Blacks within reach of rugby heaven
16 Oct 2011
RYAN VREDE watched the All Blacks take a step closer to ending their World Cup misery with a 20-6 victory over Australia at Eden Park.
Surely now. Surely the suffering will end. Surely the team that has so often betrayed the faithfulness of their long-suffering fans, nay, disciples, will claim the one prize they most covet.
France lie in wait in the final. On the evidence of their woeful performance in victory over Wales last night they will not live with this flawed but formidable team and its superlative players – Israel Dagg chief among those.
On current form Dagg is without peer in the game, possessing every technical gift on offer, and, more pertinently, the temperament for the biggest occasions. All those qualities were on show as he crafted their only try, beating three would-be tacklers then defying the laws of physics to offload a pass to Ma’a Nonu while plummeting into touch. Breathtaking is a word too liberally used to describe mediocre feats. It is inadequate for that inspired action.
Dagg was the headline act in a play with a range of compelling sub-plots, none more so than the vendetta against a son of New Zealand’s soil, Quade Cooper. It took 32 minutes for the flyhalf to do something right (a drop-goal), the preceding period being spent chastising himself for errors or peeling himself off the canvas from statement hits.
While Cooper’s star waned, his counterpart Aaron Cruden’s shone brightly. In the context of his Test career – its genesis seeing coach Graham Henry hailing him as the natural successor to Daniel Carter, and its nadir coming when he was unceremoniously dumped shortly thereafter, before being recently recalled – his was a mature effort, particularly in light of the magnitude of the occasion and the quality of the opposition.
But in a game shaped by the principle of cause and effect, Cruden’s ability to rock rested heavily on the shift put in by his roadies in shirts one through eight. Immovable at the gainline on defence and irresistible on attack, the Blacks’ heavies were mighty. Their spirit was encapsulated in the superb performance of Richie McCaw, who excelled despite his foot being held together by hope and some items found in a mechanic’s toolbox. ‘I know he will try to be modest and give credit to the tight five [for laying the platform], but he was just outstanding,’ coach Graham Henry said of McCaw.
Australia boast a player of Dagg’s calibre in openside flank David Pocock, who appears to possess the supernatural gift of omnipresence. But he was rendered a non-factor at the breakdown thanks to the efficiency of the Blacks’ strike runners and cleaners.
It would be remiss not to acknowledge the Wallabies’ unkillable spirit in the face of incessant pressure. It was the outstanding feature of their game against the Springboks last week, and they exhibited that again tonight. To restrict the Blacks to one try is a notable achievement given the hosts’ surfeit of territory and possession. However, they lacked a clinical edge in the 22m, which was decisive to their fortunes.
That they were in touch at half-time – trailing 14-6 – bore testament to their resolve as much as it did the Blacks’ frequent impatience on attack. But they did little more than survive, when reopening the psychological wounds the Blacks sport from previous failures in this tournament required considerably more.
Just after the restart Piri Weepu kicked his third penalty to go with a Cruden drop goal, extending the lead to 11 points. There was a observable change in focus from the Blacks thereafter, with panache giving way to pragmatism on attack and granitic defence being the bedrock of their resistance.
Australia succumbed, albeit not meekly, to a team who have no equal in the game. France are vastly inferior opponents. For the Blacks, ending their suffering will be more a test of exorcising their own demons than it will be about vanquishing Lievremont’s mad mob.
By Ryan Vrede, at Eden Park
Follow Ryan’s World Cup coverage on Twitter
1,170 Comments
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17 Oct 2011, 07:33 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-1096:
Not a single one of those quotes is attributable to the people you suggest made them.
How bloody lame.
Every 12 months or so some wan ker posts a list like that in the mistaken belief they are genuine and clever.
17 Oct 2011, 07:34 am
@Gunther(gunther)-1099:
how does it feel when the Ref scores as many Try’s as your team, but with less possession ?
17 Oct 2011, 07:35 am
@Brads(Brads)-1101:
youre learning real fast
17 Oct 2011, 07:39 am
@Gunther(gunther)-1099:
Sure thing
Unless it’s the Bulls Vs the Tahs or the Poms Vs Wales (2011)
Few more etched on Joubert’s roll of shame who blew the off side on McCaw first time at the 62 minute!
