Field Theory: Everything you hoped for
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I reckon Justin Marshall is going to be an awesome commentator when he fully retires, just the tonic we need in the commentary box.
I can't understand how everyone is talking up this win as showing how rugby should be played. I would have thought the lesson every coach in the world would have seen in 10 metre high flashing neon lights is "DON'T TRY AND PLAY THE ALL BLACKS AT THEIR OWN GAME".
Surely the advice you'd give your players up against the All Blacks would be kick the ball downfield, play offside as often as possible and kick the penalties - i.e like the Springboks?
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@Matthew,
It's the turf scientists, acting on instructions (a guaranteed 5 day test... TV etc) that are ruining not only test cricket but also the shorter versions.
IMO that was a great test.
We got to the final session of the last day, and the team ahead by at least a neck lost. This has been floating around the cricket blogs over the last few days and no-one else can recall that happening before.
As for the bowling; in this test we had 3 seamers, all of whom had good matches, with a combined age > 100. And then there's Tuffey in the wings keeping up the average.
And then there's Southee aged 20. We lost a genration somewhere.
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It's the turf scientists, acting on instructions (a guaranteed 5 day test... TV etc) that are ruining not only test cricket but also the shorter versions.
Absolutely. The series against India, while entertaining solely for the sheer talent of the tourists, was also oddly depressing in that the pitches offered very little for the bowlers and thus lessened the chance for a genuine contest- even in the second test, when NZ forced India to follow on still trailing in their second innings by close to 300 runs, a draw still seemed the most likely result.
The Dunedin pitch was great- there was clearly enough for the batsmen if they applied themselves (as Umar, and to a lesser extent, Taylor, proved), but enough stuff in it for the bowlers to give the batsmen a fright.
Both Asif and Bond swung it like crazy, while that delivery Martin bowled to Yosuf in that second innings was an absolute peach. For it to still be that lively on the fifth day was a credit to the groundsmen.
It was absolutely a proper test match and you could tell both sides enjoyed the hell out of it. I was actually in Dunedin this weekend and managed to catch most of the last day. I also saw quite a few of the cricketers out on the town, Taylor, Guptil and Martin were unsurprisingly swamped by people, but the Pakistani cricketers were no less popular. Which was good to see.
It dawned on me it may have been quite a culture shock for some of the younger Pakistan players, such as Umar and Annear, though they seemed to be enjoying the attention.
Bond's injury is depressing because this was shaping up to be a classic series and he was the key.
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And McCaw. What a freak.
So it wasn't just that they let us play.
Thank you Russell. There were some brilliant individual performances in that match, and it was really fun to watch. I'm going to stop complaining now until next season.
And is this the first time we've ever won rugby and cricket tests on the same day?
Speaking of cricket, is anyone going to be there this week? I'll be there on Thursday.
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What Matthew said. IOB's dismissal of Malik in the same fashion as Martin getting Yousuf was also a peach, and came from nowhere.
@Megan. You bet.
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I'm really hoping to be there for a bit, weather and work and fundraiser canvassing permitting. Megan, I know what you look like, LB... I'll try to recognise you based on the arm action.
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LB... I'll try to recognise you based on the arm action.
Either that or I’ll be on crutches...
HG probably knows what we all look like, so he can be Chief Introductions Officer. A day of test cricket will do him good too.
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A day of test cricket will do him good too.
I reckon. Failing that, look for a girl with curly hair, loudly bemoaning Shane Bond's brokenness.
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loudly bemoaning Shane Bond's brokenness
...with perfect diction.
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But this must've changed recently.
Yes, I believed it changed recently. I think in Cardiff at 2007 against France we were the home team, so had to change. Now the rule is reversed.
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I'm pretty much with Emma on this, I wasn't convinced the French were playing with gusto. Something just seemed off about how easily the All Blacks were swinging the ball back and forth across the field, it was like the French had made a firm resolve to experiment with the exactly how far they could take their game whilst playing strictly onside. Can't think why they would do that, but was anyone pinged for offside, even once?
