Better Rugby Rules

Sonny Bill Williams looks more at home at 2nd five than center. Sorry Ma Nonu, I think your room mate just rolled you from the starting 15 !

SBW is a hand off master it seams, just like his league days, and just like his league days the intercept opportunities are there for the opposition. Watch this space. SBW is getting made into a fine AB on this tour, lucky for the ABs.

This game doesnt allow much to be said, the cheerleading of Donald and Toeava is not warranted when Scotland was so weak. Ireland and Wales will offer better adjudication.

The 2nd half saw McCaw leave the field, while it was 35-3, who stood up as leader…NO ONE ! The ABs lost structure and started playing BULL RUSH !That was the worry for me…what happens if McCaw is injured who yells at the fatties  to go forward as a unit ! Will some one please stand up !

Ooooh…aaar

One of the greatest fighting units of world history promoted homosexuality amoungst its ranks. Has Henry’s coaching staff done the same??

Ref: Homosexuality in the militaries of ancient Greece

 SBW = Sonny Bill Williams

Q: How many SBW’s does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: None. SBW prefers to keep people in the dark

Q: Whats the difference between SBW and Arnold Schwarzenegger?

A: Armold Schwarzenegger will be back.

Q: What do SBW, Princess Diana and The World Trade Centre have in common?

A: They all got f***ed by an Arab

Q: Why wouldn’t SBW ever catch his best mate with his girlfreind?

A: Sonny bill doesnt walk in on his mates, He walks out on them

Q: Whats the difference between SBW and my house?

A: My house still has fans

Q. What do the Bulldogs and Cher have in common?

A. They have both been f**ked by Sonny

Q. Why did sonny’s porno career fail?

A. He has a tendancy to pull out early

Did you here about the full back that was made a center, then failed at it, as it was realised it takes years to learn that role,  and was dropped from the top team. This happened to MacDonald of Canterbury in the RWC 2003.

Smith thinks Sonny Bill Williams should consider Blind Side (no 6), after only spending his entire rugby career in the mid field backs. SBW has still a lot to learn in this role, let alone blind side flanker.

SBW should ignore the idiot Smith, cause if he doesnt his career will be very short ..

Source: All Blacks: Sonny Bill the flanker?

SBW first test match with the big boys !

I will give a ‘well done’ to the ABs Coaches, they need to find out if the B team can cut it. You cant keep selecting players for the bench and not let them earn some playing stripes. Henry’s mob remembers all to well the RWC 2007 loss to France when the ABs bench lost the game and could do nothing to change the winning momentum of France in the last 15 minutes. So Henry has to test the B team, after all there are NO mid week games to do this.

The coaches took a risk and I think that the learned what the need to learn without a loss. That’s was the objective of this game.

England won the 2nd half. Well done England. But really NZ is number 1 team in the world, England is 5th(?),with this in my mind the ABS were awful in the 2nd Half, and you can add the last 10 minutes of the 1st half to this.

What was learned…
1) Joe Rokocoko is done ! Too slow, lazy and coughed up the ball three times in 10 minutes that nearly allowed England to score early in the 2nd half. Guilford, Dagg, Ranger are all waiting to have a go.

2) Sonny Bill Williams: Did no better or less than Ma Nonu, and neither has the rugby smarts of Conrad Smith. So I see the 2nd five is a toss up between SBW and Nonu, Nonu still has the lead by an inch. One of the reasons we lost the 2nd half is because the organisation of the back line went AWOL, Dan Carter cant do it all by himself. Don’t get fool by the cheer leading press, he is improving, no negative points yet, but not at center !

3) Toeava: Saved a try well done. But still has a negative balance sheet. Others are better. Guilford, Dagg, Ranger etc.

4) Mathewson. Stood up, did well. Watching him over this tour !

5) Gear: Did ok, one good try, needed more chances.

6) Leadership: The backs looked lost in the 2nd half, Conrad was missing and that is a worry.

