Blacks warming to Boks

New research shows that nearly 70% of black South African adults now support the Springboks.

This is impressive when you consider that virtually no blacks backed the Boks in 1992, when South Africa was readmitted to world rugby. While the myth is perpetuated that all black South Africans were behind the Boks in 1995, a more realistic figure would be 20% with the rest cheering on the All Blacks or not caring about rugby at all.

According to recent research by BMI-Sports Info, 94% of white adults support the Boks, with 3% (including Cheeky Watson) backing the All Blacks. Seventeen percent of adult blacks support New Zealand and 6% Australia.

BMI’s research also shows that while 62% of all black high school children support the Boks, 27% prefer the All Blacks. Amongst only black boys, the support for the men in green and gold dips to 60%, while the support for the All Blacks is 31%.

Of all white high school children, 92% are Bok supporters, while 5% shout for New Zealand. Amongst boys alone, 9% support the All Blacks.

An analysis of the younger adults between the ages of 18 and 24 shows that 9% of whites support New Zealand while 20% of young black adults do the same.

Posted by Simon www.keo.co.za

Preview: New Zealand v Italy

The quest to satisfy a twenty year thirst begins in earnest for New Zealand in Marseille on Saturday when they open their 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign against Italy.

Having supped the sweet wine of success from the Webb Ellis trophy in 1987 the world's number one side have subsequently failed to repeat the achievements witnessed at Eden Park all those agonising years ago.

Such is the extent of the agony suffered by the All Blacks on their perilous journey to France, that the trophy has become something of a poisoned chalice. Now only the sweet taste of success in Paris will quell the fires of torment that have raged for so long.

The fires will continue to burn in every New Zealander's belly, but with each game they will gradually subside as they edge towards the cool waters of a glorious shore in Paris. There will be few obstacles obstructing their path as far as the pool goes, although Italy will provide the main challenge.

With no disrespect to Italy, for they are a team with great promise, they are simply not in the same league as Graham Henry's current crop of All Blacks. Let us not forget this is a team who have won thirty eight of their last forty three Tests, a staggering eighty eight per cent winning record for those who are counting.

It is no wonder then that, with the freakish athleticism of Richie McCaw, the best tight head prop, Carl Hayman, in the world and the prodigious Dan Carter orchestrating the show, that New Zealand will go to Marseille with more than a smattering of confidence.

Italy, for their part, will compete, but for how long is another question. They will come at the All Blacks like banshees, running on passion and adrenaline. The blood that courses through their bodies will be cool, yet the bodies of battle will be burning with pride.

Yet at some stage in the game Italy will fade, and when they do the All Blacks will cut loose in a ruthless but methodical manner. It is in their very nature to sense when the time is right, to sense when the Azzurri are feeling heavy and cumbersome from their heroic efforts. That is what sets New Zealand apart, their killer instinct, and the abundance of class to exploit it.

Having not played a Test since the tail end of the Tri Nations, opting instead for an altogether private preparation period, it will, without doubt, take New Zealand some time to hit their straps. And so it is in this period when Italy need to make their efforts tell, otherwise the nightmare of Rugby World Cup 1999 could well come back to haunt them.

For New Zealand, they will look to their only successful campaign, in 1987, and their opening game at Eden Park, against Italy. A 70-6 victory for David Kirk's men set them on the road to glory. It may therefore be coincidence, or it may be the rugby gods playing their subtle hand, that New Zealand once again open their quest against Italy.

A repeat of the Eden Park mauling then will be the perfect way for Graham Henry and his charges to go after their very own Holy Grail.

Ones to watch:

For New Zealand: Make no mistakes about it, you will want to maintain a close watch on the entire All Black squad. The pressure is on, they know anything but World Cup glory will be seen as a failure, and the road to glory starts here. The side oozes talent, as does the bench, but if you want a single player to watch it has to be Conrad Smith. Plagued by injury in the past Smith is finally fully fit and ready to showcase his undeniable talent. It will be interesting to see how he fairs with Luke McAllister in the centres, but knowing these two the partnership will flourish.

For Italy: The Azzurri, man for man, will need to be at their passionate best in Marseille and you can be assured Alessandro Troncon will wear his sizeable heart on his sleeve. A veteran of 97 Tests the wily scrum half knows that this is his swan song, not that he will let sentiment obstruct the task at hand. He has proven to be a handful to New Zealand teams in the past and you can rest assured he will be in this, his last game against them.

