Henry sticks with winning combo
20 Oct 2011
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has named an unchanged starting line-up for Sunday’s World Cup final against France.
Unlike the 2007 tournament where the side was changed from game to game, Henry has coveted consistency and built some momentum with the existing combinations. Adam Thomson is the only change to the 22, and will replace Victor Vito on the bench.
The All Blacks boast an impressive win record under Henry, but they are yet to win a World Cup. Henry admitted that this would be a motivating factor.
‘I’ve been with a lot of these guys for a long time and although they may be ranked the leading team in the world, they’ve never been world champions,’ Henry said. ‘It would be just marvellous to have that title because they’ve had every other title that’s going in rugby apart from this one.
‘So for Richie [McCaw] and the boys I think that would be fabulous and you don’t deserve that title till you do the job. I think they’re good enough and that would be the icing on the cake.’
The All Blacks coach said the team would not underestimate France.
‘This French team, we’re not sure who’s going to turn up, quite frankly. So we’ve got to prepare that they’re going to be the best in the world. They’ve certainly got the individuals to do that, it’s just whether they can produce that as a side. All the word is that they’ve prepared well and they’re very focused and they’re enjoying the underdog tag.
‘They feel that they’re not being considered in this final by a lot of people. We don’t think that. We think they’re a very good rugby team.’
If the All Blacks win the final, they will retain their No 1 world ranking.
New Zealand – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.
165 Comments
20 Oct 2011, 20:51 pm
Winning Dragons ?
20 Oct 2011, 20:57 pm
Go All Blacks, do it for the Southern Hemisphere. Destroy them.
Richie deserves that trophy. Legend. Right up there with Lomu.
20 Oct 2011, 20:57 pm
He knows what his A-team is.
20 Oct 2011, 21:01 pm
I will give credit to GH. Did not buckle under the pressure to pick shoulderboy.
20 Oct 2011, 21:17 pm
The AB’s will walk this.
They just mustn’t let the occasion get too big for them.
20 Oct 2011, 21:40 pm
So this is the team that’s going to walk the WC final stroll in the park….
20 Oct 2011, 21:56 pm
like taking candy from a baby…
20 Oct 2011, 22:16 pm
An ideal ending to a wonderful campaign of the greatest coaches under one roof, no one comes close!!!!
20 Oct 2011, 22:17 pm
Transie: hiya ku http://www.iloverugby.co.za ufunde I-article ethi “Wayne Smith: The Revolutionary”.
20 Oct 2011, 22:38 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-9: am THERE like a bear!
20 Oct 2011, 22:50 pm
With the ABs in their mind already World Champs, the French would be making very smart plans to disrupt NZ
And they will look no further than Aaron Cruden.
He is the man they will target and Piri Weepu’s service to him. The ABs will then take the play back to the forwards but if French stand up in the collisions we may well be in for a surprise!
There is no team like the French who would NOT hesitate to put the ABs away.
A motivated and focused French team arguably one of the smartest on the planet.
20 Oct 2011, 23:01 pm
You know I sense a little tickling in the throat region feeling a coming on
fark me silly if this f’ng no hoper bunch of froggy french ragamuffin outfit fcks this glory grandiose AB rugga machine up Saturday there is going to be moerse sack cloth and ashes deviation of dysfunction on those couple south sea Islands, I reckon the waves might just part and swallow em up rather than face the wailing and torture that might overcome the frail psyches of a nation in absolute destitute expectation and fear of failure once more…
Could the gods of ruggadom be that misgiving.. ooh my frail beseeching heart.. I dunno how the likes of Tackler will take it if the bounce of ze oval ball decide to flutter and falter in the wrong direction this last hope of a time on her own godly given soil… devastation and desolation won’t cut the air of gloom engulfing a nation … we could be mistaken for hoping it don’t come to this, because even the most ardent of fair French fan would not wish such a hopeless state of destitution and diabolical denial hitting the streets of Wellington and Auckland if by merciless incantation Paddy’s regime of whistle blowers don’t save the last throw of the dice show its last beseeching spoils…
20 Oct 2011, 23:14 pm
If the AB’s lose because the Froggies play better rugby, it’ll be a horrible day, but it will pass.
If the AB’s lose because of bad calls al la brycie, you can expect a similar reaction
to 2007, and to SA a short time ago.
I am expecting the frogs to play out of their skins, and they would need to to be able to win.
I don’t think Joubert would make too many bad calls, he’s pretty good.
on a level playing field however, I just can’t see these frogs match the AB’s.
Still nervous as all he11 tho. more nervous than the semi.
20 Oct 2011, 23:17 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-12: i forsee the ABs turning up the heat in the 1st 15min & unleash a flurry of manny pacquiao-like punches from which the french won’t at any point recover.
but if the french rogues survive that initial onslaught then it’s dog fight!
20 Oct 2011, 23:23 pm
Craig Joubert will blow it for the AB’s just like he did last Sunday vs Wallabies.. he’s a home town ref just like the best of them.. Paddy got him well and truly taped… and he simply won’t have the balls to blow AB’s out their last hope of reclaiming their long lost national prestige and pride in front of a nation of hopeful hearts expecting the walls of Gethsemane to eventually pass over the judgment of dooms day forever…
If French wanna take this thing they gonna have to do it in spite of every last negating sentiment and dare to dream air of expectancy like a nonchalant Cassius Clay knocking over a cocksure Sonny Bill Liston in round one of this here scheduled heavy weight crown bout…
20 Oct 2011, 23:26 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-14: pretty much correct.. if they survive the first onslaught and pull a sucker punch of their own.. could turn out into a dog fight which like 99 could turn nasty and ugly… though its a real long shot from where any pundit would even dare to dream that the plucky little cockerels can pull it off again this time.. especially on AB home soil..
20 Oct 2011, 23:28 pm
Despite whats been said, I look at it this way.
We only scored one try against Aus, Nonu. Yet we bullied them all night long, still didnt really penetrate though.
The French were able to defend a 1 point lead against Wales by doing nothing other than, well, defending
If we do not rise above last week, or fall short of last weeks effort, and the French did what we know the French can do, we could be in poo.
Its easy to say we should smash em, but if we get rattled and they get confident, its a whole new ball game, it really is.
They may have looked ****, but at times, like the first 10 against us in pool play, and the 12 minute patch against England, they performed. So we we know they can do it, its whether or not they can sustain it, and how we cope with it.
