The haka - in person - nothing better!

The All Blacks performing the haka before the 3rd test against France, in New Plymouth.  Nothing quite like seeing the haka up close, and being part of the atmosphere it creates in the stadium!

All Blacks v France... As I Saw It...

(also published on Pink Rugby)

The wifey and I drove to New Plymouth for the third test

The All Blacks came away from their recent Steinlager Series against les Bleus having won all three

Who doesn't love a good haka?

tests. It was to be expected. The French did, however, prove to be very worthy opponents, particularly in game one and game three, making the All Blacks work for both wins.

This is what went down...

Game 1 – Eden Park (Auckland)

score: 23-13

This game was a very physical but scrappy one, with both teams making a lot of mistakes and appearing unable to string anything fluent together. It was the first game for the All Blacks – who had only had three training sessions prior to the game – so the scrappy, mistake prone play was to be expected. New Zealand won the game 2 tries to 1, and though it was a messy game, it was quite clear there was a lot better to come from the All Blacks.

Tries: Aaron Smith, Sam Cane

Stand out player: Ben Smith – set up one try and made 95 running metres. Very dangerous running with ball in hand!

Oh Captain, Our Captain...
Richie McCaw was in the stands watching the 3rd test
... no doubt wishing he could get out on the field
& get the job done!

Game 2 – [the new] AMI Stadium (Christchurch)

score: 30-0

Without a doubt, the All Blacks best game of the series - holding the French scoreless in a great defensive effort - which was matched by their attacking prowess. Large improvements had been made from the week beforehand, the team starting to look more like the All Blacks that the country know and love. Even without Dan Carter or Richie McCaw on the team. The backs put on an excellent display, with all three tries to the home team, being scored by backs.

Tries: Julian Savea, Ben Smith, Beauden Barrett

Stand out player: Israel Dagg – great under the high ball and found plenty of space behind the French defence when returning kicks. Made some threatening runs with the ball toward the end.

Man of the series, Ben Smith

Game 3 – Yarrow Stadium (New Plymouth)

Score: 24-9

While this game was a step up in comparison with their first test performance, it was a lacklustre affair in comparison to the second test. There was an apparent lack of attacking continuity and the All Blacks were unable to string together enough phases to look threatening. Dan Carter's performance with the boot was a little off – earning him lots of boos from the New Plymouth crowd – all anxious for hometown hero Beauden Barrett to get on the field. When Barrett did eventually make it on the field – with two minutes left on the clock - he rewarded his thousands of fans by scoring his second try in as many weeks. Coach Steve Hansen had said earlier in the week that three new caps would get 'plenty' of game time in the second half, but due to the All Blacks (it has to be said) crappy performance, the new caps weren't put on until there were only 10 minutes left on the clock.

It must have been a painful experience for Richie McCaw, who was watching from the stands.

Hometown hero & scorer of tries
Beauden Barrett

Tries: Ben Smith, Beauden Barrett

Stand out player: Ben Smith – the clear cut performer of the night. High workrate, some explosive running, and a nice little try at the end of the first half. Even made a few good kicks throughout the night.

To sum it all up...

Player of the series: Ben Smith.

He was the only player that went from strength to strength with each game, and consistently impressed in all aspects of his game.

Question answered: Super XV form – can they step up?

Ma'a Nonu and Israel Dagg BOTH stepped up to the mark in the black jersey, after less-than-impressive Super XV campaigns, to date. It was [a great] relief to see.

Question asked: Super XV form – why can't they step up?

So why the hell can't Ma'a Nonu or Israel Dagg perform at their peak for their franchises? Is it a case of them both being with the wrong franchise?

And a related question asked: Ma'a Nonu, what the hell were you thinking?

After an encouraging test series with the All Blacks, Ma'a Nonu came off the bench for the Highlanders against the Crusaders, and ended his Super XV season. Spear tackles are NEVER cool, Nonu. NEVER. You deserved that red card. Know what else isn't cool? A head high tackle on Dan Carter, earning you an off field yellow card to add to your pretty array of cards received this season.

That leads me to another related question asked: Where to from here, for Nonu?

Mr Todd, looking VERY good in black

Will Ma'a Nonu be left franchiseless after this year's Super XV is (officially) over? The man causes nothing but trouble wherever he goes. The Highlanders will be better off without him, and I'm going to go as far as to say that the NZRU will be better off without him on their books, as well.

What I learnt, on a personal level: Matt Todd looks spectacular in the black jersey. I hope to see him in it more often. Also, for a white boy he has a surprisingly fierce haka face.

And on a final note: Kudos to the St Johns team at Yarrow Stadium, and the staff at Taranaki Base Hospital Emergency Department. Your great service and treatment almost made my sprained ankle an enjoyable experience.

Okay, a final final note: Be careful when climbing over seats to get to your assigned seat at the rugby. Take special care to look out for uneven ground, which you could potentially stand on awkwardly, and then sprain your ankle. Just saying.

Them Rugga Boys & Their Ink : 2013 Edition

Now that Lauriel and I have SkyTV, it means we are able to watch ALLLLLL the Super Rugby & ALLLLLLL the All Blacks games we want to.  And we do.  With this increase in rugby viewing, we have been paying attention to players outside the Crusaders, and admittedly have been paying a lot of attention to Australian and South African teams & their players (to the point where I'm ashamed to admit that I now have favourite Australian & South African teams!).

A common phrase heard while we watch the rugby is "ooooo!  tattoos!!!" - because while we love the game of rugby in itself, we also love the men who play - and there is something about a tattooed rugby player, that is rather hard to resist.

