Jake’s backing AB’s
20 Jul 2007
Springbok coach Jake White believes the All Blacks will retain the Bledisloe Cup in Auckland and win the Tri Nations.
White, whose Boks beat Australia in Cape Town, but lost to the Wallabies in Sydney and were twice beaten by the All Blacks, told Keo.co.za that the All Blacks should be favourites to win at home. He also felt they were the better balanced team.
“Australia will definitely miss Lote Tuqiri, who is massively influential for the Wallabies. He always breaks the first tackle, always gets over the gain line and so many of Australia’s plays revolve around him. His absence is huge for them,” said White. “The All Blacks will be hurting after the Melbourne defeat, but they really had so many opportunities to put the Wallabies away early on in the second half. They spilt two gift tries that would have put them 20 points in the clear.
“What Melbourne showed was that if you can stay in touch with them going into the final 10 minutes and sustain the intensity they are as vulnerable as any side. But I would be surprised if Australia did win. It will be close, but in Auckland and with what is at stake my money would be on the All Blacks.”
White added that whoever wins in Auckland would have the greater confidence ahead of the World Cup, but was adamant it was not a dress rehearsal for the World Cup.
“Different conditions, different time of kick-off, different time of the year and different hemispheres … at the World Cup it comes down to the match day and all form or previous results become irrelevant.”
The All Blacks have won their last 25 matches in New Zealand, while Australia’s record in Auckland is among their worst anywhere in the world.
399 Comments
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21 Jul 2007, 04:28 am
#347 skop where are you on the globe?
21 Jul 2007, 04:29 am
Hi Fern.
Aussie Reds are great (or at least good value for money) but their Whites are no better than their rugby players.
21 Jul 2007, 04:32 am
ricane i had some aussie red on the plane and wasnt impressed.that said i am not a wino at all.best drop is produced in mangatainoka.
21 Jul 2007, 04:34 am
345 Thats right ricane Eric Liddel was his name the Scottish principled Christian running against Harold Abrahams the Jewish English student, both were passionate sportsmen or athletes yet their beliefs stood between them and their passionate goal, or at least one of them had to sacrifice his honor for the sake of his belief, highly honorable I must add, yet where do all the differences begin and end you might ask?
21 Jul 2007, 04:34 am
#349 Ja Fern, on Waiheke there is a resuarant called Stoney Ridge that brings out a stunning red. Mostly exported, but a limited quantity is available to purchase from the restuarant if you get the timing right.
21 Jul 2007, 04:36 am
#353 Eish Fern. A good red in winter is one of the seven wonders …hehe
21 Jul 2007, 04:37 am
Eric Liddel was a Scottish winger too played for Scotland, I don’t think Harold Abrahams played rugby although he might have for Oxford or Cambridge whichever university he attended.
21 Jul 2007, 04:37 am
whatever waiheke was surreal to say the least.stayed in the backpacker on the hill close to the nudist beach.didnt go there though,i had a girl to do.
21 Jul 2007, 04:38 am
351 Cape Town .. whatever.. last 30 yrs been down here bottom of Africa,.. you?
21 Jul 2007, 04:41 am
#359 Ex Capetonian. Used to live in Hout Bay. You’r up late?
21 Jul 2007, 04:42 am
its 4:45 am in sa now.
21 Jul 2007, 04:43 am
Officials from around the world will meet in Woking in late November to try to put together an integrated global season for the first time.
The International Rugby Board have called in a team of management consultants to oversee a three-day conference aimed at finding a a solution to a perenially intractable problem.
Nearly 100 representatives will be brought together from all the leading unions together with officials of the English and French leagues.
Syd Millar, the chairman of IRB, has already conceded that the crowded calendar is reducing the impact of Test rugby as top countries too often field weakened teams. “Less may be more,” he said.
Millar has promised that the IRB will look at the schedule for World Cup seasons after games this year were blighted by matches between below-par line-ups. He is interested in a competition to make the June and November Tests more meaningful.
The international schedule continues today when New Zealand host Australia in Auckland to decide the Tri-Nations title.
Richie McCaw, the All Blacks captain, said there would no pre-match recognition that some of his team – Anton Oliver, Chris Jack, Aaron Mauger, Byron Kelleher and Carl Hayman – were about to play their final home Tests before joining European clubs after the Rugby World Cup.
Australia, who have not won in Auckland since 1986, are trying to convince themselves that they are the underdogs despite beating New Zealand 20-15 three weeks ago. Wayne Smith, the New Zealand assistant coach, has urged his team to climb a “mini peak” after that defeat and a stuttering win over South Africa last week.
The England World Cup party – 40 players at present – broke up yesterday for a week’s rest without head coach Brian Ashton further reducing his squad.
He has to name a 30-man party by Aug 14, but does not want to cut down the number too soon because “you don’t want any player dropping into the comfort zone”.
Italy, who face New Zealand and Scotland in Pool C, want to include Fijian-born flanker Manoa Vosawai, who plays for Overmach Parma. Italy’s 40 include five English-based players in captain Marco Bortolami and Carlos Nieto, of Gloucester, Leicester’s Martin Castrogiovanni, Fabio Ongaro (Saracens) and Bristol’s Marko Stanojevic.
21 Jul 2007, 04:53 am
#361 Geez, julle mense is vroeg wakker?
21 Jul 2007, 04:54 am
360 I’m not that far from Hout Bay, round the peak and little further south east, so what you doin over that side, grass little greener over there?
