Hey guys,
Trust you are all more than well!
So i decided initially not to write about the rugby championships this year because I have taken a stance to boycott viewing of all Bok games. It's a decision I took for reasons shared with you guys many a time. I didn't think it was correct to write because I would be missing half the games every weekend and it would give even less credibility to my blog :) I also wasn't going to write about this last test between the ABs and the Boks until the emotions settled somewhat.
Last weekend I was out of town but was determined to stay up till the wee hours of the morning to stream this game live, because I had been hearing ramblings from all corners that the Boks had changed and they were this, that and the next. Ofcourse I couldn't miss an All Black game so I had to suspend my boycott and view this game. I was too excited to see what this new Bok era brought with it. Coupled with that the AB's, in my mind aren't that great a side this year, there is something unsettled about them, so this was going to be a real watershed game and the whole week i was soooo excited to see what would be.
Now before i get on to my blog, if you get my tweets or are linked to me on FB, you know that I was the first to call that first Bismarck yellow card the dumbest thing on earth. Pity DC got hurt but it was just a great, savage hit and i think the ref played the man instead of the incident, taking Bismarck's indisciplined past into consideration as well as the 'golden boy' he put the hit on. That is such nonsense, but i guess the ref is human first before a ref. He was way out of his depth in this game and it's a great pity. even that yellow card against Kieran, was a joke, oh wait lets not talk about that because it wasn't against the Boks ;)
Also note that the second yellow card for Bismarck was an assistant ref and TMO call.
People call the ABs breakdown work illegal please do me a favour and watch the game again and watch if the Boks don't do the same thing? Come in from offsides/the side, lie all over the ball etc etc. they are all the same, some are just better than others...
Ma'a Nonu, I can never ever ever defend that dude. He is such a devastating player but his Butch-like brain implosion baffles me no end. Soo unnecessary. He really saddens me!!
What actually makes me shake my head is the fact that people are going on about how scaly the All Black team is because of the ref. If i am teacher's pet in class is it my fault?? Nun sense!
Anyway so officiating aside. I have now watched the game for the 3rd time. Up until the 14minute when the game was paused for the DC injury/Bismarck tackle, the Boks were competitive, aggressive, kicked a lot, had a good lineout, had a penalty (for Beast scrumming upwards), wait that's exactly the same game they have ALWAYS played. Where was this different facet of play that was so wildly and widely spoken of. I didn't even see a smidgen of it. Up until the 16th minute, they Boks had minimal possession and that which they had they kicked away aimlessly, the All Blacks were 70:30 ahead on the territory stats too. On the scoreboard they were ahead 7:3 too. Whether this would have been the final result we will never know but I didn't see anything different in the Bok game. The Boks in my mind were poor, yes sure losing 2 bruising forwards for 40 odd minutes in a game will take its toll but what I must add is that all 4 of the AB's tries came from in close, the first came when there were 15v15. So there was no overlap situations, we had Ruan Pienaar, Jannie, Morne missing tackles in close. Dropped balls, balls being run out 5m out from try lines etc.
I don't want to slate the Boks, but I have watched the game 3 times. The ref had one bad call in the game. A big bad call I might add. The rest were silly calls that affected both teams and not favouring any team. He took away from a great spectacle but to think the result would have been different had it not been for the ref would be searching because the Boks brought absolutely nothing new and we know what happens when you do the same thing over and over..you get the same result.
Oh and Bob Skinstad as a commentator, save us please!!
Regarding the Argies and the Ausies
I would actually love the Argies to win a test and to be really honest, I want the AB's to lose a test in the next year or so, but there is no team I want them to lose to except the Argies. It would be good for rugby and both team's development for the future. The Argies started off poorly they picked it up and even though i missed last weeks game, it looks like they had it for the taking and once again let it slip. It's a matter of belief. This weekend is going to be a great opportunity for the Pumas, they are getting there, its a good opportunity for them to get over the line this weekend against the ABs.
Oz is going through a rough patch at the moment and i mentioned it before they dont offer too much at the moment, they have good individuals but, in my mind the only players that have the same die hard attitude of the likes of Mortlock, Eales, Horan, Little, Campo, Nathan Grey, Totai, George Smith, Kearns, Roff of days gone by in this current team are Adam Ashley Cooper, Hooper, Pocock, Genia and Horwill, the rest just dont seem to have the heart. It will take some time but they will be back. Interesting game against the Boks in CT next weekend, but i see their forwards getting bullied because their current crop just cant match the bully beef the Boks bring to the party.
After the first week of this tournament, it became clear that this would be a 2 horse race, which is unfortunate because you want a competition where 4 teams can win, if not away at least at home. So anyway should the results go as many think ie. Boks win at home and perhaps the ABs take the points at La Plata then Elis Park would be interesting but in all honesty no matter how much anyone tries to talk it up it will never live to the hype before the Eden Park test...
Happy viewing all
Best
Yaw