But it were Cooper, Genia and the No8 who actually ruled the Wallabies out of the contest imo
17 Oct 2011, 08:07 am
@TahRoo(TahRoo)-1095:
Well Tah, your on track to take all those trophies, especially your league team
17 Oct 2011, 08:12 am
GO FRANCE!
17 Oct 2011, 08:14 am
kiwis have been the best team in this wc by a country mile……
17 Oct 2011, 08:15 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-1106:
lol
17 Oct 2011, 08:35 am
Here we go, another week for me to wind up the nervous tension.
It was such a relief to watch the AB’s stay ahead throughout the game, I never really appreciated how well they played until after the final whistle.
There was always that nagging fear some out of the blue miracle was going to be pulled off by Aus
17 Oct 2011, 08:35 am
I’m hoping the Blacks win it, the alternative would be just too embarasing for the sport in general.
17 Oct 2011, 08:52 am
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-1110:
I suspect there is an army of people out there who would cream themselves if NZ came up short again, but you are right.
Both Argentina and Ireland would have made more worthy finalists. At least they turned up every match.
17 Oct 2011, 08:54 am
It’s another beautiful day, I feel really good, the AB’s are looking sharpish, the old bill is in sight, the world makes sense once again!!!!
17 Oct 2011, 08:58 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1112:
Hey pundu, howz the world’s only living spine donor doing?
How was your weekend? Any cowardly deeds to share with us?
Any luck yet in finding your balls? I say, just eat lots of asparaghus and grow a new pair
17 Oct 2011, 08:58 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1112:
It sure does, lets hope we can keep smiling after the Final
17 Oct 2011, 08:59 am
Rossoneri: you must be delighted!!!!! The AB’s have been just amazing, I’ve watched the game three times and the AB’s were simply superb. Dagg was played as though in his backyard.
17 Oct 2011, 09:04 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1115:
hahaha you make me laugh mate.
Good on you
17 Oct 2011, 09:05 am
Why is everyone so surprised that the All Blacks made the final?? We all said 2 months ago that NZ WILL win the RWC because it is played in NZ? NZ favourites since it was announced the RWC will be in NZ – many years ago!!! One interesting thing is the last time they played the Boks they lost – also didn’t face them in the RWC !
17 Oct 2011, 09:07 am
Deans tactic of kicking the ball for Jane and Dagg to collect was thick as bat guano.
That said, it seemed to be the tactic of choice by both sides, because the AB’s turned to it as often as the Aussies, but with far better results.
17 Oct 2011, 09:10 am
@Richie_7(p0ppa69)-1117:
No, everyone said NZ would choke.
Still might, but enough already of the attempt to rewrite the history of what posters have predicted on Keo ever since its foundation back in 2002 or when ever.
17 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
If you don’t win the RWC @ home, then you are k@k – just ask SA!
17 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
Helen: I’ve missed you, where’ve been hiding, I’ve called for you many times but to no avail, I was waiting for your usual charming rants and choker taunts but you were conspicuous with your silence! What’s your new mantra now?
Are we still on for drinks in sandton?
17 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
@Richie_7(p0ppa69)-1120:
But if we do win, SA will have the same wins in RWC as NZ, but the ignominy of having been flicked aside twice in the quarters, like some wannabe Pacific Island team.
17 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
Hurricane: I was so nervous mate, had all these boks fans around me praying for the AB’s to lose! To get through that 80 and look at their faces was something to behold, it was truly satisfying, I’ve never felt better, the AB’s have truly come of age. Now we have to ensure we approach the French diligently and we’re ruthless come end of this week!!!! We’ve played the heavyweights of rugby and come through.
17 Oct 2011, 09:19 am
Helen: where are you my little one……..?
17 Oct 2011, 09:19 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1123:
Well mate our teams done well at the moment ,let it continue.
Question though, do you get hassled much for liking NZ from your friends? Or is it just this site that has a problem?
17 Oct 2011, 09:20 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1125:
Sorry, it is team not teams, there is not two AB teams.
17 Oct 2011, 09:24 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1126:
actually it’s there are not two AB teams.
one is quite enough enough thank you.
17 Oct 2011, 09:26 am
@Gunther(gunther)-1127:
lol
you even had to put in two enoughs.
17 Oct 2011, 09:26 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1126:
I think you made it worse!
17 Oct 2011, 09:30 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1128:
enough already.
