Wise words at the post-Bledisloe IV press conferences

[Bruce Ross]

With rugby being the most cerebral of sports, post-game press conferences in our sport are usually characterised by eloquence and erudition. By all reports Bledisloe IV was no exception.

Richie McCaw set a high standard with his pithy: "When you have a bad day at the office you just have to get straight back on the horse." That would have given the assembled journos cause to compare notes in case they had misheard.

But then Robbie Deans appeared to be almost channelling Donald Rumsfield's legendary "known unknowns" speech when he observed:

"James is one of those blokes who wants the ball in those moments as you saw with his carry, and that's what you want.

"The bloke who's got the ball you want to want to have the ball."

Kiwis are believed to have a genetic predisposition for these flights of oracular oratory, but if the discriminator is the degree of mindbogglingness, we are entitled to claim that our Kiwi out-performed their Kiwi. Robbie was certainly not found wanting.

 

[Bullrush]

To be fair, some of the reporters and the questions they ask aren't always well-thought out or particularly insightful either.

 

[Blue]

To be fair, some of the reporters and the questions they ask aren't always well-thought out or particularly insightful either.

Many of them are probably drunk by the time the press conference rolls on.

 

[barbarian]

I love a mixed sporting metaphor, and Richie has pulled out an absolute pearler there.

 

[Scotty]

What, you don't have any horses in your office?



Neeeiiigghhhhhhh...........

 

[Scarfman]

I'm marking essays at the moment. In the last few days, I have read of "Princess Diana's fatal death" and of how "Gender is forced into us from infantry".

 

[Bullrush]

Many of them are probably drunk by the time the press conference rolls on.

Most of us are well on the way by half-time aren't we LOL

 

[Ruggo]

"Princess Diana's fatal death" .

Very good that one. :lmao:

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Maybe if Richie had a chat to Blake Shinn my Melbourne Cup bet might have gone a bit better.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-s...-ride-precedence/story-e6frf41l-1225946632690

 

[RugbyFuture]

I'm marking essays at the moment. In the last few days, I have read of "Princess Diana's fatal death" and of how "Gender is forced into us from infantry".

quality stuff from a good university....

 

[Groucho]

Many of them are probably drunk by the time the press conference rolls on.

Who, the coaches and captains?

Sheesh, public speaking, it's not rocket surgery.

 

[barbarian]

Nah the Journos. Frankly I'd be disappointed if they weren't playing some sort of drinking game. It would explain a lot of their articles.

 

[Lee Grant]

Nice post Bruce. Our Robbie is right up there with the best in the list of Kiwi rugby orators.

I'd rate him at 70 on the Mexted Index (Mex was a constant, like the speed of light, at 100).

John Mitchell is ahead of him at about 75 but Robbie is the big improver.

Henry is only a 20 but you'd not expect any higher from an ex-headmaster.


It's probably not in the same category but Kiwi commentator Tony Johnson had a nice tautological moment this year talking about the Matthews siblings playing for Tasman v Hawkes Bay: "... both of the two brothers playing together ...."

Not quite in the "Low grubber kick along the ground .. " class of Rex Mossop, but decent.

 

[Gagger]

They've obviously not been schooled like Sanchez. Shows why he's captaincy material

[video=youtube;HSCWsezsZog]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCWsezsZog[/video]

 

[naza]

Oooooh, are we doing rugby cliches ?

It was a game of two halves.

 

[Bruce Ross]

They've obviously not been schooled like Sanchez. Shows why he's captaincy material
[/video]

I don't know about being "schooled", Gagger. I find it hard to believe that you can teach someone to respond with that manic speed of delivery.

He may be just naturally gifted.

 

[Lee Grant]

Definitely

 

[RugbyReg]

he's just taking it one post match interview at a time.

 

[Richo]

Robbie doesn't like to structure his answers too much. He just plays the question that's in front of him.

 

[dobduff11]

Will Genia classic stuff, I wonder if press interviews are taken into account when selecting the first teamers from the academy boys,

We've got an intriguing matchup tonight, there's no love lost between these two teams.

The away team tonight is coming off a heartbreaking loss last week so today is going a pivotal game for them, although this is always a tough place to play.