The hard core stood up as usual, well done. Brad Thorn, McCaw, Carter, Reid etc

What does England need to do: Find more backs like Foden and Hape, Tindall is done. Get fitter, the pace wasnt as fast as last weeks test match.

The game lost its flow in the 2nd half, the handling skills and ref didnt help either…

All in all well done ABs…and England for that matter.

 The team…

BACKS: Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma’a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Carter, Alby Mathewson

Reserves: Andy Ellis, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

FORWARDS: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Hika Elliot, Ben Franks, Anthony Boric, Liam Messam

Englands Only Chance:Do everything you can to get Dan Carter off the field, this will bring Donald the “Duck’ on, and then our back line will struggle to be smarter than a four year old  ! Toeava, Williams and Nonu are not leaders or great rugby thinkers. I guess I will find out on Monday if I will be eating the same humble pie as Obama !

I guess the Coaches have gotta see what the B team can do !

The common points….

1) Both know a lot about the game.
2) Both know how to win.
3) Both are great kiwis

But when it comes down to the nitty gritty, 5 minutes togo, and your team is down 4 points and you need a play to seal the win in the RWC final.

It comes down to how intelligent and fit ALL YOUR PLAYERS ARE !

Player fitness is easy, do the work and your done. Having the player smarts is a little more difficult.

The only difference between Henry and Deans that I have seen over the years is that Henry tends to choose brawn over brian’s. Not all the time, but more often than not. Deans tends to way up the players general on and off the field smarts. Hence Deans teams would score higher on high school tests.

As a past employer of young people, hiring people that achieved a creditable level of high school english and maths was a huge advantage over those that did not. Stop here, I am not saying rugby players should sit a maths test, but I would certainly way up their general smarts on and off the field before selecting them for the black jersey.  How a player speaks, converse, written communication, solve problems, other life achievements both physical and mental.

When teams match up in brawn , experience and skill,  having a team with a higher IQ is always better. Great teams (not just winning teams) have always proven to be great thinkers, others mask this buy calling it leadership. In the end it just better smarts. I feel Deans adds more weight to this more so than Henry.

Of course you can have the incredible hulk in the team, who can not add 1 + 1, so long as the other 14 can ! But it is the balance that’s important.

The test match just past ABs(24) vs Aussie(26) was a prime example of ABs back line IQ dropping after the subs game on, where as the Aussie backline IQ proved to be higher and hence made better choices, and stole the game. Henry’s weakness was exposed, or maybe it was Wayne Smith and Henry weakness ! Lets see how they react !

UPDATE: Here you go, this is why smarts are need, very much so !

Source: Information overload hits as Sonny Bill-Williams swots

Sonny-Bill Williams has been staying up late swotting for his All Blacks debut and with the help of unlikely tutor Ma’a Nonu now believes he’s ready to play test rugby.

A relaxed Williams said today he has been on a crash course since joining the squad three weeks ago and was now itching for a chance to legitimise his selection.

“Coming into rugby union there’s been a lot of information to take in so I’ve had to do my home work,” the 25-year-old said in London today. “I wasn’t good at homework at school, but I’ve had to do that and get everything right here.

“Once you get that down pat, the way the boys want to play then I feel you can express yourself more,

“I’ve been sitting in the room at night writing down the plays and I’ve been falling asleep [while I’m writing]. I’m like ‘come on man, stay awake.'”

Williams credited the man who holds his preferred position in the test side for helping him get up to speed with the All Blacks structures.

“Ma’a Nonu has been really good. He’s helped me out. He’s been in the squad for so long he’s really taken me under his wing and I’m thankful for that.”

Conner scores the winner!

Just like RWC 2007 quarter final vs France, the ABs A team  is replaced with the B team, and they lose it.

The above reason is why they SACK COACHES after failed RWC campaigns, for the simple reason old dogs dont learn new tricks. Now we are going to see if the old dog Henry will learn his lesson, this time.

I will be fair (after all 15 wins in a row is not all bad) the Coaches must find out how good the B team really is.  This northern tour needs to shake the rotten apples out the tree  or we are doomed at the RWC 2011.

