The Wallabies only have themselves to blame

There were some strange twists and turns in this match and it's hard to imagine that this would have been the All Black's highest score against the Wallabies had Daniel Carter kicked the final conversion.

Going into this game there were genuine hopes that the home side might be able to end the visitors 7 game winning streak against them but all that came to a screaming halt at about the same time the Wallabies failed to find touch from a penalty just after Owen Franks was yellow carded.

The Wallabies inability to capitalise or take advantage of certain situations is severely lacking. It was only 1 kick but it needed to find touch. The fact that it didn’t, let the All Blacks off the hook, and was perhaps a turning point in the match.

Another example was when Drew Mitchell scored off a charge down only to have the same thing happen at the other end moments later. The few times that they were in a position to capitalise an unforced error would release the pressure.

Poor old Rocky Elsom. He couldn't win a trick. First he complains to the referee that the All Blacks were slowing the ball down only to have it backfire when Drew Mitchell was red carded for doing exactly that. He inadvertently got his own man sent off!

There were also some puzzling decisions throughout the match. Had the officials managed to get Sam Whitelock’s number he would have been yellow carded for a highly effective and perfectly legal tackle. Seriously, the referees are just getting a bit to eager to hand out yellow cards.

Another questionable decision was when the All Blacks were penalised for collapsing the scrum 5 metres out from their own line when it was clear the ground gave way underneath them. How was it their fault?

Although neither coach complained, the surface wasn't really good enough and questions have to be asked about it's playing future.

The other questionable decision was to play Matt Giteau at ten considering how well he has played all year at 12. What was Robbie Deans thinking? James O'Connor looks lost on the wing and is much better suited to fullback. They could do worse than give Kurtley Beale a start next week and perhaps give someone like Lachie Turner a run on the wing.

Wallabies hold serve against tired looking 'Boks.

The Wallabies outplayed the Springboks last night and deserved their win. In fact, the score line probably flattered the visitors because the home team failed to convert a couple of half chances into points.

The ageing Springboks looked cumbersome at times and the new laws haven't done them any favours. You could say that the home team has simply held serve in the opening 3 games of the Tri Nations but the Rugby proud nation of South Africa will not be happy with their team's performance.

They look battered and bruised and in desperate need of some time off to freshen up. Whether they can or not remains to be seen.

Some of the more senior players of the team look to have lost that spark and there must be question marks about their ability to last through until next year's world cup.

Ageing Springboks have failed to adapt.

It would have been a brave man to predict the outcome of the opening two games of the Tri-Nations this year.

Despite the results, there is not much that separates these two teams, but the Springboks were surprisingly flat and you have to question their level of commitment.

Often games are won or lost before the teams actually hit the field, and this may have contributed to the visitor’s demise. Their lack of preparation might have been an excuse for their lacklustre performance in the first test, but after another week in the country there was only a slight improvement.

There is no doubt that the Springboks have the quality of players at their disposal, but they have let themselves and their country down in recent weeks.

Last season they tended to rely on dominating the set piece, big defence and an accurate kicking game, but under the new laws they have struggled to keep up with the pace of the game. They were never allowed to settle in either Tests, and were always a fraction off the pace.

It is too early to write off the Springboks just yet but unless they adjust their playing style they may struggle.

The 'Boks go down!

It was a great game on the weekend and hats off to the AB’s for the way they played. When it all comes together they are the most exciting team in the world to watch. The Springboks were off their game but credit must go the home team for taking full advantage. They simply out ‘willed’ them.

A week is a long time in sport and the Springboks will come back. They have too much experience and talent not to. They will also be better prepared with the extra week in NZ.

Mils Muliaina stood out and arguably had one of his finest games in the All Black jumper. The time off with injury seems to have done him wonders. Piri Weepu played well when he came on and perhaps deserves a start but it was a night where it was hard to fault anyone.

Richie McCaw v South Africa

Much talk has been made of Graham Henry’s coaching success but let’s not forget, when Richie McCaw is playing, the AB’s don’t lose many.

