Posts Tagged ‘All Blacks’

Summer Internationals – New Zealand v England

Posted: June 5, 2014 in Europe, Southern Hemisphere
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Saturday June 7, 3:35 AM Eastern – Eden Park, Auckland

Well, this is the mother of all challenges for England. During negotiations with their Kiwi counterparts several years ago, the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) somehow contrived to schedule the first Test just one week after the Aviva Premiership final, meaning that the 14 England players who participated in that match last Saturday are unavailable for selection. So Stuart Lancaster has been forced to select a XV with just 299 caps, 480 fewer than the battle-hardened All Blacks, who haven’t lost at Eden Park in 20 years.

Much has been made about England’s fourth-choice 10-12 combination – flyhalf Freddie Burns and inside center Kyle Eastmond will face a trial by fire. Winger Marland Yarde is also very raw. All three have huge potential, but will this match be too soon for them? Scrumhalf Danny Care is apparently 50/50 with a shoulder knock – he would be a big loss as Ben Youngs has been in indifferent form, and is not nearly as dynamic as Care.

Rob Webber gets a rare start at hooker, with Tom Youngs unavailable and Dylan Hartley one of the aforementioned 14 who have only just flown over to New Zealand after the Premiership final. Webber is joined in the front row by two capable operators in Joe Marler and David Wilson, but the 3 front row replacements have only 9 caps between them, so Lancaster will be praying none of them have to join the fray too early.

With Tom Wood another of the 14 unavailable, James Haskell makes his return to the international scene. Haskell is the most experienced player in the side, with 50 caps, and has also had the valuable experience of playing Super Rugby with the Highlanders in 2012. He knows first-hand the incredible physical intensity of rugby in New Zealand, and will need to be very abrasive without giving away penalties if England are to have a chance. The blow of Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola missing out is softened somewhat by the quality of their replacements – British & Irish Lion Geoff Parling, and the hard-running Ben Morgan.

The All Blacks are also missing two key players, the world’s best number 8, Kieran Read, and one of the world’s most dangerous wingers, Julian Savea. Their replacements Jerome Kaino and Cory Jane are also fantastic players, but will not pose quite the same threat. Still, from 1-15, this is an incredibly strong All Blacks side. It will be interesting to see how Aaron Cruden performs after missing several games in April and May with a broken thumb. Beauden Barrett has been the form flyhalf in New Zealand, but it is understandable that Steve Hansen has gone with what he knows. It is great to see Hansen reward the uncapped trio of Patrick Tuipolotu, TJ Perenara, and Malakai Fekitoa for their phenomenal Super Rugby form with spots on the bench.

England are 20-point underdogs – I don’t see the situation as quite that dire, but it’s true that the match could get out of hand. England’s only option is to come out guns blazing and put the All Blacks under early pressure. If they let the All Blacks dictate the tempo and start to control the game, it will be incredibly difficult to stay in it. The front five need to get the set piece running smoothly, Haskell and Robshaw need to put in a huge shift at the breakdown to disrupt New Zealand ball, Morgan needs to get England some go-forward, Burns needs to stand flat enough, Eastmond has to create opportunities for Tuilagi to bend the line, and the back three need to come up with a bit of magic on the counter-attack. So, England do have a small chance, but the more likely result is New Zealand by 14

Below, footage from the last meeting between these two teams:

 

 

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Doug Howlett

Posted: November 29, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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#AllBlackFriday celebrations conclude with a tribute to New Zealand’s all-time leading try scorer, Doug Howlett. He made his debut for the All Blacks against Tonga in 2000, and over the next seven years scored 49 tries in 62 Test matches. Howlett is also the all-time leading try scorer in Super Rugby, having crossed the whitewash 59 times in that prestigious competition. After the 2007 World Cup Howlett moved to Munster, where he continued to be prolific, scoring 35 tries in six very successful years with the Irish province. Howlett’s time at Munster included a Heineken Cup triumph in 2008, which earned him the rare distinction of having won a major domestic trophy in both hemispheres (he won Super Rugby, then called Super 12, with the Auckland Blues in 2003).

