What were you thinking?

Graham Henry is not a bad coach and has been reasonable successful all things considered. However, he is his own worst enemy at times.

Why?

- He way overthinks things and second guesses himself. He often ignores logic and is too controlling. Relax man. Just pick the best players in their respected positions and get on with it.

- He is guilty of selecting "utility" players over specialists.

- What the? Why were players like Hosea Gear, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rene Ranger and possibly Sean Maitland overlooked for the World Cup? He selected 5 fullbacks and only 1 specialist wing. Ridiculous. Robbie Fruen and Wyatt Crockett could possibly count themselves unlucky too. No back up to Richie McCaw a schoolboy error also. Adam Thompson ain't no back up Mr Henry.

- SBW. Enough said.

Another WC approaching and the wheels are falling off. Mind you, the nuts and bolts were coming loose some time ago.

Please ignore if the All Blacks win the 2011, Rugby World Cup.

The Rugby World Cup is overrated

The Rugby World Cup is overrated. The fact that the All Blacks’s have only won it once says more about the farcical nature of the cup than it does about them. They have consistently been the best team in the world since Rugby began.

Unlike every other team, they always want to win regardless and this has contributed to their downfall in previous World Cups. Many people call it ‘peaking’ but they are simply hell bent on winning.

Other teams tend to drop off between World Cups but not the All Blacks and why should they? Many other teams use the time between World Cup to rebuild or experiment and don’t mind losing the odd game if it helps their World Cup chances.

Too many losses between World Cups are now simply a case of 'not wanting to peak too soon' or 'we are building nicely' etc. It's become farcical and the fact that someone like Robbie Deans can keep his job because of it proves my point.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

All Blacks v Ireland Preview

Yes we have heard it all before and luck will need to be on the side of the Irish if they are to have any chance of winning this encounter. Everyone keeps saying that the All Blacks aren't what they were, they lack depth, have too many injuries etc but somehow they do manage to remain the number 1 ranked team in world Rugby. 'Maybe this time, maybe this will be our chance' the Irish supporters will be saying.

The All Blacks actually appear to be a little more settled going into this one than they were last year after being caught short against the French. Both sides have their fair share of injuries but it's most likely to affect the men in green more than the men in black. In an incredible statistic, the All Blacks still remain the only international side the Irish have never won against and this dates back to over 105 years between the 2 sides. One gets the feeling that if they were to have any chance they would need their full squad available, the stars to align and the referee to come from Ireland's reserve bench.

Ireland are much more competitive than they have been in the past and are right up there but one gets the feeling the hosts will come out on top. However, it is a difficult assignment for the home team because most haven't had any Rugby for 4 weeks and coming up against a team like the match hardened Irish will make it difficult from the outset. Playing a team from say the Pacific Islands would make it easier for them to ease into the season gradually but can't see Ireland affording them that luxury.

Sonny Bill Williams About To Sign?

Sonny Bill off to the land of the long white cloud eh? He was born and raised in NZ, his Grandmother was born in Australia, he is of Samoan decent, his Rugby League apprentice was served in Australia, his Rugby Union apprentice was served in France and now reportedly, he is about to play Rugby in NZ. Confused?

His progression hasn't necessarily been a smooth one and his short career has been clouded in controversy. Mr Williams was famously caught with Candice Falzon in a toilet tryst at the Clovelly Hotel while having a girlfriend at the time and was also branded a deserter for breaking his contract early with the Bulldogs. Most people would have understood if he had waited until the end of the season but the fact that he left half way through and slipped 'out the back door' left a sour taste in most people's mouths.

There is no doubt he is a prodigious talent and he has proven at Toulon that he can play Rugby Union but his potential signing with the NZRFU is a massive punt that he can produce the goods. The other issue is that he is somewhat injury prone and given the short amount of time he has to prove himself before next year's World Cup could become a factor.

There has been a mixed reaction from the general public and while some say good on him for turning down the big dollars that Toulon were offering others are not convinced it's in NZ's best interests. There is no guarantee that he will in fact make the All Blacks because he will have to prove himself first but it's a lot of money to not have him represent his country.

Bring Back Buck?

The All Blacks don't seem to have a specialist number 8 of any great quality at the moment and I have an idea.

Many may argue that converted number 8, Kerian Read is the answer but I am not convinced. Don't get me wrong he is a handy player and is obviously well respected by his peers but just don't think he is the long term answer at 8 for the All Blacks.

There just doesn't seem to be anyone else putting their hand up at the moment. Short of making a comeback myself maybe it's time to bring back Buck? Fit or not just get him on the field. His presence alone might be enough to strike fear into the opposition.

If Wayne 'Buck' Shelford was playing you could rest easy because it was almost inevitable that the All Blacks would win. In fact, apart from being a member of NZ's first and only World Cup winning side, he captained the All Blacks undefeated from 1987 to 1990.

He encompassed everything that was great about Rugby. He showed great leadership, respect, toughness and most of all, was humble. Qualities that may elude some of the players running around these days.

However, it got me thinking, is there anything else you would like to bring back from the good old days or Rugby that's perhaps missing in the modern era?

Rugby Terminology Is Becoming Americanised

With the embers, from the recently completed Super 14, still smouldering it might be a good time to reflect on a subtle change that appears to be taking place. Is it me or is there a hint of ‘Americanism’s’ or ‘Americanisation’ associated with Super Rugby these days?

Perhaps it’s stating the obvious, and to quote Jerry Seinfield, “not that there’s anything wrong with that”. It just seems to be more obvious of late.

Many might argue that it’s just part and parcel of the professional era and modelling a successful formula is a no-brainer. But since when did we start using words traditionally associated with American sport to describe rugby?

The following are just a few examples that seem to becoming more noticeable of late, and there are most likely others that have surfaced also.

‘Franchise‘ has replaced province or State; semi-finals are now considered ‘playoffs‘; and the word ‘conference‘ is now used to describe the three competing countries.

Just wondering if this is a deliberate ploy, or like ‘creeping moss’, has crept into the game over time – or is that ‘ball game’ over time?

Culturally, it seems to be a shift in the way rugby is now described, and those that still prefer a meat pie smothered in tomato sauce over a hotdog with ketchup may become an endangered species at this rate.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

The hype surrounding Sonny Bill Williams at the moment is interesting for a couple of reasons. The All Blacks are obviously interested but his current club, Toulon, are reportedly able to offer a whole lot more money. Unconfirmed reports have suggested $500,000 a year, plus endorsements for the All Blacks and up to $7 million for Toulon over 3 years. Even with endorsements, the All Blacks will struggle to offer the kind of money Toulon can.

It appears they are really keen and are pulling out all stops to secure him prior to next year's world cup. Apparently they would offer an opt out clause if he doesn't make the world cup squad, a chance to represent New Zealand in 7's at the Commonwealth Games, the opportunity to become the first player to represent NZ in both league and union and he is thinking about it!

Not that long ago most players would have given their right arm just to play for the All Blacks but not anymore. It's still an honour except now they have to compete just like everyone else and no longer will players automatically put their country first. If the price is right, they are gone. The All Blacks in some respects has almost become a bargaining chip for players seeking higher contracts overseas. If Sonny Bill Williams wants to play for the All Blacks he has to go for the right reasons. If he is going just for the money (which he is entitled to) then maybe that money could be better spent elsewhere.