RUGBY: Lock shocker won't undermine these ABs

View larger image Yahoo!Xtra

13/06/2007

Marc Hinton

While the lock "crisis" gives us all something to worry about at a time of the four-year rugby cycle when New Zealanders have a natural tendency to navel gaze, it's hard to escape the feeling that Graham Henry's All Blacks are smack-bang on target to bring home the bacon.

Sure, the margin of error may have been diminished somewhat in the second row, and that line could even be plunged into the negative regions if Chris Jack doesn't make the trip to Durban next week because of the pending birth of his first child.

Equally, I'm not convinced that Ross Filipo is a test-quality lock (much as I'm not convinced that Reuben Thorne is one either), though I could see the All Blacks getting by well enough with a second row of Troy Flavell and Greg Rawlinson for the Boks.

And, let's face it, if the All Blacks play well enough in the other areas of their game -- at the scrum, getting numbers to the breakdown, clearing quick ball, and using it efficiently through that devastating backline of theirs -- then it shouldn't matter too much that they're down a few front-rankers in the second row.

This, after all, is just the sort of thing that Henry has been planning for with his rotation, reconditioning and wide selection net. He's been building depth just so as little crises like these don't bite too deep when it counts.

Sure, the situation at lock is a little more dire then even the most avowed pessimist could have predicted, but when you still have two players as good as Jack (baby's arrival notwithstanding) and Troy Flavell to call on, all is a long way from being lost. And have you noticed? That Rawlinson is a big lump of a man himself.

Further, this is only the Tri Nations we are talking about. In case you've forgotten, it is largely irrelevant in World Cup year. The All Blacks won it in imperious fashion in 2003, but lost the one that counted against the Wallabies later that year. And we all know which result still sticks in our craw.

Everything about these All Blacks tells me they're right on track to bring the Cup home later this year. There simply isn't a weakness in their game and there's also a consistency of performance that says they just don't have a "semifinal shocker" in their makeup.

Rightly you might point out that the Springboks are a concern and that they seem to be coming right at the right time. Sure enough. But the Boks at home are one thing, and the South Africans in neutral territory are another altogether. Their record simply ain't that flash anywhere but in front of their manic fans.

They'll still be the ones to beat come September and October, most probably, but there are so many things yet that could undermine Jake White's team that it will probably be 50-50 whether they can work their way through the other side of the draw to the final.

Whereas I just can't see Henry's men missing a beat. That scrum is simply fabulous, the loose trio playing at a level few in the world can aspire to and as a backline the All Blacks simply don't have a peer in the world game. Moreover, their execution of, and ability to change, the game-plan is light years ahead of previous generations.

The lineout will worry some people, and it is such a contestable area these days that it can develop a wobble or two. But since the late-2006 correction, there's been a much more solid look about the All Black set piece.

What about selection? Is there a Leon MacDonald or a Christian Cullen brain-explosion lurking to undermine Henry?

Quite possibly. If he moves Mils Muliaina from fullback to centre it has the potential to be a negative factor. I sincerely think that, if only because I don't believe in ignoring history. Or tempting fate.

Mils would do a fine job in the No 13 jersey, don't get me wrong. But he's the world's best fullback, and I implore Henry and co to leave him there.

What they must decide is whether they will risk the extraordinary talents (and occasional foibles) of Isaia Toeava at centre, or go with the more dependable, but less explosive Conrad Smith.

It's a similar call at second five, though for mine Luke McAlister must be the first choice. As good as Aaron Mauger is, McAlister is better. He hits harder on defence, runs better into the gaps and can distribute and kick equally as well.

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He flies through the air with the greatest of ease ... Joe Rokocoko©Getty Images/AFP

Elsewhere this team probably selects itself. Joe Rokocoko has shown that he deserves a spot alongside the world's best wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and Byron Kelleher will be the man sending Dan Carter on his way, despite the qualities of Piri Weepu who will have to wait till next year to become the premier halfback. And at hooker it's a coin-toss between the power of Anton Oliver and the explosiveness of Kevvy Mealamu. Either does the trick nicely.

So how important is this Tri Nations then? Not very, is the simple answer.

If the All Blacks win in Durban and Melbourne they'll tighten their stranglehold on their rivals, but really they have a fairly firm hold on them already. And if they lose, they'll have a chance to put things right back at home soon after anyway.

And really regardless of how things play out over the next month or so it all comes down to the one-off in France later in the year anyway.

The thing is: Henry's men are playing at such a peak of performance, that I believe they simply won't be vulnerable to that one shocker that turns up every four years. I'm convinced that's simply not in their repertoire any more.

By the way, earlier this week I stated the case for Jono Gibbes as a replacement lock for the All Blacks. I understand the Chiefs second rower is injured, and I figured that was the case at the time, the big fella having been withdrawn from the Maori and Junior All Blacks squads.

But I just wonder how injured he is? Badly enough that he would have turned the All Blacks down? We may never know, but I just wonder whether Henry should have made that call just to find out.

