McCaw running scared
3 May 2006
The Bulls can already claim a moral victory over the Crusaders after the defending champions left captain Richie McCaw out of the match 22 altogether.
McCaw does not have fond memories of Loftus Versfeld, or perhaps much memory of it at all after he was smacked unconcious in the opening minutes of the corresponding fixture last year by prop Richard Bands. The Bulls went on to record an emphatic 35-20 win.
Coach Robbie Deans goes into the must-win – for both teams – match with something of a second-string pack, which could prove suicidal against the vaunted Bulls forwards.
The Crusaders camp confirmed McCaw had no serious health issues other than Deans describing him as still being “flat”. But the Bulls will be forgiven for thinking that McCaw – one of the outstanding looseforwards in the world – is just scared of what awaits him in the rarefied atmosphere at Loftus.
Australian players voted Loftus the worst place to visit, and it would be surprising if the New Zealanders actually found a trip to Pretoria appealing. McCaw certainly seems content to sit on the sidelines and avoid any nasty clashes with the big Bulls pack.
One wonders just how he is going to cope when he returns for the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations with the match also set to take place at Fortress Loftus. The second Tri-Nations Test between the two is also at altitude, with the Boks and All Blacks clashing at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium a week later.
Deans, however, believed McCaw would be ready to front the Brumbies in Christchurch next weekend where there was a need to have fresh players.
It’s a huge gamble with the Crusaders’ playoffs chances on the line over the final two weeks of round-robin action.
Crusaders team: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Aaron Mauger, 11 Caleb Ralph, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Andrew Ellis; 8 Mose Tuiali’i, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Johnny Leo’o, 5 Reuben Thorne (c), 4 Chris Jack, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett. Replacements: 16 Tone Kopelani, 17 Campbell Johnstone, 18 Craig Clarke, 19 Brad Mika, 20 Kevin Senio, 21 Cameron McIntyre, 22 Stephen Brett/Scott Hamilton.
By Andrew Hollely
573 Comments
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3 May 2006, 18:49 pm
aaaaaah, David, i hope your wife “allows” you as much time on the site once she’s back!
3 May 2006, 18:54 pm
ja, ai, breekbek Stan …..
3 May 2006, 18:57 pm
CoughRugga,
Then this is the ideal opportunity to brush up on your Afrikaans!
Also, some jokes can only be made in a certain language.
But i will try my best to accomodate you….
3 May 2006, 18:59 pm
David,
547.
That would be his wildest dreams come true!!!!
3 May 2006, 19:02 pm
Stan!!! what are you doing here at night? haha!
3 May 2006, 19:04 pm
Guys
I was not joking. Although I could have confused her with Dusty Springfield. Anyway, she’ll remain a fantasy to Pierre, *** or not.
It’s amazing what you can watch on TV when your wifes away.
****, Ikey, it’s a whole new world out there. The downside is I actually got to watch Naas on Boots ‘n All.
3 May 2006, 19:04 pm
Stan
Only if he could watch.
3 May 2006, 19:06 pm
my point exactly David! haha!
3 May 2006, 19:17 pm
Ikey
I assume you’re in Cape Town. What the hell are you doing on the web on a wednesday night? It used to be the friday night practice run when I lived there.
3 May 2006, 19:19 pm
David, I am, unfortunately, based in Gauteng at the mo!
3 May 2006, 19:31 pm
Ikey
So am I, so I understand. The move to the dark side is not as easy as Luke Skywalkers dad made it out to be.
3 May 2006, 20:34 pm
Thanx Stan…..are you from Zim?
3 May 2006, 21:14 pm
McCaw isn’t scared, he just has a headache and wants to prolong his career..
4 May 2006, 00:24 am
thats a weak pack for saders, omg. now is your chance bulls to make every all black in that saders team to have the worst possible rugby experience at loftus so that when they return for 3N, they all **** themselves like mccaw has.
bakkies, victor and pedrie i pray you guys are fired up and play your hearts out this game.
4 May 2006, 00:56 am
that’s brill Tomsta
4 May 2006, 01:24 am
****,I have waited the whole day to have the last posting on the longest kakpraat string of the year.
4 May 2006, 05:07 am
i say this whole thing is actually quite good for the bulls..think about it logically..mccaw doesnt play this week, we dominate their pack and beat them. They get **** scared because theyve had three outings and 0 wins, their tour suddenly turns to ****, and a home semi final is no longer a given. they play mccaw next week. they get really fired up. they play at home to the brumbies and murder them. so brumbies lose the match the bulls need them to…and the bulls win this week..i see it as a win win for us. however i must say, this pack must not be under estimated because even without mccaw theyre still decent. the backline is brilliant and so we’ll need to defend with purpose and come out with vengence. the way i see it..if we can disrupt these boys enough in the forwards and get some massive guys smashing carter in the ribs..we’ll move one step closer to the semis.
GO BULLS!!!! ( btw im actually a sharks fan but i just want SA to have a team in the top 4)lol
4 May 2006, 05:26 am
Dream on mate.
4 May 2006, 06:34 am
Hey Schalla, your little scenario also requires the Brumbies to get 0 points in their HOME game vs the Highlanders. Not likely mate. This is the time of the year when our hopeful SA sides need other sides to do the hard yards for them. Too late for the Bulls – again, they should have won their away games.
4 May 2006, 07:21 am
seems that hurricanes TMO error has cost the bulls some deserved points.
4 May 2006, 08:56 am
WOW_____
Ritchie gets a day off . He gets 570 posts on here.
What a superstar.
4 May 2006, 09:30 am
Ignorant wankers, Debbie Harry is bisexual, she’s explicitly told the press that she’s had sexual relations with many men and women.
Hands up anyone who thinks that’s a problem?
4 May 2006, 10:19 am
Tomsta, You need to move on in life just a little…why don’t you start planning how to get enough of a lead during home games that you don’t need decisions to go your way in order to win a game. How about getting your big oxen to do a few laps over the next 8 months so they can play more than 50 minutes of rugby. Besides, if the H’canes had been denyed that try they just wouldv’e gone and scored another 2 instead of putting up the defensive wall they did.
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