McCaw running scared

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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  • 451.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:02 pm

    Bluebard,

    Doubt it she’s too busy munching duvet to sing anything!! ;)

  • 452.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:03 pm

    try me bluebarb!

  • 453.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:04 pm

    Andrew – you’re turning into bliksem!

  • 454.Bluecap: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:04 pm

    Ok, so Cats not Bulls, But Schumi’s a Plus. Ah well,close enough, I would take you out but it would be a terribly sad thing to get between the deep love Andy feels for you, I can see a budding lifetime romance here. To shatter something so fragile in the making would be devastating. The beauty of it leaves me all warm.

  • 455.bluebarb: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:05 pm

    I may just do that. name the time and place.
    and in the meantime, goodnight everybody.
    and remeber: Keep ‘em peeled.

  • 456.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:05 pm

    and fuzzy…

  • 457.bluebarb: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:07 pm

    andy,
    if you battle with forward defensives, send off a few bouncers. softens them up..

  • 458.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:07 pm

    Kitty is blixem!!!

  • 459.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:08 pm

    Andrew,
    If i recall correctly, you were lecturing me last week about the good manners of the men from up North?

  • 460.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:09 pm

    Bluecap, are you sure it’s just the beauty of ‘it’ that’s making you feel warm??? and fuzzy??? Better go check!

    Bye bluebarb! i’ll send you details of time and place tomorrow… :-)

  • 461.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:10 pm

    Sorry, Stan you right. women deserve respect.

    Especially Kitty of course. I still think I love her…sigh…

  • 462.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:10 pm

    Stan, why don’t you offer to shoot him vrek, you armchair Action Man, you?

  • 463.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:12 pm

    Good point Stan!!!

  • 464.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:12 pm

    Does anyone honestly believe that Richie McCaw is afraid of the Bulls?

    Come on, keo, this is sensationalism at its worst.

  • 465.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:13 pm

    alright, enough with the ‘ i think i love her’ stuff…. jeez…. how to smother a woman…

    Does anyone want to give Andy-kins here a lesson in base-jumping??

  • 466.Bluecap: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:14 pm

    Well Kitty, It could also have something to do with this glass of Port I’m drinking.

  • 467.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:14 pm

    !!!!!!!!!!

  • 468.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:14 pm

    Kitty, love your name. You share it with one of my two cats, and he is the most beautiful creature on the planet. I would post a pic if I could.

  • 469.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:15 pm

    Dawn, word up baby?

    Guess what – I’m off to Dubai from 1 June.

  • 470.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:16 pm

    Of ek kan hom vir n naweek saam met jou Robben eiland toe stuur Pierre?

  • 471.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:16 pm

    Jeez pierre… welcome to the party! you’re just 6 hours late!!!

  • 472.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:17 pm

    Sorry Kitty, I have this annoying job to attend to for most of the day.

  • 473.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:18 pm

    Bluecap – there’s your problem! it’s the port! you’re spilling itz! hold the glass properly!

  • 474.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:18 pm

    Stan, sure, if you come to the Bronx with me first.

  • 475.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:19 pm

    pierre: sorry to hear that! what’s that you say about Dubai?

  • 476.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:20 pm

    Dubai toe sê jy?
    Broer, dan sal jy vinnig van jou Kaapse gewoontes moet afleer. Daar kap hulle jou hand af as jy n appel steel.
    Kan jy dink wat gaan hulle met jou doen as jou vang agter n bok op die maat van YMCA?

  • 477.Bluecap: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:20 pm

    More like mug, And now you mention it, maybe a glass of gluwein is not such a bad idea.

  • 478.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:23 pm

    Bluecap, i’ve just unknowingly turned you into even more of an alcoholic! Sorry!!!

    But can’t you send me some pleeeeezzzzeeee?? I’m dying for a glass of red wine!

  • 479.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:24 pm

    where’s Staal…??? we’re almost on 500…

  • 480.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:24 pm

    Pierre is n prokureursklerk. Om leers rond te dra sal enige mens gatvol maak.

  • 481.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:24 pm

    Stan, luckily there’s plenty of female tail to go round in the UAE (expat nurses, etc) so I probably won’t need to engage in any M2M action. If I do, I’ll make sure to lock the door.

  • 482.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:25 pm

    Hahaha! beaut!

  • 483.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:25 pm

    Ja, daar is baie. Verpleegsters, onderwysers ens.

  • 484.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:26 pm

    Pierre – landing a nurse would be a very clever thing to do! She could tend to all your needs…

  • 485.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:27 pm

    Stan baby, I’ve been an aadmitted attorney for 5 years now. I have Bulls supporters like you to carry my files and do my photocopying.

  • 486.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:29 pm

    Kitty if you wanna jol with journalists you have to know what the Pulitzer prize is.

    Yours sincerely

    Salma Hayak.

    (Reese? Ptooeey!)

  • 487.Stan: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:29 pm

    Nie n verpleegster nie, n matrone.
    Een met die elegante liggamsbou van n munisipale asblik wat n boeing kan kickstart.

  • 488.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:29 pm

    Kitty, ja, my “needs” being that she should dress up like a nurse for my private enjoyment.

  • 489.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:31 pm

    Dawn, you know what the pulitzer is?

  • 490.Frazer: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:31 pm

    Hello people – I’m back – let’s make 500

  • 491.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:32 pm

    Of course I do you dingbat.

  • 492.Frazer: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:32 pm

    Andrew – The pulitzer is something you’ll probably never see…

  • 493.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:33 pm

    Dawn, isn’t the Pulitzer Prize a politicized left-wing piece of **** token that self-satisfied journalists award to other self-satisfied jouralists for being “brave” enough to say what an idiot George Bush is?

    Just checking.

  • 494.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:33 pm

    yeah, now that’s appealing!!!!

    Hi dawn! I take it you don’t like Reese??

  • 495.Frazer: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:33 pm

    What’s up Kitty? You still holding your own in the midst of the heathen?

  • 496.Bluecap: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:34 pm

    Not just a glass Kitty, I’ve got this lekker bottle of Allesverloren just waiting for some attention.

    The Tassies we’ll keep for Pierre.

  • 497.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:34 pm

    Frazer don’t be onbeskof.

    If he wins the Pulitzer, he needs Reese on his arm at the presentation.

    It’s all about image.

  • 498.pierre: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:34 pm

    Stan, don’t knock the fuller-figured ladies, they can be very enthusiastic.

    Besides, after I’ve been living in the desert for a few months, I don’t think it’s gonna matter.

  • 499.Frazer: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:35 pm

    Dawn – That’s an event he’ll never have to plan for

  • 500.Kitty: Reply to this comment
    3 May 2006, 17:35 pm

    hi Fraze! I’m still here! get some work done?

    Pierre – exactly what i had in mind… she could take care of all your ‘seer plekke’ …

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