However, South Africa and South African teams, are the exception of late. Up until last year, Richie McCaw’s mere presence in a side meant that they were odds on to win.

There are few players in the world that have the kind of influence on a team that he does but against South Africa last year and to a degree, against the top 2 South African sides, the side he was playing in, albeit the Crusaders or the AB’s, came up short.

Teams certainly don’t rely on 1 man but for South Africa or South African teams, to have that kind of dominance over a Richie McCaw led side in recent times, is a testament to how well they are going.

Shute Shield is alive and well!

We enjoyed a day out with the locals yesterday and watched a thoroughly entertaining game between Randwick and Sydney University in the premier Shute Shield competition.

For a family of 4 it cost just 20 bucks to get up close and personal with the action. This represents great value when you consider the number of Wallabies on display.

The standouts were Drew Mitchell and Kurtley Beale and unfortunately for Sydney University they were both playing for Randwick. Drew Mitchell scored 1 of the tries of the season when he twisted, turned and accelerated his way through at least 5 or 6 defenders. He looked sharp, surprisingly big on the field and was physical.

Kurtley Beale was all class and if he struggles to get a start in the Wallabies then they must have 1 of the best backlines in the world. His try in the 2nd half was electric. He picked up a bounced pass about 20 metres out from the goal line and within a blink of an eye he was gone. Just like Drew's try it looked even more impressive in person than it did on TV.

Just for the record Randwick won and we all got to mingle with the players post match. Terrific stuff!

Crystal Ball Gazing 2011 Rugby World Cup

Its early days but I can't help sense that the All Blacks are making the same mistakes all over again leading into next year's World Cup. Here are a couple of reasons why...

First it was the signing of Sonny Bill Williams because although it doesn't guarantee his inclusion in the World Cup Squad not selecting him would be an expensive mistake.

Secondly, Graham Henry's selections are still erratic at best and he just can't seem to make up his mind. The rotation policy was supposed to be dead and buried but it appears to be rearing its ugly head again.

Thirdly, their experiment with converting players into unfamiliar positions is a strange one indeed.

Fourthly, the NZRFU has just announced a huge bonus for all players involved in winning the World Cup. Just what they need, some added pressure!

Last but not least the All Blacks starting XV isn't that strong. Sure they appear to have plenty of depth and there is probably little difference between their 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams ranked teams but they have few truly world class players and the timing of the World Cup for some players is not favourable. Players like Tony Woodcock, Kevin Mealamu, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Conrad Smith and Mils Muliaina are a handful of players that might be past their best by the time of the World Cup. Unfortunately, they make up a core group of players deemed necessary to win the World Cup. An interesting dilemma for the coaching panel nonetheless.

Prediction: South Africa v France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final. Remember, you heard it here first.

Is the writing on the wall for Robbie Deans ll?

Basically a follow up to the previous article I wrote questioning the security of Robbie Dean's coaching position.

It would be fair to say that since his appointment in 2008 he hasn't lived up to expectations.

Personally, I don’t buy into many of the excuses being offered. When the results are not forthcoming or meeting expectations people will automatically go searching for all sorts of reasons why. Some are valid, some not, but in most cases, excuses nonetheless. When your team is performing, hardly anyone talks about structure, lack of depth, injuries etc.

I have previously written an article (click on the title) that highlights how well the Australian teams went in the Super 14 this year. Had the Australian sides finished near the bottom of the ladder then it might go part way to explain why they were struggling at International level.

But the fact is, they didn’t. They had 3 sides in possible finals contention up until the last round and the Force even managed to topple the Crusaders and Stormers. Possibly the only thing that has carried through from the Super 14, is the defensive quality of the Wallabies but the rest has fallen away. Possibly the only excuse that might be relevant is the number of first choice players currently injured.