20 Oct 2011, 23:32 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-16: Well this pundit has chanced Lady Luck’s arm with 100 quid on Parra and the Paddas.
20 Oct 2011, 23:32 pm
French use ’95 Bok victory as inspiration
by Brenden Nel 20 October 2011, 12:32
France will use the memory of the Springboks 1995 upset win in the Rugby World Cup final as inspiration when they meet the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.
The Boks came up against a rampant All Black side, and upset the odds by winning the final, a day that still echoes in rugby folklore as one of the greatest days of the game.
France, now staring down the barrel against a fancied All Black side this weekend and given no chance by anyone at snatching the World Cup for the first time, have invoked the 1995 memory as one they will use as they motivate themselves for the match.
The French admitted to “cocooning” themselves against the one-sided media coverage and barrage of support for the All Blacks, and are drawing from the siege mentality to try and gain strength ahead of Sunday’s final.
“A sense of history is important and we understand all too well why the All Blacks are favoured. Someone has to be favoured and it is not a given. They are playing at home and this is the dream final for us. For them, they will have a stadium jam-packed with New Zealanders,” French winger Vincent Clerc said in reference to the memory of 1995 as opposed to this weekend.
“But we have not played the match yet. They are not world champions yet.
“I do not feel I am in the skin of a future loser, someone who can’t win. That is not how I feel at all. But we are in the Final and it does not matter what happened before. It is what happens now that counts.”
Clerc said while his side had been criticised across the globe for making the final, and while some thought they were not worthy of their place, the French knew that their fighting spirit will give them a chance.
“This is the World Cup Final and we are not here by coincidence. You can put some of it down to chance but I don’t think it is coincidence,” he said.
“We will have to be committed and we will have to fight. We can’t fall into the trap of just doing any old thing. We have to be extremely lucid and we will have to make sure we manage the match, take the opportunities that are given.
“They have weaknesses as well and we just have to make sure we just don’t do any old thing. It will be a huge, huge rugby match. We will have to put the heat on them and we will have to be extremely defensive in the way we were against the Welsh.
“There is nothing better than a World Cup Final. It is the summit.”
The French winger said his side had used their strength as a group to shut out the media frenzy that has shook New Zealand before this weekend’s final.
“I have not turned the TV on all week so I am not sure what is going on in the outside world. We do not need motivation and we do not have to look at what others are doing. We are in our own bubble so it does not matter what the New Zealanders are doing in terms of their preparation.”
Clerc said his side didn’t fear the All Blacks and knew what they had to do to “write French history.”
“I think we are drawn to difficulty and I think it allows us to bring out the best in ourselves and it allows us to believe in the impossible.
“When you always see them as winners it is a logical thing when you lose against them. It is up to us to bring out the best in ourselves. It is a French default but I think in some ways it allows us to upset them. We have not always played perfect rugby but we have beaten them in the past.
“We will try to write French history. It is not easy but we have the tools. You can never predict what will happen.
“We know we can destabilize the All Blacks and we can do some exceptional things. I experienced that in 2007 and we experienced (it) in Dunedin a few years ago so it is a great source of inspiration for us. I think all the French team has under-performed in respect to the All Blacks and they have gone on to improbable victories.
“We have a greater desire and we need to be realistic. We can’t miss any opportunities.”
20 Oct 2011, 23:33 pm
french such an emtional side, no matter how good or bad can be terrible or sublime
20 Oct 2011, 23:34 pm
@JL1(JL1)-19: Maybe they’ve been watching Invictus.
20 Oct 2011, 23:37 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-15: yeah it’s unfair that NZ can have the same ref for the Semi-final and Final, I’m not sure that’s ever happened at a World Cup before. Certainly not in the pro era.
France will have to be twice as good to see this one home.
20 Oct 2011, 23:43 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-18:
100 quid is a big gambit Herr Gephoefler .. puttin yer money where yr heart is for one last throw of ze dice .. good for you.. .. how much did you back Barney to win his back to back WC vainglory fckup of a me first hollow dandy derriere campaign?
Thank the good Lord of good mercies he weren’t allowed to ride his luck that far.. can just imagine the size of that vainglorious head if karma had designed to spoil his f’ng over sized ego as much as she allowed him to grow his over-sized gat…
20 Oct 2011, 23:44 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-21: They are going to it for Carla Bruni
20 Oct 2011, 23:48 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-22: But I thought Joubert was one of the best?
I guess the only way that NZ can ever truely “win” a game is if there is no ref?
What a crock of *****.
I betcha the AB’s would have been happy with any ref, apart from barns.
Why must people persist in blaming refs? yes, they may miss calls, and make bad calls. but this is true of ALL refs, bar none.
If not Joubert, then who? Name one referee who has not made a bad call? There isn’t one. They are a “necessary evi1″.
Joubert was chosen by a panel because he had the best performance of the tournament. what can be fairer than that? Pick someones name out of a hat?
unripe wine fruit is what it sounds like.
20 Oct 2011, 23:50 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-23: a big fat zero schmackeroo was placed on Barney and his Boks… Odds weren’t schweet enough…
However odds on Sunday are very tasty… 8/1 Tricolores win. Got 100 quid to spare so I thought why the hellnot.
Never has there been a more one sided final in the history of the World Cup… This tells me one thing – the Rugby World Cup bubble might implode come Sunday…
20 Oct 2011, 23:50 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-22: They gonna have to beat the AB’s in front of their baying hoping praying beseeching fans AND take Joubert out the equation which if he has anything to do with it he’ll be hoping he don’t stand in the way of the avalanche of despair if by chance France are ahead at the final chapter.
There is so much expectancy laden sentiment here it will take a brave ref to blow it without considering the repercussions if by chance AB’s must lose.. and Joubert may just be too much of a goody two shoes nice guy IRB sucker to actually stick it to them if the occasion insists it..
20 Oct 2011, 23:50 pm
@JL1(JL1)-24: Liberty!
20 Oct 2011, 23:52 pm
@hashi(hashi)-25: I suspect if Australia had won the semi Barnes would have refereed the final, instead he has been shunted to 3rd/4th place play-off while NZ get the same ref for the semi and the final.
20 Oct 2011, 23:52 pm
I have to all intents and purposes thrown 100 quid away…
But, nothing like betting on a miracle…
20 Oct 2011, 23:53 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-22: trust you to have bone to pick
bloody geordie
20 Oct 2011, 23:54 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-27: yes, if NZ lose the ref leaves the stadium in a hearse, guaranteed.