Head to Head: The battle between the two open sides, Richie McCaw and Mauro Bergamasco, will be full of intrigue. There are few in the world who can come close to the irrepressible McCaw, and for very good reason, he is the world's best. Yet in Mauro Bergamasco Italy have the next best thing. The contrasting styles of these two would have you believe they are leagues apart, but don't be fooled. Bergamasco is the key to Italy making a fist of this, and if he hits the heights we know he can New Zealand will be made to work hard for their win.

Prediction: Italy will compete, that much is certain. However they wont win, again that much is certain. The All Blacks will dictate how much they win by. If they hit the ground running the score will tick over with a familiar regularity. Yet there is a chance they will take a while to find their form, in which case Italy will hang in there for as long as is possible. New Zealand by at least thirty.

Recent results:

2004: New Zealand won 59-10, Stadio Flaminio, Rome
2003: New Zealand won 70-7, Colonial Stadium, Melbourne (RWC)
2002: New Zealand won 64-10, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
2000: New Zealand won 56-19, Genoa
1999: New Zealand won 101-3, McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield (RWC)
1995: New Zealand won 70-6, Bologna
1991: New Zealand won 31-21, Welford Rd, Leicester (RWC)
1987: New Zealand won 70-6, Eden Park, Auckland (RWC)

The teams:

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Luke McAllister, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Anton Oliver, 17 Neemia Tialata, 18 Reuben Thorne, 19 Sione Lauaki, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Aaron Mauger, 22 Leon MacDonald.

Italy: 15 David Bortolussi. 14 Kaine Robertson, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Mirco Bergamasco, 11 Marko Stanojevic, 10 Roland de Marigny, 9 Alessandro Troncon, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 4 Santiago Dellapè, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Andrea Lo Cicero, 18 Valerio Bernabò, 19 Manoa Vosawai, 20 Paul Griffen, 21 Gonzalo Canale, 22 Ezio Galon.

Date: Saturday September 8, 2007
Kick off: 13:45 (12:45 BST)
Venue: Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges: Christophe Berdos (France), Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Television match official: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assessor: Ian Scotney (Australia)

By Marcus Leach www.planetrugby.com

Preview: England v United States

Two more contrasting teams you will not find. England and the United States are, in Rugby Union terms, at totally opposite ends of the spectrum.

England, the defending World Cup champions, come from a very strong Rugby Union culture - in fact it is regarded (wrongly or rightly) as the birthplace of the game.

In the US Rugby Union is a minor sport which struggles for any kind of media coverage and funding is minimal. They have only a few semi-professional players and one or two full-timers.

Yet, when they meet in Lens on Saturday there will be expectations and hope like in any other game.

The expectations will be that of England and their vast supporter base that traveled across the channel to France. They will be expecting and easy win and a smooth ride into the crucial encounter with South Africa six days later.

The US Eagles and their small party of fans will be hoping for an upset. But mostly, they will be hoping to be just competitive.

The Eagles have qualified for the finals of a World Cup four times, with the buzzword always being the "potential" of the team. However, they won only two games - both against Japan - in their previous three visits to this global showpiece.

After their win in the inaugural 1987 tournament, they lost a record 10 games in a row until victory at Gosford in 2003.

Despite starting as overwhelming favourites, England are aware that they can't afford to look too much beyond Saturday, as complacency has brought down much bigger and better teams.

England captain Phil Vickery, who said his team is more than ready to launch the defence of their World Cup title, is the first to admit that the Eagles are not to be summarily dismissed.

"You look at it on paper and this is a team we should beat convincingly, but there is always that danger that if you don't treat them with respect then you will come unstuck," Vickery said.

"We have got to respect these guys, they are a very proud nation, they have got some very good players and they are playing the defending champions in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup."

The Eagles have focused on improving their set pieces, heading into this match against England and with several veteran forwards returning this year, the US outfit aims to make this an interesting match-up.

"We have come a long way in a very short time," scrum coach Bill LeClerc said.

"We were fortunate to have Mike Cron [the All Blacks' scrum doctor] at the beginning of the year. We have implemented a lot of his techniques.

"A lot of our players have come along in leaps and bounds in terms of their conditioning," he added.

