A New Zealand perspective

Trotter

Just read this article..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10428291

I used the "send Chris an email" button.. and I couldnt help myself. I turned petty and cynical. Again. Doh!



"Chris I look forward to meeting you at the Ireland match in Cardiff!
Until then, I'm going to trawl the Polenesian islands for players too. This business of playing players that actually hail from the nation who's shirt they're wearing is out of date. Isnt it?

I'll look on the bright side.. the ground in Cardiff is soft.. the spear tackles should result in the Irish captain being planted head first this time, not cynically injured.

Slán!"

daveirl

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copacetic

i thought it was an ok article, not the slagging off I expected with Trotters response!

cold_filter

I dont claim to be a rugger know it all, but what he's saying in right, england are dirt, wales are dirt, scotland are dirt, france are decent, were not bad, compared to the All blacks we dont have a chance, but that wont stop me screaming the boys in green on!!

Trotter

daveym wrote:

i thought it was an ok article, not the slagging off I expected with Trotters response!

Oh he's right.. but ya cant be lettin him say it in comfort now can ya? lol

vorbis

Breathtaking arrogance in that article. I'd wager nez zealand are terrified at the prospect of choking in the world cup. Thats whats generating all this grandstanding. They also must realise that other countries will be a lot closer to them by the time of the world cup. Heck, even England looked good against France!

How big a blow to New Zealand rugby if they hammer everyone before the world cup then crash out in the quarters or semis!

Chunks

Jaysus buddy, could you be more biased?!

so which over-analogy is it? A whale, harpoons, a blacksmith or a log fire?!!

The article reeks of the fact that he understands only superficial facets of the game. You can see glimpses of good points(probably something he heard in interviews with players and managers) but as soon as they're started he buries them in bloody analogies and then moves on to the next point only to bury it aswell.

He's trying too hard to sound smart resulting in sounding like a tacky idiot. The linguistic version of a chav..

Sangre

Tbh I think he has it pretty spot on.

Inquitus

He's a tosser of the highest order, New Zealands Stephen Jones.....tho unlike Jones at least he gets behind HIS country.

oranje

I agree. I keep hearing from other people how great the Irish team is but how many really big performances have been put in lately.
If Ireland were near NZ's level then they should have steamrolled a very poor Scottish side, that didn't happen even when the line was broken.
I hope that Brian Carney can make a successful transition and get in the team for the WC. With O'Driscoll and D'Arcy that would give use three line breakers and maybe a chance to get the tries in that are needed.

Diamondmaker

We have seen Ireland go to NZ and come very close on 2 back to back occasions at the end of a season.
The difference in these 2 games was so slight that it could be down to home advantage. If the occasion arises where NZ meet Irl on "home" soil in Cardiff, where undoubtedly the Irish crowd will hugely out number the kiwi, one has got to fear for the All Blacks and their propensity to bottle and fail to handle the pressure and expectation in such a hostile environment.
NZ have been at a peak or plateau for some while now and Irl have continued to achieve but ultimately fall short of their own expectations. I believe that this Summer irl are due to call on their experience to achieve that bit more and well, the Kiwis can only go down from where they are currently.
That is of course assuming that theu dont beat the French which from last weeks evidence is no foregone conclusion either.

my reply

Irl owe themselves that extra 10-20% and improved consistency, they know it more than any one else, they dont need to hear it from us. The summer could be the peaking of these guys. I hope so!

daveirl

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daveirl

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Chunks

Diamondmaker wrote:

We have seen Ireland go to NZ and come very close on 2 back to back occasions at the end of a season.
The difference in these 2 games was so slight that it could be down to home advantage. If the occasion arises where NZ meet Irl on "home" soil in Cardiff, where undoubtedly the Irish crowd will hugely out number the kiwi, one has got to fear for the All Blacks and their propensity to bottle and fail to handle the pressure and expectation in such a hostile environment.
NZ have been at a peak or plateau for some while now and Irl have continued to achieve but ultimately fall short of their own expectations. I believe that this Summer irl are due to call on their experience to achieve that bit more and well, the Kiwis can only go down from where they are currently.
That is of course assuming that theu dont beat the French which from last weeks evidence is no foregone conclusion either.

my reply

Irl owe themselves that extra 10-20% and improved consistency, they know it more than any one else, they dont need to hear it from us. The summer could be the peaking of these guys. I hope so!

well put, my thoughts exactly

Chucky the tree

Some of the article is a bit OTT. But i agree with his top 3 sides. For me its gonna be either NZ, SA or France with IReland the only outside chance.

athtrasna

I can't believe a Kiwi has the audacity to slam European nations for using "talent from down under" to boost their teams. I'm sure Tonga, Fiji and the rest of Polynesia might should something about Pot, Kettle and Black. New Zealand is one of the all time player poachers!

I suggested as much to Chris and was impressed at the swift and accepting response!

buck65

I reckon let them off. They may be the best but they sure are giving everyone else plenty of ammunition to fire themselves up.
The RWC is still 6 months away. Alot can happen.

Linford

All the training in the world, all the players in the world and all the warm up matches in the world can't prepare NZ for their biggest threat, their self implosion/bottling it.

A famous sprint coach once said that there are about 15-20 people in the world that can run fast enough to win the olympic 100m gold but there are less than a handful that can actually do it on the day. Different sport but same theme. All the training and talent might not be enough on the day for NZ, especially if they meet an Irish team in the final with a lot less to lose!!!

Trojan

"The Six Nations. A snore and a bore."

I thought that was one of the most exciting 6N weekends in recent history.

The Italians upsetting Wales, England upsetting France, Scotland almost doing the same to Ireland! Truck loads of controversy. England finding new blood - at out-half! More selection controversy that's sure to spawn.

I can't drum up mild upset at this article, it lacks even a morsel of unbiased truth. Let them get the warm furry feeling, and we'll watch with pleasure when they get an unpleasant shock later this year.

daveirl

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padser

vorbis wrote:

. I'd wager nez zealand are terrified at the prospect of choking in the world cup........... They also must realise that other countries will be a lot closer to them by the time of the world cup.

That's it exactly I'd say. Look at how good Ireland looked just a few months back in the Autumn internationals and compare that to the performances put in against Scottland especially but also also against Wales and France.

NZ could well be peaking too early, and 6 months from now they may well not be as far ahead of the pack as they are now. And they must be under incredible pressure to win it which never helps