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You would think they would pay more attention to how the Southern Hemisphere plays. It's the home of rugby.

Everyone goes on about how awesome the All Blacks are, but they're not awesome, they just know how to use the ENTIRE field playing area, and how to use the gaps and opportunities that come up. They've honed rugby to a whole new level.

For a time between 2000 and 2003, England managed to get over the problem of "learning basic skills" and become the very best.

What England did was very simple, simply patiently build up the ball, use powerful forwards to Shepard the ball while the centers gain the yards and then use the faster backs to exploit the gaps and go for the tries.

Pretty simple basic rugby by numbers. Its something that New Zealand have taken and honed it to a tee. They dominate at the ruck to provide lightning quick ball for their backs to gain yardage and exploit gaps. They are supreme are doing the basics and doing them really well.

Its not just tactics on the pitch, they've really spent the last 6 years since the 1999 world cup working hard on developing their pool of talent and making full use of every able bodied Kiwi who can throw a rugby ball. Really smart and enables Graham Henry to play probabbly three first XI's at the same time.

Essentially New Zealand are the new 2003 England. One in New Zealand must hope that they do not fluff it post world cup 2007.

Oh..my..god.

France 3 - New Zealand 47

That wasn't rugby....that was, murder.

Oh man, NZ are cresting a wave and are going to be riding it all the way to the World Cup.

Pay attention to how they play teams!!!

Hester, I need to start taping games and sending them to you! lol

*goes to read the papers of the day to get all the goods*

I'll post the links!

From the Scotsman: http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1673032006

Another one: http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1673192006

A piece written by our own Scott Murray! http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1673022006

An article on White's knee injury http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1673212006

England recap: http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1672742006

France v NZ http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1674272006

Wales: http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1672882006

Italy v Australia http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1672792006

and finally, Ireland v SA http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1674532006

Oh and from the Times:

England: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 37,00.html

Andy Robinson must resign: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 38,00.html

I think these guys are just jealous of Hadden lol

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 86,00.html

What I meant to say was that its more of an insult to a team who has taken the time and care to be at the tip top of their form to beat a team who quite frankly, can't string two passes together because either a) they're too sloppy or B ) couldn't be bothered. If I were the All Blacks, I'd be pissed off because they didn't get a challenge out there. They could have just gone to Georgia or some other backwater Rugby place like the USA and played them instead.

To make it a little easier to understand my argument, I have prepared this diagram:



Note that I have labeled Ali as the All Blacks and Sonny Liston as France. This is no coincidence and it is not meant as a cheap shot depicting the AB's as the all conquering heroes and France as a bunch of cheating losers.

Ali, was pissed off that this so called world champ had come out and not bothered to offer a decent fight. Ali was prepared for a pitched and brutal battle, but instead received a lazy and unfit Liston who was barely able to keep going until even the end of the first round. You can see the frustration on his face as he swore and cursed at the big ugly brown bear to get up and actually give a decent fight.

I bet the AB's were feeling just as cheated as Ali did that day. There is something about just pipping your opponent in an awesome and nailbiting match that just makes you feel exhilarated and estatic.

Winning by 40 points however just makes you go "meh, so what" and wander off to see who your next opponent will be. It may give your supporters multiple egotistical orgasms, but for you itself, its boring.

Wow, the Times is harsh! And we thought we were hard on our hockey team. I like the Scotsman, I've added that to my favourites.
I don't understand what's going on in rugby. What's happened to France? Why did Australia arrange such an easy schedule? Wales, Italy twice, no England or France. What's happened to the World Cup finalists?
NZ, Ireland and Argentina seem to be picking up the slack. It's good to see SA doing well - though they seem to be so hot and cold.

Taping games would be awesome d. I think you just want in my will I think when I get home I will finally have to get digital cable and see what Foxsportsworld Canada has to offer. The England-Ireland Six Nations game that I watched online is the only game I've seen in about two years. Oh, and some Churchill Cup this year too.

Hester Hester:

dimoreien dimoreien:

Everyone goes on about how awesome the All Blacks are, but they're not awesome, they just know how to use the ENTIRE field playing area, and how to use the gaps and opportunities that come up. They've honed rugby to a whole new level.

That's an awesome description if there ever was one. NZ doesn't have any competition anymore. They are far beyond awesome - a better word is needed. Since the Tri-Nations last year they have scored 50+ against Australia and South Africa and 40+ against England and France. Remember that France is ranked #2, South Africa #3, and Australia #4 in the world. England is #6 (and dropping GB)

Definetly, allow me to paste a post on this from another forum.

Prestwick on another forum Prestwick on another forum:

What I meant to say was that its more of an insult to a team who has taken the time and care to be at the tip top of their form to beat a team who quite frankly, can't string two passes together because either a) they're too sloppy or B ) couldn't be bothered. If I were the All Blacks, I'd be pissed off because they didn't get a challenge out there. They could have just gone to Georgia or some other backwater Rugby place like the USA and played them instead.

To make it a little easier to understand my argument, I have prepared this diagram:



Note that I have labeled Ali as the All Blacks and Sonny Liston as France. This is no coincidence and it is not meant as a cheap shot depicting the AB's as the all conquering heroes and France as a bunch of cheating losers.

Ali, was pissed off that this so called world champ had come out and not bothered to offer a decent fight. Ali was prepared for a pitched and brutal battle, but instead received a lazy and unfit Liston who was barely able to keep going until even the end of the first round. You can see the frustration on his face as he swore and cursed at the big ugly brown bear to get up and actually give a decent fight.

I bet the AB's were feeling just as cheated as Ali did that day. There is something about just pipping your opponent in an awesome and nailbiting match that just makes you feel exhilarated and estatic.

Winning by 40 points however just makes you go "meh, so what" and wander off to see who your next opponent will be. It may give your supporters multiple egotistical orgasms, but for you itself, its boring.

I have no idea to be honest. You can't really predict France I'm afraid ^^;

France run hot and cold. It's like my husband says, you don't know what players are going to show up that particular day!

Right now I think Ireland have everything going for them. They've been the most consistent so far and attack with gusto. I think we'll see them on top this year in the 6 Nations. Here are my predictions:

1. Ireland
2. Scotland
3. Wales
4. Italy
5. England

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