Please for year 2003, select as start month at least october

It's like yoda coded the page.

I still think there are better sports to use as a model for rugby than…

South Africa's win last year and their subsequent 3rd in the TriNations devalues the worth of going by who holds the RWC.

Same goes for the Poms in 03, and a couple of other teams from memory. Has anybody analysed the respective performances of the World Champs in the 12…

The All Blacks were the epitome of rugby for years & years, with South Africa knocking at the door when politics and internal ructions allowed. People who were fans in those days are much less impressed with the RWC which is (rightly or wrongly) viewed…

If only we can agree that Falcao was the absolute cats pyjamas.

The eighth king of Rome? You'll get absolutely no argument from me there.

I watched the game again recently, and was struck by how much better than Brazil we played

I'd quite like to see the game again actually

First time you're in Wellington and with a couple of hours to kill, it's a date.

I can see it now. The rugby world comes to a screaming halt in Nov 2009 as South Africa takes on Scotland in front of 100,000 spectators and a worldwide audience of millions of Adidas wearing fans, waiting to see if the tourists can win the match…

Bad analogy re the knockout tournaments. The main reason Arsenal fielded their "B" team this week was the quality of the knockout tournament.

The top players were being rested for Arse’s main priority this season; the Champions League. Which also happens to be a knockout tournament, when…

To us, we're still the winners!

Knockout tournaments are irrelevant – the top teams in the English Football Premiership use them to give their B squads a run around (I believe Arsenal B just lost to Burnley in something?). Granted, if you are Burnley, then a knockout tournament is what you're going…

Knockout tournaments are irrelevant – the top teams in the English Football Premiership use them to give their B squads a run around (I believe Arsenal B just lost to Burnley in something?). Granted, if you are Burnley, then a knockout tournament is what you're going…

I'm absolutely in favour of league tables to decide league-style tournaments. The IRB rankings use league tables to find the winner of a non-existing league-style tournament, and that makes no sense to me (or anybody else really).

I view the rankings system as vaguely sensible, and useful for a number…

France’s record against NZ in the professional era hasn’t been that flash either.

Yup. And NZ losing to France isn't a complete surprise. France normally get their butts kicked by NZ, but occasionally, seemingly on big occasions, they play 'one of those games'. They're that sort of team. England aren't.

So you're against league play then? The idea that a winner is crowned after a certain number of matches.

I'm absolutely in favour of league tables to decide league-style tournaments. The IRB rankings use league tables to find the winner of a non-existing league-style tournament, and that makes no sense…

It's hard to remember a time when they really were.

June 2004 until November 2005 from memory. The sloppy display against Scotland at the end of the GS was a sign of things to come, even though there were several impressive wins in 2006. 2007 definitely had a sense of…

France’s record against NZ in the professional era hasn’t been that flash either.

good list of those here

Except when the match has been held in the UK.

crashed out of the world cup against a team who had already lost the opener (at home!) and went on to lose the next game (at home!) against the eventual losers of the final

So you're against league play then? The idea that a winner is crowned after a certain…

The 2007 All Black team was not going at full guns.

I should clarify my point.

I mean, putting the best available team on the field. As compared to what they did in that Northern tour a while ago where they drew to France and lost to England, which was…

can't the rest of us all just agree to ignore the World Cup and celebrate the rankings list?

I guess. It still reminds me a bit of a friend once who after being on the losing end of I can't rememebr what game delivered the immortal line "To me I'm…

The NZRFU and the players think it's important.

You are, of course, absolutely right. But since the whole thing has been a tragic mistake, can't the rest of us all just agree to ignore the World Cup and celebrate the rankings list?

I might as well confess that that's when…

You think it's important

The NZRFU and the players think it's important. Nobody gives a toss about the IRB rankings (which also exist in football, by the way, and nobody cares about those either). Do you want evidence? People always know who the world champion is, and seldom who's at…

So South Africa are unquestionably the best team until 2011?

Nope, but they are World Champions until then.

So South Africa are unquestionably the best team until 2011?

No, but arguably they were the best team of the 2004-2007 cycle. I'm not crazy about the all-absorbing power of the world cup, don't get me wrong, but that's the yardstick that the federations have chosen for themselves – and…

The 2007 All Black team was not going at full guns.

Nowhere remotely near it.

It's hard to remember a time when they really were.

The second half performance against Wales is what we want, nay demand, all the time. It's our destiny or some such shit.

In bizzarro world you might want to decide the best team like that.

