Haunted Henry sees Slade as saviour
2 Oct 2011
Graham Henry has urged New Zealanders to unconditionally back Colin Slade.
Henry, looking haunted when addressing the media, emphasised the tournament still had to be played and the key to any success would come from those available for selection.
All Blacks coach Henry said it was devastating for the player, the squad and the nation to lose Dan Carter, but added that Colin Slade was now the player in possession of the No 10 jersey.
‘I trust Colin to do the job,’ said Henry. ‘He is the No 1 now.’
Specialist flyhalf Aaron Cruden has been drafted into the squad as cover and versatile scrumhalf Piri Weepu is also an option to play flyhalf against Argentina in the play-offs.
Slade started in the 18-5 Tri Nations defeat against the Boks in Port Elizabeth and experienced a horror 60 minutes before being replaced by Weepu. He was also ordinary in the 83-8 win against Japan a fortnight ago.
The All Blacks medical staff confirmed Carter tore his groin muscle during a kicking drill at the captain’s run on Saturday and the recovery would be between 10 and 12 weeks. He is likely to undergo surgery in Auckland next week.
Carter had been named captain in Richie McCaw’s absence.
Slade produced a mixed bag in the 79-15 win against Canada. He kicked four from eight, made a break and had a kick charged down. He was moved to right wing on 50 minutes and hobbled off with an ankle injury in the 65th minute.
Henry said Slade had initially struggled but he thought he improved.
‘He just needs to play,’ Henry told the media.
Former Australian hooker Jeremy Paul did not agree with Henry, saying that without Dan Carter he couldn’t see New Zealand winning the competition. He also felt Slade was not up to it.
Sky television critic and former England flyhalf Stuart Barnes agreed: ‘I would get (Aaron) Cruden in there as soon as possible. Slade, like against Japan, just did not take control of a game in which his team was winning by 60-plus points.’
All Blacks captain against Canada Andrew Hore said it was important that the 14 who started with whoever played flyhalf against the Pumas do the job.
‘There is no doubting we will miss Daniel Carter. He is a special player,’ said Hore. ‘But the forwards simply have to ensure that whoever plays 10 is given the quality ball to control the game and that way go all the way in this tournament. And I believe we have good enough players to do this.’
20 Comments
2 Oct 2011, 04:21 am
Cometh thehour, cometh the man. Ask Frans Steyn about 2007.
2 Oct 2011, 04:37 am
The task has become more harder, so the greater glory awaits, if they succeed.
3 teams to beat, each of them has their own problems and is beatable, Carter or no Carter.
2 Oct 2011, 05:13 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1: Frans has the X factoe – Colin has the why? factor.
2 Oct 2011, 05:17 am
Tickles has warned us before of the depth of talent they have.
2 Oct 2011, 05:20 am
Slade getting false confidence against Canada. Good luck in the knock out stages, Colin. You can see Colin is a weak minded pu-ssy.
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1:
Don’t compare Slade to Steyn, thanks.
2 Oct 2011, 05:25 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-5: That false confidence will be further boosted against the rubbish Argies next weekend. Reality check awaits the glass jaw in the semis.
2 Oct 2011, 05:43 am
If the kiwis choke mccaw will say losing carter was the turning point.
2 Oct 2011, 05:44 am
If the kiwis choke mccaw will say losing carter was the turning point as will all kiwis
2 Oct 2011, 06:27 am
Sorry Graham but The Tackler jinxed you again….
2 Oct 2011, 07:03 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-5: indeed, you must be drunk to compare a kak Slade to a super star like Steyn.
2 Oct 2011, 07:32 am
I agree Collin Slade is nowhere near as good a player as Francois Steyn. Just ask Murray Mexted
Lets hold thumbs that Francois is not as serious as what the media has made his injury out to be
2 Oct 2011, 07:48 am
@ShaunSwindon(Karma-zaf)-11: Steyn is on a plane home and Kirchner is replacing him …. that’s how serious it is.
2 Oct 2011, 10:36 am
This may in fact be a good thing for New Zealand. Carter has been in terrible form anyway. If you look at his test career, he has been in decline since 2005. Slade was actually a part of the best NZ attacking display in many years against the Boks this year. So I am not going to get too exited about Carter’s injury just yet.
2 Oct 2011, 10:57 am
@Alucard(Alucard)-13:
You mean the great attacking play which resulted in one try (from a forward pass)?
I suppose you’re happy, your boy Zane Kirchner has been flown in.
2 Oct 2011, 20:56 pm
Carter wont have anything to do with rugby till next years S15.
Hard to say that Henry should have groomed a back up – he tried – we used Donald, Slade, Cruden, even Brett got a look in – but lets be honest, none of them were or are good enough as acomparison. Maybe they were good enough to wear an AB jersey, but to compare them against Carter – futile.
2 Oct 2011, 20:56 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-13:
Thanks for the laugh.
2 Oct 2011, 23:15 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-13: Laughable. Carter’s performance against the Wallabies at Eden Park was the best performance by a flyhalf this year.
3 Oct 2011, 00:59 am
@DAS(DAS)-17:
I think you’ll find 95% of his posts are “laughable” unless they involve the Bulls/Boks when he suddenly becomes deadly serious.
Also nb that he only turns up when nthose same teams are winning. Otherwise he’s holed up in some cave in Neanderworld with Tacitus.
Dont ask.
3 Oct 2011, 04:26 am
Henry has to talk him up.
3 Oct 2011, 04:35 am
And if we win this thing without carter – wont that hurt the rest
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