Better Rugby Rules

Source: Rugby profiteering will hurt NZ

Extracts..

..” Either the seller meets the buyer or the buyer will go elsewhere or not come at all.”..

COMMENTS: No matter what you charge, give the buyer a fair service for the RWC period. But make sure you do profit and well at that, after all the NZRU and its unions have been fleecing the NZ rugby public ever since rugby went professional.

Some examples

1) Charging full prices for test matches at night in June/July.
2) $40 plus for a super rugby game for average seats.
3) Charging kids too much for the cheap seats.

Well just thinking here.

What are the common themes a RWC winning team have in the 80 minutes of the RWC final…that matter.

In order of importance.

1) They self steer: What does this mean! This means the players on the ground know what to do to manipulate the game on the field to score or get out of trouble. They do NOT have puppet strings via radio and other walk on instructions to tell them what to do. The on field leadership move the team to the type of play and tactics required. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR.

2) Leadership: Sure the RWC winning captain gets all the pictures and holds the cup up, but thats not the leadership of a team, is the captain, forward leader, halfback, backs leader: basically senior players leading the way. You cant do (1) without (2).

3) On the field: Well you cant do (1) if (2) are injured or replaced.

Where do I see these traits 12 months out of RWC 2011.

France:  As a kiwi these guys are the best chance to role the ABs and/or win RWC. Why ! Well the have nothing to lose when they play the ABs and they are heros when they win. Also they nearly won a series downunder in 2009, won six nations 2010. The ABs have a 50/50 win loss ratio with France, and its worse as we know with RWC games. Dont mention RWC 2007 !

South Africa: Well they beat us, the ABs,  3-0 in 2009. Won the last RWC and will have Victor Matfield and RWC 2011. What more do you need to know.

What about the ABs.

Well sorry, I still see Richie McCaw as a puppet leader, yes he can lead on the field, yet when it comes to tight test matches the coach in the stand via radio and run on field instructions interrupts they much needed leadership on the field. Of course I hope Richie grows some seriously mean Zinzan balls, and says ‘F**k Off where doing it thus way !” to the next radio instruction from up on high. We shall see…

Source: IRB insistent on late kickoffs for World Cup – Marc Hinton

International Rugby Board chief executive Mike Miller has confirmed the controversial late kickoff times for feature matches at the 2011 World Cup were a non-negotiable in discussions with New Zealand organisers.

Dear ‘World Rugby Fan’ when you watch the finals at the RWC 2011 you cant blame the NZ organisers for the poor rugby conditions. As the finals will be played between 9.00 and 10.30pm mid October 2011 (Semis on the 15/16th, final on the 23rd), I can tell you for a dead cert that the last 30 minutes of the game will make the out come a pure lottery. Why, the night dew on the ball will make it slippery thus knock ons will be high in number, and if you dont have a kicker with an 80% strike rate you will loose. If your team is a running side (say NZ) then you better be up 20 points with 30 minutes to go, if you are a tight five team (say England) then get to the last 30 minutes and be with 10 points, as you will have a real chance.

It would have to be a very warm day in October to secure excellent rugby conditions, and that’s not likely, and god help the playing conditions if it’s a poor day, it will be like playing rugby in South Island mid july (even though final is in Auckland in October). The ignorance of the IRB concerning the late night rugby conditions in October at Auckland, will more than likely to prove to be a huge mistake. I would put the odds at 20% of a excellent conditions at the 9.00pm kick off. I know I have lived in Auckland for 22 years. The night dew and cold chill will effect the game to the negative, and thats if the preceding day was fine, if the preceding day was wet well the ground will be a slippery rugby slide and fun for no one.

Thats why if you pay $1000 (??) for finals tickets you taking a huge risk, so good luck.

Seriously whats wrong with 7.30pm kick offs.

The New Zealand time of 7.30 pm the 23rd October 2011 (RWC Final) is around the world is:

• - Dublin -  7.30 am
• - London -  7.30 am
• - Paris -  8.30 am
• - Moscow -  10.30 am
• - CapeTown -  8.30 am
• - Sydney – 5.30 pm
• - Tokyo – 3.30 pm

Can’t the Northern rugby fans wake up earlier than 7.30 am, of course they can !! Hell to catch the train to work you need to be up a 5.30am ! Who is the IRB kidding !!

UPDATE1: Apparently NZ daylight savings is on for the finals. So thats better, but not way better. But I concede, it is better. The above times for the world cities was calculated with DST in mind. (See TimeAndDate.com)

Wayne Barnes Ref All Blacks vs France RWC Quarter finals – France won. Soon to ref the ABs vs Scotland this Saturday.

Dear Mr Barnes,

Are you aware that the All Black coach ’Mr Henry’ displayed 35 minutes of your referring performance to the NZRU coach appointment committee, allowing him the ultimate excuse for his failed RWC 2007 campaign. A campaign that cost the NZRU $4 million dollars and much embarrassment. The fault was yours not his, Mr Henry proclaimed! This argument ultimately secure his re appointment.

Are you also aware that you were judged harshly, and some feel the touch judges should have been more proactive in providing you more guidance in offsides and forward passes as your were a junior international referee at the time and the modern game has proven to fast for a single referee to make all the correct calls.