So South Africa are unquestionably the best team until 2011?
If not, why is it that in a 12 month period in which a World Cup falls that one tournament defines the best team while in other…

Now, the failing coaches got a second chance, which is all fine and good. Not sure why Mitchell didn't get it, nor why Deans didn't deserve a go. Especially in light of the arrogance shown by Henry et al.

Presumably because Slaphead was mad as a maggot channelling board room…

and what beats the All Blacks when they're going full guns is another very talented team

The 2007 All Black team was not going at full guns.

Nowhere remotely near it.

Don’t forget the rubbish in Melbourne that year either.

We’d have struggled to beat England, who had sorted out their defence by then, and were clearly inferior to South Africa AT THAT TIME.

It's all guesswork, but I doubt we would have struggled to beat England.

The All Blacks have never lost to England at a world cup, though…

Reasons don't really matter, but neither do they take away from the performance across all tests in 2007 (what, 15 or so? if you include all RWC games?)

In bizzarro world you might want to decide the best team like that. In the real world of sports, everybody trains for…

I actually think we were the best team last year. And if not we were second best by a whisker.

Yes. We won an abbreviated Tri Nations that nobody really cared about (including us) and crashed out of the world cup against a team who had already lost the opener…

the best team last year, ie the winner of the World Cup.

Those are not necessarily the same thing in rugby though...
We lost one game at the world cup because we lost it. Reasons don't really matter, but neither do they take away from the performance across all tests…

And HG; South Africa beat England 36-0 in pool play which was reasonably convincing.

But that's 21 Bledisloes and only five World Cups.

It's a trophy defence with only two possible winners, though, so there isn't a lot of toing and froing. It's a matter of remembering that we had between year X and year Y, then they had it for a year, then…

What really gets me about the World Cup post-mortem, even more than blaming it on a forward pass, is the assumption that if NZ had got past France they would have won the cup. There was nothing to support that theory. And that’s even before factoring in…

But we are the best team in the world right now, no question.

Yes, but don't tell me that being the best team right now means the same as being the best team last year, ie the winner of the World Cup. You could make the argument if the All…

The guile-free one-off charging at 3 defenders from all those rucks and mauls we were getting slow ball from was never going to…

I'm not going to go there on flakey field-goals vs. those forwards in close getting over the line. I'd have hung on to the ball too. Maybe even for longer.

I don't mind going there; though my memory of the actual stats is getting fuzzy seeing as I read the…

I can remember all the trophies Tottenham have won between 82 and now.

What about the BLACKCAPS?

I can remember all the trophies Tottenham have won between 82 and now.

Yes, they even managed to spoil the Monty Python Coventry City/ FA Cup joke.

Could you do the Euro winners too? And Champions League? And Italian Premier League (sorry I forgot the actual name)

I can remember all the trophies Tottenham have won between 82 and now.

*hollow laugh*

I watched the game again recently, and was struck by how much better than Brazil we played

I'd quite like to see the game again actually, maybe my memory is more nostalgic than it should be.

Certainly, while that Brazilian team had a fantastic attack (apart from Sergio) they did…

Plus it's all well and good so long as you don't start bandying around the 'best team in the world' tag, otherwise it becomes a tad parochial to limit the search to this corner of the planet.

No, let's include the rest of the planet. Who would you pick? We're…

I remember all the world cup winners from 1987 ownwards. Do you remember the toing and froing of the Bledisloe in that period of time?

But that's 21 Bledisloes and only five World Cups. I can name all the Superbowl Winners from this year back some distance (I haven't tried…

Of course. But I always know who's holding the Bledisloe Cup. Kinda my point.

I remember all the world cup winners from 1987 ownwards. Do you remember the toing and froing of the Bledisloe in that period of time? Plus it's all well and good so long as you don't…

Now replace Brazil with New Zealand and football with rugby and you get an understanding of where we sit. Though I would argue that New Zealand is better at rugby…

I think we should stick with it though, eh. Once we get the monkey off our backs in a WC, I reckon…

Ah, but then it occurs to me that you were asking me something else.

Actually I wasn't but I did appreciate the extra info. I was wondering if the Brazillians put more emphasis on the World cup because their version of Euro was less interesting. But it seems that is…

I've spoken to people who still think Brazil was entitled to win that tournament.

Heh – Giovanni I'm one of those footballing tragics. And with all due deference to a fine Italian team who obviously had brought their own script to that game, there was something of the romantic tragedy…

I dunno. How long were the Springboks feted as world champions this time? About five minutes, by my recall.

I'm still loving it. I put $100 on them at the TAB the day betting opened. They paid $1100.

