‘All Blacks are still favourites’

‘All Blacks are still favourites’

29 Sep 2011

Bryan Habana has challenged the popular perception that the Springboks are the team to beat at this World Cup.

Many of the New Zealand newspapers, television shows and radio stations have hailed the arrival of the Boks following their two big wins against Fiji and Namibia. ‘Can anybody beat this side?’ seems to be a popular question and theme running through the local media.

The All Blacks made a statement last Saturday when they thumped France 37-17. It was a significant result, as it all but ensured that they won Pool A (they should collect a further five points against Canada this Sunday). It was also a significant performance, as while a number of individuals shone it was a polished collective effort that sent the strongest message to New Zealand’s would-be challengers.

Habana confirmed that the Boks have taken note, and moved to play down the hype born on the back of South Africa’s big wins over Fiji and Namibia.

According to Habana, only one team has arrived at this tournament. For a team like the Boks, the recent performances need to be viewed in context. They are still a long way away from where they need to be.

‘The All Blacks have really laid down a marker, and they are the only team to have qualified for the play-offs,’ said Habana. ‘They are still the favourites.’

Habana said there’s still room for improvement before the do or die game against the Wallabies in the quarter-final. The Boks also won’t take anything for granted against Samoa, as a loose performance against the islanders could potentially cost them a place in the final eight.

‘When we went away from our structures [against Namibia] there were individual errors. We were good when we got back into our structures later in the game.

‘I believe the best is yet to come from this side. It’s been difficult [to build much momentum] with all the injuries over the last three weeks. The [first-choice] combinations haven’t had much of an opportunity to play together. There’s a lot to improve on, and we should start to see those combos clicking in the coming game.’

The Boks put 59 points past Samoa in the previous Test between these two sides. Habana was in top form on that occasion, scoring four tries.

Unfortunately, the Boks’ most prolific try-scorer has struggled to rediscover that kind of form in the subsequent four years, and in 2011 the team as a collective has battled to fire against the top sides. While Samoa is not in the top echelon, they will ask more questions than Fiji and Namibia.

‘They’ve improved a lot since 2007,’ said Habana. ‘They’ve always been physical but they are playing with a lot more structure in 2011.

‘We have to give our all. You can’t go into this game worrying about injuries [ahead of a probable quarter-final], rugby is a collision sport not a contact sport. If you’re worried about injuries you shouldn’t be playing rugby.’

By Jon Cardinelli, in Auckland


172 Comments

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 » Show All

  • 1.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:09 am

    “Popular perception”? Where? Valkenberg?

  • 2.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:23 am

    Has there EVER been a team MORE desperate to avoid the ‘Favourites’ tag whilst simultaneously harbouring incredibly insatiable egos ?

    I mean – Bryan HABANA ?!?

    *chortle*

  • 3.dr dre: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:39 am

    The supporters and players of the United Pacific Ferns are completely shitting themselves for the playoffs with a team full of mentally shattered players and a nation of desperately wanting people.

  • 4.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:44 am

    ABs are virtually unbackable favourures, really. They have everything going for them – a strong and settled side, home advantage, sentimental support and goodwill stemming from the Christchurch quakes, a coach who has world cup experience and key personnel motivated by one last crack at Bill. To not win this thing now would put all previous losses in the shade,

  • 5.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:50 am

    @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-4: got to disagree with some of your points..

    strong and settled side? who is the first choice locking partner for Thorn? the first choice scrummy? Thompson at 8? wtf?? :D picking wingers who havent played a game in this WC?

    GH has LOSING WC experience, and seems to have repeated this formula with his squad selection… Boric after no game time, though Im still miffed he didnt give Donnelly a crack this year, regardless of Super form.. Woodcock over Crockett etc.. we need some of PDVs inspired selection choices to assist us ( injury enforced :lol: )…

  • 6.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:51 am

    @BP. What’s with the chortle? Were you home educated using The Beano?

  • 7.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 06:59 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-5: He had it right with Hoeata. He was the form NZ lock in the S15. Selecting Boric to let go of Hoeata was truly daft. The issues you raise is all his own doing tho.

  • 8.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:02 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-5:

    Whitelock/Weepu.

  • 9.JL1: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:04 am

    @Black Panther(Black Panther)-2: We don’t perform as favourites as we do as underdogs

  • 10.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:05 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-7: agreed… seems its not only PDV who has his own little fat boys club :D the Auckland slant in some of his selections just doesnt make sense (and this from a blues fan)…

    as you say, it his petard to hoist himself upon..

  • 11.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:05 am

    @JL1(JL1)-9:

    After the Wesh game you couldn’t be favourites.

  • 12.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:08 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-8: much prefer Cowan myself… not a Weepu fan, often takes too long to clear the ball from a ruck, allowing the opposition defense to realign..

  • 13.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:08 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-5: And don’t they look silly now for omitting Crockett because of scrum penalties he concedes and now Woodcock seems to be getting on the wrong side of the ref anyway? Always said that what Crockett brought to the Crusaders and AB’s game far outweighs his ‘alleged’ weakness in the scrum. The day my hope increased tenfold when Crockett didn’t make it. :smile:

  • 14.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:11 am

    Boks are nowhere near being favourites in this WC , thats plain rubbish…

    AB’s have basically destroyed all before them accept the Aussies in the 3N’s

    Yes we know the Boks played a weakened b team blah blah blah, but the AB’s have been tops now for 2 years and have home ground advantage , that already makes them about 70% favourites, no matter whom they start against

  • 15.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:12 am

    @Black Panther(Black Panther)-2: only ego here seems to be urs that from day in and day out you troll like a child in search of attantion, you are an insult to the likes of CHCH who is a decent sporting Kiwi , and of course a few others that blog in here

  • 16.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:13 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-13: still baffles me that choice… why not take Woodcock and Crockett, omitting Afoa who is a poor substitute…I knwo Afoa can play all 3 front row positions, but if need be we dont have to fly anyone in to the tourny, and you can still replace someone through injury…

    crazy stuff…

  • 17.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:14 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-13:

    The AB scrum will be fine, its whats behind it that you should be worried about.