I would give Robbie Deans until the end of this year's Tri Nations and if they finish 3rd he's out. If the ARU signed on Robbie Deans to coach the Wallabies through until the World Cup next year, regardless of results, it's an oversight.

If Kevin Rudd was guaranteed to remain PM until the next election, regardless of his performance, the Labour Party would have almost certainly lost. The writing was on the wall for Kevin Rudd the moment Tony Abbott started to look good. That all disappeared when Julia Gillard was elected however.

The question remains, is the ARU bold enough to follow suit?

Is the writing on the wall for Robbie Deans?

There may still be time for Robbie Deans to redeem himself but just get the feeling he is biding his time and appears to be going through the motions.

The turning point dated back to 13th September, 2008 when the Wallabies lost to the All Blacks 24-28. Had the Wallabies won this game, it would have proven to the ARU they had made the right choice. Self belief would have skyrocketed and their decision somewhat justified. However, they fell short and have never been the same since.

I hate to draw parallels but it's hard to go past the recent happenings to a certain former Prime Minister. For example, calling Robbie Deans 'Dingo Deans' reminded me of Kevin Rudd being called 'Kevin 07' when he was elected and we all know what happened to him.

This kind of hyperbole is an illusion in some ways and disguises or masks reality. Both politics and Rugby needed some sort of saviour and both Rudd and Deans were unfairly held in that regard. Kevin Rudd's undoing was that he failed to realise he won an election, not a popularity contest. Not sure the same could be said for Deans but despite numerous bungles, back flips etc they both still managed to last 3 years in power.

Some will say it Rudd's exit was sudden but you get the feeling the rest of the party saw the writing on the wall sometime ago and it was just a matter of when.

One gets the feeling that Deans is in a similar situation but that doesn't necessarily please the fans and nor should it. Things can turn around pretty quickly and has a habit of making us look foolish but there are too many signs that would suggest the Wallabies are far from ok.

The All Blacks squad for Tri Nations.

Happy to see Rene Ranger in the team and still think he might be best on the right wing. Cory Jane deserves a start at fullback if that’s the case but it will be interesting to see how Mills Muliaina goes. I would like to see Piri Weepu get a start also. Hosea Gear would have to consider himself unlucky but talk about depth on the left wing.

Has anyone else thought of Victor Vito at number 8? I'm not sure if he has played there before but has the physical presence. Think the selectors have gone with Liam Messam to cover 8 but think Vito could do the job. Perhaps would have retained Thomson over Messam and had Vito cover 8. Jury still out on Ben Franks but otherwise looks good.

I can’t help but think these are tactical moves by Graham Henry. Perhaps he wants Hosea Gear, Adam Thomson and Zac Guilford to fight hard for their positions in the team because he has a tendency to do this i.e. how bad do they want it? Are they willing to do whatever it takes? The All Blacks are the only team in the world that can afford to do this, however.

Lighten up guys!

A patchy performance from the Wallabies but at least their defence was reasonable. The 1 positive is that they have only had 2 tries scored against them in 4 tests this year, which given the amount the amount of injuries they have had, is a fair effort. If the Wallabies could get their full strength side on the field they might be a chance.

They were dull in the first 1/2 half and were guilty of kicking too much ball away. They had plenty of opportunity to counter attack (a hallmark of a Dean’s coached Crusaders) but too often, chose to kick.

The Wallabies have a talented backline but it’s being wasted, because apart from from Quade Cooper and perhaps James O’Connor, they are not backing themselves. They are too hesitant, lack confidence and it results in players dropping passes, knocking on etc.

At least Kurtley Beale provided some spark when he came on but is lacking confidence also, hence his grubber kick instead of backing himself. Still early days though and given his time again, I'm sure he would have kept ball in hand.

You get the feeling that the players don’t have the backing of their coach at times and are too scared to express themselves in case they make a mistake.

The mood in the camp was highlighted by the post match press conference. Watching it reminded me of a visit to the morgue. What’s wrong with these guys? Again, nothing upbeat, nothing positive and it looked like they were slowly but surely being dissected. Defibrillator anyone?