When Howlett retired at the end of the 2012-13 season, rugby lost a special talent. On the wing, Howlett was a pure finisher. In the first video below, one thing you will see again and again is Howlett in the right place at the right time, accelerating onto the ball, and touching down in the corner. Howlett elevated the fundamentals to an art form, and many current wingers would do well to study the timing and accuracy of his support play. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was blessed with sub-11 second 100 meter speed! Howlett was also more than capable of putting in the big hits. The second video below shows him taking down a much bigger man, Saracens and South Africa hooker Schalk Brits.

Happy #AllBlackFriday

Jonah Lomu

Posted: November 28, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the States, as well as #throwbackthursday, so it seems like a good time to pay tribute to a legendary All Black of yesteryear, Jonah Lomu. Lomu became the youngest All Black in history when he made his Test debut for New Zealand against France in 1994 at age 19, and became a global superstar at the 1995 World Cup. His unique combination of size (6’5″ and 273 pounds, according to Scrum) and sub-11 second 100 meter speed made him nearly unstoppable and captivated rugby audiences everywhere. Despite towering over most forwards, Lomu played on the wing because of his speed, agility, and finishing ability. He scored 37 tries in 63 Tests for the All Blacks, and is the all-time leading World Cup try scorer – 15 in 11 games over the course of the 1995 and 1999 tournaments.

Sadly, a rare and serious kidney disorder hampered Lomu’s rugby career almost right from the beginning. Rugby fans can only wonder what might have been. Lomu had a kidney transplant in 2004, and has required dialysis for the past two years, but said in a recent interview with the Irish Independent that his health is “really, really good.” Jonah: thanks for all the wonderful memories you provided on the rugby field, and best wishes for continued good health.

Check out the videos below for some of Lomu’s greatest moments and to see the great man reflect on his career.

Happy #AllBlackFriday

Ben Smith

Posted: November 27, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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Ben Smith is already a star in New Zealand, but is only now getting the global recognition he richly deserves. Along with his teammate Kieran Read, Smith is nominated for IRB Player of the Year. He was first capped by the All Blacks against Italy in 2009, but struggled to get into the team over the next few years – such is the quality of rugby talent in New Zealand. Smith was given another opportunity for the All Blacks in 2012, playing in 10 Test matches, and he has played in all 14 Tests this year, scoring 11 tries. He is versatile, having played at fullback, wing, and outside center for both club and country. It looks like Smith’s future for the All Blacks will be at outside center, given that incumbent number 13 Conrad Smith (no relation) is currently taking a break from the game and is unlikely to play on past the 2015 World Cup. Take a look at the videos below to get a sense of Ben Smith’s natural rugby ability. He’s got raw pace, great footwork, and silky passing skills. We are sure to see a lot more from him in the years to come.

Happy #AllBlackFriday

Richie McCaw

Posted: November 27, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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One cannot discuss the All Blacks’ success in recent years without mentioning this man, Richie McCaw. Since making his debut against Ireland in Dublin in November 2001, he has played in 124 Test matches – winning 110, drawing 1, and losing just 13. He has captained the All Blacks on an incredible 87 occasions, winning 77 of those games. He has been named IRB Player of the Year three times (2006, 2009, and 2010) and been shortlisted another five times (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2012). Most importantly, he led New Zealand to the 2011 World Cup on home soil, heroically playing through a stress fracture in his foot. He is, quite simply, the player of his generation, and one of the all-time greats.

Happy #AllBlackFriday

Kieran Read

Posted: November 26, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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All Blacks Number 8 Kieran Read is on the shortlist for IRB Player of the Year, and to me, it would be a shock if he didn’t win the award. As a key link between the forwards and the backs, Number 8 is a position that requires a high level of all-around rugby ability. Read has shown this year that he has it all. In attack, he is a strong ball-carrier, a skillful passer (especially adept at miracle offloads, some of which are featured in the videos below), and runs great support lines, especially out wide. In defense, he puts in the big hits and is very strong at the breakdown, frequently slowing down opposition ball or turning it over. At the set piece, he is an excellent lineout jumper and controls the ball well at the back of the scrum. And if we consider restarts to be a third type of set piece, he is very dependable under the high ball as well. He is one of the leaders of the All Blacks, and has played a pivotal role in their incredible success this year. One tribute video is not enough for this man.