"We have got the best tactics we can. They are up for it and they want to see how they go against one of the best packs in the world."

Ones to Watch:

For England: In the absence of the yet again injured Jonny Wilkinson the spotlight will inevitably shift onto Olly Barkley, to see how he shapes up at fly-half on the biggest stage of all. The US are not exactly the biggest test he'll face, but he will have an ideal opportunity to show there is life after Wilko.

For the United State: You will have to look at the veterans - the likes of Mike Hercus at fly-half and Luke Gross in the second row - to guide the World Cup newcomers, of which there are many in the Eagles team.

Head to Head: The midfield battle could be very entertaining. Probably not the most decisive showdown, but it will be worth watching how veterans Jamie Noon and Mike Catt (England) shape up against the effervescent Paul Emerick and Vahafolau Esikia (Eagles). In the second row Luke Gross (US) will play a crucial set piece role in his battle with Simon Shaw (England).

Recent Results:

2001: England won 48-19, San Francisco
1999: England won 106-8, London
1991: England won 37-9, London
1987: England won 34-6, Sydney

Prediction: Like all North American sides you can expect the Eagles to be very committed. They've had their moments, but they've also had problems in sustaining that over a period. This England team is not as bad as most people think and even without Jonny Wilkinson will cruise to an easy win - by 20 points or more.

Teams:

England: 15 Mark Cueto, 14 Josh Lewsey, 13 Jamie Noon, 12 Mike Catt, 11 Jason Robinson, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Shaun Perry, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio, 7 Tom Rees, 6 Joe Worsley, 5 Ben Kay, 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Phil Vickery (c), 2 Mark Regan, 1 Andrew Sheridan.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Martin Corry, 19 Lewis Moody, 20 Peter Richards, 21 Andy Farrell , 22 Mathew Tait.

United States: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Salesi Sika, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Vahafolau Esikia, 11 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 10 Mike Hercus (c), 9 Chad Erskine, 8 Henry Bloomfield, 7 Todd Clever, 6 Louis Stanfill, 5 Mike Mangan, 4 Luke Gross, 3 Chris Osentowski, 2 Owen Lentz, 1 Mike MacDonald.
Replacements: 16 Blake Burdette, 17 Matekitonga Moeakiola, 18 Alec Parker, 19 Inaki Basauri, 20 Mike Petri, 21 Valenese Malifa, 22 Albert Tuipulotu.

Date: Saturday, 8 September
Venue: Stade Felix Bollaert, Lens
Kick-off: 18.00 (16.00 GMT)
Conditions: Mostly sunny, wind NW 14 km/h; High 22°C, overnight low 13°C
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Television match official: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

www.planetrugby.com

Preview: France v Argentina

This is the moment the rugby world has been waiting for. The whistle will at last sound and the 2007 Rugby World Cup will be under way. What a thrill!

When the opening ceremony is over at Stade de France and Tony Spreadbury blows on the ancient whistle, the world will let out a gasp of relief. The waiting is over. It will be like lancing a boil as the players burst into action and the crowd breaks out into cries in the ground and in bars and rugby clubs and homes all around the world. For some it will be late at night, for some early in the morning, for the people of Argentina a convenient time, just after siesta.

Now it will be team against team, player against player, hero against hero in a pool regarded as especially tough. Two teams from Pool D will go on to the quarter-finals - two out of three of the top teams in the world - France, ranked third, Ireland, ranked fifth, and Argentina, ranked sixth. The winner of this opening match will go through to the quarter-finals, barring mathematical peculiarities.

Apart from that call to arms for France and Argentina, there is also the added spice of propinquity. The two countries may be separated by ocean and hemisphere but so many of the Pumas are Europe-based and more particularly France-based, that there is something of civil war in this, and everybody knows the bitterest wars are civil wars.

That is going to demand greater than usual discipline of the teams and Bernard Laporte's France has been remarkably disciplined during his coaching time.

France have conceded slightly fewer penalties than Argentina - only four against Wales - and neither side has been heavily sanctioned with yellow cards. Spreadbury referees with chirpy words and a smile which can become a giggle but he is also not shy of punishing what is wrong. Good discipline will be important.

