In the article referring to the ABs inviting Namibian players for beers after the game, it is mentioned that Australia have never been blessed with that privilege. Jokes about Los Amigos aside, do we know why ?
Never been a fan of that self-righteous attitude about them tbh, the "let's see who's deserving enough to claim membership in our gentleman club", the pretension to victorian respectability, all the more suspect that they're raucously boasting about it. I'd rather have a beer with Cheika than Hansen, any day of the week.
No not just standard interchange stuff, a lot of confusion who was going off and on which made the stoppages even longer, don't know why you're defending them QH it was on display for all to see and they wasted time as much as possible.
Again, that's their agenda and well in their rights to try and get away with it. Up to the referee and the opposition captain to put pressure on the ref to stop it. I think that's where Cane showed his inexperience or he didn't seem too fussed by it.
Because it saves energy, stops the team getting miles ahead of themselves and gives away little to the analysts. I also suspect it is much safer for everyone involved. I don't know for sure but I strongly suspect that Mike Ross made a decision, in the Ireland V Canada game, after the first couple of scrums, that they weren't going to attack the Canadian scrum because it would have served little purpose and risked someone getting hurt. They held up a rock solid platform for the team to do their thing.I'm not defending it, I'm saying your being harsh putting all the blame on the minnows - in this case Namibia.
Quite stangely the ABs more than played their part in the pace of the game - I'm mean, penalty goals, kicking for touch, rolling mauls against the lowest ranked team in the RWC. The ABs could have set ramming speed from the first minute, but they chose not to, only their coach would know why.
Eh? It's the Namibian's talking about it. Most likely because they're probably quite chuffed to meet the All Blacks off the field.
When Jerry Collins, God rest his soul, bumped into the coach of Barnstable and ended up playing for their seconds he tempered his game accordingly. It is what rugby has always been about. NZ could have comfortably stuck 100 points on Namibia last night but it is to their credit that they didn't. They respected the games traditions, IMHO, and that is good to see, even at a RWC. Part of me wonders whether focusing on drills, set piece etc in a glorified training run might stand to them better than running in 20 tries.That seems all standard stuff to me, not time wasting like injuries and interchanges.
No one wants closer scorelines more than me but you start modifying how the game should be played or giving the 50/50s to them you're comprising the game and integrity for it.
NZ played to a plan IMHO.^^^^^^^^ I think you're giving us a bit too much credit, but that said, what does beating a team by 144 prove or teach that beating them by 44 does not?
It's just the conspicuous exclusion of Aussies from this post-game ritual that bothers me.
Maybe they should stop turning down the invites. Robbie Deans prevented the Wallabies going for a beer way back in 2010. Maybe the new coaches have carried it on. Whatever the reason, its not the the All Blacks fault the wallabies don't want to be part of a private, post-game ritual. If they don't get asked anymore, there is nothing stopping them from inviting the ABs to theirs.
All the sides have played a similar way against the minnows. England won't, of course, against Uruguay but, hopefully that will be their valedictory performance at the tournament anyway, played in a ghostly Twickers!!!Still waiting to see a tier 1 nation smash a minnow at this RWC.
England won't, of course, against Uruguay but, hopefully that will be their valedictory performance at the tournament anyway, played in a ghostly Twickers!!!
If they have been knocked out they will desert the place. Gwan Wales, Gwan Aussie!!!!We live in hope, although surely the Hooray Henry's will pack Twickenham to see the Orcs triumph over anyone?