Tweet of the Match - "Can hear Waltzing Matilda being sung at the stadium from up at our place" @bbqbevo (He lives in Ngaio, some 4 km from the Stadium!)
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Quad Nations Quarters - The Sunday Quarter Finals - More Bold Predictions
As of next year, the increasingly stale Tri Nations competition is being refreshed into a Quad Nations instead. And serving as a promo for the rugby fest we can look forward to, are these two matches between the 4 teams in question. It's like a marketer's dream! So who will prevail? Here are my two cents worth.
Game 3 - 6pm Wellington Regional Stadium
South Africa (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, no losses/ World Ranking 2) vs Australia (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 1 loss/ World Ranking 3)
After an indifferent Tri Nations campaign, the Springboks have surprised us all thus far in the tournament. They seemed rusty first up against Wales. But looked imposing when they demolished Fiji the following week. By the time they smashed their Namibian neighbours 87-0 in Albany in the tournament's most emphatic game, the Bokke seemed almost imperious.
They have won 4 games, scored 166 points and 21 tries as they triumphed in Pool D, boasting the second best defence (to England) in the Pool rounds, conceding just 2 tries. They also have clearly the best goal kicking at the RWC, with Morne Steyn missing just one attempt in all of the matches played. Losing long kicking range specialist Francois Steyn to injury has been a blow, but probably won't make too much difference in this match.
The Springboks won't be counting any chickens yet. Last weeks 13-5 scare to Samoa was no doubt timely, because there is no way they will be coming to today's fixture with any sense of complacency.
Their foes in this game - the fiendish Wallabies - have been painted as sub-par at this tournament. But I question this. Yes they were unprepared for the Irish onslaught at Eden Park in Game 16, but I said back then that the Wallabies would "like a cockroach... doubtless survive this spray of poison and be back for more later in the tournie". And here they are having scored 173 points and 25 tries.
Despite the All Black's headline hogging, the Wallabies have had the worst run of any team with injuries at the tournament, even resorting to playing big #8 Radike Samo on the wing as they've awaited reinforcements. But as they say when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
As an All Black fan, I'd love to see the Australians dip out of contention tonight. Despite their injury woes they still have the most menacing back line in the competition, and their forward pack can be an absolute handfull. But the very reasons I want to see them gone, are just why they'll win this and win it comfortably.
The Australians are capable of playing irrepressible attacking rugby - the kind of play which is almost impossible to prepare for. The Springboks are only about systems and planning - they don't have flair anywhere except for the two wingers. Peter De Villiers has made his team seem formidable for several weeks, but the Samoans nearly burst their bubble. I think coach Robbie Deans will send a clear message with this game, and we'll see the Wallabies post an emphatic victory.
I really can't envisage any other result.
Game 4 - 8.30pm Eden Park
New Zealand (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, no losses/ World Ranking 1) vs Argentina (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 1 loss/ World Ranking 9)
The All Blacks have once drawn with Argentina. It was in 1985, at the nadir of All Black teams... as Paul Kelly sang "They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn". And I remember watching this 21-21 draw at some strange hour of the morning, and thinking that the great All Blacks would never live it down.
Now here they are playing Los Pumas in a Quarter Final of a Rugby World Cup. And a none too shabby side either for that matter. The Argentinians have performed solidly at this tournament, but they haven't exactly lit it up. They came 2nd in Pool B, having nearly surprised England in Game 5. But they've only scored 90 points and just 10 tries.
A real factor in this low tally is the woeful place kicking of the otherwise inspirational (and delightfully named) first five Felipe Contempomi. If they were able to turn pressure into points they'd probably be able to keep things respectable against the All Blacks. This is because they have a great pack, and they are World Class in set piece play. But that is a big "if".
New Zealand have been the best team at the tournament thus far in terms of playing attacking footy. They've scored 240 points and a whopping 36 tries, averaging 9 tries per game in totally dominating Pool A. On the down side is a poor place kicking conversion rate, and a surprisingly soft defence. They've leaked 6 tries already at the tournament including 4 to genuine minnows Tonga, Canada and Japan.
Also on the down side is the uncertainty in team selection. The All Blacks play this game with a make shift halfback-first five combination, a Captain who can't run at training and with many of their first choice players unavailable. It shouldn't matter this week. I think the All Blacks will very comfortably account for Argentina. By this I mean a victory of 25 points or over.
