All Blacks V Ireland. The "Pick and go"

[Colapop]

I agree. Technically it was a good game. No it wasn't the flashy open rugby we get used to seeing in the Super 14, it was good honest hard graft stuff. People have to remember that world rugby doesn't have a stand out team that is streets ahead of everyone else (in the top 10)

[Whynot]

fuck you lot can moan can't you?
they won didn't they?
and it was really difficult conditions and a new team etc.

some of you old bastards need to start living in the real world

[Usarka]

ummm ... we replaced all the coaches who didn't win the cup in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 and that didn't result in a subsequent win did it? Perhaps it was time to try something other than the time honoured 'sack the coach' tactic.

Which maybe suggests that our players, culture, attitude etc aren't up to winning the world cup these days regardless of who the coach is.....?

with the team lineups the Crusaders have had over the years my mother could have coached them to win. Just tell them where the park is would probably do it.

hmmmmmmmm If thats true then why not put the crusaders as the national team?

[bull]

Well i also didnt enjoy the game and im a huge rugger fan. Thought it was really rough from us skillswise. But in saying that, the weather was shite, the ref was northern hemisphere and the ELV rules our guys have been playing for the entire S14 season were dropped back to the international rules and we still beat a strong Irish team. What more do we expect? im with you Oakie, lets not just keep dropping the coach and hoping the next one can do the world cup coz it hasnt happened yet so trying something new is worth a go.
Bottom line - poor conditions, 2 weeks prep to gel as team, new combinations and new palyers and still beat a top northern hemisphere international squad. Future looks promising for the new ABs.

[Oakie]

Which maybe suggests that our players, culture, attitude etc aren't up to winning the world cup these days regardless of who the coach is.....?

You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning. (I even watched kids games where the score wasn't taken and everyone was told at the end they'd done jolly well!). I think that has removed some of the 'killer' instinct' from our contemporary NZ sports representatives.

hmmmmmmmm If thats true then why not put the crusaders as the national team?

That could be a start point. I'm not a Crusaders fan but I am a qualified coach in another code and I've often thought that where you have these sort of competitions you could use the winning team as your base for a rep team but then go through that team one by one and perhaps replace some with better players from other teams.

[davo]

What a load of cr*p"

They deserved to lose! Doing that business in their own 40. Give me a break. And Deans V's Henry??? I will support the AB's but they need to get their SH*T IN ONE SOCK! Pathetic is all I can say.

The role of the forwards is to feed the ball to the backs. Full Stop!

Bring it on!!

Ok I haven't read the rest of this thread incase you are joking, but its people like you who want running rugby that do my head in. I want the All Blacks of old that had serious grit and hardness, and played for the win, not how it would look.

Tonight we saw some of that in the forward dominance and clearance kicking; looked pretty? no, won us the match? yes. If you want pretty go watch the roundball game; Let the rest of us enjoy the brusing collisions and destruction of an oppositions forward pack.

As for Deans vs Henry, build a bridge...

[tri boy]

On a side note, Warren Gaitlands Welsh team took a bit of a drumming from a very strong Springbok team.
AB's will need to gel quickly, and build a solid, cohesive, nuggety pack if they wish to put the shivers up the Wallabies/Bok's/Pom's backs.
Interesting season coming up.

[KiwiRat]

You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning.

I agree. A ludicrous philosophy to teach to kids.

The primary -well, only when you think about it- goal of any sport is to score more points (or less as the case may be)than the opposition. Simple really, winning is important.

We have inadvertently helped a generaton of kids lose their killer edge when it comes to sport.

[Hitcher]

some of you old bastards need to start living in the real world

I don't ask much from professional sports people. They get six days a week to practice their jobs. I wish that I got six days each week to practice mine. On that basis I expect a 100% effort from them.

In those six days one would think that these "professionals" would have worked on perfecting their skills and developing a game plan. One would also hope than being selected to represent their country would engender a bit of passion and effort over and above that which they may have cantered around during Super 14.

All Blacks have their eyes on the big money on offer in international clubs. Their AB-ness is now merely a stepping stone. The black jersey's currency has been significantly devalued by professionalism and such tournaments as the Tri-Nations. I am old enough to remember when tests against South Africa actually meant something, rather than being just another weekend of rugby.

Old bastard? Yes. Real world? Regrettably and sadly yes to that as well.

[MIXONE]

You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning. (I even watched kids games where the score wasn't taken and everyone was told at the end they'd done jolly well!). I think that has removed some of the 'killer' instinct' from our contemporary NZ sports representatives.
.

Yep that was/is bs alright.My sons when first playing football were told that it was a draw after each game.They knew this was crap and often said."How come we didn't win when we scored more goals?"
I coach 8/9 year olds and our team philosophy is "Sport is fun and the most fun is winning"Non pc but I don't give a fuck!

On a side note, Warren Gaitlands Welsh team took a bit of a drumming from a very strong Springbok team.
AB's will need to gel quickly, and build a solid, cohesive, nuggety pack if they wish to put the shivers up the Wallabies/Bok's/Pom's backs.
Interesting season coming up.

I think it's been a long time since an AB pack sent shivers up an opposition team.Individual players yes but not as a pack or a team.We lost our mojo some time back.

[spookytooth]

Personally i was impressed with the ball handling skills considering the weather.Yea there was more than a few times that the ball should have gone wide,but thats pretty easy to see and say sitting by of a warm fire on a comfy couch.Well done guys

[Big Dave]

Can someone explain what Pick and go means please?
I thought it was something to do with a supermarket.

[tjwatt]

What a load of cr*p"

They deserved to lose! Doing that business in their own 40. Give me a break. And Deans V's Henry??? I will support the AB's but they need to get their SH*T IN ONE SOCK! Pathetic is all I can say.

The role of the forwards is to feed the ball to the backs. Full Stop!

Bring it on!!

Ab's have alot to do. Deans ahead of Henry any day. But still support AB'S

[Hitcher]

Can someone explain what Pick and go means please?
I thought it was something to do with a supermarket.

It's a technique that involves forwards picking up the ball from the back of a ruck and driving it forward so they themselves are tackled, leaving the ball behind so that the next wave of forwards can repeat the process until somebody knocks the ball on, giving the loosehead and feed to the opposition.

This technique worked well until rugby union sides hired rugby league defensive coaches. Against well drilled defensive sides, pick and go is little more than wasted effort, but it makes the forwards feel wanted.

[Big Dave]

Thanks - if you need help with AFL or NFL just let me knew.