In the end the Aussie subs beat the ABs subs. Changing the kicker to Conner was a good idea, as Matt Guiteu just hasnt been sinking the puts that matter.

The first 30 minutes the Aussies were all over us, this was not helped by Ma Nonu missing tackles and losing possession at critical times, Sonny Bill Williams has just seen his chance to be a starting 2nd five.

 The All Blacks with 15 minutes to go had a major structual change in the back line:

Toeava on for Jane
Donald on for Carter
Mathewson on for Cowan

a) Toeave missed two critical tackles
b) Donald did one head high, and kicked poorly.
c) Mathewson failed to clear the ball quickly enough.

And the game was lost.

ABs special project Toeava has never proven to be a winner at the business end of the test matches, he has never delivered, he has had more chances than a blind man in a brothel. This time their others that are better: Ranger, Guilford, Slade, Fruean, Dagg

Donald was confirmed as failed project last year, but that was not evidence enough for Wayne Smith. Donald is just not a  international rugby player. Why wasnt the classy Canterbury player 1st five Colin Slade selected, he has proven he has the goods, more so  than Donald.

Mathewson gets a pass, we shall wait and see.

Further Joe Rokocoko is just not that great on defence, compare him to Zac Guilford and the argument is over, Zac should be in the team.

So think about..
Slade to replace Donald
Ranger/Fruean/Dagg to replace Toeava
Guilford to replace Rokocoko

The selection flaws are in the back line,  this proves Wayne Smith head is fall of air, time for him to go, or Henry to overrule him, because if he doesn’t Henry will be a two time loser at RWC 2011.  The Aussies scored two tries after a set piece,  proving that the ABs back line was completely out classed, twice ! Tries from set piece are very rare between two  teams ranked in the top 5 of the IRB international sides because defense systems are very sound, but in this game the ABs back line defense was soundly spanked. This is all on Wayne Smith and his selections of players, he should be sacked as this he continues to make incorrect selections.

So what about Sonny Bill Williams to replace Nonu, well in this game there was nothing that Nonu didnt do that SBW cant do. Nonu stills gets that first pick, but another game like this and SBW could be first pick.

Also, there is this monster available for ABs duties: Canterbury Robbie Fruean

As an ABs fan I am not to unhappy that we lost, as it forces the cream to rise to the top, the coachs must further test the ABs B team on the Northern tour, the Aussie did us a huge favor, thanks Aussie. Lets hope Henry’s mob wakes up and clears out those that just cant cut it. ABs first team selection is not an issue, its the subs selection that is killing our chances at he RWC 2011.

The Aussies:  Have been getting better and better, Robbie Deans is building his team just like he did at Canterbury. A good wine takes time. This time the Aussie subs beat the ABs subs.

Compared to :

Whats are the match ups between Clydesdale horses and the large ABs centers.

The good:
1) They are both very strong.
2) They both go forward with out dispute.
3) The work load is outstanding.
4) They both eat and pop a lot (I assume).

The NOT so good:
1) Without a directional advice they are lost. Horses need the wagon master, the ABs above need Dan Carter or Conrad Smith to steer the ship.
2) It’s cheaper to feed the horses hay, than the steak and eggs for the ABs.
3) These ABs say ‘He Bro’ and ‘Cousy’ a lot, which is just ignorant.

Henry’s Mob always have a bias to pick very big and strong lads, but some how lack serious rugby brains to handle the intense pressure when the team is down 17-10 with 20 minutes to go. The point is if Dan Carter or Conrad Smith are not on th e field then all we would have in the ABs back line is big dumb animals. BUT if they are on the field WATCH OUT ! But its a dangerous selection game Henry is playing as shit does happen !

Caveat: Sonny Bill Williams is yet to be tested, so I will grant him one more super rugby season to prove himself.

I have watch a couple of games with SBW playing for Canterbury in the ITM cup or NZ National Rugby Championship.

