Wales v All Blacks @ Cardiff

[waiopehu oldboy]

Colin Meads once observed that you never beat Wales, you just score more points than them. The All Blacks have now done this 25 times running over 61 years, so it's kinda hard to believe that of the 5 national sides to have beaten them, only Wales did so in their initial match; and almost impossible to believe they once held a 75% win ratio over us (even the Boks never quite cracked 70% & none of the others better than 33%).

I fully expect that next Saturday in Cardiff we will once again score more points than Wales.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Optimism gnome whispered to me 'it's time'

 

[Cardiffblue]

Colin Meads once observed that you never beat Wales, you just score more points than them. The All Blacks have now done this 25 times running over 61 years, so it's kinda hard to believe that of the 5 national sides to have beaten them, only Wales did so in their initial match; and almost impossible to believe they once held a 75% win ratio over us (even the Boks never quite cracked 70% & none of the others better than 33%).

I fully expect that next Saturday in Cardiff we will once again score more points than Wales.

Mind blowing stats that I can't follow given I don't think we've won since 1953 ish. Mind, nz have on at least one occasion stooped pretty low to maintain that record

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Wales were the yardstick when I was a kid in the 70's, JPR Williams, some other whirling dervish lambchopped psychos, then there was the Mourie/Wilson "scissors move" try in the corner which I have since youytubed expecting to see the apogee of athletic endeavor when lo and behold it is comically tinpot and daft and pedestrian.

These EOYT matches always seem a bit crap, eke out a 4 point win here, an 8 pointer there. I like it better when we play Australia and get to run up 50! (sorry Australia, nothing personal)

 

[cyclopath]

Wales were the yardstick when I was a kid in the 70's, JPR Williams, some other whirling dervish lambchopped psychos, then there was the Mourie/Wilson "scissors move" try in the corner which I have since youytubed expecting to see the apogee of athletic endeavor when lo and behold it is comically tinpot and daft and pedestrian.

These EOYT matches always seem a bit crap, eke out a 4 point win here, an 8 pointer there. I like it better when we play Australia and get to run up 50! (sorry Australia, nothing personal)

I like it better when you're drunk on breadfruit punch, trying to show Byron how to get jandals on feet with 8 and 7 toes, the Pitcairn Pas-de-deux.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

breadfruit punch

Am off that heavy stuff now. Mixed up my own "Ladies Lo-Lite Lavender Lesbian Lager". 0% alcohol yet after 1/3rd of one sip I'm seeing 8 toes where there should only be 4 of the f**kers.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Mind blowing stats that I can't follow given I don't think we've won since 1953 ish. Mind, nz have on at least one occasion stooped pretty low to maintain that record

If you're referring to this..........

...... you may want to look where ref Quitendon looked & see what he saw, namely Wheel jumping off Oliver's shoulder for which he awarded the penalty. It's also often forgotten that Wales got a coupla foggy calls in their favour that day, too.

 

[Dan54]

Funny thing is Wales have always been one of my favourite Rugby nations, maybe because like NZ and SA they seemed to live and breath the game there, Welshmen along with Saffas are my fav people to sit down and have a yarn about rugby over a beer! Most that I have done it with a good knowledgeable rugby men! It could have something to do with fact I only 60 too, so obviously to young to have seen a loss to them.
Anyway really looking foward to this test, although the Welsh looked a bit dodgy last night, now they had a couple of tests under their belts I know they will come out full steam next week!

 

[Cardiffblue]

.. you may want to look where ref Quitendon looked & see what he saw, namely Wheel jumping off Oliver's shoulder for which he awarded the penalty. It's also often forgotten that Wales got a coupla foggy calls in their favour that day, too.

Please. I can't bear to watch it without seeing red. Ive been through years of therapy trying to come to terms with that game. I was in the south enclosure. If the whole charade wasn't premeditated my cock's a kipper.

Still. I'm better now. It's behind me. all part of rugby history.

Still rankles tho. Specially since I was deleriously celebrating breaking the 25 year drought. And 36 years on it still hasn't happened. Been some great games since mind. Loved the Rwc game over here at anz. When we were winning everyone was taking photos of the scoreboard. Knew it wouldn't last

Don't suppose you could put the 2nds out against us, like you did against the jocks? My shrink says it would do me the power of good. There four generations of welsh babies have grown up and never known a win

It's time

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wales were the yardstick when I was a kid in the 70's, JPR Williams, some other whirling dervish lambchopped psychos, then there was the Mourie/Wilson "scissors move" try in the corner which I have since youytubed expecting to see the apogee of athletic endeavor when lo and behold it is comically tinpot and daft and pedestrian.