Regardless we can only wish Ali Williams and Keith Robinson the speediest of recoveries. Both should be there for the Cup, if only for our peace of mind.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Dickinson was ready to apologise to French

11/06/2007

NZPA - Yahooxtra

Australian rugby referee Stuart Dickinson said he was ready to apologise to the French rugby team for some errors when coach Bernard Laporte verbally attacked him in public.

Dickinson is expected to file a report today to both the Australian Rugby Union and the International Rugby Board regarding Friday's verbal stoush in a Wellington hotel.

Laporte allegedly threatened to have a negative influence on Dickinson's career.

Fairfax general manager of sport, Trevor McKewen, overheard the tense exchange between Dickinson and Laporte.

"If you are appointed to any French games at the World Cup, the French team will not turn up," Laporte was heard telling Dickinson.

IRB referees head Paddy O'Brien said there was no excuse for Laporte's behaviour if he had threatened Dickinson.

He said Dickinson was not at his best in the All Blacks' 42-11 first-test win over France, which had sparked Laporte's tirade on the eve of the second test.

Dickinson was a touch judge in the second test, won 61-10 by the All Blacks.

"It wasn't the usual Dickinson refereeing and he knows that," O'Brien said of the first test.

That did not give Laporte the right to abuse him.

Australian Rugby Union referees' boss Peter Marshall said he spoke to Dickinson about the incident on Sunday.

"I just want due process, not to create a storm," Marshall said.

"It's important not to get too carried away but let's not ignore it either."

Dickinson said Laporte's behaviour was unexpected but would not elaborate.

"It's the first time I've run across something like this," Dickinson told Fairfax media.

He said he had arranged to meet Laporte in the foyer of a Wellington hotel because he had heard Laporte was upset about his handling of the first test in Auckland.

He said he had reviewed the video of the game, spotted only minimal mistakes and was prepared to apologise to the French team for them.

"I was talking to Bernard and looking to apologise for some of my decisions," Dickinson said.

"I wanted to make clear that I made one or two errors and was ready to put my hand up. It was probably not the most favourable of discussions.

"Bernard became upset and, not wanting it to become a full-blown argument, I just thought `let's just get through this' then I'd wait for things to calm down and for cool heads."

Using his laptop, Laporte confronted Dickinson with selected highlights of his performance from the first test and said: "You do this tomorrow and you will be finished."

Marshall said that was disappointing.

"There are more appropriate channels to go through if coaches feel they haven't been fairly treated," Marshall said.

"Those reports go to the IRB for future referee selections for test matches."

O'Brien said he expected a report from Dickinson today.

IRB spokesman Greg Thomas said if Laporte was found to have breached the code of conduct then any disciplinary action against the coach would initially be in the hands of the French national union (FFR).

Thomas said if the FFR's response was not deemed sufficient then the IRB could impose further punishment.

Dickinson was ready to apologise to French

RUGBY: Gibbes oversight defies belief

11/06/2007

Marc Hinton - yahooxtra

Am I missing something here? Why the heck isn't Jono Gibbes being fast-tracked into the All Blacks? Has the world gone completely crazy? Or more to the point have our national selectors?

The phrase "locking crisis" has been banded about with indecent haste since Ali Williams (broken jaw) and Keith Robinson (blown calf) joined the scrapheap of All Black second-rowers at the weekend. Unlike James Ryan and Jason Eaton, they may be back in time for the World Cup. But it's going to be touch and go for both.

Which leaves us with two world-class locks still standing in the All Black ranks, in the form of Chris Jack and Troy Flavell. And not much left in the way of room for error as the Tri Nations kickoff looms following this weekend's final training match in Hamilton.

Unlike some of you out there I'm refusing to even acknowledge Reuben Thorne as a legitimate test second-rower. No offence, but I'm not even convinced he's a decent No 6 let alone able to foot it with the gargantuans of the game in the middle of the engine room.

Now we hear the reinforcements have been called in from the Junior All Blacks in the form of Greg Rawlinson and Ross Filipo. (Again the fact they've decided to summon two of them reinforces my belief Thorne is no legit lock.) Sorry, folks, but this pair just don't do it for me and this is where I start wondering what the flaming heck Gibbes has done to deserve such a sidestep.

Presuming he's fully fit, it's extraordinary to me that the All Black selectors haven't whistled him up with indecent haste. Were they watching the Super 14? New Zealand's best team, by some margin, when the round-robin ended was the Chiefs. And Gibbes was a key performer for them in combination with the now-nobbled Robinson.

Gibbes is everything the All Blacks need in this time of "crisis". He's experienced, he's hard, he's athletic, he's a big-game player, and he's a proven performer. Granted, he has had his own injury issues of late, but hey if you're a New Zealand lock these days, who hasn't?

The South African Rawlinson is a solid performer. But nothing more. And he's off to play his football in the UK at the end of this year. Besides, I'd prefer a Kiwi if it's about finding someone to win us the World Cup. Filipo is an honest footballer, no doubt, but he's badly undersized for the test level and has major question marks over his ability to take the step up in class.

For mine, if Gibbes wasn't available - or wanted, for that matter - I'd be more tempted to look at Otago second-rower Tom Donnelly who's a big, raw-boned lad who looks to have more than a hint of test potential about him. Let's face it, we're only one more twist of fate away from having to throw one of these blokes in against Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, which is definitely no place for the faint-hearted.