Thank you Mr Lomu!

If you are familiar with Rugby Union then it's a safe bet you are familiar with Jonah Lomu.

A big call but he was perhaps regarded the greatest ever athlete to play the game, if not the greatest player. He was Rugby Union's first ever global star and his rise was synonymous with the sport going professional.

He was fast and he was big. He was about 1.96cm (6'5) tall, weighed 120kg's (18.3st) and reportedly ran the 100m in about 10.8 seconds. Basically, he had the pace of a winger and the size of a forward. He was devastating at times and often left defenders sprawling in his wake (click on the title 'Thank you Mr Lomu!').

He has retired from the game but has been asked to play an ambassador type role at next year's World Cup. Despite all the accolades he has remained humble.

I have been fortunate to 'Tweet' with him on Twitter (@JonahLomu11) recently and I'm sure he would appreciate the follow. Also, thank you for the endorsement regarding my blog...'Interesting/Good Reading' - Jonah Lomu.

Lift your game fellas!

Watching the game on Fox between England and Australia on Saturday night left the impression that the Wallabies aren't the only ones that need to lift their game.

The Fox commentators were not at their best and given the way the men in gold were playing it might have had something to do with it.

Phil Kearns in particular, calling the French referee, Mr Romain Poite, “POITE!” over and over was the icing on the cake. It may have been funny the first time but not throughout the whole game.

Going a bit deep here but we are living in times where people are becoming more sensitive (rightly or wrongly) to these types of things and everyone has to adjust accordingly. In other words, if you are not willing to move with the times, you may be left high and dry.

If you were having a chat down at the local club, then fair enough but you are commentating to a global audience and with that comes an added responsibility. At times, you guys don’t appear to have recognised this and/or made the necessary adjustments.

Personally, I don’t mind a bit of bias commentating and your team is quite humorous generally (at Super 14 level anyway) but at International level it probably requires a little more tact.

The referee actually had a good game and I'm not sure what your issue was Mr Kearns but Mr Poite made you look a bit foolish in the end. Let's hope you learn from it.

Do the Wallabies have an attitude problem?

Above all else, I think attitude contributed largely to the Wallabie’s loss. England had it and the Wallabie’s didn’t. If that’s the case then questions have to be asked, why? Obviously it’s easier to adjust your attitude when you came off a loss because the only way is up and the opposition tend to rest on the laurels a little but that doesn’t excuse it.

Ask anyone trying to lose weight and they will suggest it’s much easier to lose it, than it is to keep it off. Losing the weight is half the job but keeping it off requires hard work and discipline. This is where the Wallabies appear to be falling short. They work hard to achieve wins then struggle to maintain it ie keep the weight off.

Perhaps, lack of hard work AND discipline is the problem.

What's happened to running?

Rugby teams and/or players for that matter don't seem to go on road runs like they used to.

Why has it fallen out of favour?

On the Clint Eastwood produced movie, Invictus, it was interesting to see the Springbok side going for regular team runs and perhaps it was no coincidence they eventually won the World Cup.

There seems to be trend for high intensity type training, rigorous gym sessions, multi skilled training sessions etc to sharpen skills and build muscle but at what cost? These sessions are often divisive because each player has to train according to their specialist role in the team but the opportunity cost is that they don't get to train together.

Good old fashion road running for example helps build stamina and endurance. It helps you focus and the onus falls back on the players to pace themselves like you would in a game. Doing it with your team mates can help build morale also that is sometimes lacking in other training methods.

Social media and what it means for Rugby.

It was Bob Dylan that famously sang 'The Times They Are A-Changin' and unless you have been living under a rock you will have noticed some dramatic changes in recent times.

Thanks to technology and in particular the internet, some barriers that previously existed have been broken down somewhat. The increasing number of social platforms like Twitter, Facebook etc means that fans of the game now have direct access to player’s thoughts and/or views on the game. They can also interact with them and if lucky enough get direct responses in real time.