These EOYT matches always seem a bit crap, eke out a 4 point win here, an 8 pointer there. I like it better when we play Australia and get to run up 50! (sorry Australia, nothing personal)

I can vaguely remember getting up at sparrow fart to watch the '72 Test on a B&W set the size of a microwave (pretty sure it was the first game ever broadcast live by satellite in NZ) & the scoreboard being changed to 19-19 while Bennett was still lining up the shot. It missed (karma, obviously), we won & nek minit Keith Murdoch dongs a bouncer, gets sent home & TPMcLean starts the myth that Kirkpatrick's team weren't that flash - which considering they toured slap bang in the middle of the two most successful Lions tours ever up to that time & came within a few blades of grass of a Grand Slam is complete & utter crap.

Will never forget the sadly late Nicky Allen's star turn in 1980, until then I didn't know it was possible for a NZ 5/8 to play like that. The Mourie try is first up in this compilation:

Be aware that one of the try-scorers has the initial LMcA & may at some stage have played for your beloved Blues.........

 

[Cardiffblue]

although the Welsh looked a bit dodgy last night, now they had a couple of tests under their belts I know they will come out full steam next week!

Just seen highlights of fiji. Was a very short package! Seems like every pacific island nation since Western Samoa thinks they have a chance in Cardiff (saw that one too!). And Wales seem to collapse in nerves that it might happen again.

 

[Cardiffblue]

You forget until you watch a compilation like that how many of worlds best ever back row players are kiwis. Think that's the difference between nz and the rest

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Don't suppose you could put the 2nds out against us, like you did against the jocks? My shrink says it would do me the power of good. There four generations of welsh babies have grown up and never known a win

Sorry, we've never really gotten over Robbie Deans' great-uncle (I think it was) Bob scoring in 1905 but getting dragged back over the line before the Pom ref deigned to arrive.

http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/that1905try.html

You may have several more sessions with your shrink ahead of you, suggest you look into getting some kind of bulk-buying discount!

Good to see that all the years of disappointment hasn't affected your sense of humour, God knows it only took 2 or 3 narrow losses to the Wobblies to give me recurring nightmares featuring George bloody Gregan & John friggin' Eales......

 

[Cardiffblue]

Sorry, we've never really gotten over Robbie Deans' great-uncle (I think it was) Bob scoring in 1905 but getting dragged back over the line before the Pom ref deigned to arrive.

http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/that1905try.html

You may have several more sessions with your shrink ahead of you, suggest you look into getting some kind of bulk-buying discount!

Good to see that all the years of disappointment hasn't affected your sense of humour, God knows it only took 2 or 3 narrow losses to the Wobblies to give me recurring nightmares featuring George bloody Gregan & John friggin' Eales..

Our version of the 1905 3-0 legend doesn't mention that! Given the state of the pitch, you'd have missed the conversion.

Back to the present, anyone heard whether Jon foxy Davies is fit? Love George North but when he got that last pass against Australia it was game over.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Funny thing is Wales have always been one of my favourite Rugby nations, maybe because like NZ and SA they seemed to live and breath the game there, Welshmen along with Saffas are my fav people to sit down and have a yarn about rugby over a beer! Most that I have done it with a good knowledgeable rugby men! It could have something to do with fact I only 60 too, so obviously to young to have seen a loss to them.
Anyway really looking foward to this test, although the Welsh looked a bit dodgy last night, now they had a couple of tests under their belts I know they will come out full steam next week!

It's cos in those three countries it's the national sport and rugby matters. The nineties were a national nightmare. Thatcher and an embarrassingly crap national team with every half decent player signing for league. Think we'll be ok.In gatland we trust

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Our version of the 1905 3-0 legend doesn't mention that! Given the state of the pitch, you'd have missed the conversion.

Back to the present, anyone heard whether Jon foxy Davies is fit? Love George North but when he got that last pass against Australia it was game over.

He'll be touch & go I'd have thought, was written up as a 2-3 week injury, this is week 2 so even if the shoulder is now OK he'd be short on match fitness. Throw him in cold v the AB, or let him ease back into it with Clermont & have him fully fit for the 6N? If I were Gats I'd go with option b.

 

[Cardiffblue]

He'll be touch & go I'd have thought, was written up as a 2-3 week injury, this is week 2 so even if the shoulder is now OK he'd be short on match fitness. Throw him in cold v the AB, or let him ease back into it with Clermont & have him fully fit for the 6N? If I were Gats I'd go with option b.

Yup.

 

[Cardiffblue]

High on my wish list for the week is that Hanson gives another go to the new tackling tactic he trialled against Australia in Bledisloe three.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Vito seems to be the only casualty from last night & probably wouldn't have made the Wales 23 anyway, so provided the next IRB POTY is fully fit one suspects the players who got the job done v England will get another crack. Can't see Carter making the bench, made far too many errors last night & looks well out of sorts. Too good a player not to bounce back but it'll have to be next year.

 

[Shelts89]

I'm going for the All Blacks by 10+ points. Plus Gatland and his "referees don't like us" is starting to annoy me.