I read some of the bookmakers have already paid out on a NZ win, one of them to the tune of £600,000. I hope the French can invoke the spirit of ’99 but sadly, I think this one’s already a wrap.
20 Oct 2011, 23:56 pm
@hashi(hashi)-25: is your nic in reference to a horse?
20 Oct 2011, 23:56 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-27: Y’know, that may be true. I think you are right! What’ll happen if jourbet “cheats” and the AB’s lose the game is that every person named “Craig Joubert” in south africa will be subject to abusive phone calls from angry fans. Fair too! Absolutely. Only stands to reason doesn’t it. its happened before. Only a short time ago in fact.
Cyclopian troll.
I hope the AB’s win. They may not. If they do lose, I hope they lose to a brilliant french effort. Not to a string of bad referee calls.
20 Oct 2011, 23:57 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-29: Paddy said, noway to Barnes for the Keewee final, the wounds of 2007 was still not healed
21 Oct 2011, 00:00 am
@hashi(hashi)-34: But a man with both eyes open would have to admit Justice4Bryce if Joubert rediscovers his roots and goes all French in the Final… That would be the absolute schweetest thing…. French will be Laughing
21 Oct 2011, 00:03 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-32:@hashi(hashi)-25: there’s NO way joubert is going to cheat against the all blacks on sunday, he has flown his parents to be at the stadium on the night! nope forget it he’ll be aiming for a stellar goodie-two-shoes, how do you love me now Paddy performance
21 Oct 2011, 00:03 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-29: Do you think it fair that referees should be held accountable for their performances? I assume so, you may have heard about the campaign to stop BL from reffing another game again. So, is the reverse not also applicable? As well as “punishment”, should there not be a “reward”?
If Joubert is not “fair”, then who is? There cannot be a french ref. There cannot be a NZ ref.
even you must admit barnes would be unseemly. So who else? What other referee is there that everyone can agree on who is not biased?
Why not offer reasonable and fair suggestions? I tell you why. Because there cannot be.
21 Oct 2011, 00:03 am
@JL1(JL1)-35: On the contrary I believe that Paddy thought that having Barnes ref the final would be too obvious in terms of bias…. Overcompensation… The French would have to pass the ball 10m back to avoid being blown to kingdom come with forward passes.
Nope, I reckon Paddy thinks he is clever by making Joubert whistle. However if all does not go to plan Joubert might suddenly pop a hammie at half time and Alain “Buck” Rolland will take over.
21 Oct 2011, 00:07 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-32: “guaranteed”
u’re a funny guy big hit.
21 Oct 2011, 00:07 am
@hashi(hashi)-34: you got too much of a persecution complex.. Joubert isn’t one of yours.. he’s actually one of ours.. and unbeknown perhaps to you there is likely far more pro AB support here than there is anti… so better you try grow a spine before Saturday because if your team is feeling anyway like you are they on a hiding to nothing Frenchies will have their guts for garters for sure…
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-30: miracles do and are know to occur… nothing like a miracle to blow some hope back into a stale and preconceived air of expectancy … and right now I reckon Nallet and Harinorduquey are banking heavily and are actually chomping at the bit on one… Craig Joubert just better get the fck out the way if it starts blowing through though… else he’s likely to get hurt..
21 Oct 2011, 00:07 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-15:
“If French wanna take this thing they gonna have to do it in spite of every last negating sentiment and dare to dream air of expectancy like a nonchalant Cassius Clay knocking over a cocksure Sonny Bill Liston in round one of this here scheduled heavy weight crown bout…”
Maybe not such an apt analogy; rumour would have it that Liston took a dive in that fight. (The phantom punch, and all that.)
21 Oct 2011, 00:08 am
@hashi(hashi)-25: Don’t talk through your back side
When the ABs suffered in the scrums against Italy, Paddy phoned the ref and lambasted him, and then did it in the media
Then Graham Henry accused a ref of not being fit enough, I think it was because the ref blew the forward passes of the ABs
The refs on international level are a bunch of clowns run by a clown. Do you want to tell me that these are the best there is?
21 Oct 2011, 00:08 am
BL hasn’t been held accountable for his actions, thats for sure.
A few hundred phone calls is nothing compared to being investigated for match fixing.
21 Oct 2011, 00:11 am
@Thucydides(Thucydides)-42: I personally prefer the French Cinderella men against the All Black Max Baers.
21 Oct 2011, 00:12 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-37: You mean his mother
21 Oct 2011, 00:12 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-41: lol HASHI is freaking out
hahaha
21 Oct 2011, 00:14 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-41: French are talking brutality… Could be a couple of cards… Oh well, if you plan to spoil a party, spoil it big time…
They also have a little plan for the haka too it seems.
21 Oct 2011, 00:14 am
I for one don’t think barnes cheated in 2007. I don’t think the AB’s were “robbed”. I think barnes made way too many mistakes and bad calls, but he didn’t cheat. But it was a bad enough game that he does not “deserve” to ref a final.
I think Lawrence had a similarly bad game, and should not be able to ref a final.
I can’t think of too many glaring errors that changed critical games made by Joubert though.
Any i think that anyone who genuinely claims conspiracies with the refs, or the IRB, well, thats just a crock. SOMEONE must always be ‘in charge’ of a group. You may make claims against O’Brian. fine. Name someone who has suitable credentials that would be better…and who cannot also be accused of “corruption” or bias.
21 Oct 2011, 00:14 am
Paddy did you tell them or not, cause Bryce and Nigel and Allain never seem to have listened
O’Brien will tell the 10 referees chosen to officiate that they need to be stricter in their interpretation of the laws.
In a presentation to the officials on Tuesday in Auckland, he will highlight five areas – the breakdown, scrum, offsides, mauls and foul play. O’Brien said he was particularly concerned at a recent relaxing of standards, particularly around the tackle ball and offside line.
21 Oct 2011, 00:16 am
@hashi(hashi)-49: Barnes made a fckup. Bryce is bent…crooked…dishonest.
There is a difference.
21 Oct 2011, 00:18 am
@JL1(JL1)-50: ” O’Brien said he was particularly concerned at a recent relaxing of standards, particularly around the tackle ball and offside line.” – FARK. That has to be nearly as funny as Katman or Grunter on a roll.