For the Pumas this is the third World Cup in a row that they will have played in the opening match - against Wales in 1999, against Australia in 2003 and now against France. The idea of hosts against reigning champions was an accident of 1991 and 1995. In 1987 the hosts All Blacks played against Italy, a one-sided, feeble start to the World Cup. This match in Saint-Denis is unlikely to be one-sided.

The two teams met in Paris last November. France won 27-26 - the same two countries with the same referee on the same field. But things were slightly different. The Pumas were on a roll at the time with victories over England and Italy. France were coming off a string of four defeats. Things are slightly different this time.

France are on a roll after satisfying victories over England (twice) and Wales in their warm-ups while the Pumas beat Chile and lost to Wales. France at the moment are playing with confidence and with all 15 players involved. The Pumas were doing that in November. If they can revive that there will be a contest.

France have the huge advantage of the home ground. Not that French soil will be all that foreign to the Pumas but here the support will all be for the home nation which is also the host nation. The French take great glee in winning trophies. This one has eluded them. The surge of the nation will be behind France. The Pumas who play in France will be used to shared support, not the passion that is likely to burst forth from Stade de France on Friday night.

Ones to Watch: You will watch Agustín Pichot who is so valuable to the Pumas' effort but may just be losing his edge now. After all, his great year was 1999. You will also want to see Cédric Heymans, the French fullback, something of a surprise choice for the sturdy player with the booming boot and thrustful running, as he has played mostly on the wing.

Head to Head: The more interesting individual performances will be in the match-ups, of which there are several. In group contests, France would seem to have the better of the three-quarter battle with greater experience, speed and creativity. If the battle can be won here, France will win it.

If the match is to be won up front, honours are likely to be even, though the Pumas may well win the battle of the front rows. France are never to be underestimated up front.

If the match is to be won through the loose forwards, France seem to have a decided edge, especially in the speed of Rémy Martin and Serge Betsen.

There is not much to choose between the main goal-kickers - David Skréla (France) and Felipe Contepomi (Argentina), though if dapper Federico Todeschini enters the fray, the Pumas will have the better goal-kicker, and fly-half Juan Hernandez is no slouch with the boot either.

Two of the finest hookers in the world face each other - veteran Raphaël Ibañez (France) against Mario Ledesma (Argentina), both sturdy men who cane get about the field effectively, Ledesma slightly more so than Ibañez.

Then there is the contest at inside centre - stronger Yannick Jauzion against cleverer Felipe Contepomi.

The most interesting of all the individual battles is likely to be at fly-half - David Skréla (France) against Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina). Both are big men - Skrela at 1,91m and 95 kg, bigger than Hernández at 1,87m and 90kg, but Hernández has the advantage of speed and creativity. He is more likely to ignite a spark than the sturdy Skréla. Skréla has greater experience in the position than Hernández who has been mainly a fullback and a wing. Adding to the spice of this contest is the fact that they come from the same club - Stade Français. Hernández has for some time wanted to play fly-half but Skrela has been the one to keep him in remoter places.

Recent Results:

France have the better record overall, as the full list of match results below suggests, but the Pumas have had the better of contests in recent times.

2006: France won 27-26 at Stade de France, Paris
2004: Argentina won 24-14 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseilles
2003: Argentina won 33-32 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
2003: Argentina won 10-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
2002: Argentina won 28-27 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1999: France won 47-26 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin in the quarter-final of the World Cup

Prediction: France are just so good at the moment that we expect them to win by ten points or more.

Teams:

France: 15 Cédric Heymans, 14 Aurélien Rougerie, 13 Damien Traille, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 David Skréla, 9 Pierre Mignoni, 8 Imañol Harinordoquy, 7 Rémy Martin, 6 Serge Betsen, 5 Jérôme Thion, 4 Fabien Pelous, 3 Pieter De Villiers, 2 Raphaël Ibañez (captain), 1 Olivier Milloud.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Sébastian Chabal, 19 Julien Bonnaire, 20 Thierry Dusautoir, 21 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 22 Frédéric Michalak.

Argentina: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Manuel Contepomi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Agustín Pichot (captain), 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7 Lucas Ostiglia, 6 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Martín Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 18 Rimas Alvarez, 19 Martín Durand, 20 Nicolás Fernandez Miranda, 21 Federico Todeschini, 22 Hernán Senillosa.