The changing rooms for example used to be 'off limits' to the public and what went on there was nobody else's business. After the game, it was time for the players to sit back, put the feet up and with beer in hand reflect on the game. Obviously this still happens in the lower grades but at a national level it's now not uncommon to see players sitting side by side after the game uploading pictures, posting and updating their status on their sponsored iphone, Blackberry etc.

Some will argue that it is intrusive and why do we need to know what they are doing every second of the day? One gets the feeling that there is a real demand for it however and some people can't get enough. Fans that will never get the opportunity to represent their country for example want to know what it's like. They want to get up close and personal.

Not only is it direct and in real time but it's also from the most reliable source i.e. the player himself. In days gone by you had to wait until the next day and read about it in the papers. Obviously, many still do and perhaps there is still room for both but there is no denying that social media is changing the landscape for fans and supporters alike.

Psst...Graham Henry and Co

Memo to Graham Henry and co. Too often you seem to select players that you think will fit into your system or playing style you are trying to adopt rather than just selecting the best performing player in that position and this may be part of your undoing. I call it the 'select and hope' policy you seem to have adopted.

In some ways it may have clouded your judgement when making selections. You are, in other words, over thinking it. You have comitted to a certain playing style for example and are then trying to find the right players to make it work. This is a somewhat flawed approach IMO because the opportunity cost is that you may have to trial more players to find the right fit and/or have players playing out of their preferred postion to make it fit. For example, you may be looking for players that are comfortable under the high ball to suit your game plan but at the same excluding a player that is a try scoring, specialist right winger.

It’s an outside in approach rather than an inside out approach and that's what bothers me. Wayne Shelford summed it up best when he said ‘they are just doing their job’ (click on title 'Psst...Graham Henry and Co' for the interview) in an interview many years ago. Keep it simple by just selecting players in their preferred positions, have faith in them and make sure they are doing the basics better than anyone else ie ‘doing their jobs’ and the rest will take it of itself.

The All Black Illusion

This was a game of 2 halves. The All Blacks started well and were quite dominant early on without much reward but all this changed when Jamie Heaslip was sent off for attempting to knee the head of an opposition player. Not only did Ireland need to be at full strength to win this one they also needed to have all fifteen men on the field!

Combined with O'Gara's sin binning, which reduced the Irish to thirteen men for ten minutes, the floodgates opened and by the time O'Gara came back on they were behind 38 points to nil. To their credit the men in green fought back strongly and actually finished with 4 converted tries but arguably much of this could be contributed to the fact that the All Blacks emptied their bench to give everyone a run.

The game actually became very messy toward the end and one can only wonder what the benefits are in giving everyone a run in such unstructured Rugby. In the end it started to resemble a trial more than a test match and became almost farcical. The All Black jumper is becoming somewhat cheapened by the day. How many players are they going to use before they settle on their best XV? Yes, supposedly they have great depth and their best team wouldn't be much different than their 3rd or 4th ranked team but that's where the problem lies.

In days gone by there was daylight between the starting fifteen and the rest but that's when the All Blacks were at their best, when almost all their starting players would make any side in the world. Now, with the possible exception of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Conrad Smith no one else would feature. That's a travesty in my book and the current administration of Graham Henry and co has to portion some of the blame. They are making the same mistakes all over again.

All time effort and energy should be spent on developing the best possible side and if you don't make it, too bad. In the past, when a player got dropped it was a big deal but not anymore. There are too many All Blacks on the scrapheap to even mention here. What is their obsession with rotating and experimenting with players each and every game?

Just select a side and be done with it already! Select players in their specialist positions and get on with it. Take time to nurture them and watch them grow. Out of all the players new to the All Blacks last night the 1 that stood out the most was Benson Stanley. Ironically, he stood out because he didn’t stand out. The selectors can hardly take credit for it either because almost by their own admission he was chosen by default. He was simply chosen in his specialist position and just did the basics well. He even made Conrad Smith look good. Too often Ma'a Nonu's game has overshadowed Smith's and even the wingers to some extent. In the words of Wayne Shelford, the All blacks are at their best when everyone does their job i.e. 14 men helping to put the 15th man over the line. In other words, GET BACK TO THE BASICS!