21 Oct 2011, 00:26 am
Where all the little Hobbits…. At yet another ticker tape parade tonight?
21 Oct 2011, 00:28 am
Dunno about freaking out. I have asked genuine questions that you don’t seem to want to or be able to answer.
Nervous about the final. Of course. I am not arrogant enough to claim to know the future.
I certainly can’t or don’t speak for any team. I’m not an elite athlete with the kind of mindset they tend to have, so i don’t think equating the nervousness of a fan to that of a team is perhaps intelligent.
perhaps it really bothers some people that France made it to the final. I guess they just won games that mattered. still, losing key games they “should” have won happens to most teams, ABs’, Boks, Wallabies included.
But yes, I am genuinely interested in reading about any refereee in the world who would be truely “neutral”, and can have no doubts cast against them. Please, do name ONE, who you think could legitimately fairly control a RWC final. Seriously. Name one. If you can, and no one else has a fair objection, I’ll happily conceed that you do in fact have a modicum of intelligence. untill that time, well, I will just consider you to be ignorant, arrogant, bitter, sore losers.
21 Oct 2011, 00:29 am
Bryce spared Burger 2 years ago and spared him last time, too.
Dishonest indeed, had he be honest, Burger would have watched the QF from the bin at least.
Bryce the Merciful.
21 Oct 2011, 00:30 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-51: Nah, if bryce chose opponents for his Blacks, so did Wayne – Poms did not want to meet them.
21 Oct 2011, 00:34 am
@hashi(hashi)-54: “Dunno about freaking out. I have asked genuine questions that you don’t seem to want to or be able to answer.”
Do not wonder, HG reads what he wants to see to be written not what you actually said.
21 Oct 2011, 00:34 am
Now why has Paddy not apologised to SA
Aussie whistle blower Stu Dickinson got it badly wrong when he repeatedly penalised the All Blacks in their disputed match against Italy on Saturday (Sunday NZT), referees’ boss Paddy O’Brien has admitted.
Coach Graham Henry asked for clarity and has been given that, along with a public apology, from IRB referees’ boss Paddy O’Brien, who has admitted referee Dickinson made a series of mistakes during the Milan match, which ended in a 20-6 win for the All Blacks.
In what is a major off-field victory for the All Blacks, Kiwi O’Brien travelled to the New Zealand team’s London hotel today to essentially tell Henry and his coaches “you were right”.
O’Brien told Stuff.co.nz, in an exclusive interview prior to his meeting with Henry and scrum expert Mike Cron, that Dickinson should not have taken such drastic action against the All Blacks at scrum time in the test at the San Siro.
In a rare display of transparency, O’Brien has conceded that Dickinson’s performance was sub-standard, and that he has been told so in no uncertain terms.
O’Brien said a review of match footage clearly indicated the Italian tighthead prop (Martin Castrogiavanni and later Salvatore Perugini) was “boring in” on the All Black loosehead and that Dickinson’s repeated penalising of the New Zealanders was “completely wrong”.
21 Oct 2011, 00:38 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-51: Nope. Barnes did not make A fckup. He made a full 40 minutes of fckups. Bryce likewise made many fckups, but at least he made fckups for both teams all the way through.
I don’t think either of these two should ever be allowed to ref in important matches.
I’m still waiting to see if anyone can suggest a referee from anywhere who would actualy be agreeable to everyone.
21 Oct 2011, 00:38 am
@Nils(Nils)-56: Ag… don’t be a “Cyclop”… Both eyes, okay?
21 Oct 2011, 00:43 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-60: likewise I am sure. Do YOU think Australia should have beaten the Boks? was bryce’s performance OK? According to many, he “won” the game for AUS.
Again I will ask (not just you HG), who else would be suitable?
If noone else can suggest somone else reasonable, then I guess its a matter of “su ck it up”
21 Oct 2011, 00:43 am
@hashi(hashi)-54: Stewart Dickenson should ref this one .. or even Owens or Rolland might be more or less ambivalent to the outcome and possibly wouldn’t give AB’s nearly as much pro bias as Joubert may do..
ref’s are clever buggers I seen them ‘cheat’ this way and that pretending to be impartial in areas of the game or of the field where a 50/50 call against their favored team don’t matter nearly as critically as it will when it DOES matter in a more profoundly critical situation.. so they swing the swings and roundabouts and manipulate proceedings in such a way that it don’t look like they are favoring either or participant, but deep down back at the ranch they most definitely are…
Lawrence is exceptionally poor and blatantly shows his preferences without even realizing he’s doing it… Walsh is far more even handed perhaps less of a stickler to technicalities but a fairer ref, but then he’s Kiwi so he don’t count for this one … and even Barnes is a far better ref than Lawrence could ever dream to be…
Barnes would be a good choice if it were not for the history.. he would perhaps be the least bias of most…
21 Oct 2011, 00:44 am
@hashi(hashi)-59: You don’t have to mention names
Paddy tested referees, the dual system I Stellenbosh and Paddy decided o way to that, seems it would be too difficult to cash the cheques with 3 refs watching you
Why has he not used technology better?
Why has he not set up a neutral top 20 refs for all to see?
Why has he stepped in to defend only certain refs and yet slate others in the media?
Why are refs so slow?
Why has Glen Jackson been fast tracked, last year player and now refs in first class games, impossible if you take better refs had to go through the ranks
OK HOTSHOT, answer those
21 Oct 2011, 00:44 am
@hashi(hashi)-59: Nope Barnes made one or two fckups that I can recall.
Bryce didn’t make a fckup. He was clearly crooked.
And anyone who says otherwise is fcked in their head… Totally naive.
Santa
Easter Bunny
Tooth fairy
Soozie
All exist to the naysayers… Nope, Bambi is dead. Corruption has reared its ugly head in Rugby… It was only a matter of time.
21 Oct 2011, 00:44 am
@JL1(JL1)-58: Actually POB has apologized to Dickinson and Australian RFU the very same year. 2009. Really old stuff and conveniently omitted by you.
““I have unreservedly apologised to Stuart Dickinson for the action of publicly discussing elements of his performance review and would like to extend that apology to the Australian Rugby Union,” said O’Brien. “A clear and confidential best practice protocol exists for match official appraisal and feedback involving all stakeholders and I regret breaching this protocol.”
