9:25AM Wednesday Aug 19, 2009
By Mark Geenty
SYDNEY – The Graham Henry “rark-up” of last week has been and gone for the underperforming All Blacks. Now captain Richie McCaw will cast a steely glance at his teammates and hope each takes responsibility for a rare downturn in their rugby fortunes against the Wallabies here on Saturday.
Rarely do the All Blacks lose three tests in a row but that is the prospect if Robbie Deans’ men topple them at ANZ Stadium to keep the Bledisloe Cup alive for 2009. A year ago, with McCaw absent through injury, the All Blacks lost to South Africa in Dunedin, then crossed the Tasman for a 19-34 defeat in coach Deans’ first test against his old team. Doom merchants emerged and the fateful 1998 season of five consecutive defeats reared its head. But McCaw returned at Eden Park to inspire a 39-10 victory and spark a nine-match winning streak which included a second grand slam in four years. The gloom returned this year, partly thanks to the absence of key men McCaw and Daniel Carter, as they lost to France, scraped past the Wallabies then lost twice to the Springboks.
With Carter back for the first time in 2009, McCaw was excited about their chance to revive their fortunes at ANZ Stadium where they’ve lost three of their last four tests. “Last year we lost two in a row, the guys were pretty desperate to get it right which we managed to do and it’s exactly the same this year,” McCaw said. “We’re up against a team that’s in the same boat so that’s going to make for a pretty good test with two pretty desperate teams. “It’s not one of the nicest situations to be in but you’ll see how good guys are to get themselves back up and performing.” Carter had slotted back into the side like he’d never been away, McCaw said.
The key in recent days had been keeping a lid on the excitement after two high-octane training sessions, still several days out from kickoff. Henry’s paint-stripping team talk last week didn’t need to be followed up by more ranting and raving in Sydney, McCaw said. McCaw felt as responsible as anyone for their South African struggles after his early-season period on the sidelines, and took it upon himself to lead the way here. “When you’re out there it almost hurts more because you know you weren’t doing it right. I know my performances personally weren’t as good as I would have liked. That gives you a real want to go out and put things right.”‘
The fallout from South Africa saw the benching of frontliners Rodney So’oialo (for Kieran Read) and Ma’a Nonu (for Luke McAlister) yesterday. The in-form Read admitted he was surprised to usurp So’oialo, with lineout strength a key component in his elevation. “It’s always tough when you take over from someone, but in my role I’ve got to do what I can for the team,” he said. “Rodney’s been pretty good and we get together quite a lot, so he’s still helping me out. He’s still a great player and he’ll add a lot off bench.”
All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Isaac Ross, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Rodney So’oialo, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Ma’a Nonu.
Australia
James O’Connor, Lachie Turner, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Richard Brown, George Smith (capt), Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Alexander, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Ryan Cross, Peter Hynes.
– NZPA
(This Article was sent to me, courtecy of Rugby Princess. Thanks RP)
Howzit! And with that – let me say THREE HUNDRED!
@Ed_the_Lion –
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! It cant be!
@Ed_the_Lion – Ed what are you talking about??
@Supa Die Bloubul – Bwahahaahahahaahahahahahahahahahah 😆
@carol – Its to serious Carol. I will have to tell you in private. It might have to be in person to make sure we are not over heard. I will fly to the UK, to come and tell you.
@SA Barbarians – Good day except work got in the way!! I must go and do my chores, not just stop gassing here….hope to catch you later.
If you ae on the Night Jans shift!!
@Ed_the_Lion – GBS has my address!! Hehehehehehe, always a welcome here!!
@carol – Bye Carol. Do your chores. That’s what woman are here for. 😳 Get your hubby a beer while busy with your chores. 😆
@grootblousmile – You will be in bed by the time I get back, catch up tomorrow!!
Really going now!
@carol – Thank you.
@Ed_the_Lion – cheeky minx, he is out on his combine harvester!!
He can find his own way to the cellar too!!
@Ed_the_Lion – Huh?????
Surely you are confusing us with ……… oh never mind… 🙂
@carol – 😆
@SA Barbarians – SAB, you can be honest with me. I won’t tell anybody.
Hey, I have tghings to do too.
