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.

Came... Soared... Conquered (just)

This past Saturday the BIG DAY finally arrived, and Lauriel and I attended our first All Blacks game together.  As a couple.  We actually both attended the same game a few years ago - sitting in the same stand, but of course neither of us had any idea of what was to come!

Mister Guildford & Mister McCaw
... warming up, TOGETHER

It was cold.  So bloody cold.  But I didn't really feel the cold, as such - I was much too excited to even notice the weather, although the ice on the seats was very hard to ignore (and no - I'm not exaggerating!)...  We got there in time to watch the men warming up - even if they were down the opposite end of the field from us...  We played a game of 'guess that All Black', for the most part... however there were two players who were VERY obvious to us - and naturally those players were Mr Guildford and Mr McCaw.  We both did little squeeeeee's of joy when they came out, and I think it's fair to say our focus was very much on the two of them, for the entirety of the warm up session.  Especially when they were running together.  It was like it was meant to be.

When it came time for the national anthems, I sang along to both - the Irish anthem because I think it's the coolest anthem out there (only the Irish would have a national anthem, that sounds like a pub song!), and the New Zealand anthem because... well, I'm a Kiwi, and I was surrounded by my fellow Kiwi's... so singing along seemed the appropriate thing to do.  And really, you couldn't have stopped me from singing along.  Nick Afoa sang the NZ anthem, and did a fantastic job.  A few tears did come to the eyes as the anthem finished, and an enormous roar erupted from the stadium - but the tears were soon a thing of the past, as the men All in Black took their positions on the field, to perform the haka...  An amazing sight, and amazing sound to behold.

Ireland taking a kick at goal..

After the haka, of course it was time for kick off - and from the beginning you could tell the game was going to consist of penalties, and maybe a try or two - the type of game that isn't exciting to watch and contains a lot of 'stop-start', but is usually very close - which in turn DOES create some excitement.  The boys didn't get off to a great start and were 10-0 down at one point..  After that they clawed their way back into it...  As I'd presumed, the points were scored mostly by the boots of the goal kickers - and when it was 19-19 with a few minutes to go, it was obvious that the game could be won or lost - by either team, by a drop kick that actually hit the mark.

LUCKILY this is precisely what Mr Daniel Carter did - you could hear all the All Blacks supporters breathe a huge sigh of relief, although being bluntly honest, the Irish deserved the win - of the two teams on the field, they played the hardest... in my opinion.  That said.  I'm bloody glad the AB's won.  New Zealand is not a fun place to be after an All Blacks loss, particularly when it is to a [supposedly] lesser-team.  Ireland certainly gave them a run for their money, and although I'm an AB's supporter through & through, I was proud of the men in green!

Steaming man pile

One of the most fascinating aspects of the game for me, was the cold temperature - and all the steam it created...  The game was FULL of what I referred to as 'steaming man piles' - and I would love to know how much of the cold the players actually felt... whether they noticed it as much as the crowd, or if they didn't notice it so much because they were hot from running around.  I loved when there was a scrum or a ruck - and all you could see was a big billowing cloud of steam coming from the players, which would stay even when the players were on their way to the other side of the field.  Fascinating really....

The biggest down side to the game was about 8 minutes from the end, when Izzy got yellow carded for a supposed aerial shoulder charge.  You could see there was absolutely NOTHING malicious in it, and it was plain to see that all that had happened was Izzy jumped when the dude kicked the ball - Izzy crashed into the guy, the guy then fell to the ground and did a big Hollywood.  NEK MINNIT Izzy is being sent to the rugby equivalent of the naughty chair, and the All Blacks are down to 14 players.  Not that it made much difference.  Another down side was Ali Williams and his fondness for fisty cuffs...  Richie gave him a good telling off for that.  And damn straight too!

A natural upside to the game, was the fact that Zaccy played the full 80 minutes.  AND looked fierce doing the haka.

But the biggggggest upside to the game, is quite simply that I was there with the love of my life, and we were able to experience it together.

some women would bitch about
being taken to the rugby, on a date
... but not us! 
best. date. night. ever.

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....

Man-love moments!  The fellas congratulating
Julian Savea after one of his 3 tries last night

Captain Fan-fucking-tastic!  Really, do I need to say more?

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS GETTING SMASHED!
.. this is the only capacity in which you'll see SBW
mentioned, or pictured, on this blog.

The Haka!  This time they went old school & did Ka Mate...

Izzy's face while running with the ball

Dan Carter!  The man is most definitely
back to his goal kicking best!

PYROTECHNICS?  Not usually seen at rugby games, but hey..
who doesn't like a nice little fireworks display??!

Last, but by no means least
Zachary Robert Guildford