In the meantime I'm not panicking, despite this worrying trend for our second-rowers to meet horrible fates. Surely now the luck is due to change.

And the reason I'm not panicking is because Troy Flavell is still running round.

This guy could now be the answer to our prayers. He's that important.

Let's consider his performance on Saturday night at the Cake Tin. He played 50 minutes in the end, and made a damn good fist of it. You could tell, even amid all the carnage and mayhem and one-way traffic, that he has a class about him that could be vital in much stiffer contests to come.

And if ever there was an excuse for him to fail he had it at the weekend. He'd turned up at the ground expecting to sit in the stands and watch, like the rest of us. He'd even pumped some serious iron earlier that day, expanding as much energy as he could given the frustrations of the waiting brief handed to him by Graham Henry.

Then Robinson goes down in the warmup, Flavell's suddenly told he's playing and before too long he'd not just riding the pine, but out there running round in anger. He never even missed a stride.

That to me is a good sign. A great one even. The guy's a brute with extraordinary skills for one so, er, huge. But he's also been round the block a few times now and nothing rattles him so much these days.

That's a good thing. For I suspect all of a sudden Troy Flavell is a very important man indeed in this All Black setup.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: What's wrong with our game?

07/06/2007

Yahoo!Xtra

What's the biggest blight on the game of rugby?

Graham Henry has had his say on the problems facing the international game and now it's our turn.

The All Blacks coach has lamented the increasing amount of time-wasting that is afflicting test rugby and says it is deteriorating the game as a spectacle.

He lists scrums, faked injuries and the dilly-dallying of the TMOs as areas that are frustrating fans and players by turning up the snore factor.

But surely there is more to this as rugby's rule-makers look at ways of improving their product. Yahoo!Xtra Rugby writers Duncan Johnstone and Marc Hinton present their views on what is ruining the game at the moment.


The breakdown area - DUNCAN JOHNSTONE

Good on Ted for getting those gripes off his chest earlier in the week and I'm in full agreement - the stop-start nature of the game means it is suffering severely as an entertainment package and some teams certainly appear to be happy to exploit those areas to enhance their chances.

But for my 10 cents' worth, I believe the breakdowns are the root of all evil when it comes to rugby.

In fact you could say that many of Henry's concerns about the scrums and questionable injuries arise from breakdowns.

They are a by-product of the undecided rucks and mauls. Throw in the numerous penalties that stem from this controversial area of the game and it's clear that something drastic needs to be done to clean up the battle for second phase possession.

They are such murky areas that, to my mind, the rule-makers might be better off allowing the breakdowns to be a free-for-all. Turn it into a wrestling contest where it's winner-takes-all.

At the moment their attempts to use a gate at the back of the rucks as the only route of entry is ridiculous.

And let's face it, these are rucks in name only. Rucking went out years ago - the skillful use of the boot to clear out opposition players is long a thing of the past.

It used to be a trademark of New Zealand rugby and its removal was just another way for the men in charge of the game up north to depower the All Blacks as are the ridiculous scrum engagement rules that have been introduced this year.

All this has led to is cheating. Players are lying all over the ball and the tackled player in attempts to slow the game down.

There's that word again - SLOW. Rugby needs to speed up and with so much of its attacking play coming from multi-phases, the breakdowns are the area that need a turbo boost.

At the moment one of the worst sights in rugby is the ball being held in the back of a ruck by the last forward while the halfback pedantically surveys his options and then usually takes the most predictable one - setting up another forward drive for another ruck!

Make the rucks a gladiatorial contest where the biggest and fittest win. This isn't a campaign to "bring back the biff', just a plea return a bit of mongrel to an area that has been sanitised to the detriment of the game.

Sort that out and plenty of flow will return to rugby. And there might even be a few less scrums which would please Henry and the rest of us as well.


The scrum - MARC HINTON

It worries me to say this, for they're such an intrinsic part of the game of rugby, but I can't go past the scrums as the biggest problem area in the game right now.

And when you get a guy like Anton Oliver, a bloke who's carved a living as a world-class practitioner of the darks arts of scrummaging, complaining that even he finds the set piece confrontation boring, well, the alarm bells should be ringing.

Let's face it, how much time is wasted setting, resetting and re-resetting scrums in a modern game of professional rugby? Too damn much, I reckon. Minutes tick by and play is stuck in a sort of nightmarish time warp where two packs keep hitting the deck, then slowly get back to their feet, dust off their sprigs and, wham, hit the deck again. It's Groundhog Day in the worst possible way.

Rugby, when it flows, when the ball is moved at pace, when crisp possession is won and sent through sets of hands, is a wonderful, wonderful spectacle.

When it grinds through interminable periods of inaction, particularly at scrum time, it's a flat-out bore.

And, for me, one of the most annoying aspects of modern rugby is some pint-sized ref who's clearly never stuck his head in a scrum in his life, lecturing two grizzled front rows on the finer points of their trade. But that's what it's come down to, as the whistle-blower tries in vain to keep these monsters on their feet.