That's just made-up talk, ie bullshit. France were very good in a couple of key areas.

Against the ABs, yes. But they lost the opener against Argentina and dutifully went on to lose against England. I think you could make a reasonable case that it was us who made them…

I dunno. How long were the Springboks feted as world champions this time? About five minutes, by my recall.

Might have been longer in South Africa, actually.

No, actually. They won it in September and Jake White, the coach, was on the way out from the moment his plane touched…

People who talk about Barnes keep forgetting that France was awful, and I find the tacit assumption that if we had squeaked past them we would have beaten SA is irritating in the extreme. We didn't lose the final, we crashed out of the quarterfinals.

That's just made-up talk, ie…

What happens when there is the big South American version of Euro? Or are their best players over in Europe?

They have rights of release, thankfully. The European clubs always complain about that, of course (bastards). It runs every three years, too, not four, although I think sometimes it also…

What happens when there is the big South American version of Euro? Or are their best players over in Europe?

This might sound awfully full of kiwi-centric hubris, but I can imagine that the All Black's failure to win the WRC must be beginning to undermine the credibility of the tournament as a place that finds a "champion" of anything except that particular event.

Yes, it does sound like hubris.…

That said, I do like the Rangitoto design of Auckland. I think Wellington could have got a bit more Manawatu into the away strip though.

Coming tomorrow afternoon is the more "indepth" analysis of the unis and an interview with the head of Adidas New Zealand. (How's that for a…

The Crusaders' jersey? Seriously? A sword on the front?

I don't get the surprise. Unless it's the fact it's pointing down – and not, say at a right angle.

1 – The Crusaders supporters lapel pin is a little sword.
2 – The Kids wave [[http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/423466/630761|a nice big foam sword,…

as far as i understand (win/loss ratio) we are as hard to beat as any time in our 100 + year glorious history,

The all blacks should have transcended pettiness by now and…

I dunno. How long were the Springboks feted as world champions this time? About five minutes, by my recall.

Might have been longer in South Africa, actually. And at any rate, how long have we been feted as Tri Nations champions? Has anybody even noticed? I honestly struggle to remember…

Less and less, though, you'll agree. The World Cup may be a huge cash cow and promoting tool but I could really do without it. As much as we can say it ought not to be the only thing that matters, it pretty much is.

I dunno. How long were…

Things like Lions tours and Grand Slams have a long history and they still matter.

Less and less, though, you'll agree. The World Cup may be a huge cash cow and promoting tool but I could really do without it. As much as we can say it ought not to…

The day before the match against France, he was proclaiming a massive victory by an invincible team under a great coach. The next day, the plan had been flawed from the beginning, Henry was a disaster, hanging was too good for them &c &c.

Ah, yes, happier simpler times. To [[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/chris-rattue/news/article.cfm?a_id=22&objectid=10467331|quote Rattue before…

There is a concerted effort to be the best team ..at any time. Why else bother?

Yes. It's not like football, where anything that's not a tournament is basically a friendly match.

Things like Lions tours and Grand Slams have a long history and they still matter. It's a shame…

There almost seems to be a concerted effort in being the best team in between World Cups

Frankly ,I tire of the 'best team inbetween the Cup' line.
The nature of a knock out tournament is such that the best team need not be the team that wins the thing.An…

My approach implies a certain amount of getting over it, too. If we're stil moan about Henry v Deans in 2011 god help us. lf Henry is winning Tri Nations and Grand Slams like this year, he's not…

'Support the guy we've got. Ignore sensationalist newspaper columists.'

Yes. Ignore the fact we lost, it was all the ref's fault. And do the bidding of the outgoing coach, who also blamed it all on Barnes (as if France had had any business being even close in score with the…

That’s the whole point. For decent back play you need combinations. That is exactly what caught us out.

Totally agree Legbreak. Though he's had a great season this season, I thought Sivivatu was the wrong player to have been selected in the quarter final mostly because he's not a good…

Those new Adidas ones are designed to go well with jeans (and possibly spew down them), it's a joint effort by Adidas and the NZRFU to get some cash off you. Don't get sucked in, team.

On…

The Crusaders' jersey? Seriously? A sword on the front?

The Southern Region Ice Hockey emblem (not actually used on any of the tops for good reason) which is a rep region for everything south of Christchurch is a picture of a knight sticking a sword through the head of some…

There almost seems to be a concerted effort in being the best team in between World Cups. Now, I'm not saying that it's only the World Cup that counts, but surely it's too early in the cycle to judge either Deans or Henry, no?