I now bring to you, the 2013 edition of 'them rugga boys and their ink' (the 2012 post is my most popular post to date, so I figured it was needed!).

Reds player, Digby Ioane

I personally have a weakness for
rib cage tattoos....

Also rather fond of back tattoos!

It's no secret I love a good sleeve tattoo...

What's not to love?

Then of course there is my favourite South African player...
Mr Francois Hougaard

It's the sleeve.. it gets me everytime...

Okay... the sleeve isn't the ONLY thing...
(the rib tattoo helps too...)

Admittedly the man is a lot
hotter without the mullet!

The most recent tattoo picture I could find
& he seems to have the hair under control...

Will Genia... right down his spine... Nom.

As much as I dislike Quade Cooper
(pre-requisite for any Kiwi rugby fan)
... the tattoo is hot

A bit closer to home, we have Elliot Dixon
... another example of a nice sleeve tat!

and here we can see the top of Elliot Dixon's tat

Not a rugby player... but a ref... Steve Walsh also sports some ink

Close up of Steve Walsh's tattoo... very true indeed

Unrestrained Manliness 2.0 - Bigger & Bearder

A little over a year ago, I blogged about Unrestrained Manliness.  The focus of 'Unrestrained Manliness 1.0', was Cory Jane - who I found looked rather epic with a beard.

2013 is also the year of unrestrained manliness - but this year Cory Jane is out & there is a new coverboy for 'UM'....

RYAN CROTTY!

Just take a look.... the man ROCKS the beard.  He is damn sexy without it, but sexy x 1,000,000 with it.  What is even better is that he KNOWS how to rock the beard - Crotty, unlike so many players - seems to understand that there is a fine line between HAWT and Tom-Hanks-in-Castaway-bushiness.  The 'beard of awesome' as we refer to it, has been in existence for a few weeks now  - and rather than just growing and growing and growing it, Crotty obviously understands the importance of beard maintenance... each week it goes from strength to strength... from hotness to hotness.

Ryan Crotty & the beard of awesome, we salute you!

The beard of awesome.  It really is spectacular.

The beard of awesome gives Crotty amazing powers... he can fly!

It's just... sexy.

Crusader to Lion

One of his many tries for the Crusaders

What a difference eight months can make. In September/October 2012, Sean Maitland was delisted by the Crusaders – unwanted for the 2013 Super Rugby campaign. It was a move that shocked Kiwi rugby fans – Maitland had been a consistent player for the Crusaders, and his delisting made no sense. End of October 2012, Sean Maitland announced that he had signed a deal with the Glasgow Warriors... it seemed that like a lot of players unable to break into the All Blacks, Maitland was 'escaping' to play out his career in Europe. But rather than 'playing out' his career – his career was just starting.

... not just a talented rugby player!

In November, Maitland moved to Glasgow & began playing for his new Scottish team. In mid January he was named in the Scotland team, for the 2013 Six Nations competition – eligible through his paternal Grandparents. In his first game for Scotland, Maitland scored a try – and went on to play in each of Scotlands matches in the Six Nations tournament. Then in early May, Maitland received the biggest honour of his career when he was named in the Lions squad, to tour Australia in June.

Maitland had gone from being delisted by his Super XV franchise, to being selected as a member of what is one of the most – if not THE most prestigious rugby team, in the world. Not exactly a bad turn of events!

So, who IS Sean Maitland?

Sean Maitland was born in Tokoroa on September 14^th 1988. While at Hamilton Boys High School, was a part of the 1^st XV and in 2005 and 2006, was a part of the New Zealand Schools [rugby] team. In 2007, Maitland was part of the winning New Zealand team at the Under 19 World Cup (alongside now-ex Crusaders teammates – Zac Guidlford, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Sam Whitelock and Robbie Fruean). Maitland then competed for the NZ Under 20's side, who went on to win the 2008 IRB Junior World Cup, with Maitland scoring 4 tries in the tournament. In amongst the U19 and U20 tournaments, in 2006, Maitland began playing for Canterbury in the (as it was then called) NPC

Now a proud Scotland team member

competition and in 2008 made his debut for the Crusaders, where he stayed until he was delisted in 2012. While Maitland never made the All Blacks, in 2010 he was selected in the Maori All Blacks squad.

Depending on what happens with the selections for the Australian squad to play against the Wallabies, we could see Sean Maitland playing against his cousin – none other than Reds player, Quade Cooper. After he was named in the Lions squad, Cooper congratulated Maitland on Twitter – and it will certainly be an interesting occasion if the two cousins DO get to face off! Given New Zealand rugby fans lack-of-love for Quade Cooper, I am sure that Maitland (and the Lions) would have all of New Zealand behind them!

It's STICKER SLAP time!

As much as I love the serious, nitty gritty when it comes to an actual game, it's also awesome to see the more lighthearted, fun side of the professional rugby players that so many Kiwis are in awe of...

I now present you with STICKER SLAP, part 1 & part 2, courtesy of Random Rugby.  Always worth a good giggle!

Part one - starring the All Blacks

Part two - starring SuperXV players

Rugga boys get their groove on

...... we absolutely love this video, so I felt the need to share it right here....  I cannot hear the name 'Liam Messam' now, without adding a little 'oooo oooo oooo oooo ooo ooooo ooo' afterward.

Without further ado....

..... and while we are at it, I also give you the Crusaders 'Harlem Shake', just because I can.

Suppose I should probably include the Blues 'Harlem Shake' as well...  Graham Henry is the mascot... that in itself is worth a look.

I shall be back in the very near future, to give my thoughts on the Super XV to date, and also the potential All Blacks squad for the June internationals, v France.