Shouldn't their aim be to beat the Springboks by 1 point rather than Ireland by 31? At this rate they won't. Although they appear to be going forward they are actually going backwards. It's an illusion that will be tested by the Wallabies and shown up against the Springboks this year. You heard it here first.

Kurtley Has To Be There!

There is no doubt in my mind that Kurtley Beale has to be in the Wallaby backline. He is a special player and now is the time for him to shine. With James O'Connor knocking on the door and also brimming with talent he has to be in there somewhere too.

Unfortunately for the Wallabies, both are currently playing fullback and 2 does not go into 1. O'Connor's preferred position is fullback and has to be picked there for the Wallabies. Beale is a naturally gifted 10 and although many will disagree that's where he belongs.

He has played well since moving to fullback for the Waratahs but that's because he could play anywhere and be a standout. The reason he didn't live up to expectations early on was partly because of the way the Waratahs were playing. Excuse the term but during his first couple of years with the Waratahs they were winning 'ugly' and this style of play didn't suit him. He wasn't happy or able to express himself and it showed. Now that they have opened up a little, Beale has thrived.

Quade Cooper is a real talent but unfortunately for him he is not a Beale and has to graciously step aside. The Beale's of this world are once in a generation type players and there is no way they can leave him out. O'Connor to fullback and Beale shifts to 10 in the Wallably backline.

The All Blacks for example, can rest easy if Cooper is chosen at 10 but not Beale. Beale makes all the difference. He is the 1 player that would make them nervous and have defences 2nd guessing.

The rest of the backline is up for debate but would have 9. Will Genia, 10. Beale, 12. Matt Giteua, 13. Rob Horne, 11. Lachie Turner, 14. Drew Mitchell and 15. O'Connor.

All Blacks Team Named To Play Ireland

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have named their team to play Ireland in the first Steinlager Series Test at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, on Saturday 12 June, with 3 players to make their Test debuts and 3 other new All Blacks on the bench.

Starting XV:

1. Ben Franks *
2. Keven Mealamu (71)
3. Owen Franks (9)
4. Brad Thorn (37)
5. Anthony Boric (13)
6. Jerome Kaino (25)
7. Richie McCaw – captain (80)
8. Kieran Read (16)
9. Jimmy Cowan (33)
10. Daniel Carter (66)
11. Josevata Rokocoko (60)
12. Benson Stanley *
13. Conrad Smith (33)
14. Cory Jane (12)
15. Israel Dagg *


Reserves:

16. Aled de Malmanche (2)
17. Neemia Tialata (41)
18. Sam Whitelock *
19. Victor Vito *
20. Piri Weepu (35)
21. Aaron Cruden *
22. Zac Guildford (2)

* Denotes new Test cap and number of Test caps in brackets.
 
They have picked an experienced All Blacks side together with those players who have been in form throughout the Rebel Sport Super 14 and deserve their opportunity at Test level. The Irish will be a huge challenge but everyone will be looking forward to see how they go.

Richie McCaw will again captain the All Blacks in his 81st Test and will become the third equal most capped All Black alongside former All Blacks team-mate Justin Marshall and one Test behind current team-mate Mils Muliaina (82).

McCaw said the squad had gelled together well since coming together in Auckland last week and the players had also been buoyed by the support from Taranaki fans since arriving in New Plymouth on Sunday.

Ireland and the All Blacks have played 22 Tests since 1905, with 21 victories to the All Blacks and one match drawn, in 1973. The All Blacks last played Ireland on the 2008 end of year tour beating them 22–3, with the last match played in New Zealand earlier that year in Wellington, with the All Blacks winning 21–11.