Catch you all later or tomorrow
cheers
Fark people… we had over 3000 page impressions today…
Impressive !!
@SA Barbarians – Cheers SAB.
@grootblousmile – Dit klink goed. Lekker kuk gepraat hier vandag.
316@Ed_the_Lion – Ons sal binne ‘n dag of 3 op 4000 page impressions staan…
6 Advertensies opsit…. R 2 400.00 per DAG se inkomste… as ons dit reg werk… dan het ek die ads nog halfprys ook gemaak vir nou…
… en ons het bykans fokkol kostes nie….
@grootblousmile – Dit is fantasties. Ons het miskien nie onkostes nie, maar die aande se fokkol slaap nie, moet beloon word. Hierdie plek loop nou mooi.
Ek werk nog hard aan die reply funksie. Binne ‘n paar dae is hy ook reg.
@grootblousmile – Lekker slaap GBS. Laat ek vir eers gaan. Ek sal later inloer om seker te maak alles loop mooi.
318@Ed_the_Lion – Reg so, werk jy daai ene… ek werk die Advertensiespasie, ons Logo en paar Demo Adverts… ook so paar Stats-counters… en paar ander goed.
By the way, daar’s ‘n Nice Theme Generator, Artisteer 2… en ek het reggekry om die ding te crack… die ongeregistreerde weergawe gee vir mens ‘n watermark oral oor….
Dan bou ek hierdie site soos hy nou lyk… net effe beter met ronde venstertjies en meer opsies oor waar jy oral wil sidebars hê…. bo, onder, in die middel, links en regs….
Fokkkkkk broer, ons gaan ‘n perfekte site hê, een van die dae…
Gedeelte van John Smit onderhoud Part 2
Just how powerful a scrumming influence is Bakkies Botha behind John in the second row? The scrum tends to look more vulnerable when he’s off the field …
Let’s talk individual-specific for a moment … ja, the guy is just freakish. Don’t get me wrong, Victor and Andries (Bekker) and Danie (Rossouw) are good scrummagers. And not all locks are good at it: sometimes you hear of a highly-regarded young lock coming through, but then you hear that he basically “rests” at scrum-time, and you don’t want that. We don’t have that problem in South African rugby. What we do have is a really rich asset in Bakkies. For John to make this transition, his awesome presence just behind him is a massive comfort. He doesn’t just produce a mean shove: he talks to John all the time; gives him confidence. John will tell you he just has to get his back in the right position and he gets this incredible force behind him. He’ll also tell you that Bakkies was really on fire in his first game back (from suspension) when our scrum went so well against New Zealand in Bloemfontein.
@superBul – That why the Bulls scrum all of a sudden plays 2nd fiddle.
If Bismarck ever succumbed to reasonably long-term injury, would you reconsider John as a Test hooker, especially if faced with some potent scrummaging packs?
I think not, you know. One of the mercies for John after the end-of-year tour last year was when he asked Peter (de Villiers) and the coaching staff to make the call: and they said tighthead prop from now on. Chiliboy (Ralepelle) is developing really well and I’m telling you honestly that he can scrum. And don’t always judge a guy on a few minutes on the park (as a substitute).
@grootblousmile – Ek sal bietjie kyk na die artiseer 2. Dit is lekker om die goed te doen.
324@Ed_the_Lion – Download die Trial weergawe van hulle site af… mail my en ek zip en stuur die crack met instruksies…
@grootblousmile – I’m back……..if you are not careful this may start to make you some ‘pocket money’!!
Would you give Ed my e mail address please!
326@carol – Will do
I’m outa here…. time to go rebuild some frail relationships…
@grootblousmile – 😉 Best of luck!! xxx
Koos,
Dinge het rof geloop vandag…. blerrie WPTID het ons gaan openbaar maak op Voldy… ‘n dag of so vroeg, ek wou nog die advertensies klaar bou hier op die sidebars… maar nouja, sal dit more doen
Anyway, toe’s dit oorlog….
… maar onse blog het gekook vandag….
@grootblousmile – Dit was lekker gewees hier vandag. Baie besig. Meer mense het dit gesien, en almal hou van die plek. Miskien vir WPTID ‘n toffie of iets stuur om dankie te sê vir die advertensie.
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