And finally, maybe the wrong call of the complete RWC was by Paddy O’Brien to advise the touch judges to be less advisory to the referee in all RWC games. A call that didn’t not recognise the step up in pace from the RWC round robin games to the RWC final games, where more controlled advice to the ref in the middle was absolutely critical. I am sure that you noticed the number of extra calls that were made buy the touch judges after the ABs quarter final. Noticeably the many forward passes made by England (Aussie vs England quarter final) that were called back. One can only conclude that Paddy O’Brien realised his massive f**k up, and fixed it within 24 hours.

But I do hope that you are a little fitter this time around, and the microphone works well between you and your assistant referees (touch judges for those over 40) so we can all have a good game.

God Bless, from one kiwi who thinks there were more New Zealanders involved in the ABs RWC disaster than a single Welshman.

Cheers

BetterRugbyRules

Via a domestic violence scandal Radio/TV Tony Veitch  will lose it all.

The All Blacks last 10 minutes was a major write off, nothing short of disaster. Just like the RWC 2007 quarter final, on the field replacements (injury or tactically) drastically reduced their ability to be effective under huge pressure. The last 10 minutes saw the Boks out think us, out passion us, when there captain was sin binned they stood up like King Leonidas versus the Persians (300 Movie) .

                      Truely heroic !

The last 10 minutes saw the ABs loose a critical lineout on the Boks 5m line, loose possession in the tackle several times and a failed drop goal attempt. Sure the first 70 minutes was a fair contest, but the last 10 minutes was not fair, ABs had the advantage, then they did a ‘Veitch’ (lost it all).

This year you cant expect the ABs to have an unbeaten record because too many players with experience have gone to northern sides.  I am willing to go through the drought while new talent is brought up to standard and I will in no way agree to the call to strengthen the squad with overseas players. In rugby these days it’s about overall squad ability and the ABs have a good ‘A’ side and a not so good ‘B’ side. Some of the players in the ‘B’ side did not stand up and were not All Black grade.

As a Coach you learn the most about your players when your side is going backwards. This was very true in the last 10 minutes, because it was 14 vs 15 players and we were leading by 5 points. The Boks turned this around and won the match.

Some ABs need a re think ..

Keven Mealamu:The real bad, lineout throws were too low, he stood too wide around the ruck allowing Ricky Januarie in the gate for match winning try, to me he looks a little heavy and slow, just not fit enough. In the last 10 minutes his play contributed to the defeat more than others. Once he was a first pick, now I think he should be replaced. Then again the coach did sub off Andrew Hore, why, rotation !

Jerome Kaino: Needs to ‘Zinny’ or a ‘Buck’ up quick. He had a great chance to step up, as the AB second row was very very green, yet he was missing in action. Yes he was ok in lineouts and back of scrum, but that’s not enough. Needs a kick up the jacksee or he’s gone.

Ma’a Nonu:Yes, after a series of very good games, losing critcal possession twice in the last 1o minutes was very poor. His bad game can still surface, he needs to play for 80 minutes in every game at the highest standard. 10 laps around the field !

Sitiveni Sivivatu: In the last two games he has been replaced twice for a player (Leon MacDonald) with a running and kicking game. Playing a strong defensive side seams to highlight his lack of test playing skills (no kicking game). No room for a one trick pony in international rugby. Maybe Leon will be starting in the games to come. Find new blood !

ABs Tight Five: The Bok tight five are big, strong and they won the second half. The number of ABs test caps was partly the problem. The ABs baby locks (Boric and O’Neill) are still in international rugby pre school and it showed. Having Brad and Ali (hope) starting is essential to this years AB’s success.

Coaches: Why, please tell me why, with 10 minutes to go you sub off your performing hooker (Hore) for a cold player (Mealamu), when you only winning by 5 points. The hooker (and halfback) are too critical to the sides performance to be subbed off in a tight game. Henry does not read the tea leaves, this is one skill Deans has mastered better. Old dog same tricks !

On the plus side Carter, Smith, Afoa, Hore, Wolf, Ellis (just), Lauakai stood up. Yes I have bagged the last two, and yes they are getting better, but their on ‘watch’ !

I remember the days when the ABs forwards and Grant Fox could execute a last minute drop goal with ease. In recent times under great pressure we have failed to do this. One of the reasons is player rotation, that’s because in training you never know what combination of players you will have on the field in the last 5 minutes, so how can your rehearse it. In game rotation should be used very carefully.

The Dunedin game was about the RWC Boks showing after being ambushed in the first test, that they have what it takes to win on tour, they must be favorites to win the Tri Nations. The ABs have been exposed, the Aussies have a real chance of plucking the Bledisloe Cup from us ! The thinking power of Henry and Deans will be the greatest show in town over the next couple of months, will ‘international newcomer’ Deans show up the ‘old dog’ Henry, time will tell. Lets hope the Dunedin game will be the catalyst for much smarter thinking in the AB camp. This was the type of game we need before the RWC 2007 world cup, and damn good reality check !

This was truly a great historic win for the Boks, and we let them have it, how is said, the ABs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Go the ABs, two weeks to sharpen up, no more Veitch’s !!

Source: Andrew taunts Kiwis about World Cup ‘obsession’ – Rob Andrew

“There is an obsession with the World Cup and we are now in the country that has the biggest obsession of all,” he said.

“Why haven’t they won the title since 1987? Because they’re too obsessed.

It takes an unusually bold variety of Englishman to stroll into All Black country, where the red rose army have achieved the grand total of two test victories in the 45 years since they first paid a visit, and tell his hosts where they are going wrong on the World Cup front.