The problem is that players are so big and strong and powerful these days, and so practised in the arts of deception it must be added, that it's inevitable that you're going to get a sort of Mexican standoff.

Sometimes no one's to blame, other times someone clearly is, but it's hard to work out who. So what you tend to get is a succession of scrums being set and the game going nowhere fast.

I don't know what the answer is, for scrums are a vital part of rugby. If you take them away, or depower them, that's the end of the shorter, powerful guy. There simply won't be a place for him in the game.

Just like you need lineouts for the rangier bloke to have a place in the game.

But something needs to be done to keep props on their feet at scrum time, and the person who comes up with the solution there will be worthy of a gold star.

There is no finer sight in the game than a scrum working at peak efficiency, much like the All Black set piece has done of late. It's the combined, tight, coiled might of eight men working together in unison.

But there's also nothing more yawn-inducing than watching this arm-wrestle descend into high farce, as it does too often in the modern game. People don't pay big money to watch what is in essence nothing.

The fans want to see the ball in play more, not less. So they want scrums that produce the hit, then the ball, in that order.

Perhaps it's time to allow the ball to be cleared regardless of what happens at the impact.

I know it's time for refs to rule and not try to coach.

It's certainly SOS time. Save Our Scrums.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Boks potentially world's best - Iceman

06/06/2007

Ken Borland - yahooxtra.net.nz

Samoa coach Michael Jones has acclaimed South Africa as potentially the best side in the world after naming his team for Saturday's one-off test against the Springboks in Johannesburg.

"To play against the might of the Springboks at Ellis Park is the ultimate and it will provide a benchmark for the players as we look at the bigger picture, which is the World Cup in September," Jones told reporters.

"The Springboks are potentially the best team in the world right now and it is a chance of a lifetime, a great privilege, to have this opportunity."

Jones was a member of the only All Blacks side to win the World Cup at the inaugural 1987 tournament.

Samoa have made three changes to the side who lost to Australia A in the Pacific Six Nations tournament last week, with experienced wing Lome Fa'atau and hooker Mahonri Schwalger returning and Justin Purdie coming in on the flank.

Jones said the continued wellbeing of Samoan rugby and the hopes of the sport becoming a global game depended on such matches.

"We need these games. The Pacific Six Nations tournament is good, but I would like to see more fully-fledged tests against South Africa and Australia.

"We have to fight for our piece of the action. It's about bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots, otherwise global rugby never arrives," he said.

Saturday's encounter will be Samoa's fifth test in South Africa, with the Pacific Islanders losing all four previous meetings by heavy margins.


SAMOA: 15-Gavin Williams, 14-Lome Fa'atau, 13-Anitelela Tuilagi, 12-Seilala Mapusua, 11-Alesana Tuilagi, 10-Loki Crichton, 9-Steven So'oalo; 8-Semo Sititi (c), 7-Justin Purdie, 6-Daniel Leo, 5-Filipo Levi, 4-Kane Thompson, 3-Census Johnston, 2-Mahonri Schwalger, 1-Justin Va'a. Reserves: 16-Muliufi Salanoa, 17-Donald Kerslake, 18-Iosefa Tekori, 19-Alfie Vaeluaga, 20-Junior Poluleuligaga, 21-Elvis Seveali'i, 22-David Levi.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: NZ players draining Europe too

06/06/2007

Duncan Johnstone - yahooxtra.net.nz

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen knows the player drain is hurting New Zealand but he believes it's also affecting the development of French and English players and threatening the bigger picture of test rugby.

With France touring here, the big-money contracts being offered and taken up by All Blacks there and across the English Channel is a hot topic.

Already Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Aaron Mauger, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson have agreed to English deals after the World Cup while Byron Kelleher and Anton Oliver will play in France.

That's a key group of All Blacks to lose and it seems Rico Gear, Ali Williams and Doug Howlett may be set to join the exodus if they succumb to the massive offers that are being thrown about. Young test star Luke McAlister is also weighing his options in this area.

When quizzed about this issue, Hansen tried to deflect the problem away from New Zealand and focus it on Europe and the bigger picture.

He said that apart from the negative tactics in the game that were highlighted by All Blacks coach Graham Henry, the player movement was "the other big challenge to rugby".

"Because if we continually have players playing in France and UK, neither one of those teams - the English or the French - are going to develop their own players. Their standards are going to slip and the international game is going to drop off," reasoned Hansen.

"If I was a Frenchman or Englishman at the moment I would be pushing to have less foreigners playing in their competitions so they can develop some players."

He said the effects were already being seen with international results aroud the world over the past few weeks where weak northern hemisphere teams were being beaten down south.

"Currently England have had two thumpings from South Africa and we have had one test here. The game is not going to be in good health in two or three years in either of those countries if you don't start developing people.

"Keep spending the money but spend it on your own players," urged Hansen

But Europe's - and subsequently New Zealand's - problems are again highlighted by the balance of power up north.

The big money is coming from private club owners trying to push the cause of their own investments, leaving the national unions to fight for the services of their stars.

