New Zealand Rugby
Andrew Mehrtens
When there was so much positive to come from the two tests at the weekend and with the Wellington test holding all sorts of intrigue, I’m sorry to start this week’s column with a bleat.
But I can’t help myself.
Why, of all the major sports around the world, does our game have the worst standard of international refereeing? And by a long shot.
OK, I accept that rugby is a complicated game with a lot of rules, and a lot to watch. But where are the referees with a feel for the game?
Zac Guildford
French rugby club Clermont will be without Zac Guildford for up to four weeks after the former All Black and teammate Jonathan Davies were assaulted.
The 25-year-old Kiwi, who had a record of ill discipline off the pitch in New Zealand before he made the move to France in the summer, was left with a badly-bruised jaw.
Jonathan Kaplan
Do I really need to confirm what everyone else already knows… This was not a good weekend for referees!
We are operating in a system where I have said that these type of weekends are not avoidable and until key elements of the system are exposed, and then adequately addressed, this will continue into the future.
The referees are not getting it right, and it is pointless saying after the fact, that things need to be looked at, when the writing was on the wall from the get go.
Greg Growden
The Wallabies have at last beaten someone perched above them in the world rankings.
It has taken awhile.
But if the Australian players and management seriously start believing they are back on track then it’s time for them to take some ‘truth pills’.
Their one-point win over the Springboks was deeply flawed, exposed many of their inherent weaknesses including a lack of discipline, and showed their fundamental skills are at best average.
The Wallabies can also no longer carry on about being a luckless team, as they received the benefit of a string of dreadful decisions from referee George Clancy, who should have his whistle confiscated after such a diabolical performance. The Springboks have every right to cry foul as they were victims of numerous Clancy blunders.
ROSE KUPA: Expected a ‘harsher rap’.
The streaker who disrupted Napier’s first All Blacks test in almost two decades sparked security concerns and soured an otherwise “outstanding” event the city’s leaders hope to repeat.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen labelled 25-year-old streaker Rose Kupa’s antics “a pain in the backside” after Saturday’s test match, while Israel Dagg laughed off the slap on the bum Kupa gave him as she dashed past.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer
The Springboks will need a monumental effort to down the All Blacks, but coach Heyneke Meyer believes South Africa can win for the first time in New Zealand in five years.
South Africa face to the world champions in Wellington next Saturday trailing by three points on the Rugby Championship standings after a last-gasp 24-23 loss to the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday.
It was the Springboks’ first defeat in this year’s four-nation tournament after winning back-to-back against Argentina, but they face their supreme test away to the All Blacks.
(Revised)
Will Genia and Joe Tomane will join the Wallabies but Henry Speight’s Test start will have to wait, as Australia begin preparations to face an improved Argentina on the Gold Coast this week.
It is understood Genia is some way off his Test return but will be brought into the training squad this week, along with Tomane and Rebels centre Tom English, after playing in the National Rugby Championship on Saturday.
But in a disappointing development over the weekend, Speight will remain in Canberra after pulling out of an expected NRC appearance with a sore hamstring.
New Zealand (13) 28 / 9 (6) Argentina
It was never going to be pretty, but the All Blacks will find plenty to admire when they look back on a 28-9 win over Argentina.
Steve Hansen’s side delivered enough to keep their coach smiling as they ran in four tries to remain unbeaten in this year’s Rugby Championship.
All Blacks (13) 28 / 9 (6) Los Pumas (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks and Argentinian Pumas did battle in The Rugby Championship at
McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 04:35 ARG Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Copping criticism: Wycliff Palu
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has rejected a stinging accusation that Wycliff Palu “dogged it” at Eden Park and let Australia down badly in the heavy loss to the All Blacks.
Former Test fullback Greg Martin made the comments on FoxSports Rugby HQ program on Thursday night and they caused a sizeable ripple in Perth ahead of the Wallabies’ next Test with South Africa tomorrow night.
EXPECTING FATHER: All Blacks hooker Dane Coles admits he was nervous informing management he needed leave during a crucial stage of The Rugby Championship.
Hooker Dane Coles nervously told All Blacks Management he needed leave at a crucial time in play.
This was one ruckus Dane Coles wanted to avoid.
Although chuffed partner Sarah was pregnant with their first child, Coles couldn’t help worrying about how All Blacks coach Steve Hansen would react to his hooker swapping scrums for a birthing unit at such a crucial point of the Rugby Championship.
From a rugby perspective Coles concedes the timing is hardly ideal; the baby is due in the first week of October, coinciding with the blockbuster test against the Springboks in Johannesburg and at a time when the All Blacks are short of experienced hookers.
Yet there is only one place he wants to be on October 5 and it isn’t on a rugby field surrounded by 62,000 screaming South African rugby fans at Ellis Park.
FOCUSED: All Blacks captain Richie McCaw takes a pass during a training session at McLean Park in Napier.
Yellow cards have been an unwanted feature of the All Blacks’ recent tests and Richie McCaw says enough is enough.
The All Blacks captain was one of the chief offenders when the All Blacks belted the Wallabies 51-20 at Eden Park a fortnight ago, having been sent to the sin-bin by French referee Romain Poite for needlessly playing the ball on the ground.