21 Jul 2007, 04:56 am
#364 Could say that…….female lol
21 Jul 2007, 04:58 am
Ek gaan nou bietjie slaap anderste sal ek nie my oe wakker bly hou vir die 9.30 game net nou. Sien julle weer.
21 Jul 2007, 04:59 am
Cheers skop, catch you later
21 Jul 2007, 05:00 am
365 OK that says it all, call of the wild huh.
21 Jul 2007, 05:01 am
So long whatever.. enjoy the game, hope I won’t sleep through it.
21 Jul 2007, 05:14 am
@ Skopy “honey”
Forget humanoid – You sound like a blonde schizophrenic sly old fox …
21 Jul 2007, 05:17 am
Anybody got an AKL weather report ? Rain is bucketing down in Tauranga
21 Jul 2007, 05:18 am
whatever
Sorry, I just missed you!
Yes, some fun earlier.
21 Jul 2007, 05:21 am
Had to log back on just to get the last word in, not blond honey angel, schizo – maybe? See you later perhaps, hope you can endure the 90 minute delay feed, up the Blacks, but may the better team win. DC better have his kick boots on tonight, n Richie better stay on his feet in the tackle ball situation, so long Princess dear.
21 Jul 2007, 05:25 am
Have been reeading this thread on the way to work. This is going to be a fantastic game
BH – hope you are around this site after the game
21 Jul 2007, 05:25 am
#372 Howzit Pietman
#371 Princess, it’s overcast with a light drizzle at the moment. May just be clear but cold for the game
21 Jul 2007, 05:28 am
Hello whatever, I thought you were gone.
Howzit chch?
Your take on this one? I have the AB by 10.
21 Jul 2007, 05:29 am
#374 Hope you wer’nt driving?
21 Jul 2007, 05:30 am
I’m with you on the score Pietman. I’d be supprised if it was over 10.
21 Jul 2007, 05:34 am
Pietman, it will be interesting to see how the ref blows the tackle ball situation with all the RM press since the Bok game.
21 Jul 2007, 05:37 am
whatever
Right, will be very interesting to see how the ref handles both Smith and RM on the ground.
21 Jul 2007, 05:38 am
I am a bit pissed with GH carrying on the Toeavea experiment continuing in such an importent game!
21 Jul 2007, 05:39 am
354/357 skopy
Liddel was a winger for Scotland – they called him the ‘flying scotsman’ on the field.
He later went to North-China as a missionary about the same time as my great uncle who died over there.
The difference of days to keep sacred came about because the first Christians chose to have the first day of the week as a rest and worship day (it was the day ***** rose again)
differing from the last day of the week
(which is special to Jews as the day God rested after 6 days work making stuff)
21 Jul 2007, 05:41 am
376 Pietman,
ABs by 10 is probably about right. Not the best AB line up.
377 whatever,
No. Have driver. Chose the read Keo on phone option over the sleep option
21 Jul 2007, 05:45 am
Chch do you still think Toeavea is an experiment?
21 Jul 2007, 05:46 am
353. “the best drop is produced in Magatainoka”…yeah right!
Most of Tui’s production is in Auckland – Magatainoka is just what they say in the advertising.
I boycotted them since they served up an ad dissing redheads
and enjoy any chance to put them down now!!
I’d rather have a Martinborough Pinot anyday for a decent authentic Wairarapa drink!
21 Jul 2007, 05:48 am
chch – who would you change ?
Given the weather conditions – we will soon see if those drills did any good
21 Jul 2007, 05:49 am
#385 aaahhrrr no, you mean those babes are also a figment of the imagination?
21 Jul 2007, 05:56 am
387. The babes are the local dairy farmers wives.
Think carefully before you try to chat them up, they don’t call Wairarapa blokes bushmen because they are civilised!
21 Jul 2007, 05:57 am
#388 lol. Remind me to drive through the Wairarapa in convoy next time.
21 Jul 2007, 05:58 am
Toeavea has great potential so lets use him in the next WC
Smith and Mils will do for coverage. We could also use Mauger, McAlister and even Evens if we had to
21 Jul 2007, 06:22 am
Ok fair enough … Although he needs game time to build confidence & consistency, so perhaps in the pool games ?
21 Jul 2007, 06:39 am
If Toeava starts believing he’s good enough I’d definitely have him there at the RWC’07.
His style as a linebreaker is so different to Conrad (who is the master at putting others into gaps) that it will give the AB’s opponents an entirely diffent package to contend with once they are switched.
If he can’t get it together this evening on his home turf I don’t know if he deserves another chance though – maybe we drag Nonu back from the land of the forgotten again and keep him sedated??
21 Jul 2007, 07:10 am
391 Rugby_Princess,
The thing is we can not use a valueable WC team slot for someone who may not be good enough for top opposition. If we have to play him tonight then I agree with Ricane … home ground so if he messes up then no WC
21 Jul 2007, 07:14 am
Fair call – no room on the bus for anyone who can’t carry their own weight.
21 Jul 2007, 07:29 am
#392 Nonu should stick to disco dancing and boy racing, lol. Mind you with Tana at his side he did behave. If he stepped out of line he would get a clip on the ear.
21 Jul 2007, 07:30 am
Hand bags and all.
6 Mar 2008, 08:09 am
1111
6 Mar 2008, 08:09 am
1111
7 Mar 2008, 19:03 pm
111111
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