And Hansen is right in the way the influx of overseas stars is hitting the home talent. Just three first fives in the English Premiership are eligible for England while France is struggling in two areas of previous strength - props and wings - because of a preoccupation to employ Argentinian front-rowers and Fijian outside backs.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Henry changes six for France`s return

Tuesday 05th June 2007

Six changes for Graham Henry

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has made six changes to the team that will play France in the return test at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday.

After overcoming a slow start to eventually overrun the French by 42-11 in Auckland last week, Henry still decided to overhaul his side for this week's outing - making it clear he was always going to give all his players a run in the two-match series against the French.

Jerry Collins, who has recovered from the heel injury that kept him out of last week's match, takes over at blindside flank from Reuben Thorne, Rodney So'oialo also returns at number eight in place of Chris Masoe.

At lock Keith Robinson gets a run ahead of Chris Jack, while veteran Anton Oliver is in for Keven Mealamu at hooker.

Byron Kelleher has fully recovered from his injury problems and takes over at scrum-half from Piri Weepu, while Aaron Mauger, who scored two tries in the first test, makes way for Luke McAlister at inside centre.

Centre Conrad Smith, who also missed the first test, has recovered sufficiently from a hamstring injury and comes onto the bench. This means Ma'a Nonu, who was on the bench last week, leaves the squad to rejoin the Junior All Blacks in the Pacific Nations Cup.

Utility back Mils Muliaina was not considered because he is still recovering from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile it was also confirmed that fly-half Dan Carter and captain Richie McCaw have recovered sufficiently from the injuries that saw them hobbling off during the first-half of the first test. Both will start on Saturday.

"We are looking for more improvement this week," Henry said about the return test.

"Our execution can be better and we can handle stoppages better as well.

"We always wanted to play everyone during the [two-match French] series, plus we have Byron Kelleher and Conrad Smith back from injury, so there have been a number of changes to the starting team.

"At the same time, we're also trying to give a bit of time out to some players who had long Super 14 campaigns," Henry added.

New Zealand: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Josevata Rokocoko, 13 Isaia Toeava, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Keith Robinson, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Anton Oliver, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Neemia Tialata, 18 Chris Jack, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Nick Evans, 22 Conrad Smith

Date: Saturday, 9 June
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington,
Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Paul Marks (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assessor: Brendan McCormick (Australia)

planetrugby.com

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Castaignede: ABs next best as well

04/06/2007

Marc Hinton - yahooxtra.net.nz

Veteran French fullback Thomas Castaignede believes Graham Henry's all-conquering All Blacks aren't just the No 1 side in world rugby, but they're the next best as well.

Though he's not going as far as handing the World Cup over just yet, hinting that the French still have "something special" up their sleeves for October.

The 32-year-old 53-test international reaffirmed his view that New Zealand possesses the two best teams in world rugby after playing in the 11-42 defeat to an albeit scratchy first-up All Black performance at Eden Park on Saturday night.

New Zealand coach Henry left a number of his first-choice internationals out of their opening fixture of the year, yet the All Blacks still scored five tries to one in a comfortable victory over a makeshift French outfit missing pretty much all of its first-choice stars.

And Castaignede made no secret of his admiration for the New Zealand game after the test in an interview with Yahoo!Xtra Rugby.

"I tell you the main problem in the world of rugby at the moment is in a series of games the All Blacks are the best team, and the second best team are probably the All Blacks B," said the French fullback.

"When you see a guy like [Daniel] Carter who is the best No 10 in the world going out and see a guy like [Nick] Evans coming in and really moving the ball well, creating gaps for others. Of course around him he's got some good players, but he's another magician and I think that's the key point of the All Blacks.

"They've got so many talented players who are able to move the ball. You've got the power, but you've also got the skills and that's everything in the game."

But the Saracens star who's hoping to make the cut for an international swansong at this year's World Cup, says the hosts of the global event won't be rolling over later in the year.

"Next Saturday will be a tough game for us again. We don't have all our potential, but we'll fight hard like we did [at Eden Park].

"But the World Cup will be something different. We'll have so much pressure, but we'll have a different team. We've got some power too, when we want to deliver. In November it was quite hard but we are better than what we showed in November, and the World Cup will be something special."

In terms of the second test in Wellington this week, Castaignede expects some adjustments to be made by the tourists, but is realistic enough to know the task doesn't get any easier against a New Zealand side with a game under its belts and set to welcome back a big gun or two.

"We will try to see what went wrong and try to fix it, but it's not going to be easy. Especially with my big friend Jerry Collins who I think is going to come back to action. Outside of rugby he's very, very nice, but on the pitch he's not really funny. He's a tough guy."

But Castaignede did say he believed this controversial touring group could yet have some spinoffs for French rugby down the line.

"Rugby doesn't stop after the World Cup," said the always outspoken international who will retire at the end of this year. "There will be a French team after the World Cup and some of the guys you see here might be the guys of the future. It's really exciting for them to start in such hard conditions, because I think you can't find something harder. That will help them build to become better players."

Castaignede was happy enough with the "fight" shown by the French in the opening test, but was disappointed they weren't able to gain more possession and exert more pressure of their own.

"It's not positive," he added. "It's positive when you go back from a game and you won it. It would have been very positive if we had of scored one more try, but we didn't have really any opportunity. We saw that when we put them under pressure they can be fragile too, and that's a key point to learn for the future."