Bryce did OK. If he was bad, he was bad for both. Had he be good he would have sent off Burger for at least 10 mins for his usual face grabbing antics vs Pocock.
Plus, last crucial penalty, if you have not noticed, he ignored. It was adviced by his assistant. A Frenchman, otherwise Bryce would have turned blind eye there, too.
21 Oct 2011, 00:45 am
All this talk about Wayne Barnes making one bad decision, yeah that was a bad call with the forward pass but forward passes go unnoticed a lot of the time so shouldn’t have been a big deal.
The big problem I had with Wayne Barnes was in that quarter-final the All Blacks had 75% possession and were awarded 2 penalties all match – a world record low as Barnes did not police the breakdown or the offside line. Sounds very similar to Bryce Lawrence, but worse…. In reality South Africa should have been good enough to beat Australia, as should the All Blacks been good enough to beat France in 2007.
21 Oct 2011, 00:46 am
@hashi(hashi)-61: Another thing
A French guy reffing a France v Wales game
A Kiwi guy reffing a Aus v SA game
How neutral could those be
21 Oct 2011, 00:47 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-64: Well, in that case I am happy to report Bryce was OK. Just a few omissions.
Anyway, enjoy the sofa while watching the final.
21 Oct 2011, 00:47 am
@Nils(Nils)-65: 3 high tackles missed, 29 wrong calls
Go play
21 Oct 2011, 00:49 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-64: Sure, blame corrupt Frenchman who dared to point to the last penalty. Bryce completely missed it.
21 Oct 2011, 00:49 am
@hashi(hashi)-61: He didn’t win the game for Aus… He just didn’t penalise them in the main. Penalties for which they suffered in their match against the AB’s…
Who else would have been suitable… For the Aus vs Boks game? Any non-Kiwi ref… No “Dangerous scrum” Bryce, no Paul “Give the Irish a gimme” Honiss and definitely no Paddy O’C.unt.
Fark, even an Aussie ref would be a better bet…. Guaranfukkenteed.
21 Oct 2011, 00:50 am
@Nils(Nils)-68: Yeah Nils, you were watching that game with your one useful eye open… Your farken browneye, thats what.
21 Oct 2011, 00:51 am
@JL1(JL1)-69: Right. JPP on Ioane, Steyn checking Ioane without the ball, Burger ripping off Pococks head and grabbing his face (from the side), Habana from the side, Burger from the side, Spies like rocket flies over, Brussow doing his stuff on the floor end on and on and on. And on.
All missed.
So you are completely right. He missed A LOT.
21 Oct 2011, 00:52 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-72: says who – a cyclop with capital “C”?
21 Oct 2011, 00:54 am
@Nils(Nils)-70: Yeah, and the tooth fairy still visits you, hey? You dilly farken Latvian… kazu draazejs
21 Oct 2011, 00:54 am
@Nils(Nils)-65: Yes sure Nils, whatever
So he goes and does it again:
Paddy O’Brien, the International Rugby Board’s referee manager, has apologised to Ireland for the officiating mix-up in Cardiff on Saturday that saw what turned out to be a decisive try for Wales wrongly awarded.
The referee Jonathan Kaplan and the touch judge Peter Allan failed to spot a ballboy handing a ball to the Wales hooker Matthew Rees, who took a quick lineout by throwing the ball to Mike Phillips and the scrum-half ran 45 metres to score.
21 Oct 2011, 00:54 am
I betcha Dickenson and Mark Lawrence of SA are out because they don’t suck up to Paddy and his little whistle blowing club.. more n likely thats the case…
Bryce is so far up the Paddy wagon its kinda ludicrous that such inaccuracies are allowed to be left unchecked… Wayne Barnes is a far cry better ref than Lawrence could ever hope to be…
Boks got nailed by Lawrences refusal to police the breakdown and allow Pocock and Elsom free for all rights.. which Smit didn’t take note of and proceeded to capitulate without a fight…
But Boks beat themselves ultimately with stale one dimensional outmoded attack strategy and the wrong ball carrier attacking the gain line each and every time.. plus the wrong mix of starting players was simply one attempt at playing the super bench strategy one time to far … wrong calls and a beaten leader was the nail in the Boks coffin, as much as it were Bryce Lawrence which in spite of his pathetic showing.. with the correct mix of players and run on team Boks would still have clinched the quarter final had we gone for broke rather than the pathetic safety first sentimentally pretensious compromises
21 Oct 2011, 00:54 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-75: see, you have nothing to say about the point.
Sick ************.
21 Oct 2011, 00:56 am
@Nils(Nils)-74: I speak truth… Nothing else… If you don’t like it then lump it.
21 Oct 2011, 00:56 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-75: Bleat on, HG, it’s sweeter than music for my ears.
21 Oct 2011, 00:57 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-62: Thanks. An answer!
Rolland has been lambasted by the Welsh. According to many, he made decisions that cost the Welsh the game. many accuse him of cheating. Many also accuse him of beeing too biased towards the french. he does have a french father you know.
Dickenson. really? After post 58? tarnished reputation (deserved or not).
Same goes for Barnes. He may be a good ref, but in at least one critical game he was terrible.
Owens. I am pretty sure that most Samoans would not be happy with this, so he gets ruled out.
Walsh. Well, a percieved bias because he is a kiwi, and has made plenty of mistakes in his time.
The point I am trying to make here, is that while YOU may feel that your objection to any specfific referee is justified, everyone elses objection must be just as valid .Unless of course you believe that you are the only one in the world who is right. Perhaps you do.
21 Oct 2011, 00:57 am
@Nils(Nils)-78: Ej dirst, Pe?a!
21 Oct 2011, 00:59 am
@JL1(JL1)-76: You know, Kaplan was a great ref once upon a time. Waratahs, of course, think differently.
I have never seen ref answering to the bemused penalized player (why?) as “I forgot” and giving penalty anyway. Kaplan did just that.
21 Oct 2011, 01:00 am
This Paddy is incompetent, why can he not get it right:
With the November Tests underway and a return to attacking Rugby over the past year, IRB Referee Manager Paddy O’Brien reiterated the importance of continued consistent and universal application of Law in five key areas, in accordance with directives issued to all Unions in November 2009:
a) offsides at the ruck
b) offside from kicks
c) illegal maul formation causing obstruction
d) scrum engagement sequence
e) accuracy of application of the tackle Law
“The annual High Performance Referees meeting is a key element of the referee feedback and training process and enables us to review performances as a team, assess fitness objectives, consider the latest trends in the Game and reiterate the key focus areas to ensure consistency,” said O’Brien.