With out a doubt he is strong lad, he would get direct entry into the NZ arm wrestling team or (The Black Wrists.. ha). So far I have seen him do two good things for two bad, which is were Ma Nonu was about 3 years ago. He is good and improving,  yet I feel we wont know anything until mid Super Rugby season 2011. I do agree he will go on the 2010 ABs year end tour, as McAlister is out of all rugby with a broken jaw.

The Ma Nonu and Conrad Smith combination is rock solid and the combination I would have when the  All Blacks are down 10-13 with 10 minutes to go in the Rugby World Cup final.

SBW is very good over 10 meters, just like Ma Nonu, SBW is slow over 50 meters, just like Ma Nonu, however Ma Nonu has more time in the black jersey than SBW will ever get before RWC,  and that matters.

If Ma Nonu breaks a leg before RWC 2010 then SBW could be a starter if he has a stella Super Rugby 2011 season. We must just wait and see. Then again SBW has a track record for breaking down himself.

I have said in the past SBW could be a dud, so far I have eaten half of the humble pie, but not all yet…

How many times do you here it, a current wealthy rugby player invest in a business (while still playing) as loses his monies

Recent years, I can recall trouble for these stars:
1) John Kirwan: Lighting business
2) Dan Carter: Clothes Retail
3) Andrew Merthens: Bar
etc

Financial Advice for Rugby Players

1) DO NOT INVEST in any business why you are playing the game.
2) DO NOT lend any money to FAMILY, ever !
3) DO NOT live an expensive lifestyle.
4) DO NOT let divorce make you poor.

Do this…
1) It takes years to learn how to profit with investments and business, take your time.
2) You must learn how to read the economic cycle.
3) You must learn how to decifer the bullshit in financial reporting in the media and other financial promotions.
4) BEWARE of those that give you FREE advice.
5) BEWARE of those that give you paid advice and are not following it themselves.

When you do start to invest: Leave 70% of your capital in the bank as rarely do the first ventures work out !

Good Luck !

Source: Abundant talent in Eastern Europe says McDowell

So why have the All Blacks crashed at the Rugby World Cups, except for 1987…Steve McDowell former RWC winning team member may have hit the nail on the head.

1) In 1987 that he said they didn’t have contract negotiations going on during the tournament. Which is true, rugby was not professional back then , and as the ABs have been the number 1 ranked team before all RWC the approaches from northern rugby clubs to BUY the ABs was full on !

2) Shagging girlfriends. After all the ABs are red blooded, and the wives need the attention. I think Steve is saying he had many a dry night during RWC 1987, and that frustration was taken out on opposing teams rather than the missus ! 

3) Complacency ruined the AB game. Well cant argue with that ! Winning 105 nil vs Japan or Portugal is not something that keeps the mind focused, when your next game is France or England.

Steve says..“New Zealand have struggled in every World Cup since 1987, they always came close but never close enough and one of the reasons was that a lot of players were getting distracted with signing new club contracts during the tournament.

H”The other is that complacency crept in during pool matches against inferior rivals, as if the preliminary stage was a buildup for the World Cup and not the real thing itself.

“You can’t win the tournament with an attitude like that and having your girlfriends around during the World Cup also doesn’t help, it’s six weeks of hard work and you gave to go out there and win every game by the biggest margin you can.”…

Source: Bledisloe test stays in Honk Kong

Steve Tew is paid over $500,000 and he has yet to learn that selling the same thing over and over again is a failed strategy. Nobody wants to see NZ vs Aus three or four times a year, I mean who cares (Well they dont in Honk kong, so far ticket sale are very poor). This massive dilution of a great rivalry is criminal, and Mr Tew should be sacked.

If you have funding troubles CUT THE WAGE BILL, maybe cut your wages to $300,000 …see if you can survive on that !

The Hohepa hip swerve…

Try time !

Carla Hohepa the world cup top try scoring machine, scores a great  try in the final, while NZ was down to 14 woman !

Great stuff, tough game, great skills, these ladies know how to play top international rugby ! The black ferns forwards are just outstanding !