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Richie McCaw runs the French ragged©Getty Images

Still, there's no doubt the one time backline wizard is just rapt to be in New Zealand once again.

"Can you believe I've done my first game against New Zealand 12 years ago. I'm proud of that. When you play in New Zealand it's always like a dream as a player. It's the best that you can see. I was there in '94 when the French beat the All Blacks, and that was a magic moment.

"I hope we can do that in the World Cup too."

But will he be there to be part of dream home triumph?

"I hope so," says the likeable English-based Frenchman. "We will see. I hope I can bring something with my experience and my legs. Even though they are getting tired, I still feel I have something to give."

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Richie's sin-bins: blame me not refs

01/06/2007

Duncan Johnstone - yahooxtra.net.nz

Richie McCaw blames himself not the referees for his Super 14 yellow cards and doesn't feel he's under extra scrutiny by the whistlemen as the World Cup draws closer.

McCaw's dominating abilities at the breakdowns have been a constant source of intrigue by opposition and he has regularly been accused of cheating by international coaches.

The All Blacks captain has always taken that in his stride, seeing it more as a compliment than a criticism.

But one yellow card for the All Blacks in last year's final test against Wales and two sin-binnings in his limited appearances for the Crusaders this year have raised the question: is McCaw under the microscope more in this biggest of years?

"I don't think too much more than in the past," said McCaw.

"I guess I ended up getting a couple of yellow cards but I think that was more through my own mistakes rather than refs looking at me more than usual.

"So from my point of view I was a bit disappointed that I made those mistakes but hopefully I can get that right."

McCaw and Daniel Carter loom as the two most influential All Blacks heading towards the World Cup. McCaw, in particular, has come in for special attention at times at all levels of rugby with some opposition reverting to a rough-house approach to counter his skills.

The French have a history of turning up the heat and producing questionable tactics at times but All Blacks coach Graham Henry is confident that Australian referee Stu Dickinson will be on top of things in this first test of the Iveco Series.

"The game's a physical game and I think the vast majority of games are refereed well. I'm sure Stu Dickinson tomorrow will be up to his usual high standard - he's one of the best referees in the world and we are pretty comfortable with him," said Henry.

"We don't expect anything other than the game to be played in the right spirit."

Henry has been on the record as suggesting that home crowds can influence referees. Could that happen at Eden Park?

"You have seen results over the years where home advantage is a positive and I think that may have some influence, maybe sub-consciously. You'd like to think it's a 50-50 deal every time a decision is made and that sub-conscious doesn't come into it.

"I guess that's one of the challenges of refereeing and officiating the game to the very highest standard and I guess that's a work-on for everybody. But some handle it better than others."

McCaw felt there was an extra edge to his side in camp this week that would hopefully offset the usual sort of problems associated with the first test of the season.

"The excitement levels have been pretty good this week and that's for a number of reasons. I think the guys are pretty happy to be back in this environment and looking forward to what is a pretty big year," he said.

"We want to start it off well. It's important that we get things right before we get to the Tri Nations. Hopefully we can put a performance out there that we are happy with tomorrow."

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Double standards taint debate

31/05/2007

Duncan Johnstone - yahooxtra.net.nz

Speaking from the comfort of the winner's corner Graham Henry has every right to hit out at the weak touring sides the northern hemisphere have sent south.

France, Wales, England and Ireland are all guilty of fielding second and third-string sides in their current internationals against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina respectively.

Henry says the future of test rugby is shaky if the International Rugby Board and the game's stakeholders can't sort out a better calendar to suit everyone's needs.

He's right on that one but I'm not quite so sure about his claims that New Zealand is lily-white in this shady business.

The rotation policy and the reconditioning programme are two controversial Henry inventions that must surely place an air of contradiction over his attacks on the men from the north.

Henry hasn't been guilty of leaving many, if any, stars at home on his European tours over the past three years.

But he has been guilty of loading the plane with two teams on the Grand Slam tour and playing separate teams each week. Which team was his best team was a moot point.

They both won to complete that Grand Slam and Henry hasn't lost a test up north for the past three years. So try and sort out the All Blacks A and B sides from that.

But the rotation policy continued at home last year with many of the best players rested against Ireland. Did the Irish spit the dummy? No.

Still, double teams seem to represent double standards.

It's an All Blacks tactic that has drawn criticism from some of the former greats in New Zealand, the guys that used to fight tooth and nail to hold on to their jerseys and aren't comfortable with them being handed out in increasing numbers these days.

But, as the saying goes, winners are grinners. Henry is certainly a winner and he's also smiling at the depth of his current stocks that this rotation policy has unearthed.

Of course there weren't any New Zealand winners from this year's Super 14. And there weren't many grinners in the Kiwi camps either.

OK, it's not test rugby but it's the next best thing. And in the apparent interests of test rugby Henry ruined the New Zealand Super 14 effort by taking out 22 stars and making them work on a World Cup fitness programme.

The logic seems to be that you ruin one competition to fix another.

We are yet to see the real benefits of that and only a World Cup victory will satisfy the critics. We all hope that eventuates because it was quite a sacrifice.