17 Oct 2011, 09:33 am
Hurricane: my white and black friends know I’ve been an AB supporter since we’ve been friends from prep school, it’s always good banter between us. You see these bloggers here would have no issue with my support of the AB’s if the boks could actually play rugby, the boks are losing grates the hell out of them, then whomever does not support the boks is unpatriotic! They conveniently forget that black support of the boks is a recent phenomenon, there are a lot of black AB clubs in cape town, PE, east london, and Johannesburg!!!!
17 Oct 2011, 09:34 am
Zinzan Brooke being honoured by a this is your life program tonight
17 Oct 2011, 09:35 am
@Brads(Brads)-1119:
It’s a troll
17 Oct 2011, 09:36 am
incorrectly posted under the joubert thread…. apologies…
one of the moments of the match of me… well actually after the match…
was Richie walking on his own just after the final whistle… looking around him… and letting a little smile come to his face as it sank it that they had achieved their penultimate goal of reaching the final… then it was gone… because he knows the job is not yet done.
no matter what saffas say about him… he is a truly great rugby player, captain and person… humble and dignified…
well done Richie…!
no one is entitled to anything in sport… victory and reputation and respect have to be earned…
but if ever there was a team that deserved to win the world cup… it is richie’s all blacks… they have been so dominant over the last few years that (barring the bok upset i had hoped for) with the Christchurch earthquake as well… it would be a travesty should they not win the trophy this time…
i hope the french compete… but i back the all blacks to win…
17 Oct 2011, 09:37 am
@Brads(Brads)-1132:
It’s about time.
Wish I could see it!
17 Oct 2011, 09:39 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-1133:
yip… IMO…
the best all-round rugby player… EVER…
17 Oct 2011, 09:42 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1131: How long has the support for NZ gone on?
I remember when NZ toured SA in 1970, the black spectators were all couped together in what looked like rickety scaffold bleachers and they appeared to a man to be pro AB’s.
Was it Bryan Williams or did it go back before that.
After all, New Zealand didn’t play with a a multiracial team in SA until 1970
17 Oct 2011, 09:52 am
Brads: the genesis to this was that blacks supported anyone who played the boks, so the British lions, the AB’s, etc etc., with the advent if the AB’s having maori’s in their teams but not being permitted to play the boks, this gave even greater fuel to this support!
17 Oct 2011, 09:53 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-1133:
Hi Dawn,
Yeah I should be a bit more smarter on that.
Responding agressively to trolls, in a non personal way, tends to have the side effect of peeing off a whole bunch of other folk.
17 Oct 2011, 09:56 am
I was taught NEVER to support the All Blacks because of the flour Bomb incident! and i never will!! – they behaved like animals! – will they win the RWC next week? of course the will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — will they win 2012 tri Nations – most probably!!!!! — will i stop hating them? Never!! — will i stop giving their supporters kak? — not in a million years! Kia bakORE
17 Oct 2011, 10:00 am
@Richie_7(p0ppa69)-1140:
and many rugby lovers around the world and in south africa were taught NEVER to support the Boks because of the “apartheid incident”…
so don’t complain about saffas who support other teams then… a little grace and maturity go a long way… but if you don’t have them you don’t have them…
you really are a little-minded person aren’t you…
17 Oct 2011, 10:01 am
Richie: why were the boks flower bombed?
17 Oct 2011, 10:02 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1138:
Okay thanks.
Yes the 1960 tour was almost cancelled because of that issue, but the spineless folk at the NZRFU let the issue slide.
17 Oct 2011, 10:03 am
Wow, have not been here for a couple of weeks, but glad to see that there are so many who are supporting the best and most deserved team to take the WC. I told you so…
17 Oct 2011, 10:03 am
120% — just don’t complain if i don’t support banana banana from now on!!
17 Oct 2011, 10:05 am
the only reason the Maori’s weren’t allowed in SA hotels were because they still wet their beds LMAO!!!!
17 Oct 2011, 10:05 am
Richie: who the hell is banana banana?
17 Oct 2011, 10:05 am
@Richie_7(p0ppa69)-1145:
i’m sure they’ll be devastated…
17 Oct 2011, 10:08 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1147:
mpundulu bud…
speaking of bananas… let’s not feed this m:o:n:k:e:y…
17 Oct 2011, 10:08 am
Flower-bombed.
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