Them Rugga Boys: SBW

Showing posts with label SBW. Show all posts

Monday, 9 July 2012

Sonny Bill Williams: Media Whore

In half an hour there is going to be a press conference. The focus of the presser, is no other than the money hungry media whore, that we know as one Sonny Bill Williams.

It is expected that Mr Money Bill Williams, is going to announce that he is leaving New Zealand (haaaaalelujahhhhh) to play rugby in Japan until the end of 2012 (earning him a cool 1.7mil), before going back to Australia - where he belongs, to play in the NRL in 2013 - for the Sydney Roosters (earning $650,000 a season).

I'd prefer he was playing for a Queensland team. I quite like Sydney.

I guess the attention has been waning over here, so it's time to jump ship, go and create a media storm somewhere else, before jumping ship again and creating another media storm.... playing for a year or two & then creating another media storm by jumping ship again - maybe to play professional tennis, join a Russian ballet troupe, or attempt to qualify for the 2016 Chinese Olympic Gymnastic team... IF his head hasn't been knocked off in a boxing match by then.

We can only hope it has been.

Sunday, 24 June 2012

Came. Soared. Kicked Ass.

Really - the picture says it all.

I don't really need to say more - but I will. Putting it plainly, last night the All Blacks kicked Irelands ass, when they played the third & final test match in the Steinlager Series.

The team celebrating their awesomeness
... but where the hell are DC and Zaccy????

I presumed the All Blacks would win - because, lets face it - the All Blacks always win, and very very very rarely is an All Blacks loss against a team other than South Africa or Australia. However last weeks 22-19 scoreline did leave me a little concerned - but deep down I KNEW the AB's would win. The game in Christchurch can be largely blamed on the weather I think - the cold, slippery ball, the cold, slippery ground, the cold, slippery players (hmmm...). It came down to who kicked well, and who was in the right place at the right time. Thank fuck the AB's had been in the right place at the right time (well, Dan Carter had been). STILL.. the fact the AB's weren't putting forward their 1st string side did leave me a little worried - my guess was that there would be a 35-20 scoreline, in favour of the All Blacks.

Another sublime Smith offload

THAT pass from Cruden to SBW

I did not need to worry one tiny little bit, as it turned out. From the beginning the All Blacks were the dominant team, particularly in the midfield, where Aaron Smith showed what a little pocket rocket he is - speedy passes, speedy running, an uncanny knack to find spaces... The two Aaron's played extremely well together... and I do have to say that for the 30? minutes Aaron Cruden was on, he was ON FIRE, and looked as though he had been in the team for a matter of years and years and years - he wasn't quite Dan Carter, but shit. That kid can play!!! He had a particularly good connection with SBW - they linked up a lot, and one particular link up - a gorgeous little pass by Cruden, just before he hit the ground, led to SBW getting his first try of the 2012 AB's season. That leads me to a despressing admission. SBW also had a great game. His offloads were sublime, and often led to tries or awesome little runs - infact I believe it was a chip kick by SBW that led to Izzy getting his try.

[try scoring] moves like Dagger

That leaves the perfect opening to talk about Izzy. WHAT A GAME! The man kicked and passed and ran like a pro - a mad feat, considering the fact he had a sore foot/ankle (not sure which). Infact, literally seconds before he got his try, the commentators were saying that Izzy was in a bad way, and wouldn't be sticking around much longer. NEK MINNIT he was running toward the tryline, then dived over for what was an awesome try. When he stood up his did get up a little gingerly, but he stayed on for the rest of the game - much to the shock of everyone, I think.

The only thing that could have made Izzy play any better, was having his right hand (well, right wing) man - Zaccy, on the field with him...

But don't get me started on that.

Ben Smith. *frowns*
That try should have been Zac's. *frowns more*

Same Cane, try #1

Another player that did uberly well, was Sam Cane!!!! Sam took the #7 position, whilst Richie moved to the #8 - and I have to say, it was a very good combination, and the way Mr McCaw played in #8, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was his natural position. But Sam. Two tries on his run-on debut, a lot of good running and passing... I have a feeling that one Mr McCaw would have been very proud of how his protégé played... When Sam came off he got a rather loud ovation from the crowd, and rightly so. He played his 20yo ass off.

Interesting to note as well, that three of the best players of the match were Chiefs boys, and that 5 of the 9 tries scored, were also by Chiefs players (two of them, Cane & SBW, each scoring twice).

Out with the old, in with the new.
Fuck off Piri. Aaron Smith is here to stay.

Thinking about it, the only union that didn't really have any players making any impact on the game, was the Blues. But that really isn't a surprise, is it? Piri made fuck all impact on the game - I personally would have sooner seen Aaron Smith stay on. Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock were pretty 'meh' as far as the hooking role went... they did their jobs, but were nothing spectacular. I don't think there were even any other Blues in the team. Ma'a Nonu was in the squad but was the ONLY player to miss out on a role in any of the games. I'm wondering if there are some internal politics going on there... is Ma'a on his way to announcing that he's leaving Aotearoa for Japan or a Euro club? Part of me hopes not, but part of me - again, is 'meh'... He hasn't made much of an impact this year. The All Blacks certainly coped well without him.

I'm not even going to sum up the performance - okay, so admittedly by reviewing the game (in my own way), I have done that - but I think there is someone who can sum it up a lot better than me, without saying a single word...

You can judge how the nation felt about the game
by the demeanour of Captain Fantastic...
and he looks pretty fucking happy!

And hey... Mr Dagg looks pretty happy too!

Sunday, 10 June 2012

Back in Black!

*huge, enormous, gargantuan sigh of relief*

The All Blacks are back!

Last night 22 men pulled on the All Black jumper again, for the first time in about 7 1/2 months - and at 7.35pm, the whistle blew and the 2012 All Blacks season was officially underway. Again - huge, enromous, gargantuan sigh of relief.

After the intense 4 year long build up to the RWC2011 - and the resulting 7 (or was it 8?) All Blacks games, one got VERY used to see the 'men in black' playing - and one day, suddenly, it was all over. Poof. Gone. Just like that. Admittedly it was poof-gone-just like that, with the addition of the William Webb Ellis cup, and the title of 'rugby world champions', to wear for the next 3 or 4 years. Still. The rugby was over.

There were 4 months between the end of the RWC2011 and the start of the SuperXV - and as awesome as SuperXV rugby is (go the mighty Highl.. CRUSADERS!), it's not the same as watching the All Blacks play - the creme de la creme of New Zealand rugby talent, all playing on the one team, at the same time... a veritable feast of immense talent - and one would be lying to pretend that in some cases, there wasn't also immense hotness.

The game reiterated for me, exactly WHY I love rugby - and particularly the All Blacks....