I think Henry is our best…

The back play? Not so much.

That’s the whole point. For decent back play you need combinations. That is exactly what caught us out.

Not so sure about the fitness thing either. Carter and Collins both carried injuries into that match.

Though only in one game every four years

It was a few more than that in the horror run of 1998.

And yet in the last 20 years the rest of the world seems to have managed okay.

Though only in one game every four years

Robbie Deans is probably the greatest coach we've seen at the level below internationals in the professional era.

Except maybe Graham Henry. He won the NPC four years on the trot, won two Super 12 titles* (and was finalist in another) before he headed to Wales.

*technically three

Stir stir…

No nation has a team like the all blacks......the utter intensity you've got to put yourself through to try and beat us.

And yet in the last 20 years the rest of the world seems to have managed okay.

Thanks mate,.That ref "was' a joke..
That's the problem of the last world cup .Full Stop.........I wish people would read stats more.

No nation has a team like the all blacks......the utter intensity you've…

There has never been a rugby international like it, and I doubt there ever will be.

The All Blacks' dominance of the match statistics was as comprehensive as any I can think of in a match…

The test of of Robbie Deans at the international level will be in three years when he's had a chance to have some impact upon Australian rugby.

He's the Isaia Toeava of coaching!

The Crusaders' jersey? Seriously? A sword on the front?

I feel that this sort of phallic symbolism encapsulates much of rugby culture quite nicely.

It has been a…

According to a head Rebel Sport honcho, in the week they have been available, the grey Crusaders strip is flying out the door. Let's not forget the strip is about sales and not rugby.

Tell that to the officials at the World Cup quarter final who asked the ABs at…

Am I just being ignorant when I think the hard data points to GH as the better coach?

I'm not sure if comparing the win records of the ABs versus the Wallabies is a fair way to judge the coaches. There's this little thing of the players and their talent.…

[Just a pet peeve of mine...]

It's probably only due to Henry's (failed) rotation policy that we still have the player depth after the exodus.

There almost seems to be a concerted effort in being the best team in between World Cups. Now, I'm not saying that it's only the World Cup that counts, but surely…

The one that led to all that trouble.

I was very disappointed in Rattue after last year's World Cup. The day before the match against France, he was proclaiming a massive victory by an…

Curiously, however, Rattue has not previously written of this "disaster".

Well perhaps the disaster would have been beating the Welsh, cause, you know, that would have been... terrible.
And he certainly avoided that! RO-BBIE RO-BBIE

"It's time to sack that over-qualified hired hand Wayne Bennett from being the Kiwis' assistant coach so Steve Kearney can find his feet as the head man....."

Probably still hasn't changed his…

As to the jersey's, I like the idea of having two strips, but I wanted something half decent, not some mangled pos that someone's kid drew at school.

We should stop playing international matches until the rest catch up.
(I am joking)

Super 14 strips – what everyone else has…

Crazy. We should make every team play all their away games in pink until they sort it out.

Heh. I can hear the changing rooms now:

"With all respect to Dan Carter, the new tops look a bit French don't they?"

Rattue is back – still friggin mad.

Is Chris Rattue a Cantabrian? or just a brain-dead one-eyed pillock? (Not that I conflate the 2, I hasten to add. If he was Cantabrian then I could sort of understand a continuing weak cheer for…

It would be useful if they had actually said something like "home strip Light, away strip dark" and enforced it.

Oh yeah? Come down here and enforce it.

I'm kidding. Mostly.

But.

Highlanders: Home top blue, great. Away top maroon red.
Crusaders: Home top red...
Reds: Home top red

Crazy.…

Are these people qualified to run a social sports league, let alone a professional one?

Bibs. The away teams can wear flouro-pink bibs.

So did the Super 14 organisers actually put any serious limits on the home and away jersies?
It would be useful if they had actually said something like "home strip Light, away strip dark" and enforced it.
How much say do they…

But The Dropkicks did postulate in a previous podcast that perhaps Rattue was engaged in a massive conspiracy with the rugby union. So perhaps we should be cheering him on?

The most significant achievement by far during this series was Australia's ability, under Robbie Deans, to pull back from the brink of a disaster that was facing the sport across the Tasman.

Curiously,…

Also the 2009 Super 14 jerseys were revealed. I'll do my proper "analysis" tomorrow (ps. If anyone from Adidas reads this drop me a quick line, cheers)

Seriously, did the Super 14 not think this through?

One jersey for playing at home, one jersey for playing away. Great idea, the…