ABs v Wallabies

[tasman man 742]

...watch the replay again and notice how Zac gives up in the lead-up to Sambo's try.

We kicked off and Zac pulls out of the chase as he'd missed a tackle on the receiver in the previous kick-off]

.....have a mindset on a number of issues that is holding you back.

The 'box' kick was clearly Richie's and he called for it early and with confidence ,unfortunately he misjudged it and Zac who was in perfect support behind him made the tackle on Pocock.Weepu stayed behind the breakdown area in 'no-mans-land' while Muliaina got lost....should have been in position.He was the sweeper MIA.

As for the kickoff 20mins earlier ,Zac rushed up alone got stepped but the AB's got into the situation they wanted , stopped the big clearing kick but Thomson dived over the top for penalty and Mealamu put in the niggle.

Mealamu like Muliaina was clearly a yard off their usual pace while Jane and Toeava weren't exactly error-free either.

The video doesn't lie , so if you disagree with my 'video-analysis' feel free to show your ignorance.

And most importantly ,it's history now , and time to move on.

I'm sure the AB's will learn from their mistakes....GHenry says they will !!!

[bblunt 334]

The AB's lost because of Zac]

I know it's a hard game to follow when you're new to it and you can't see the ball and you don't know what's going on in rucks and mauls but blaming wings for a loss is hohoholarious:D

[Thrush 0]

I know it's a hard game to follow when you're new to it and you can't see the ball and you don't know what's going on in rucks and mauls but blaming wings for a loss is hohoholarious:D

The guy is crap and would struggle to make a decent club side here in Wellington, such is the abundance of talent here in the Capital.

[joblow 6]

Wellington rugby is the worst in the country. If you are seriously suggesting Julian Savea is talented Thrush, you really do need counselling.

It's not usually I would assess someone as worse than Guilford but Savea definitely is

[Thrush 0]

Julian Savea has it all over Guildford, and his younger brother Ardie would eat SBW for breakfast, as these two clips show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BwEUhYZvGY&feature=related

[Memphis 1]

Henry and co have made two mistakes so far.

One:Throwing the game in SA.If ozi had no trophy to parade round the show after their win it wouldn have had the same effect.Now they are strutting round like world beaters.

Two:Picking Guilford and Toeava aheaad of Sivi and Gear.I cant have a bar of Toeaava.He has a super hang dog look on his face before the game.Imagine the look when he loses us the World Cup.And he can do that.

As for the ref .He didnt look confident to me and that cant be a good thing for a bloke who I'm sure is on the WC panel

[Thrush 0]

Zac Guildford should be pleased with himself this morning, as he's finally made it into my "Worst Ever AB's XV".

The team is:

15. Shayne Philpott

14. Scott Hamilton

13. Caleb Ralph

12. Mark Mayerhoffler

11. Zac Guildford

10. Stephen Donald

9. Bruce Deans

8. Sam Broomhall

7. George Whitelock

6. Reuben Thorne

5. Isaac Ross

4. Todd Blackadder

3. Campbell Johnstone

2.Mark Hammett

1. Greg Feek

Several players can consider themselves extremely unlucky to miss out, but the form (or lack thereof) of those selected was too much to ignore. The unlucky ones are:

Ben Blair

zzzn McDonald

Nathan Mauger

Dave Hewitt

Tambai Matson

Daryl Gibson

Corey Flynn

Scott Robertson

Congratulations to all concerned.

[moz1047 93]

Oh dear Thrush. :eek: It must be terrible to be so insanely jealous of someone or something. What did Canterbury rugby do to you other than continually thrash your mighty Wellington team. :confused: Think maybe you should seek some professional help.

[Thrush 0]

Oh dear Thrush. :eek: It must be terrible to be so insanely jealous of someone or something. What did Canterbury rugby do to you other than continually thrash your mighty Wellington team. :confused: Think maybe you should seek some professional help.

How many World Cups have we won since Canterbury have been the dominant force in NZ Rugby?

What's worse, their second-rate coaches are now being promoted ahead of more deserving applicants.

[Thrush 0]

Julian Savea has it all over Guildford, and his younger brother Ardie would eat SBW for breakfast, as these two clips show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BwEUhYZvGY&feature=related

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

Congratulations to Ardie Savea, named in The NZ Secondary Schools Side and the only player from Wellington- well done Ardie!

[richie 1,027]

How many World Cups have we won since Canterbury have been the dominant force in NZ Rugby?

What's worse, their second-rate coaches are now being promoted ahead of more deserving applicants.

So why is it that Canterbury have been the dominant province in Southern Hemisphere rugby and yet when they put them in the A.Bs with Wellingtonians and Dorklanders the team cant win a world cup.Maybe instead of entering an AB team in the world cup we should enter a Crusaders team with out the Jelly belly Wellys and the porky dorky auckys.

[Thrush 0]

So why is it that Canterbury have been the dominant province in Southern Hemisphere rugby and yet when they put them in the A.Bs with Wellingtonians and Dorklanders the team cant win a world cup.Maybe instead of entering an AB team in the world cup we should enter a Crusaders team with out the Jelly belly Wellys and the porky dorky auckys.

Mitchell and Deans attempted to do that in 2003 you clown...and look how successful that was!

