posted Oct 8, 2007

To get a handle on the true depth of NZ & Australian arrogance & hypersensitivity in sport, you should read a David Kirk piece in;
rugbyheaven.com
it's an absolute scream & shows how a dyed in the wool antipodean simply can't see (or face up to) what went on in front of his eyes.
Oz & NZ rugby and their officials & supporters form an interesting parallel with PM Brown recently - if you really need to stick your head well above the parapet - make absolutely certain you can come up with the goods!
Rugby may actually now return to being a sport rather than a sledging exercise -the "lesser teams" may be invited into important competitions, and the southern hemisphere arrogance may just be a blip. However, i fear that both Oz & NZ still know they are right and everyone else is out of step.

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posted Oct 8, 2007

There's talk of having a minnows world cup with relegation and promotion.
This come when the differences are getting smaller.
Argentina, Fiji giving a good account of themselves. Romania Georgia coming through.
The only effect that New Zealand's bullying of weaker teams in the group stage has was to dampen their powder for the later stages.

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posted Oct 8, 2007

fats_a - you claim that you never criticised England's style of play. Really? So what did you mean when you said "So, like many non-English, I certainly won't be supporting your team and your style of rugby to get into the final. As a fan of rugby, you'll have to do more than win one world cup followed by 3 years of shit rugby..."

Still, I daresay you still think you should win this tournament. Unfortunately (for you), you can't. Tata!

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posted Oct 8, 2007

As I Irishman I suppose I have a vague degree of neutrality about the current WC proceedings.

I have watched the Betsen incident several times from two different angles (the original replay does not show the event). Robinson quite clearly punches Betsen as he rolls away from the original tackle (this is best seen on slo-mo of the original TV coverage). In the 2nd ITV replay you can see a hand swinging in and closing, but you can’t see the contact point, just Betsen’s head going back, and then the hand retreating. As the camera rolls on it is clear that the hand belongs to Robinson. The fact that his hand closes into a fist and that it is a punch is much clearer on the original game footage if you have an appropriate slo-mo facility on your DVD. Clearly a citing offence, but for me Betsen would be quite entitled to take him to court for assault. This sort of cheating and behaviour has to stamped out.

AB’s should have been down to 14 men for 75 minutes.

Yellow card also unambiguous. Leave the runner alone. If that wasn’t deliberate I am a monkey’s uncle. McAlsister was the one bringing the game into disrepute.

Agree pass to Michak’s forward, but AB 2nd try should have been penalty to France. So'oialo’s crawls to the line moving his knees three times while in contact with the tackler. One of my personal bugbears. Knee on the ground is a tackle, you can make one move (and not with your knees0 to place the ball in any direction. So about evens out. Given the punch on Betsen, I think the French win was the right result for the good of the game. I would hate to see cheating prosper.

What is the point in wining a game by cheating? It proves nothing. If I turn up with a machine gun and shoot all the opposition then, I guess, I win one try to nil. But will I sleep easy in bed in 50 years time knowing I took on the best in the world and won. No, I will know I wasn’t confident enough in my own ability and so I cheated. Personally, I would want to know I was the best. Otherwise what was the point in striving to be the best. Here endeth the lesson.

By the way, I could have sworn there was something in the rules about staying on your feet in the contact area. I am expecting to see some of the players taking out a pillow and duvet at some of the rucks.

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posted Oct 8, 2007

To Australia, i say, "Hey John O'Neil, who hates england now then? Come on, who hates england now?" 'nuff said.

As for NZ, well, talk about sore losers! blaming the ref is ridiculous considering that the ABs have committed more than their fair share of of on-field transgressions- anyone care to count the no. of spear tackles they've gotten away with, for e.g.?

The cockiness of the ABs during the France match was all too clear, starting with Dan Carter's cheeky "oh well, never mind" look on his first penalty miss. and that what makes the ABs such lousy potential world champions and now they've paid the ultimate price for it-on and off the field.

may i suggest that the ABs consider trading the Haka in for by Britney Spears' ditty-'Oops! I Did It Again!' perhaps having choked on humble pie again will finally teach them that takes more than big talk and bigger egos to earn the mantle of World Champions.

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posted Oct 9, 2007

baddalmatianRSC
I love this last comment. The image of the ABs doing "oops i did it again" by Britney is priceless.
Actually it is the sort of thing that they should do. If all those clever AD people in NZ really had a good idea rather than pure pretentious nonsense they would come out and make a joke out of it.

Having the entire team with a blonde wig on and singing along to Britney would go a long way to claw back some self respect for this arrogant team. At least if they could show that they could laugh at themselves...

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posted Oct 9, 2007

I can't think what the Aussies could do... any ideas?

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posted Oct 9, 2007

"Dont go breaking my heart"

"Yesterday"

"Leaving on a jet plane"

"The winner takes it all"

But probably "Crying"

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posted Oct 10, 2007

Watching again the France-AB match, the heads of Oliver & Carter at the end of the match resume everything.
They've been badly surprised by the French.
Now you can find every excuse you want...

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posted Oct 13, 2007

Ok... I'm french... So of course I'm happy for my team... BUT... I feel really bad about the All Blacks's ref... Why did they kick him out??? I don't get it! I don't like this kind of sport competition... where the coach is fired when the team doesn't succeed... hell!! We are not machines!!!! Mistakes can happen...We are still humans... Stop blaming people because one team failed in a competition!

The All Blacks made a great way in that world cup. They failed in front of the french team... And that's it... it happens sometimes...

All the teams in this world cup were amazing!
Don't forget that sport is pleasure before competition and money....

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