  • 18.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:14 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-10: please names these fat boys??? because if ur referring to SMIT you making a huge mistake , or is it you cant think of anything decenet to say in life so you insult on a blog from behind a monitor???

  • 19.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:16 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-12:

    I think Weepu will play the big ones though.

  • 20.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:17 am

    @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-18:

    How about Spies?

  • 21.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:17 am

    @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-18: come back when youve got out the other side of the bed… did you not see the smiley?

    I was talking about GH having favourites, much like PDV…

    but continue..

  • 22.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:20 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-16: Ja. He could’ve picked a better balanced side. Players on form too. Franks, Hore, Crockett, Hoeata, Thorn, Kaino, McCaw and Read. It would’ve taken something realy special to put this pack on the backfoot. Anyway, water under the bridge but I’d be lying if I said I’m not enjoying GH getting it wrong again. :lol:

  • 23.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:25 am

    Look and learn boys

    :lol:

  • 24.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:26 am

    uptheguts
    :lol: I didn’t think Hore was in such good form, Mealamu surpassed him to my mind.

  • 25.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:28 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-17: Not too phased mate tbh. Only SBW scares me as one can make a perfectly legimate tackle but still end up behind your own goal line, watching Dan lining it up. We can handle what the others throw at us.

  • 26.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:29 am

    @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-6:

    ~ ~ ~ belly wobble ~ ~ ~

  • 27.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:30 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-23:

    Have you got some new material or will it be more of the same today?

  • 28.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:31 am

    @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-15:

    and a Good Moaning to you too

  • 29.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:32 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-25:

    of course you can, no side ever worries you mate with a 55% winning ratio recently that attitudes surprises me but each to their own

  • 30.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:34 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-24: Depends on how you see the game turning out. Pick and go, up the guts type of game, then Mealamu is probably your guy. Hore is a Bismarck imitation( :lol: ), competing on the ground. And since Ritchie is apparently no longer required to make a steal at a breakdown, an extra man contesting could be needed.

  • 31.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:35 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-27:

    He needs to invest some Keo Comedy Dollars in a session with Dr Nils Crane.

    I feel positively liberated after cashing mine in.

  • 32.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:36 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-29: And Dagg of course. Haven’t you heard mate? This Springbok side is a totally different beast when a WC is on the line. :wink:

  • 33.Staal: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:38 am

    As is said this (on the day the kept their coach) … let me say this again.

    AB’s will win this with a country mile..

    they are streets better than anyone else and in NZ are unbeatable..

    respect….

  • 34.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:38 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-30: its the line out skill that worries me, and Mealamu has been better this season than Hore in that aspect… I do agree Hore is a better pilferer, but the gain line battle will be huge should our teams meet, and with read and McCaw i think we will be ok in competing on the ground…

  • 35.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:39 am

    @Black Panther(Black Panther)-31:

    Of the thousands of jokes he has posted here I think i’ve found at least one funny

  • 36.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:39 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-27:

    Its a classic.

    And classics never go out of fashion.

    Four years later it’s as fresh as the day it slithered off your tongue and onto the floor.

    You were favourites then too non?

  • 37.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:39 am

    @Staal(Staal)-33: reverse psychology 101?

  • 38.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:39 am

    @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-20: :lol:

  • 39.UptheGuts: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:40 am

    @Staal(Staal)-33: let me guess…but you’ll love it when you’re wrong? :lol:

  • 40.Staal: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:40 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-37: naw – you should know me better.

  • 41.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:40 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-34:

    Count Read out for the RWC. He’s a gonner until I see him run out on to the pitch.

  • 42.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:42 am

    off topic, but did you guys hear about the woman who had a live grenade removed from her face..

    talk about a ********… :D

  • 43.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:42 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-42: b l o w j ob

  • 44.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:43 am

    @Black Panther(Black Panther)-41: there was an article in Stuff saying he was fine half an hour after the incident at training… I expect he will be named in the starting side after reading the article..

  • 45.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:44 am

    @Staal(Staal)-40:
    Ek sien jy het n buffelbul gekoop,was op die Beeld se voorblad.
    Goeie werk.
    Wanneer nooi jy my plaas toe?

  • 46.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:45 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-32:

    I didn’t see anything against the Welsh that would have any team too worried the hype after Fiji and Namibia was very amusing if you get past the Moans tomorrow your 1/4 against the Aussies will be a 50/50 game

  • 47.Taahirah: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:45 am

    How is this even an argument? Ofcourse ABs are the favourites. In my mind we are a member of the dark horses all with an outside chance of winning it. Aussies, Ireland, England and France being the others. Ireland and England would have to hope we or the Aussies beat them ABs though, no way they’d be able to do it.

  • 48.Staal: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:45 am

    @UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-39: i am a Bok supporter…. i am also a rugby supporter…

    they are better than us in collecting points…. and that’s how they decide who win….

  • 49.Taahirah: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:46 am

    @Staal(Staal)-33: Streets better? Yes
    Unbeatable? No

  • 50.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    29 Sep 2011, 07:48 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-44:

    I could k*ss you right now, Pops.

    Thank God youre in Australia.

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