Date: Friday, 7 September, 2007
Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 BST, 19.00 GMT)
Venue: Stade de France, Paris Scattered clouds, clearing, with a high of 21°C, dropping to 12°C and a breeze from the northeast of some 7 km/h. What a perfect night for a great rugby occasion!
Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)
Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Results down the years

2006: France won 27-26 at Stade de France, Paris
2004: Argentina won 24-14 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseilles
2003: Argentina won 33-32 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
2003: Argentina won 190-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
2002: Argentina won 28-27 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1999: France won 47-26 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin in the quarter-final of the World Cup
1998: France won 34-14 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
1998: France won 37-12 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1998: France won 35-18 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1997: France won 32-27 at Stade Maurice Trelut, Tarbes
1996: France won 34-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1996: France won 34-27 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1995: France won 47-12 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1992: Argentina won 24-20 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
1992: France won 33-9 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1992: France won 27-12 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1988: France won 28-18 at Stadium Nord, Villeneuve d'Ascq
1988: France won 29-9 at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
1988: Argentina won 18-6 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1988: France won 18-15 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1986: France won 22-9 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1986: Argentina won 15-13 at Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
1985: France won 23-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1985: Argentina won 24-16 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1982: France won 13-6 at Parc des Princes, Paris
1982: France won 25-12 at Stadium Municipal, Toulouse
1977: Draw 18-18 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1977: France won 26-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1975: France won 36-21 at Parc des Princes, Paris
1975: France won 29-6 at Stade de Gerland, Lyon
1974: France won 31-27 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1974: France won 20-15 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1960: France won 29-6 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1960: France won 12-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1960: France won 37-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1954: France won 30-3 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1954: France won 22-8 at Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
1949: France won 12-3 at Estadio Maldonado, Buenos Aires
1949: France won 5-0 at Estadio Maldonado, Buenos Aires

www.planetrugby.com

All Blacks no longer one-dimensional wonder - Smith

The plan B that was missing when the All Blacks froze in the 2003 rugby World Cup semifinal loss has been written down and rehearsed by the team seeking redemption in France starting tomorrow.

The New Zealand team had nowhere to turn when they weren't gifted turnover ball or allowed to counter-attack against the Wallabies in Sydney four years ago.

This All Blacks side under coach Graham Henry and assistants Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen remain lethal on those areas but are now dangerous in numerous facets of the game.

"Attack off turnover ball can kill teams. We do a lot of work on that, it's no secret, it's the way we've played for years," Smith said.

"But we've got to ensure that we can play when we're not given turnover ball, that we're not committed to just one game plan.

"That's what the last 3-1/2 years have been about really, trialling different ways of playing and making sure that we're comfortable with that."

Smith was adamant that the All Blacks are now more than capable of winning an arm wrestle if any of the Cup playoff matches turn tight and testing.

"Steve Hansen and (scrum coach) Mike Cron have done a great job of developing that pack into quite a fearsome pack with a hell of a lot of caps in it.

"If we've got to play up front, then that's what we've got to do. We've had to do that at times to win trophies over the last few years."

There is no better example than their most recent test, the damp Bledisloe Cup decider at Auckland in which the home forwards took control.

Smith expected his pool C opponents to fall into the trap of playing a conservative style rather than attacking New Zealand.

Statistics over the past two years show the All Blacks have had remarkably few scrum put-ins. Smith said this correlates with opponents who have tended to play a safe style.

"The less scrums that we have, means the more they've tried to kick and the less they've tried to throw offloads," Smith said.

"They've tried to mistake-free rugby against us. I'd imagine that's the tactic that's been talked about with other teams in the world."

Italy shape as a prime example.

They have named a strong, experienced pack who should challenge the New Zealand set piece but they look thin on attacking back line options, with South African first five-eighth Roland De Marigny likely to try and keep New Zealand pinned for territory with raking kicks.

Smith said having the heat of the afternoon sun on their backs may prompt some sides to let loose.

"I expect teams will go out and have a crack but generally teams do a lot of work on how to combat us -- I'd do the same if I was playing the All Blacks," Smith said.

"We look at our own standards, honour the game ourselves and make sure we get that right."

Smith didn't think his players would struggle to adjust to test rugby, despite seven weeks of no game time for the majority of them aside from two trial clashes at team camps.

"We feel we've simulated as well as we can, whether it's been training or in friendly games," Smith said.