21 Oct 2011, 01:00 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-82: Nice to see you learning other languages, crazy old fool.
21 Oct 2011, 01:00 am
@Ooh Aah Umaga(Ooh Aah Umaga)-66: You apologetic, spineless individual… You condone sports corruption by absolving Bryce as nothing more than Wayne Barnes incompetence.
Nothing could be further than the truth.
Bryce is farken crooked and this truth will emerge.
21 Oct 2011, 01:01 am
@Nils(Nils)-85: Hehehe… Only the best of that language for me
21 Oct 2011, 01:02 am
@Nils(Nils)-83: Stay with me, I would draw pictures if that will help
Paddy, not Kaplan….I w I l l type s l o w so that you can read
21 Oct 2011, 01:02 am
I’m gone for now… The sheepshaggers are clearly a bit excitable after their latest Ticker Tape parade…
21 Oct 2011, 01:03 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-87: I’m afraid you’ll never get a beer in the bar here with your knowledge. But you can try.
21 Oct 2011, 01:04 am
@Nils(Nils)-73: Just watched the bit you talking about again, shall I call you a liar
ok then I will:”LIAR”
21 Oct 2011, 01:04 am
@JL1(JL1)-88: In post 76 you mentioned the name of Kaplan.
My eyes are OK, I can read. Burger has not reached them.
21 Oct 2011, 01:06 am
@JL1(JL1)-91: Which bit made you agitated too much, old chap?
Burger? Steyn? Others?
21 Oct 2011, 01:10 am
The question must be asked, why will Lawrence get that treatment when Barnes was backed to the hilt? Simple, Barnes is one of O’Brien’s favourites and this is the culture that O’Brien has created. Referees appear to not be held to account for all but the worst of performances and even then they can get backing based on who they are rather than how they performed.
21 Oct 2011, 01:11 am
@JL1(JL1)-63:
You don’t have to mention names
Paddy tested referees, the dual system I Stellenbosh and Paddy decided o way to that, seems it would be too difficult to cash the cheques with 3 refs watching you
What in earth are you talking about? An accusation of something doesn’t mean that something actualy happened. or does it. here goes. JL1 did innapropriate things to young females, and at the time said he would just deny it in future. Same logic.
Why has he not used technology better?
I don’t know. You are talking about O’Brien? Probably for lots of reasons. Maybe one of those reasons is because he is not good at his job. I have no arguement either way. I don’t care if he is replaced. the question was, and is, WHO ELSE would be better. And I mean in seriousness. i might say even a glass eye in a dogs a$$ might see beteer than him, it doesn’t make it fcken so.
Why has he not set up a neutral top 20 refs for all to see?
I don’t know. Maybe he isn’t good at his job. Many seem to think so. But thats still not the point. WHO ELSE?
Why has he stepped in to defend only certain refs and yet slate others in the media?
Again, I can’t read his mind. Maybe the devil told him to do it.
Why are refs so slow?
Too many pies? Arthritis? not enough meth?
Why has Glen Jackson been fast tracked, last year player and now refs in first class games, impossible if you take better refs had to go through the ranks
Don’t know. Maybe he can s uck an orange though a vacuum cleaner hose. Maybe he gives a good reach-around.
OK HOTSHOT, answer those
I did, as well as I could. But b1tchin about people without offering realistic alternatives is stupid. Complain away, but at least give some thought to an alternative. And try to think about what others might think about any alternatives…their reservations may be just as valid. maybe not, but thats what debate is for.
21 Oct 2011, 01:12 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-3:
Eight years on, what else do you expect?
21 Oct 2011, 01:13 am
@Nils(Nils)-93: Your father and uncle, useless, cheating Bryce and Paddy on the take
21 Oct 2011, 01:15 am
@JL1(JL1)-97: See, like HG you dodge the questions and resort to insults. Says everything.
http://images4.hiboox.com/images/4111/diapoe8f8259bd3e71b0961f8be9d89034ade.gif
Now tell me what Burger is doing there, especially during the first contact with the face.
Nah, Bryce let off your okes lightly.
21 Oct 2011, 01:15 am
@hashi(hashi)-95: Andre Watson will do a better job than Paddy, without having to suck another mans genitals, seeing that, that floats your boat
21 Oct 2011, 01:19 am
@Nils(Nils)-98: Yes, I can see he takes his fingers and whilst FDP holds Poco,cks head, Schalk pokes him in the eye, he does it so many times my word
Now run along
21 Oct 2011, 01:20 am
@JL1(JL1)-100: So case is settled then.
Enjoy the sofa, cowboy.
21 Oct 2011, 01:32 am
@JL1(JL1)-99: I actualy think Andre Watson would do an admiral job.
I don’t know why you feel a need to imply I am not heterosexual though. I did of course mention “unusual” behaviour in an attempt at humor. Perhaps you feel a need to put down others. Did you receive poor treatment at the hands of bullies at school? Or perhaps it is just a continuation of such behaviours. Of course, it could be something else entirely. But its a shame, and does nothing for you.
21 Oct 2011, 01:34 am
@hashi(hashi)-102: Thanks for the free counsel session
21 Oct 2011, 01:39 am
No wucckas.
And the other question? Who else would be a truely nutral referee? one that no one could reasonably object to?
21 Oct 2011, 01:40 am
Well, they may all be nutral. But forget that. what about neutral?
21 Oct 2011, 02:09 am
The French forwards are gonna hit us harder than a fully laden runaway train
We hit them harder then its goodbye France and game over
If we don’t she could be close
21 Oct 2011, 02:12 am
ALL OF SOUTH AFRICA IS BEHIND YOU FRANCE!
Allez les Bleus!
21 Oct 2011, 02:17 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-107Are you referring to France moving up to number 3 in the world ranking and South Africa 4
21 Oct 2011, 02:19 am
@spartan(spartan)-108:
No idea what he is on about, I am going for the Cheetahs and Lions on the weekend…
21 Oct 2011, 02:29 am
@spartan(spartan)-108: Of course!
Spite before Honour!