Happy #AllBlackFriday

New Zealand Haka v Ireland 2013

Posted: November 26, 2013 in #AllBlackFriday, Southern Hemisphere
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Many Americans who are unfamiliar with rugby in general are nonetheless aware of the fact that the All Blacks perform the Haka, a Maori dance, before every match. In recent years they have sometimes performed a specific type of Haka called the Kapa o Pango. It is a wonderful tradition, and it is fascinating to see how each individual team responds to the gauntlet being thrown down in such an intense manner. Blindside Liam Messam has recently been put in charge of leading the Haka, and he leads it brilliantly, with passion and fire. Before New Zealand’s recent win over England, Messam apparently nearly fainted because he was screaming so loudly trying to be heard over the England fans singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

Happy #AllBlackFriday

2013 Autumn Internationals – Ireland v New Zealand

Posted: November 25, 2013 in Stateside Hall of Fame
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It is an honor to announce the first inductee into the Stateside Hall of Fame – not an individual player, but yesterday’s entire match. It must be preserved for posterity.

Ireland v New Zealand Preview

Posted: November 23, 2013 in Europe, Southern Hemisphere
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Sunday November 24, 9 AM Eastern – Lansdowne Road (the Aviva, if we must call it that), Dublin

The New Zealand All Blacks are going after a pretty special achievement on Sunday – a win over Ireland would make them the first international team to go through an entire calendar year undefeated. The All Blacks are, as always, loaded with talent. They are captained by openside Richie McCaw, one of the best players of his generation. The pack also features Sam Whitelock, the best lock in the world, and Kieran Read, the best number 8 in the world. In the backs they are without flyhalf Dan Carter, who picked up an injury while winning his 100th cap against England last weekend, but Carter’s boots are ably filled by Aaron Cruden. Powerful and skillful inside center Ma’a Nonu is back to his best, while outside center Ben Smith remains a threat despite playing out of position (he is more comfortable at fullback or wing). Wing Julian Savea is one of the world’s best in his position, and Cory Jane and Israel Dagg combine with him to form a dangerous back three.

Ireland were comprehensively beaten last weekend by Australia, a team the All Blacks have defeated three times this year.  This Irish team has a lot of quality, but they lacked urgency and did not defend the gainline strongly enough against the Aussies. Part of this may be explained by the inherent difficulties of a coaching transition. Joe Schmidt, a New Zealander, faces his biggest challenge in just his third match as Ireland coach. Outside center Brian O’Driscoll and lock (and captain) Paul O’Connell are two legends of the game, and they will have their teammates incredibly motivated for this match amidst a sea of green in Dublin. The back row of Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, and Jamie Heaslip has the potential to be very destructive. At flyhalf, Jonathan Sexton is probably the best in Europe – but there are lingering questions over his fitness. Hopefully he is close to 100% for this one, because at his best, he is masterful at controlling a game. Fullback Rob Kearney is one of the best in Europe, although he currently has competition from England’s Mike Brown.

My head says New Zealand will win comfortably, by a couple of tries. But I think Ireland are going to surprise everyone. Their pride will have been dented by the manner of the Australia defeat, and they will relish their underdog status for this match. An All Black victory is being treated as a fait accompli. Ireland has never beaten New Zealand. As Lee Corso of ESPN’s College Gameday would say: “Not so fast, my friend!” I’m backing Ireland to produce a performance reminiscent of their victory over Australia at the 2011 World Cup. Below: it is always good to revisit O’Connell’s famous “manic aggression” pregame speech. That is exactly what the Irish will need to beat New Zealand and ruin their perfect season. Ireland by 1