The Black furns 1st five: 4th WRWC final gold medal, and at 45 years of age !

Long may it last !

SEE some WRWC action here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Pfey-8kqA

WOMANS RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL

WHO: NZ vs ENGLAND
NZ TIME: 0415 or 4.15am
DAY: Monday, 6th September 2010
WHERE: London, Twickers

Watch the final on live internet video stream here : http://www.rwcwomens.com/video/index.html

Final Preview here:
http://www.rwcwomens.com/video/index.html

GO THE BLACK FERNS 2010

The Sonny Bill Williams show rolled on Friday night.

SBW played 60 minutes.

The good:
– He makes an impact when involved
– He has rugby knowledge
– He is big and strong

The NOT so good:
– A poor work rate
– Lacks rugby anticipation, the ability to read the game.

SBW is in the same place Ma Nonu was 5 years ago. He’s good 50% of the time. Write now other players are better.

Don’t believe me, compare SB Williams work rate to Zac Guilford work rate. If you put SBW into a rugby sevens side, you will see his lungs bleed.

League plays are used to a three minute burst of play, then have a rest, where rugby plays may suffer 15 minutes of  lung busting running.

Sorry Ma Nonu is way ahead of the SBW circus.

Come on SBW get fit, do extra training, it would be great to see you put up a real challenge to current All Blacks, but write now, no chance !

Source: Injured Sonny Bill’s skiing trip irks Canterbury bosses

Extract..

Sonny Bill Williams is on a slippery slope with Canterbury rugby bosses after an unauthorised ski trip while on the injury list.

The star signing has been reprimanded by the Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) for going skiing last Saturday.

Williams has not yet played for Canterbury in the ITM Cup because of injury. He had been ruled out of the match against Tasman, being played in Nelson the day of the ski trip.

A CRFU spokesman said yesterday Williams had skied at the Mt Hutt Ski Area during a sightseeing tour for “overseas guests”.

“I believe he put skis on a couple of times, did a couple of runs, and then took them off and watched,” he said.

“He needed to get clearance [first], but he didn’t do that.”

The spokesman said the matter was handled “internally”.

“He’s been talked to and reminded of his responsibilities in terms of letting people know what he’s doing.

“He taken that on the chin and realised he’s made a mistake in this instance.”

Williams resumed full training this week, but the transgression did not result in his non-selection.

Boks were Dagged !

The NZ rugby media are (and rightly so) spewing with congratulations for the ABs performance at a packed cauldron of 94000 in Soweto.

And most of it I agree with.

Henry has put a lid on his critics for now, we know he can coach, so maybe next years RWC will be his year, lets hope so!

However, you cant sell me that Joe Rokocoko is better than Zac Gilford. Joe still cant catch the high ball, his work rate is still poor and defense covered up by the other back three.

How to win the world cup 2011, is the same formula as winning the 2010 TriNations. Lose to the Boks 3 times (or England or Australia)  the year before ! Get the feeling we may be sailing into another RWC as red hot favorites only to choke against France again !

Rugby as a game to watch is on the up and up, good stuff, maybe the moons have aligned to set up the RWC 2011 as a great spectacle.

Carla Hohepa ( 3 tries vs Boks) : Try Scoring Machine !

links:
http://www.rwcwomens.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LNj-J5WK0E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALwTka1iofs

These ladies have skills check it out !

Names to watch..

Non Evans (Wales)
Carla Hohepa (New Zealand)
Heather Moyse (Canada)

Note:  Heather Moyse is a an winter olympic gold medalist.

SBW is broken again…jes wayne…!

Source: Sonny Bill out with injury again

Midfield back Sonny Bill Williams, who made his New Zealand rugby debut last weekend when turning out for his Belfast club in Christchurch, is not available for selection due to a tight hamstring.

COMMENTS: The story of this mans life, on for one game, off for two ! Not worth the NZRU dollars !

Jolie Boobs Yellow card, its just not the same ! 

