http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=fixtures
Feast of rugby coming up SA playing the Lions, NZ hosting France and Italy in June then July Cometh the Tri-Nations series..
I'm guessing SA will be favourites and will win the tri series.
ABs should demolish France who traditionally don't tour down under very well. Italy ... please bring me some Kimbo Coffee.. I've run out.
(See they aren't useless after all.)
what a rubbish performance from a rubbish coached bunch of plonkers in black jerseys.
Well done France..not the best but you stuck to the basics defended well, took chances and didn't drop the ball once..
Record score by France in NZ made the abs look sub top ten for sure.. every season I call for Graeme Henry to go.. so ditto ditto (I wish)
What a shocker.. 6 or so basic dropped passes on attack, noth even in the tackle.. what can you say..they need basic rugby training and some sort of game plan... using the bomb from their own 22..geesh that was criminal like passing the ball across your own goal in soccer..
I blame the super rugby format.. in the old days the players went back to play for their clubs.. did the basic training sessions got yelled at a lot had to work hard to keep a place in the abs.. more than one dropped ball and you would have been off the squad... I've never see so many dropped balls in a ab match as under the Henry regime.
Unable to break the line with forward play and caught without a clue or a plan b.. becoming usual fair v France and The aussies and SA will be laughing and learning.. solid defence, keep it in the forwards and get momentum and you'll beat the abs.
Originally posted by Tirau DanThe All Blacks will be so much stronger with the return of up to 8-10 players that were out.It was a 2nd string All Black team remember.
what a rubbish performance from a rubbish coached bunch of plonkers in black jerseys.
Well done France..not the best but you stuck to the basics defended well, took chances and didn't drop the ball once..
Record score by France in NZ made the abs look sub top ten for sure.. every season I call for Graeme Henry to go.. so ditto ditto (I wish)
W ...[text shortened]... d learning.. solid defence, keep it in the forwards and get momentum and you'll beat the abs.
Australia unearthed a future superstar in 18 year old James O'Connor, with his debut run on game against Italy.He scored 3 tries to go with the 1 he scored last week of the bench against the Barbarians.
Originally posted by boarmanmany of the players they put on the field are ones many have called to be in the team ahead of the first string players. Individually they did okay but as a team they just have no cohesion or game plan at all.
The All Blacks will be so much stronger with the return of up to 8-10 players that were out.It was a 2nd string All Black team remember.
Australia unearthed a future superstar in 18 year old James O'Connor, with his debut run on game against Italy.He scored 3 tries to go with the 1 he scored last week of the bench against the Barbarians.
McCaw, Carter, Ali Williams and Chris Jack won't save this lot.. NZ is well below par at the moment and there has been no improvement under Henry. When they need variation and decisive action they will be found lacking against powerhouse steadfast teams.
Originally posted by Ironman2Any team needs a few games to "gel". The AB's will improve in every game from now and they'l be a force to reckon with by the time the tri-nations start.
Someone put $200,000 on the AB's at $1.10.. LOL.
What a dreadful performance. I was expecting a bit more then that from the Blacks. Awesome defence from France.. very hard to break their line. Hopefully the AB's can improve on their first game.
Allso its interesting to see how young this AB team suddenly seem to be. Maybe its the start of building up a team for the world cup?
Originally posted by LucardoI'm still fuming over the pathetic all blacks. Once upon a time their was an all black tradition. If you went onto the field in the black jersey you won, didn't make a single mistake, played in a sporting manner or were stretchered off. They were the only acceptable standards for the abs. The traditions have been completely lost in the the last 5 years under Graeme Henry.... how many times did the all black back line drop the ball? 8 times... 8.. and it was a dry night. That means the coach is just not coaching the basics and there is just no pride in finding perfection in the game. three dropped balls in a test by nz used to mean an instant sacking either of the player if he dropped it three times in a couple of games or of the coach if their were three in a game. I'd have these slackers on the field tossing bricks around an hour solid after training every single day.. and if one player dropped the pill in training I'd give the team another hour. They would learn to keep their eyes on the ball and concentrate.
Any team needs a few games to "gel". The AB's will improve in every game from now and they'l be a force to reckon with by the time the tri-nations start.
Allso its interesting to see how young this AB team suddenly seem to be. Maybe its the start of building up a team for the world cup?
Originally posted by Tirau DanA Team who "wins every game no matter the costs" is a bunch of fools. No team can allways win. The AB's played with a young team, without 10 of their players, for the 1st time together against a team who just went trough the 6 nations.
I'm still fuming over the pathetic all blacks. Once upon a time their was an all black tradition. If you went onto the field in the black jersey you won, didn't make a single mistake, played in a sporting manner or were stretchered off. They were the only acceptable standards for the abs. The traditions have been completely lost in the the last 5 years und ...[text shortened]... ive the team another hour. They would learn to keep their eyes on the ball and concentrate.
Id be surprised if France win again tommorow, but it would make no difference, as the big competition for the AB's this year is the tri-nations, where theyl be the team to beat yet again.
Originally posted by LucardoAsk Graeme Henry why he has so many changes.. his bloody minded swaps are wrecking the game here. He is prepared to lose tests just to blood new players. I say that is unaccepted to NZ rugby fans... it's down right wrong. He did it and lost the last wc and I can't see him not flushing the next one down the wc too. If he loses tomorrow and fails at the tri-nations Jock Hobbs should fall on his sword for letting Henry stay after the debacle of 2007.
A Team who "wins every game no matter the costs" is a bunch of fools. No team can allways win. The AB's played with a young team, without 10 of their players, for the 1st time together against a team who just went trough the 6 nations.
Id be surprised if France win again tommorow, but it would make no difference, as the big competition for the AB's this year is the tri-nations, where theyl be the team to beat yet again.
Not dropping the ball and doing all the basics well has to be the base standard in a game of rugby. Players at this level shouldn't drop the ball.
Traditionally it was the attitude..do or die. South Africa produces it regularly, England had it under Clive Woodward.. the rugby wasn't always pretty but they played hard and won through the big games. It was the will to win, not alwaysmeasured by the results but how they played. A team that doesn't want to win every time they go on the paddock is your team of fools.
Originally posted by Tirau DanThe attitude was better in the narrow win over France last but they have a long long way to go if they ever want to meet ab standards.
Ask Graeme Henry why he has so many changes.. his bloody minded swaps are wrecking the game here. He is prepared to lose tests just to blood new players. I say that is unaccepted to NZ rugby fans... it's down right wrong. He did it and lost the last wc and I can't see him not flushing the next one down the wc too. If he loses tomorrow and fails at the tr ...[text shortened]... . A team that doesn't want to win every time they go on the paddock is your team of fools.
One thing for sure three refs and a team of video cameras and they still can't make a decision.. and I add that I can't decide but wonder how the video ref did?
I watched the held up decision replays over and over again but for the life of me couldn't see the ball behind the arms so how they decided it was held up beats me.
The ball was definitely in Corey Jayne's arms firmly against his chest and he looked as close to the ground and you can get snugged up against the French gropers.
I put this one down to the lack of fitness of the near side touch judge who should have been right there instead of 10m behind the play.