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)
118@isigidi – Nope – ek het my eie skool se interskole die naweek.
Sien Dawn copy en paste alles – ek is bly sy stel so belang in die ‘Dom Witmense’.
Ek het vergadering nou.
Die lewe is ‘n lied.
Alles is blou en wit strepe, hiieeeeee ha!
Cheers peester en peesterinne!
Afternoon boys.
I thought that we better get some Sharks class here.
Dink net ek kort nog `n paar kamerade π
112@Supa Die Bloubul – ek dink weer die Aussies gaan wen, Deans kan nie nog ‘n verloor bekostig nie. Hy moet nou begin ‘perform’.
Sal vir ons beter wees ook as Aussies wen, want as AB’s wen, bly hul nog in die prentjie om die 3N te wen.
@K9-MonsterLeeu –
Jammer man, my ma het vir my gese ek is soms nie 100% by nie. Maar sy is darem nog lief vir my.
Dink die Griekwas gan die Haaie vat.
120 @Pietman – Nie geweet Ryan se pa was ook provinsiale speler nie.
Watter afkoms is hul van – Russies?
@Ex Player – @Pietman –
Mans het gese Tito was die moeilikste direkte oponent gewees teen wie hy gespeel het.
Jammer sy post nie oor wat ek van die sogenaamde selfimposed exiles gese het nie…
@trupisero – Buurman, jy mis my net. Moet die Ingelsman gaan sien.
Bly om ‘n Shark/Cheetah hier te sien!
123 @trupisero – ja jong, hier is te veel Bulle op hierdie blog !
@trupisero – Jy bedoel seker Vrystaat se A span.
@bdb – 10 000 –
Stem. Dis beter as die aussies wen. MAar ek dink die AB publiek gaan Henry kruising as hy weer verloor so hulle gaan alles gee! En met Carter terug…
118@Ex Player –
Oh well – whatever floats their boat.
Dunno why we give them any thought or waste the time to blog about them.
@WilladieLeeu – Man ek skree uit volle bors vir die Kwas die naweek…..en vir die Luiperds…en Boland.
130@K9-MonsterLeeu –
Steeds beter as die Lions se F span. Soek nog net hulle A-E spanne…
Cheers mense,mooi aand ek moet loop.
@Ex Player –
Tino se pa (Ryan se oupa) was Pools.
Ja heng, daai ou was goed jong, Springbokproewe gespeel, asook SA Gazelles.
Judge Jeffries was Jnr Springbokvleuel.
OP het daai jare moosa goeie vleuels gehad.
Well, well, well, what a happy day…
This blog has a bright future ahead, we have not had an incident here where we had to ward off wayward bloggers yet.
Goooooooooooi Mieliesssssssss
Die lewe is ‘n Lied !
Ek gooi sommer vir my ‘n Jerekie-pik-my om te celebrate !
133@K9-MonsterLeeu – Ja jong – skreeu maar vir my geliefde Boland span – dis al in die lewe wat nog sin maak – hahahaha
@trupisero – πΏ
@Fern –
Keith Sweeney se ook so (Old Griqua op Voldy).
Hoe het ou Gerard Viviers altyd gese, ‘En Roux gee vir Waldeck, Waldeck na Sweeney, en daar trek hy, Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeney!’
Sweeney was later Wallabie reserwe, in die UK.
@Ex Player – Help maar waar ek kan π
@grootblousmile –
And on top of it we had some free promotions apparently, by none other than your old flame Dawn…. π
139@K9-MonsterLeeu – K9 – asseblief – daardie lyk na ‘n godslasterlike mannetjie – dit sal nie hier geduld word nie!
131@Supa Die Bloubul – sal graag wil sien of Carter ‘n verskil maak, AB’s se voorspelers is nie meer so oorheersend nie. Behoort ‘n goeie game te wees.
143@Ex Player –
hehehe…
From keo:
65. Bokke is die besteReply to this comment Goto comment :
August 19th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
#64 Dawn: Personally I think Keo would be better without you. I hope I get an invite from Pietman and GBS. Canβt stand you or your comments anymore.
Daar is meer gaste ‘online’, as intekenaars.
Welkom aan al die (rugby)gaste !
@bdb – 10 000 – gratis publisiteit wat ons kry op ander plekke.
147@bdb – 10 000 – Jip – seker maar mense wat actually bietjie rugby wil lees.
Anyhow – dink julle die Kwas gaan dit weer kan deurtrek die naweek?
@bdb – 10 000 – Ek dink ek weer wie kyk vir ons. π
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