Source: A severe case of yellow card madness

Extract..”If rugby stays on this track, not only are the days of 15 v 15 over 80 minutes over, but there will be heavily reduced contests if referees like Joubert really have the so-called courage some are lauding him for. My guess is the referees will start backing off if a couple of players are already off, fearing they will have orchestrated a farce. Which is what it is.

Just imagine if a World Cup final was skewed, or wrecked, by the rulings which saw Mitchell dismissed.

Rugby needs a decent old pow-wow to sort this yellow card madness out after a rash of dodgy decisions in just four Tri-Nations matches.

Tests are supposed to be tough places where 15 blokes take on 15 other blokes. Yet referees are now dismissing players on suspicion and for non-events.”…

COMMENTS: I agree, I agree.

Whats RIP from the game:

1) Rucking
2) Push over tries ( from scrums, well nearly)
3) Mauls (just saved from ELV attack)
4) A true 15 vs 15 contest (currently under threat with heavy yellow card use).

We have had three ABs game this Tri Nations, every game has been seen the use of the yellow card, and 14 v15 has proven that going to a LIVE GAME is a pure waste of hard earned CASH. I mean its like going to the movies and and seeing Angelina Jolie boobs covered up with a BLACK censorship box, its just not the same. Rugby must insist of being 15v15 at all times.

Rugby League has a reporting system
Basketball has a foul system
Boxing has a point reduction system

BUT PLAYERS STAY ON THE FIELD  (or court), rugby must wake up and fix this !

Whats different this year compared to last year 3-0 white wash by the Boks over the ABs.

1) Boks only play with 14 players, gives 10 pts to ABs

2) Game is faster, ball recycling is faster, Boks too slow and missing their number one half back

3) Home games allow, home town refs to prosper.

4) ABs players are getting better with their combinations.Loose forward are the heros of the games so far.

5) ABs can catch better. Boks didnt change tactics.

ABs winning 3-0 is a big ask, as Suzie will working that late shift in South Africa

Well done ABs!

The great boxing matches in the past between Ali and Fraser, Ali and Forman, Hagler vs Sugar Ray are a rare things these days. To get large men beating the crap out of one other in civilized way ( yes boxing is civilized) is very rare. Today boxing contests like other contest are major flops, and rarely do you get contest like the days of old.

BUT every now and then you get a rugby game like last week ABs vs Boks were the tight five contest was exactly that, large men beating the crap out of one other in a civilized way ( notwithstanding Botha’s performance) . Such fantastic demonstration of rugby skill and physical expression explains why rugby is one of the last great sporting contests out there for MEN. Let is so remain.

Roll on ABs vs Boks : Wellington

   ABs Coach Smith….

I mean are you serious you plonker !

Source1: All Blacks: Ranger at Superman fitness, says Smith

Source2: Winning could be All Blacks’ worst enemy, warns Smith

This guy has so much computer charts and stats he cant see the forest for all the trees he looks at.

Older ABs coaches must be laughing so loud, after all the ABs have won games for 100 years before computers, and IT’S NOT DIFFERENT THIS TIME as rugby players are just lads to like to chase a pig skin ( ask Laurie Mains) .

Smith has been in charge of sputter of a ABs back line for 10 years, and he still has not go the ABs backs working like the Aussie back line some years back ( ie Gregan, Larkham, Giteau, Mortlock etc , thats the best backline in 10 years, yes shut it up, it is !)

Smith should bugger off to coach rugby in Alaska !

Source: We shouldn’t count too many chickens, but…

Fitzy Extract..

..”We saw that the All Blacks got tremendously quick ball; recycling it very fast. We saw in the Super 14 that the sides who recycle ball quickly can now get over the advantage line and behind the defensive line – and that’s what the All Blacks did last night.”..

COMMENTS: Remember the days when Aussie had the Bledisloe cup, well Aussie had one asset that we didnt George Gregan, and George was lightening fast with recycling the ball, a lot faster than our Justin Marshall.

The point is, when has slow ball been any good in rugby at the break down, when, I tell you when NEVER, most teams that lose suffer slow ball at the break down. Fitzy da !