"We've done a lot of wrestling at training, so we've brought in a lot of the physical natures of the contest."

Smith noted a seven-week break in the leadup to last November's tour-opener against England was quickly forgotten.

"Hopefully our excitement and enthusiasm will take over.

"You want to be stimulated by the challenge and this group is. This group is up for it."

Tomorrow's referee is inexperienced Englishman Wayne Barnes.

NZPA

A good win is what we need

Well, it's finally time to get into the action of the Rugby World Cup

I don't think New Zealand will be holding their breath over this game against Italy.

They will go into the game confident but at the same time they can't afford to be over-confident.

Above all else they need to have a good win because the key to their success is getting on a roll early.

Basically they need to start where they left off against Australia in Auckland and then continue to build all the way through to the quarters, semis and finals.

I think they need to tear the heart out of the Italians and post a big score giving the rest of the World Cup nations a fright.

The thing is many of the home nations teams struggled against Italy this year and we need to do a job on the buggers.

Upsets are on the cards.

Argentina have beaten France three times out of the last four times they've met.

So that's on the cards that they can possibly tip them up.

And we have to look at it in the same contest.

We need to start with real positivity and have a big game.

If the All Blacks play with the flair they have shown in the past two or three years they should rip them apart and destroy them.

Learn from past mistakes.

We went through the last World Cup winning but not really winning with any finality.

Then all of a sudden we got to the game against Australia and we didn't even front.

We want to see the boys focused, doing the job they've been picked to do and playing to the form that we know they can reach.

That last game against Australia was probably the best they'd had all year and that's where they need to start.

Catching up with old mates.

I had the pleasure of attending the Rugby Re-Union dinner hosted by ITV in London this week.

There were 45 ex-international players from different eras and all the different countries.

They had four of the last five World Cup winners except for David Kirk - who was the only one who couldn't make it.

Basically it was a dinner to celebrate the start of a new World Cup and the past World Cups as well.

They celebrated all the different eras and interviewed all the stars from the different World Cups like Jonah Lomu and all the captains from the previous eras.

It was fantastic to be there and amazing to see all these players all in the same room.

But it also brought up a few issues that I think need to be resolved.

Everything revolves around the World Cup.

We've been talking about this World Cup since the last one finished in 2003.

We're living in the world of the World Cup.

Basically everything is geared towards the World Cup now and we're forgetting about the rugby that's played in between.

It doesn't mean as much as what the World Cup does and I think we've got to get over that.

I think we've got to put a lot more emphasis on the actual games that happen in between.

Talking to a lot of the old boys they'd love to see international touring go back to the way it used to be.

It would be great to go back to an eight to 10 match tours.

I'd love to see the All Blacks going on summer tours and playing some of the clubs and have mid-week games in the Northern Hemisphere like we used to.

A lot of the old blokes admitted this is something they miss.

OK, the players today are professionals but they're not exposing themselves to anybody else barring who's in their country playing in their championships.

And likewise in New Zealand the last time we had a tour that went through the country was the Lions.

And they got shaken up by quite a few of the provinces.

You just don't see that anymore.

We need to bring life back into the world of rugby outside of Test rugby.

Especially in between World Cups.

A lot of people in New Zealand are saying around the traps that competitions like the Super 14 are getting boring.

Hopefully it might get a bit more excitement in it if they do move to using the new rules next season.

But there just doesn't seem to any excitement in the football we're playing anymore.

The thing is we've been doing this for the last 10 years.

And people are getting tired of it.

In the old system it was different every year.

Rugby at the moment in New Zealand and in Europe is all the same.

There's got to be work done to set up a universal season so that they can schedule these types of tours - it would be a good idea.

Get in behind the boys.

Finally before I sign off for the week and get ready to watch the All Blacks go to battle I'd like to say to every New Zealander out there get in behind the All Blacks over the next few weeks.

Get behind our team.

Don't be too hard on them, it is a tough tournament to win and I think we can be pretty critical of our stars at the top.

Support them because they'll need all the support they can get.

By Buck Shelford, Yahoo!Xtra Sports

ADAMS: MCCLAREN REMINDS ME OF TAYLOR

Former England captain Tony Adams has said that Steve McClaren reminds him of Graham Taylor.

Adams, now assistant to Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth, was part of Graham Taylor's squad that famously failed to reach the World Cup in 1994.