Now go back to your corner and put your dunce's hat on.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qa3x7XrNCY4/TNiTNSEtD4I/AAAAAAAABl4/Iy0bV4vXBBc/s1600/dunce-cap.gif

[richie 1,027]

Mitchell and Deans attempted to do that in 2003 you clown...and look how successful that was!

Now go back to your corner and put your dunce's hat on.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qa3x7XrNCY4/TNiTNSEtD4I/AAAAAAAABl4/Iy0bV4vXBBc/s1600/dunce-cap.gif

The problem in 2003 was that they added too many Wellington & Auckland players and only 14 Cantabs 3 from Otago and everybody knows that you need 22 decent players to win a world cup and not 13 pansy North Islanders

[tasman man 742]

.....you are losing it.....seek help !!!!

Learn to enjoy the game....it's great to want and win every time but get over it if you don't.

When I glance and see Todd B and RThorne in your worst ever team I know its a wind-up , but you are hurting , its obvious...what about Jake Burns ??

Two weeks ago everyone was very happy with the team...all the 'experts' agreed that the only possible weakness was the back-up to the supermen.....McCaw and Carter.

That concern has deepened with the Thomson situation.

Are you going to any games ???

Name them , and I'm sure some of us will help you thru the process on how to 'enjoy' it.

Alone in your padded cell with Nisbo's sneering to depress you is not good.

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

TUI are pushing for Gear to replace Zac on wing , for their next billboard....

Five Hurricanes from dysfunctional Wellington backline make up brilliant All Black backline........Yeah Right !!!!

Go Zac

[Thrush 0]

...I don't read your posts, so please don't read mine.

[Rooboy 1]

How many World Cups have we won since Canterbury have been the dominant force in NZ Rugby?

What's worse, their second-rate coaches are now being promoted ahead of more deserving applicants.

Interesting you bring that up. Back in the pre professional era I had a theory that largely held true. When Canterbury were strong and had many players in the All Blacks it usually led to average All Black teams.

Does that theory still hold true? I hope not, otherwise we're not about to win the 2011 World Cup are we. Although you could argue, if Boric gets a locking spot and Woodcock's at prop then the 1st XV might only have around 4 Cantabrians so we could be ok!!!

[richie 1,027]

Interesting you bring that up. Back in the pre professional era I had a theory that largely held true. When Canterbury were strong and had many players in the All Blacks it usually led to average All Black teams.

What is that theory based on .World cup results,Tri-nation results or test results in general?

[richie 1,027]

Sorry i misread your post.In amateur era before tri-nations.

[Thrush 0]

Applies equally to the professional era.

An abundance of sheepshaggers = mediocrity.

[tasman man 742]

.....they tried to change this trend bringing in Mannix, that balding second five, Evans, those props who taped the boots on [swalger?], a couple of Captains Umaga and Rodney, Jerry the piddler and handbag Masoe ,Eaton ??, .....CCullen was great for a while and Harmie and Afeaki promised much as did the winger with the tatts on thighs.

But many of them shot thru to greener pastures ,the Waldron bros excelled when they left others realised quick the dysfunctional Hurricanes were bad for your future hence the Dags and Zacs , the Frueans were snubbed and Otago star Popoate ignored........it's a long list of exciting talent which Hammett has been brought in to harness.

In late 1990's I remember the great David Kirk being brought in , leaving exasperated saying Welly rugby needed a huge attitude shift ,improved programs and fitness etc.

Basically things never change....note the way their 'fans' fight on here.

Wellington certainly win nothing , the teams with the most yellow cards maybe, and they 'import' some stars...Holwell, Hore , Big Bill Cavubatti,Afeaki !!!

[tasman man 742]

....is a rough summary why they revert back to the sheepshaggers , throw in AHaden's theories , a few Pacific Islanders and Croatians and you have the greatest , most winningest 'International' record ever !!!!

Get over it

[Thrush 0]

Our two most successful WC sides were obviously the '87's and the '95's.

The '87 starting XV contained only two sheepshaggers in Warwick Taylor and Craig Green.

In '95 it was the legendary Graeme Bachop (huge fan), and Mehrts.

If you want to talk 'quota's', then perhaps the lesson to be heeded is '2 sheepshaggers per team.' period.

Caught John Hart on the B-Sport breakfast this morning with N.Rarere, Lonergan, and Smithy, and gee Hart knows his stuff.

He declared that Smith and Nonu have been 'simply outstanding' in the last two games that they've played together and have easily been the best players on the paddock.

A very astute judge is John Hart.

[zak 0]

If he is that astute he must have coached a WC winning team, especially as he was coaching the best team in the world.

[Rooboy 1]

I don't know if the theory does apply post 1996 (professional era). Canterbury/Crusaders now play a far more open and expansive game than the old, fairly dour Canterbury teams of the amateur days. The provinces are no longer set in their styles of play. Maybe with the exception of Southland.

[Rooboy 1]

Previous post a bit of nostalgic rambling. Back to the here and now.

More I think about that game on Saturday, more I feel it's done AB's a world of good. It was a timely reminder of how we should not play (1st half) in vital World Cup matches. Tossing it about without doing the hard yards. And it's reminded the AB's what does work and also the way to beat Aus (2nd half). In addition I felt Victor Vito (especially) and Sam Whitelock really came of age in that game. In Vito we now have viable cover for Reid.