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HG probably knows what we all look like, so he can be Chief Introductions Officer. A day of test cricket will do him good too.
I missed the bit where I was supposed to be going to a test (what day?)
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WTF was going on with the TV coverage?
Not to mention the part where we took a quick lineout and had to watch a replay for 5 or 6 seconds as play continued in the background.
It's been bad the whole tour, not just that game - it happened against England with a 22 dropout, and lineout cameras were horrid. Against Italy, I think it was, it kept switching cameras during the throw.
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From the IRB regulations:
At least three (3) months prior to the commencement of an International Tour Unions shall exchange Team kit colours and agree if there is any clash of Team kits. If a clash exists between the proposed Team kits, the CEO of the IRB or his nominee will seek to resolve the matter.
However, in the event of a clash of kits, in the absence of any agreement to the contrary, the Host Union shall be entitled to wear its home kit.
So basically the home team wears what it wants to, and it seems that tradition is more of the driver than anything else.
Note that at 2007 World Cup the All Blacks wore their (awful) grey and black strip twice: once at "home" against France and once "away" against Scotland.
In the past we haven't needed an alternate strip against France because they played in a proper blue. Now Nike have given them navy uniforms and the unions have to agree on what they'll wear. Which is why France played here in white.
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Also I thought this was interesting:
15.5 Postponement of an International Match
15.5.1 After full consultation with the visiting Union, the visited Union shall have the sole right and discretion to determine whether or not an
International Match shall be postponed on account of adverse weather
conditions or the state of the ground.15.5.2 Travelling and hotel expenses incurred by the visiting Union in connection with any such futile visit shall be paid by the visited Union.
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I missed the bit where I was supposed to be going to a test (what day?)
Well, i'll be there tomorrow. Weather permitting.
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Tracey Nelson's stats are up and have Smith as the no. 2 tackler...
Of course, Tracey's stats have been known to support a Mr R. Thorne in comparison to a Mr. J. Collins. I think it was Richard Swain who topped the NRL tackle count for a couple of seasons, provoking much sneering from other players. The point was that players would pick out Swain to run at, knowing that while they might be tackled, the tackle wouldn't be dominant, they wouldn't get hurt and they could play the ball quickly. Similarly, with Mr Thorne at No. 6 you might frequently take the blindside option. With Mr. Collins lurking down that particular dark alleyway, the open side looks far more inviting...
Having said that, if the French were deliberately avoiding Nonu and Sivivatu, they won't make that mistake again. Conrad rules.
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Having said that, if the French were deliberately avoiding Nonu and Sivivatu, they won't make that mistake again. Conrad rules.
Attacking teams tend to plug the centres, particularly off lineout ball. But quickly going through the English, Welsh and Wallabies Tokyo tests, Smith is either above or just below Nonu in the completed tackle count
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I also struggle to remember a time he's missed a tackle. Nelson's stats for the 4 northern tour games he played has him missing one tackle. That's reliability you can bank on in the mid-field, and he's a decent attacking player as well.
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Public Service Announcement
World Cup draw live on TV One, tomorrow morning. Hoop-la starts 6 a.m., business time around 6.45 a.m.
All Whites can't play Australia, or anyone else from "Asia". In fact, I've already done the draw and it's: NZ, Italy, Slovakia, Ivory Coast. A tough group.
If I'm right, I expect to get my own show, Sensing Sport, sponsored by the TAB.
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What on earth makes you think that the TAB would sponsor someone who can predict stuff in the future?
Try and have you locked up maybe...
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Kyle, the TAB will sponsor me because they know I can't predict stuff. TVNZ will give me a show because they know I can make people believe I can predict stuff.
Draw prediction update: I'm sensing some blue in a flag. Or possibly red.
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Ah, fair point. You'll need to have Nigel Latta on though.
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Best live coverage of the draw tomorrow morning will be on The Guardian website...
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Draw prediction update: I'm sensing some blue in a flag. Or possibly red.
You'll be fucked if they pick Nigeria :)
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