And Adams thinks that there are worrying similarities between the much maligned Taylor and the current holder of the England job.

He said in The Sun: "I saw the pressure getting to Graham.

"It manifested itself in indecision, agitation and a lack of true confidence.

"They were turbulent times, with some indifferent performances and sudden switches in tactics.

"There seem to be quite a few similarities between Graham and Steve."

www.football365.com

Do A Carra And Quit England, Stevie

I make no apology for the length or bluntness of this article as it is a point that still needs to be rammed home to certain individuals who just don't understand the majority stance by Liverpool supporters in relation to the national side.

I wrote an article in July entitled 'Who Cares About England?' which reiterated the phrase 'we're not English, we are Scouse' following Jamie Carragher's decision to retire from international football. It was an article that was generally received well by the supporters who read it but not so much in some quarters with individuals contacting me to say that I was in the wrong thinking that players should put their club before their country as is their want in a society where freedom of speech is unrestricted.

However, once again the club versus country debate has been reignited this week with Steve Gerrard wanting to play through the pain barrier for England, something that will keep him sidelined for several forthcoming Liverpool games. Steve McClaren has told Rafa Benítez that he has a duty to put England before Liverpool on this issue and former England manager Bobby Robson has backed up this claim.

I can't help but wonder at Gerrard's motivation behind playing for England when he wants to win the title with Liverpool. He seems to laud praise on their supporters in his autobiography by comparison to his comments about our supporters. The book itself is one big England love-in with constant references to his international team mates 'Lamps' and 'Wazza'.

Why does Gerrard love playing for the national side so much? Why does he think their fans are so great in comparison to Anfield's famous 12th man? Forgive my ignorance but don't all England supporters follow club sides when the international football takes a back seat? I bet that if it was one of their key players wanting to play for them instead of resting up in preparation for his side's next set of games as every player should do, would they still take this approach? Aren't the national side just a money-making exercise by The FA that gets wheeled out every time Brian Barwick and his cronies at Soho Square decide to disrupt the Premiership fixture list and inconvenience clubs as well as risking key players in meaningless friendlies and qualifiers?

In my opinion, Gerrard should take a leaf out of Jamie Carragher's book and retire from international football. Club comes before country. Ignore Steve McClaren and what he says, Liverpool Football Club pay your wages and have done for all your professional career. The least you can do is repay them by prioritising the club that has stuck by you despite all the on/off sagas you've had with Chelsea. For once in your life, stick two fingers up to McClaren and England. What does he know about club management?

He was assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United not so long ago and he didn't see the inconvenience of having players called up to international duty with the risk of picking up an injury and the same happened when he was manager of Middlesbrough. The most he had to deal with was Stewart Downing being called up who, in reality, didn't play that much because he was the assistant manager to Sven Goran Eriksson and would make the changes for him, thus saving his own player's neck and risking the likes of Gerrard against lesser opposition who went all out to score against the Three Lions.

If Gerrard wants to win the title as captain of Liverpool he should act like one and prioritise club matters before his international career.

This piece first appeared on the ever-excellent www.shanklygates.co.uk

`Alonso key witness against McLaren`

 

Fernando Alonso could be the key witness in the FIA's spy case against McLaren after reportedly revealing the team used Ferrari's set-up back in March.

The FIA shocked the F1 fraternity earlier this week by announcing that, instead of an appeal hearing into McLaren's part in Stepneygate taking place next Thursday, a fresh hearing will be held.

Motorsport's governing body claimed they had received new information, and it now appears that it may have been handed to them by Alonso and McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa.

According to The Times, Alonso together with Pedro de la Rosa and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton were approached by the FIA asking them to disclose anything untoward in the spy scandal that they may have knowledge of.

'In addition to appealing to them to co-operate with the FIA's investigation, it is thought to have promised them amnesty from punishment should any disclosures they make lead to sanctions against McLaren,' the newspaper reports.

'The Times understands that the FIA's inquiries and the subsequent responses concerned an e-mail exchange between de la Rosa and Alonso that allegedly included sensitive technical information garnered from Ferrari via Mike Coughlan, the McLaren chief designer who has been suspended.'

The information allegedly dates back to the start of the season in March, once again extending the timetable for the saga beyond the April date when Coughlan is known to have received an 780-page dossier of Ferrari's technical secrets.