21 Oct 2011, 02:36 am
loving the hypocrisy of Saffa fans. in 07 the ref was wonderful and didn’t “cheat” NZ should have won the game regardless, fast forward to 2011 and all those cocksure fans are suddenly screaming conspiracy and cheating by officials
love it truly, as one who mentioned before the tourny that SA would one day cop the sane poor officiating, the reaction has been marvelous to watch.
karma has fairly bitten those who delighted for four years, so suck it up ladies and like your team, enjoy watching the final from the comforts of home.
how sweet it is.
21 Oct 2011, 02:40 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-111:
they are distraught Pops, once we take it the game is up for them as we own them in every other stat in the game
21 Oct 2011, 02:45 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-112: Nope. They will still have won more world cups than us…the first one didn’t count aye.
of course, now the call will be that either the RWC doesn’t count. Or of course that we cheated. thats more likely.
21 Oct 2011, 02:52 am
Wow, check this! All the hobbits came out to play…
But don’t worry, it is ‘Hug a Kiwi Day’ so I will be nice and take this opportunity to send you all a vitual hug…now there, can you all feel the warmth?
21 Oct 2011, 02:56 am
OK ok THAT IS ENOUGH, let go now knobbie…no really, LET GO!!!
21 Oct 2011, 02:57 am
Thanks.
needless to say I am sure all kiwis will have sent soothing sympathy hugs back to all the teams that just could not cut the mustard.
We may of course need to engage in much wailing and gnashing of teeth if we loose this weekend…but as some have said, it is alread bought and paid for, so perhaps we don’t need to worry.
21 Oct 2011, 03:04 am
As Keith Quinn said on the tv coverage leading into the 1987 final
“the only thing predictable about the French is , that they will be , unpredictable ”
those words still hold true today
21 Oct 2011, 03:04 am
Nah Hashi, no sympathy needed, it is after all just a game and most of us have moved on a while ago.
As for the weekend, you are right, it is in the bag. Snowball’s chance of you mucking it up, just enjoy the ride. It is an absolute great moment and feeling.
21 Oct 2011, 03:09 am
@spartan(spartan)-117:
Very true but this French team is really poor and being unpredictable AND poor is not a good mix…expect the biggest winning margin yet in a WC final.
21 Oct 2011, 03:12 am
In the bag?
Odd. It seems the only people who think so are not kiwis. Of course, you always get people who claim to know the future. They are idiots or liars.
And then you always get people who claim knowledge of conspiracy. Evidence is obviously not required, and entirely optional.
But if we do win it, it will indeed be a great moment and feeling…about the same as when SA won in 2007.
21 Oct 2011, 03:17 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-119: Been burned by the frogs too many times so I’ll see how the 1st 10 minutes unfold and take it from there
21 Oct 2011, 03:20 am
Righto then, am I an idiot or a liar?! Can I please have my virtual hug back?!
21 Oct 2011, 03:22 am
PS I expect the feeling to be more like ’95 than ’07…
21 Oct 2011, 03:25 am
@spartan(spartan)-121:
Hehehe I can tell you now that if you errr…drop the ball on this one, don’t expect any mercy from anyone…but it is just not going to happen.
Where exactly are the Froggies going to hurt you?
21 Oct 2011, 03:28 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-124: wouldn’t expect it any other way
21 Oct 2011, 03:31 am
Boycott this farce. How many more Bob Woolmers have to die before we wake up?!
21 Oct 2011, 03:33 am
depends….do you claim to know the future, or do you simply predict an AB’s win? Most people do that!
Spartans right. For us, we are generaly comfortable in games against the Boks. Win or lose, we anticipate a hard game, most of the time thats what we get. Its different with the frogs. They ARE our bogey team.
And no, I’m keeping the hug.
21 Oct 2011, 03:34 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-123: Nah. I would much rather have the AB’s face the Bokke in the final.
Less likely to win, but a sweeter victory if we had.
21 Oct 2011, 03:37 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-124: I’ve had a good honest think about
where are they they gonna hurt you ?
I could’nt come up with anything
21 Oct 2011, 03:39 am
@spartan(spartan)-129: me either. For all intents it should be a walk over. But we have thought that before and come a cropper.
Never Again.
21 Oct 2011, 03:42 am
@hashi(hashi)-130: My thoughts exactly
21 Oct 2011, 03:49 am
@JL1(JL1)-99: Actualy, further to this and my later post…
Thats not a bad idea at all. And it would likely get far greater reaching results than just getting one ref banned.
Its important for all countries to have confidence in the quality, neutrality and transparency of the referees in the international arena. POB obviously no longer (if ever) has enjoyed that confidence. I’m not talking about fans confidence, that is as fickle and a very fickle fickle thing that is being particularly fickle. I mean the confidence of the various Unions.
So I would suggest a far better campaign than vilefying bryce (for what was a very poor performance – but still not cheating) would be to encourange Mr Watson to apply for the job.
21 Oct 2011, 03:53 am
@hashi(hashi)-127:
Weighing up everything I made a prediction…being clled an idiot doing it seems harse…GIMME THE HUG BACK!!!
21 Oct 2011, 03:55 am
@spartan(spartan)-129:
I rest my case yer Honour!
21 Oct 2011, 03:58 am
OK OK….*….!*
I did say OR. A prediction is one thing, claiming absolutely is quite another.
I predict an ABs victory…but i would never say the AB’s WILL win. Should, yes. But not for sure.
I don’t think YOU are an idiot or a liar. You do tend to backup what you say with valid argument, and probably as two eyed as the few on here….kiwis included.
21 Oct 2011, 03:58 am
@hashi(hashi)-132:
End of the day there was way to much talking about the performances of refs in this tournament, it is not good for the game and the old farts should do something about it.
Forget about the bitterness of the supporters for a moment and you still left with a lot of obvious wrongs…it is costing the game.
21 Oct 2011, 04:01 am
@hashi(hashi)-135:
OK keep the hug…
21 Oct 2011, 04:02 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-136: Absolutley….hence 132
21 Oct 2011, 04:12 am
@hashi(hashi)-135:
But on a serious note, if you cliamed they WILL win I would have called you arrogant and a little full of yourself and your team….me on the other hand can say it!
21 Oct 2011, 04:15 am
@KiaKahaNZ(KiaKahaNZ)-17: Men of Steel who are fully aware of what lays in front of them.
For those of you who not considered this, that the AB’s have not played their best game yet. Every single game we have played thus far has had a purpose, but one needs to sit down and draw some comparisons from the last 12 months. Every team we have engaged over this period has been engaged specifically head on to their strengths…not ours.
