All Blacks V Ireland. The "Pick and go"

[Terminated]

I was pleased to receive the Rugby 2008 guide that came with the Sunday Times this morning.

There is a feast of rugby, and I look forward to it. The bounce of the ball, the weather, the overall brilliance of teams - their offence and defence, their strategies.

Being in NZ now for 25years from across the ditch, I am what you would call an All Grey, a foot in each camp.

It doesn't matter whether it is the Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England....good rugby played well "Is Good".

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Headbanger]

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

Best post in the thread.

[Headbanger]

I am old enough to remember when tests against South Africa actually meant something

I must have missed something then, What did they mean?

[Usarka]

I must have missed something then, What did they mean?

It meant something special.

tests were special. they were tests

Now they are just an extension of club rugby. On 15 times a year from jan through nov.

[Headbanger]

Pretty much the craptaculer answer I expected.

[Hitcher]

Pretty much the craptaculer answer I expected.

What's your point?

[Headbanger]

What's your point?

My point?

Well, seeing as you ask, I had hoped for a reasonable answer, or least an attempt at one, But I got what I expected, which was no answer at all.

Then, as now, Rugby is just a game. As much as I love the game, and its history, The "meaning" hasn't changed, Its always been about each country putting their best effort into winning on the day.


Its a pity some no longer enjoy it, And I agree with some of the points made about the changes that have been caused by going pro, But fucks sake, enough with the cry baby crap.



While I'm on the subject, How about we place a low salary cap on the AB's, Then all those not there for the team will follow the money faster. And I love the Tri-Nations, Its the highlight of the rugby year.

GO THE BLACKS!!!!!

[Oakie]

And I for love the Tri-Nations, Its the highlight of the rugby year.

I think that was part of Hitcher's point. We'll play South Africa 3 times in the next couple of months. Like we did last year. And the previous year. And next year. It used to be that we'd play them every 4 or 5 years. That meant that a series would come up perhaps once in a player's career and would be the pinnacle of a career. They're all just another game now. The empty seats at last night's game attest to that.

[tri boy]

Also a tour mean't provincial clubs, (and fans) had the opportunity to meet and play against their idol's, whether they were SA, English etc.
Alot of the atmosphere around visiting international teams has long since dissapeared.
Now they fly in, play, and fly out. (as opposed to a two month national tour).
The game is still similar, but some of the magic is gone. MHO

[Headbanger]

Also a tour mean't provincial clubs, (and fans) had the opportunity to meet and play against their idol's, whether they were SA, English etc.
Alot of the atmosphere around visiting international teams has long since dissapeared.
Now they fly in, play, and fly out. (as opposed to a two month national tour).
The game is still similar, but some of the magic is gone. MHO

Now, Thats a great answer.

[MisterD]

Then, as now, Rugby is just a game. As much as I love the game, and its history, The "meaning" hasn't changed, Its always been about each country putting their best effort into winning on the day.

Its a pity some no longer enjoy it, And I agree with some of the points made about the changes that have been caused by going pro, But fucks sake, enough with the cry baby crap.

The problem is that for the past few years we've been living under this media-inspired delusion that more rugby = better rugby. Well it doesn't. How old is Jerry Collins? He's knackered, gone, burnt out, at not even 30. It used to be that a player's best years started at that age...

The world cup has become the be-all and end-all, so we endure player rotation and "wider development squads" instead of a certainty that the blokes out on the field were the best available (in the opinion of the selectors, anyway).

[marioc]

Wtf cant believe this shit,the AB's played pretty dam well considering the conditions,the forwards were completly dominating,McCaw was simply superb.
Carter was a bit off colour but how often does that happen.
The game has changed it aint the 'good old days" anymore.
GO THE AB's!!!

[Ragingrob]

Wtf cant believe this shit,the AB's played pretty dam well considering the conditions,the forwards were completly dominating,McCaw was simply superb.
Carter was a bit off colour but how often does that happen.
The game has changed it aint the 'good old days" anymore.
GO THE AB's!!!

Exactly

This is the first game of the All Blacks' season, so what's all this crap about there being too much rugby? Sure, the Super 14 has overdone it and it doesn't excite me as much as the Super 12 did, but c'mon, this is the All Blacks!

You start a thread about how shit their game was? 1) They won 2) The conditions were poor 3) They played to the conditions 4) They played damn well 5) They won.

You can't leave your keys in the ignition when you go for a beer these days. Life goes on.

[MisterD]

so what's all this crap about there being too much rugby?

Four, count 'em, four Bledisloe tests including one in Hong f-ing Kong this year...I rest my case. Yawntastic, it's all about the $$'s.

[Headbanger]

Well, Be miserable, Find something new to entertain, and stfu up about the rugby.

Go the Blacks.

The Bledisloe/tri-nations series of games are going to rock, as always.