And, according to the Daily Mail, the information relates to McLaren making use of Ferrari's set-up for their own cars.

'The precise details of the emails are unclear, but it appears that they relate to Ferrari's car set-up. That would mean McLaren could have gained a performance advantage in their own car - flying in the face of their previous denials,' it reports.

The latest twist in this saga could spell disaster for Alonso's McLaren career, who is already on the rocks following comments about being unhappy from the Spaniard and an on-going fued with his team-mate Hamilton.

However, the Mail claims the Spaniard is 'expected to claim that he had no choice but to comply with the FIA's invitation to respond, though why they thought to question him in the first place remains a moot point.'

www.planetf1.com

The time for complacency is over - Sean Fitzpatrick

 

I hate to admit it but self-righteousness has cost New Zealand in the past two World Cups - but I cannot see it happening for a third time.

For a start they have the best two players in the world at the moment in Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.

They have spent the last few years developing this squad and I think they have enough depth if they have injuries.

The one area that concerns me slightly is in the centres but with the likes of Conrad Smith and Isia Toeava’a in the squad the All Blacks have players that could set this World Cup alight.

First up for New Zealand is Italy – a hugely underrated team in my opinion with probably the best pack in Europe.

The bookmakers have given Italy a 48 point head start for which is ludicrous and I am sure that Graeme Henry will not be taking them lightly.

A good start is always important in World Cup rugby and hopefully they can recreate the performance of 1987 by winning heavily.

Scotland are also in our group and they will be no push over either – but ultimately I cannot see either side causing us any real problems.

I see the main threat later on in the tournament coming from the southern hemisphere in shape of South Africa and Australia.

The Spirngbok’s are very strong all over the field – if you are looking for team that will compete with New Zealand physically it is them.

They have the best locks in the world in Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha while Schalk Berger has a real presence on the field.

Brian Habana is also a player that can be a real star in this World Cup and they will be trying to get him involved as much as possible.

Australia have a knack of coming good at the right time.

It is virtually the same group of players as the last World Cup and this consistency will stand them in good stead.

Gregan, Larkham, Giteau and Mortlock are key players and seem to be on top of their games at the moment.

The older guys seem to be playing with a new lease of life at the moment which is incredible really considering the amount of games they have played in international rugby – they will want to finish on a good note.

However I am sure other teams like the All Blacks will try to exploit their weaknesses in the front row and I hope we see some better refereeing than in the last competition.

It is simply not fair when better scrummaging packs are being punished.

As for the other nations I am looking forward to seeing France – it would be wonderful if they could play New Zealand in the final.

However if they slip up against Argentina or Ireland then there is chance we could meet them in the quarter finals in Cardiff.

This would be a ridiculous scenario and I think that World Cup’s should just be played in one country.

I would not right England off either although September 14th against South Africa is going to be the pivotal game.

A win there could give them a relatively easy run into the semi-finals and we all know what can happen by that stage.

But for me it will be a New Zealand versus South Africa Final in St.Denis and I cannot see the problems of the past coming to bare for our boys this time round.

www.allblacks.com

Blacks begin with northern invasion

 

New Zealand will host Ireland and England in their season-opening Tests next June.

Ireland are scheduled to play the All Blacks on 7 June while England will travel to Auckland and Christchurch for two Tests in the subsequent weeks.

The Springboks will play two matches in New Zealand in Wellington on 5 July and at Carisbrook the following week. The All Blacks resume their Bledisloe battle with Australia at Eden Park on 2 August.

New Zealand 2008 domestic Test schedule:

June 7, v Ireland, Wellington
June 14, v England, Auckland
June 21, v England, Christchurch

Tri-Nations:

July 5, v South Africa, Wellington
July 12, v South Africa, Dunedin
August 2, v Australia, Auckland

www.keo.co.za

Football365.com - Do A Carra And Quit England, Stevie - F365 Opinion - Football365 News

Football365.com - Do A Carra And Quit England, Stevie - F365 Opinion - Football365 News

New Zealand All Blacks rugby team official website, New Zealand Rugby Football Union

New Zealand All Blacks rugby team official website, New Zealand Rugby Football Union

How to beat the All Blacks - Opinion - RugbyHeaven

How to beat the All Blacks - Opinion - RugbyHeaven