The most recent and probably the easiest to fathom is the Argentina game in the quarters….we played their style for the workout we needed going forward for the forwards. I think it is reasonable to say that we could have probably played a more expansive game, dotted down a couple more tries and run them ragged- but we know we could do that.
GH and co have had the confidence in our team to experiment and challenge the players and play every step of the way in preparation for Sunday.
Sunday will be a game that will go down in history and I would say without a doubt that players and supporters of rival teams will see why we are where we are and will know how much of a chance they would have had, had made it to the finals and met us there.
Arrogant..no. Just the belief that the best is yet to come from this team.
21 Oct 2011, 04:19 am
LOL! Fair enough!
21 Oct 2011, 05:27 am
for some reason, loser keewee’s think that their missed forward pass in ’07, somehow clears Bryce’s name in 2011. If anything, we should be protesting corruption together.
I mean, Bryce coincidentally “interpreted” the rules in such a way that nullified Boks game plan – the odds of that happening by chance are astronomical
21 Oct 2011, 05:49 am
@j59(j59)-142:
the Bokke have lost more than 10 times in the last couple of years, were the refs also to blame for all those losses, Bokke rugby is not the force you think it is, a ranking of 4th is justified in fact you’re lucky to be that high after the Moans were close to rolling you and you pipped the Welsh by one point
21 Oct 2011, 06:14 am
NZinChina
remember the claims of incredible depth in SA rugby??
21 Oct 2011, 06:18 am
j59
obviously you don’t watch a lot of rugby. kiwis felt hard done by because the French conceded 2 penalties the entire match, with not one at all in the second half, despite stats indicating they had as much ball as Aussie when they played SA.
so no, it’s not all about the forward pass, as for losers, did you welcome the Bokke back at OR Tambo two weeks ago?
21 Oct 2011, 06:44 am
What is it now? Day 13 and the whinging still as strong as ever.
HG leading the way.
21 Oct 2011, 07:21 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-143: regarding the losses – well, Wellington 2010 was pretty bad with the multiple warnings, but for instance, 3N this year – I didn’t have a problem with the ref in any SB losses, so not sure what you’re saying here. Owens was a bit odd in the Wales game (but only for say 10 mins), so can’t complain. Bryce was absolutely criminal
@poppa69(poppa69)-145: Thats my point – you think 07 injustice somehow absolves Bryce…come on man, they separate incidents – at best, we should complain in tandem, but for now, lets focus on the recent past
Guys: its injustice. You saw the diffence in NZ vs Aus – pockock tried his tricks but, hey, an honest ref pulled him up.
And I think BL is corrupt because its too much of a coincidence that his incompetence resulted in neatly nullifying the SB game plan. No way man
21 Oct 2011, 07:26 am
and I shouldn’t have called you losers, so sorry for that – but get frustrated when you in denial for what happened. Corruption affects all of us – even if you team wins by it, whatever
21 Oct 2011, 07:36 am
So the NZRU promised the members of the choirs singing the national anthems seating for the games they performed at.Did a about turn and just asked them to leave the stadiums after they performed.
Classy…
21 Oct 2011, 07:53 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-107: Fark jou – how can you support the north
21 Oct 2011, 07:53 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-146:
Yip Hurri and to think only another 3 years, 11 months and 17 days to catch up with the record the Kiwis set.
PS The ‘record’ set with the Suzie whinge got taken out off the record book after it was found to be based on a myth…it would have been 16 years in June this year!
21 Oct 2011, 07:58 am
@j59(j59)-142: To be honest there was no support on this site by the Saffas for the obvious forward pass in 07 , again in the S14 in 2010 when an obvious forward pass by Maku for the Bulls , left the Saders losing at Loftus ….. Why then must we pity you regarding Lawrence – seems very one sided
21 Oct 2011, 07:59 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-151:
lol
well you all have started with a hiss and a roar by the way.
But i think its another record you guys wont get. Probably better coming second in this race.
As for Suzie, i dont know , wasnt there as you wernt but we all know it was food poisoning of a sort.
21 Oct 2011, 08:01 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-153:
But dont get me wrong, 1995 was not suppose to be anyones cup but South Africas.
No worries there at all.
21 Oct 2011, 08:08 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-153:
Hehehe for sanity sakes I hope we don’t get that record! Not sure I will be able to hang around for that..
Yip, ’95 was a good one to win. I watched a replay of it the other day and it is amazing to think that James Small was the most capped Bok on the day with something like 28 (or 34?) caps! But they defended like never before.
21 Oct 2011, 08:14 am
@JL1(JL1)-19:
“This is the World Cup Final and we are not here by coincidence.” – Clerc
Not coincidence….? So it’s because you’ve played great rugby and beaten all opposition as you’ve steam-rolled inexorably towards your moment of destiny in rugby history…?
jaaaaaaaa boat….
21 Oct 2011, 08:25 am
3 years of planning and now were here! On our way to eden park for the game and then its the big one, RWC final at eden park on sunday. Just wish the boks where there!! Good luck ABs! Fok NZ is an amazing place!
21 Oct 2011, 09:03 am
hash
jl1 and hg are still hurting after all their bravado before the tourney started. just humor the little men, it saves time and will allow them to get back to their tissues.
we can discuss this with them fir, oh I don’t know, another 4 years. it change nothing though, their team is already at home feasting on rancid, sour biltong.
as it should be, according to my get the harpies email
schweeeeeeeeet!!
21 Oct 2011, 09:05 am
All blacks yawn, all black supporters on this site yawn, all black *** creepers supporters yawn, NZ a big big big yawn, tomorrow is another day.
So its a foregone conclusion that NZ have already won?
How people will be in the countrytown of auckland for the final.
21 Oct 2011, 09:09 am
Maximus
dry them tears boy. lmfao.
21 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-160: What kind of celebration have you lined up for Sunday?
21 Oct 2011, 09:20 am
@Nils(Nils)-65: when did Burger “grab Pocock’s face” you’ve been repeating the same thing all over again. give me the minute and seconds .
thanks
21 Oct 2011, 09:51 am
So Thompson in for Vito! Whyyyyyyyy!
21 Oct 2011, 10:22 am
Rossoneri: Ted loves Thomson! Pity.
21 Oct 2011, 13:50 pm
I have a funny feeling about this game…
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.