The disappointing thing for them is that whatever the score tonight, they can't feel ready for next week given the state of their stocks right now.
Game 3 - 6pm Wellington Regional Stadium
South Africa (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, no losses/ World Ranking 2) vs Australia (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 1 loss/ World Ranking 3)
After an indifferent Tri Nations campaign, the Springboks have surprised us all thus far in the tournament. They seemed rusty first up against Wales. But looked imposing when they demolished Fiji the following week. By the time they smashed their Namibian neighbours 87-0 in Albany in the tournament's most emphatic game, the Bokke seemed almost imperious.
They have won 4 games, scored 166 points and 21 tries as they triumphed in Pool D, boasting the second best defence (to England) in the Pool rounds, conceding just 2 tries. They also have clearly the best goal kicking at the RWC, with Morne Steyn missing just one attempt in all of the matches played. Losing long kicking range specialist Francois Steyn to injury has been a blow, but probably won't make too much difference in this match.
The Springboks won't be counting any chickens yet. Last weeks 13-5 scare to Samoa was no doubt timely, because there is no way they will be coming to today's fixture with any sense of complacency.
Their foes in this game - the fiendish Wallabies - have been painted as sub-par at this tournament. But I question this. Yes they were unprepared for the Irish onslaught at Eden Park in Game 16, but I said back then that the Wallabies would "like a cockroach... doubtless survive this spray of poison and be back for more later in the tournie". And here they are having scored 173 points and 25 tries.
Despite the All Black's headline hogging, the Wallabies have had the worst run of any team with injuries at the tournament, even resorting to playing big #8 Radike Samo on the wing as they've awaited reinforcements. But as they say when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
As an All Black fan, I'd love to see the Australians dip out of contention tonight. Despite their injury woes they still have the most menacing back line in the competition, and their forward pack can be an absolute handfull. But the very reasons I want to see them gone, are just why they'll win this and win it comfortably.
The Australians are capable of playing irrepressible attacking rugby - the kind of play which is almost impossible to prepare for. The Springboks are only about systems and planning - they don't have flair anywhere except for the two wingers. Peter De Villiers has made his team seem formidable for several weeks, but the Samoans nearly burst their bubble. I think coach Robbie Deans will send a clear message with this game, and we'll see the Wallabies post an emphatic victory.
I really can't envisage any other result.
Game 4 - 8.30pm Eden Park
New Zealand (RWC 2011 - 4 wins, no losses/ World Ranking 1) vs Argentina (RWC 2011 - 3 wins, 1 loss/ World Ranking 9)
The All Blacks have once drawn with Argentina. It was in 1985, at the nadir of All Black teams... as Paul Kelly sang "They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn". And I remember watching this 21-21 draw at some strange hour of the morning, and thinking that the great All Blacks would never live it down.
Now here they are playing Los Pumas in a Quarter Final of a Rugby World Cup. And a none too shabby side either for that matter. The Argentinians have performed solidly at this tournament, but they haven't exactly lit it up. They came 2nd in Pool B, having nearly surprised England in Game 5. But they've only scored 90 points and just 10 tries.
A real factor in this low tally is the woeful place kicking of the otherwise inspirational (and delightfully named) first five Felipe Contempomi. If they were able to turn pressure into points they'd probably be able to keep things respectable against the All Blacks. This is because they have a great pack, and they are World Class in set piece play. But that is a big "if".
New Zealand have been the best team at the tournament thus far in terms of playing attacking footy. They've scored 240 points and a whopping 36 tries, averaging 9 tries per game in totally dominating Pool A. On the down side is a poor place kicking conversion rate, and a surprisingly soft defence. They've leaked 6 tries already at the tournament including 4 to genuine minnows Tonga, Canada and Japan.
Also on the down side is the uncertainty in team selection. The All Blacks play this game with a make shift halfback-first five combination, a Captain who can't run at training and with many of their first choice players unavailable. It shouldn't matter this week. I think the All Blacks will very comfortably account for Argentina. By this I mean a victory of 25 points or over.
The disappointing thing for them is that whatever the score tonight, they can't feel ready for next week given the state of their stocks right now.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)