Oh Dear - Did I really say that?

Oh Dear - Did I really say that?

When you're a sports journalist heading off to a World Cup to follow a team that are massive favourites and expected to beat up on a bunch of countries who actually dont even care that much about the game, this is why it pays to be just wee bit humble and to keep things in perspective ...

Delusional and arrogant. They seem to believe that when we trounced France C earlier in the year it actually had any bearing on the World Cup. Lazy journalisim.

What would they know about Northern Hemisphere rugby anyway? They think the sun shines out of Super 14 and the Tri-Nations.

Barca2007-10-09 11:52:40

The All Blacks seem to have learned from their mistakes only to the extent that they are able to repeat them exactly.

I think he's right. If we played that French team again with a full strength squad we could annihalate them, and I think Australia could rip England to shreds any day (except for that quarter-final loss of course).

So why didn't we/they then?

Are you suggesting we didnt play a full strength squad on Sunday?

so Marius, are the rules of this "give-the-all-blacks-a-chance-handicapped-world-cup", that the all blacks can send out their current full strength squad and the opposition have to turn out with the team they used at the original tournament?

just wondering like
tigers2007-10-09 21:08:15

Forgive me if I get the facts wrong, because rugby is by no stretch of the imagination one of my top sports, but didn't Carter and Evans get injured?

Must've been a bad day, because everybody knows that the All Blacks are better than France, and the Wallabies are better than England.

Rattue the man who called Wales the village idiots of world rugby. He is a muppet.
"Not that it matters, because the All Blacks could play in sackcloths and they'd still stomp all over France." His comment last wednesday.
I guess in his position of making predictions and putting it out there he takes the risk of getting egg on his face. Part of being an opinionated person i suppose.
sanday2007-10-10 08:30:30

just adding a slight touch of absurdity Marius,

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to treat any of this 'national mourning' crap with any degree of seriousness - a view we seem to share

(perhaps i should have whacked a into my post)

Ballane was right the whining, self pity and cod psychology from the NZRFU and media is wearing a bit thin

The rest of the world must think we are a bunch of morons. All in mourning over a game. Pathetic.

I must admit I'm always a bit of a miserable git when england get knocked out of a football comp (well, miserable after the initial 24 hours of anger and ref and ronaldo blaming)

(despite not having lived there for 34 years, and despite not giving a toss what england do in any other sport)

but like all blacks fans I'm slowly learning to get used to it

Sorry LG but being the "best" means fronting up when the pressure really goes on and the AB's just can't do it in the World Cup. They may be technically brilliant but they lack mental grit. That's why the world's great teams spend so much on sports psychologists.

Having the NZRFU, rugby journos and the likes of Graham Henry repeat that we're the best team in the world ad nauseum doesn't make it so. The fact that the ABs haven't won the WC (and let's not forget that that win was on home soil, without South Africa participating, when Australia was rubbish at the time, and in the amateur era! )since I was in the primary school leads me to treat such claims with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Lets not also forget, that when we won in the amateur era, we were bending the rules a great deal, so were basically the only professional team in an amatuer sport.

we could have used a REAL centre (tana) and a halfback with some guts (piri) - a fit lock with some balls never went astray (flavell).

the team for the france game should have read

Front Row - Hayman Oliver Woodcock
Locks - Flavell Williams
Loosies - Collins Sooialo McCaw
Halves - Weepu Carter
Centres - Mauger Umaga
Wingers - Howlett JoRock
Fullback - Muliaina

Bench

Kelleher (Halfback)
Nonu (Centre, Wing Cover)
Mauger (1st Five, 2nd Five)
Jack (Lock)
Masoe (Loosie Cover)
Tialata (Prop Cover)
Hore (Hooker)

THAT team has BALLS

I would prefer Mauger's shadow/cardboard cut-out on the bench to McAllister.

"I guess in his position of making predictions and putting it out there he takes the risk of getting egg on his face. Part of being an opinionated person i suppose."

Not so much an egg  on his face but two omelette's an egg fu yung and and four battery hens!!

what that guy wrote in his article...

With France wouldn't it be more a case of them being the "Underfrogs"?

OOOOH dont call us we'll call you!!

I still love the AB's, they're still good enough to play the curtain raiser at a Phoenix game later this year, or at least to be the pre-game mascots....

Our organisation sincerely values consumer feedback, your response will be considered in due course