Almost the same sort of sacrifice the French have made now. Except they have done it the other way around. In a World Cup year, they are content to let their stars play for their clubs over the next two weekends rather than come to New Zealand and give away too many secrets against the All Blacks.

Commone sense or confused logic? Either way there's a lot of double-talk in an argument that is occupying increasing importance and has only heightened as the World Cup has dominated the international rugby landscape.

The last All Blacks coach John Mitchell was guilty of leaving stars at home from a northern tour in the leadup to the last World Cup. He did that in the interests of "development" and a few months later his side was bundled out in the semifinals of the cup.

The current coach has taken a different approach to try to solve an old problem.

Henry is right - something has to be done about the declining standards of test rugby and the IRB does need to urgently take control. But he's wrong to suggest New Zealand is totally innocent.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog

RUGBY: Payback time for selfish ABs

29/05/2007

Duncan Johnstone

Forget fretting over the French, the All Blacks have plenty of problems of their own to sort out in the next two weekends as they start this most important year of Graham Henry's stunningly successful tenure.

With the French making more than a dozen last-minute alterations to an already severely depleted touring side, Bernard Laporte's outfit has quickly gone from C-grade to D-grade for these tests in Auckland and Wellington.

But these matches and the one-off test against Canada that follows are all about the All Blacks finding their A-grade game again.

Let's face it, the All Blacks have a bad habit of starting their new seasons with a rusty look to their play. It's a problem that has plagued them down the years.

That was particularly so last year when Henry was operating a 45-man squad through the first phase of the season, meaning little cohesion in selection or performance.

There will be no room for similar excuses this year. He has his preferred 31 players on his books for the kick-off to the 2007 test season and there will be plenty of pressure on these All Blacks to display the sort of commanding style they exhibited on their triumphant march through Europe last November.

The severely depleted French will only add to the pressure for the All Blacks to perform.

They must win and they must win well. They need to do that for their paying public who are certainly getting short-changed on the French side of the equation.

But the All Blacks must win well for their own peace of mind.

After a disappointing Super 14 campaign there is ground to be made up, especially against the buoyant South Africans who loom just around the corner in the reduced Tri Nations in late June and July.

The reconditioning programme appears to have left many of the All Blacks stuck in second gear at the moment and it will be under the microscope as the alarming injury toll mounts.

View larger image

Chris Masoe and Rodney Sop'oialo get competitive at training©Getty Images

A rash of hamstring problems raises questions over the training regime. Coincidence, bad luck or bad planning?

So Henry needs to get things going quickly to ease the public's concerns.

There is still plenty to sort out ahead of the World Cup and just seven tests to get the squad's final shape finalised before the tournament starts in September.

Paramount will be the dreaded No 13 jersey that has been a problem ever since Tana Umaga retired more than a year ago.

The All Blacks hopes of pushing on in their search for the solution to this crucial midfield equation has been hampered by ankle injuries to Isaia Toeava and Ma'a Nonu and hamstring problems to Conrad Smith and Mils Muliaina.

And there will be the need to get the fourth prop sorted out too with new boy John Schwalger the 10th prop employed by Henry and his forwards coach Steve Hansen.

Whether a French side as poor as this or a Canadian team who conceded a half century of points against New Zealand Maori are able to provide the searching examination required in either the midfield or the front row appearts very doubtful.

So it's going to be about the Alll Blacks and their ability to quickly re-establish their own high standards.

The All Blacks took a selfish attitude during the Super 14. We all lived with that because iof the bigger picture. But now it's time for some payback.

yahooxtra.nz.co

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RUGBY: Henry: Boks don't fear Kiwis

29/05/2007 09:53 - (SA)

Jim Kaye

Wellington - All Blacks coach Graham Henry believes referees succumb to home crowd pressure and pointed to New Zealand's recent Test record against South Africa as proof.

The All Blacks have won all three of their Tri-Nations Tests against the Springboks under Henry in New Zealand, and lost three of the four they have played in South Africa.

Henry told a coaches' conference in Wellington that the All Blacks rated South Africa as the toughest side in the world.

"They are very hard to play against. They are the most difficult side to construct our attack against. They have the same traditions in rugby as the All Blacks and they don't fear the All Blacks as some other teams do. We wish they did, but they don't."

Henry said that meant there was a level psychological playing field when the great rivals met, but the venue played a significant role in determining the winner.

"Home advantage is critical, our results show that. I think the referees get under pressure from the home crowds and that affects their decision-making, and that's a concern."

The All Blacks play two Tests against South Africa this year.

Ireland's Alain Rolland will control the first, in Durban on June 23, and Australian Stuart Dickinson the second, in Christchurch on July 14.

Businessday

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RUGBY: Henry: Leaving All Blacks may struggle to regain jersey

3:05PM Thursday May 24, 2007

New Zealand rugby players taking up lucrative contracts in Europe are harming their development and may struggle to win back their All Blacks jerseys, coach Graham Henry says.

"It's a huge problem," Henry told overseas reporters in a conference call from New Zealand.

"I don't think they'll develop as well in a club environment compared with an international environment.

