Samoa v All Blacks: Apia, 8/07/15

[Dan54]

To be honest, game turned out as I feared. Generally a typical first up game from ABs, Samoans gave it heaps, but really I doubt whether anything was proved with this game. Not sure anyone will gain or lose a place on this test.
Certainly not ever going to be a promotion for the game worldwide.

 

[Beefcake]

To be honest, game turned out as I feared. Generally a typical first up game from ABs, Samoans gave it heaps, but really I doubt whether anything was proved with this game. Not sure anyone will gain or lose a place on this test.
Certainly not ever going to be a promotion for the game worldwide.

Well firstly, magnificent occasion for PI rugby. Well done ABs for turning up and well done to the Manu for keeping ur tackling style intact.

Well tis a glass half full/empty kinda argument - there was plenty the game showed, particularly from the Manu perspective - combinations, selections in key positions etc and lots to learn when playing against the best.

For the darkness perspective, they cant be happy with that. But at least a line in the sand to show how much better they need to be. The machine has started.

Great occasion for minnow rugby worldwide as for my moment of the match

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Thought it'd be close as in <20 but never thought it'd be <10!

Highlights package is up:

 

[Ulrich]

How many players are unavailable for NZ and how fired up must Samoa have been for this occasion?

Surely we know better than to say "NZ need to work on things". They know that and they also know it's their first game with a makeshift team.

Would Wales, Ireland, England or alas, even my beloved Springboks have won this game given the same circumstances?

 

[Dan54]

Have one other question, does anyone know if the field was as wide as normal, watching the game it struck me as a small field.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Max. size is 100 x 68 with recommended min. 10m in-goals. Apia Park was 94 x 64 but with ridiculously short 5m in-goals.............

http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/support-an...s-guide/sport-specific-dimensions/rugby-union

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...k-gets-30-million-upgrade-for-all-blacks-test

Not sure how you spend $ US 30M on an upgrade with a view to attracting more int'l sides but end up with a way-too-short field (looking at the old aerial shots there was plenty of room length-wise, not so much width-wise)

 

[ACT Crusader]

I'm not too concerned about the how the ABs played or how individual players performed. Rightly or wrongly the test match was more about the occasion. It's rare that this happens in this age of professionalism, but given the history and the link between the two countries, this was one of them.

Some players were just there because of the scheduling issue, some were there because they have been on the fringe for a year or so and some were 'back' because they had been injured and were now fit for a run. The remainder were there because they are front line ABs.

It was a competitive test match, but there were a lot of errors from both sides including infringements and handling errors.

As for the venue, the ground dimensions were like an English super league field, narrow and small in goal areas.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Mention being made in many posts that this game and the Maori game were test matches. Did the Maori ABs really earn a cap as full blown ABs?

 

[Dan54]

It was not a test match BR, Maori All Blacks, like u20s, or "A" teams play can be internationals , not tests.

 

[qwerty51]

It was a Test match. Fiji players got capped. Players got capped for NZ Maori but doesn't mean it ties them to the All Blacks as it's not the secondary team.

 

[Dan54]

Yep Gwerty but getting a "cap" for Maori All Blacks doesn't make it a test, you can get capped in a first 15 game. The only team from NZ that can play a test is the All Blacks. It is only when IRB or whoever they call themselves now can give it test status. I know none of MABs will have a "test" cap next to their name.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'm pretty sure only one of the teams needs to consider it a test match for it to be so.

Fiji awarded caps, Maori didn't (and don't). It's still a test match for the records.

World Rugby doesn't have nearly as stringent guidelines as the ICC as an example.

 

[Jagman]

Not true. It's stated pretty clearly in World Rugby rules that a player is only capped when a countries test or designated B team plays against another nation's test or designated B team. I don't think NZ Maori are NZ designated B team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shelts89]

I don't think NZ Maori are NZ designated B team.

They 100% aren't their designated B team. Riki Flutey played for them but went on to get capped for England and The B&I Lions. Not sure how though... was crap

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Surprise, surprise:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...moa-loses-1m-hosting-historic-all-blacks-test

And that's excluding the cost of upgrading Apia Park from 12K capacity to 8K.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Isn't IRB underwriting the loss?

If they don't, they damn well should, after a rather forensic audit of the accounts due to previous reported inconsistencies and mismanagement of SRU accounts.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Isn't IRB underwriting the loss?

If they don't, they damn well should, after a rather forensic audit of the accounts due to previous reported inconsistencies and mismanagement of SRU accounts.

Spending $3.4million (excluding the infrastructure upgrades) would seem to be way above any sort of benchmark for what a team like Samoa should be paying for a match, even if it is against NZ.

Edit

That left the union staring at a loss of $1.5m (NZ$1m).

What currency would they be using? Seems a strange conversion?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...moa-loses-1m-hosting-historic-all-blacks-test

Samoa PM vows to find missing $1.5m.

--NZ Herald--

Samoa Prime Minister forward slash chairman of the Samoan Rugby Union Tuilaepa "Fat Tony" Malielegao has vowed to find the country's missing $1.5 million.

"I have searched the length and breadth of my bach on the off-chance that I mistakenly left it there but there is no trace of it" said Malielegao.

Malielegao's modest bach, which last month sprouted 16 new turrets.

"I now suspect that some of the more overweight Samoan players have spent the whole $1.5 million on cake. Rest easy though my loyal constituents, for I have just taken measures to place ALL of Samoa's cake shops under martial law. To clarify, for the interim, ALL Samoa's cake shops are now only accessible to myself and my immediate advisors" continued Malielegao.

"Furthermore, I have also frozen the bank accounts of the disgraced Samoan players in case they attempt to leave the country with the missing funds and any leftover cakes."

"Excuse me but are those 16 turrets actually rotating to music?"

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Isn't IRB underwriting the loss?

If they don't, they damn well should, after a rather forensic audit of the accounts due to previous reported inconsistencies and mismanagement of SRU accounts.

Not sure if you'll be thrilled or horrified to know that one G Growden has used his ESPNscrum.com column to call on World Rugby to pick up the tab...........

SRU wanted this match & wanted it played in Samoa; borrowed several million $ US from China to "upgrade" Apia Park; in the process reduced capacity by a third; priced the remaining ~8K seats beyond the means of most Samoans; and somehow managed to spend 3.4M Tala on the actual match.

SRU & Samoa's PM having made their bed now need to lie in it. That said I agree there needs to be a full audit of SRU's books at least as far as IRB grants are concerned. If even half the allegations made by e.g. Mo Schwalger are true then World Rugby should be withholding future grants until such time as SRU put their house in order.