"The risk they take is that they come back and somebody has established themselves as better than them because they have developed better during that time."

The trickle of New Zealanders playing for European clubs is gathering momentum.

Second five-eighth Aaron Mauger, prop Carl Hayman and lock Chris Jack, all still in their 20s, are among a group joining English clubs after the World Cup finishes in October. Others are still considering their options, most notably 23-year-old playmaker Luke McAlister.

It will leave them ineligible to represent the All Blacks under New Zealand Rugby Football regulations.

Other nations are also losing players to European clubs, particularly from the Pacific Islands.

Henry believed the trend could hamper the development of local talent in countries such as England.

"I was told there were only three No 10s playing in the Premiership who are English," Henry said.

"I just can't understand what they're doing in Europe to develop their own players with all these top players coming from around the world."

The New Zealand Herald - NZPA

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RUGBY: Buoyant Boks look ominous

24/05/2007

Marc Hinton

The test season starts this weekend folks, and though it's difficult to get excited about the pathetic rabbles they've sent to the southern hemisphere from up north, I know there's one aspect of the opening salvos I'll be keeping a close eye on.

Just what sort of a performance will we see from the Springboks against England 'G' in Bloemfontein?

Will there be a carry over from the outstanding Super 14 season enjoyed by teams from the republic, in particular the Bulls and Sharks?

Will the whole rugby vibe in general stay as buoyant as it clearly was through the closing stages of the competition?

And can Jake White bring his men together, cast aside the evil political forces that continually work to undermine him, and produce a cohesive, strong, punishing rugby team, such as he will need to have a decent shot at World Cup glory later this year?

I doubt, frankly, whether England will provide much in the way of a measuring stick, but as the All Blacks will tell you endlessly next week as they prepare for their opening hitout against France's Dad's Army, it's all about keeping your own standards high.

Crusaders coach Robbie Deans told me earlier this week that his main worry out of the disappointing end to the Super 14 for the Kiwi sides (well, for them all but the Chiefs who I reckon could have won the thing if they'd snuck into the playoffs) was the confidence that the South Africans would have gained out of their dominant finish.

Deans reckons -- and quite rightly -- that the New Zealand teams could have handed the Boks just the shot in the arm they need to present a credible and sustained World Cup challenge later this year.

As we all know the Bokke when they've got the tails, and their gander, up are a difficult beast to peg back. They hit harder in the tackles, they chase with more earnest and they leap higher in the contests. More importantly, when they're in the zone the bounce of the ball seems to go unerringly their way.

The Crusaders coach told me he reckoned the damage from this handing of the psychological high ground could be contained by the All Blacks if they go out and put them back in their place during the upcoming Tri Nations.

Remembering the All Blacks open that competition with a visit to the seething Absa Stadium in Durban, that's going to be some ask.

And it's why I'm keen to see just how well the Boks start their season at the weekend.

England will not be stink-the-house-out bad. Surely. Not Brisbane bad from the 1998 tour when they basically rolled over and played dead. Professionalism has seen their stock improve on that miserable lot.

But I still expect them to be well beaten by the Boks who will have too much power up front, too much of a kicking game and too much of a chasing one too.

What I'll be watching is just how well this South African side comes together. Does Schalk Burger return as the force he was pre-back injury, how effectively Wynand Olivier and Jean de Villiers combine in midfield, and just how much acid that big front row puts on the Poms.

I'll be looking for signs they will be a danger this year, like accuracy, confidence, precision, power and of course commitment.

And I expect to see the South Africans dominate. For Deans is right, they're a country riding high in their rugby right now, and it could just be that their kick-start back in the right direction has come from the most unlikely of sources.

It was All Blacks coach Graham Henry who basically torpedoed the New Zealand franchises' chances in the Super 14. He coughed up that title to the South Africans as sure as his only concern this year is bringing back the World Cup.

But could he in the process have made his own job considerably harder.

I think we'll get a clearer indication this weekend. But I fear the damage has been done. These Boks well and truly have their tails up.

Yahoo! Xtra

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RUGBY: Henry warns of Bok backlash

Sunday 20th May 2007

The Springboks are once again New Zealand biggest threat in the Kiwis' quest to win their first World Cup crown in 20 years.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry, speaking at the weekend, reiterated earlier statements that the Boks would be New Zealand's toughest opponent at the Rugby World Cup in France in September.

With the Sharks and Bulls having contested the Super 14 Final at the weekend (won 20-19 in dramatic fashion by the Bulls), many critics have spoken out about they see as the "revival" of South African rugby.

"You have to be impressed with what they have done at Super 14 level," Henry said in an interview on allblacks.com.

"I have thought all along that South Africa might be our biggest challenge," he said.

"That is not to lessen the potency of France or Ireland but the South Africans may prove to be a helluva good side."

Henry didn't think the South Africans had changed their style of play so much as improved the speed at which they did things.

"They have been keeping the ball in their hands much more. The biggest area of improvement has been their defence in comparison to other years," he said.

"They have changed their defensive pattern. They may use both their more blitz style or the more traditional South African style," he said.

"They have used the ball better. It will be interesting to see if that transfers to the Springbok side," he said.

Planet Rugby

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