Ben Franks also copped a yellow card in the Auckland match and Wyatt Crockett and Beauden Barrett took an enforced rest against the Aussies in the first Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney.
LOW TACTICS: Pumas wing Horacio Agulla believes Argentina will need to tackle low if they are to beat the All Blacks.
Belief is a valuable commodity. When it comes to the Rugby Championship that mental barrier, more than any physical or skill disparity, is holding the Pumas back.
For the most part, Argentina’s set-piece laid a near exemplary platform in two narrow defeats against the Springboks. Similar dominance saw the All Blacks run up half a century against the Wallabies.
The Pumas should have claimed at least one victory over the Boks, but instead left Auckland for Napier yesterday still feeling the frustration of another missed opportunity.
DAY JOB: Stags player Craig Smith spent some time back on the building site yesterday in Invercargill where he works as a builder outside of the rugby season.
Provincial rugby isn’t a fulltime gig for most players in New Zealand these days.
Outside of Super Rugby players, and the All Blacks, those plying their trade in the national provincial rugby competition need something else.
As provincial unions tighten their belts, in regard to their wage bills, the importance for players having something outside rugby, in terms of employment or eduction, has increased.
That importance also heightens for unions to have buy-in from employers and educators to allow some flexibility for players to juggle their rugby commitments with work.
Most provincial players need to convince their bosses to let them go for four months throughout the NPC season and hope they can return after it.
Patrick Tuipolotu (left), Aaron Cruden and Steven Luatua agree that fans’ support plays a vital role in the All Blacks’ success.
The last two tests have shown the highs and lows of All Blacks’ rugby. Paul Lewis talks to Aaron Cruden, Steven Luatua and Patrick Tuipolotu about expectations and pressure from fans from such polarising experiences.
Some time back in his tenure as All Black skipper, Tana Umaga was asked whether the All Blacks minded carrying so many public expectations every time they played. “No,” he shot back. “It helps us win.”
It seemed a good panel discussion topic to take up with three All Blacks, especially as they and filmmaker Taika Waititi will be engaged in a Rexona-inspired campaign entitled “Do More” – a call to arms to All Black fans to get behind their team during this championship and, especially, next year’s World Cup.
COOL HEAD: Beauden Barrett is a picture of calmness as he poses on the Napier beachfront yesterday, ahead of the test against Argentina.
Replacing injured Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett is a promising starter in the No 10 jersey against Argentina.
It takes plenty to rattle Beauden Barrett.
The 23-year-old first five-eighth has forged a reputation for his calmness under pressure during his brief, but already impressive professional career.
POSSIBLE NPC RETURN: All Blacks maestro Dan Carter could come back from injury at provincial level for Canterbury.
Dan Carter could yet wander into the eye of Canterbury’s national provincial championship “storm”.
Since suffering a fractured fibula during the Super Rugby final on August 2 Carter hasn’t added to his 100 test caps and may be asked to make a rare appearance for Canterbury before returning to the All Blacks.
Coach Steve Hansen confirmed that Carter, who has been with the All Blacks in Napier this week, has begun jogging and his immediate playing future will soon be mapped out.
“It is just a matter of whether we bring him straight back in for test rugby or whether we bring him back for (NPC) and with a few games under his belt,” Hansen said.
TRY TIME: Richie McCaw rises after scoring a try off the back of a maul in the All Blacks’ Eden Park test against the Wallabies.
The All Blacks have got the masters of the maul thinking hard, with Springboks bosses intrigued at New Zealand’s innovative and successful tactics with this crucial attacking weapon during the early phases of the Rugby Championship.
The big Boks packs have long set the standards in mauling, but assistant coach Johann van Graan has admitted intrigue over the way the All Blacks have developed the art as they displayed in demolishing the Wallabies at Eden Park.
MONSTER PACK: Argentina’s forward pack proved more than up to the task against the Springboks.
Twenty-two thousand fans might twist their necks towards the sky, but All Blacks No 8 Kieran Read is more likely to glare at Argentina’s forward pack before Saturday night’s test in Napier.
While southerlies and rain are forecast, Hawke’s Bay rugby supporters will hope the weather is clear to allow the All Blacks to unleash their backline at McLean Park.
Read knows the New Zealanders cannot do anything about the weather but can still rip the rug out from under the Pumas, and that starts with challenging the visitors’ celebrated scrum.
When All Blacks scrum coach Mike Cron watched the Pumas repeatedly demolish the South Africans’ scrum in their two recent encounters, he would have wasted little time in mapping out some training drills.
Argentina on Thursday announced two changes for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks as they chase their first win in the southern hemisphere competition.
Leonardo Senatore replaces the injured Paul Matera to slot in at the back of the scrum, joining veterans Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Manuel Leguizamon in a rejigged loose trio.
“Big Ben” Tameifuna
It’s time out for Big Ben Tameifuna after New Zealand Rugby’s judiciary banned him five weeks for his shove on referee Glen Jackson last weekend.
Tameifuna shoved referee Glen Jackson in the 72nd minute of Waikato’s national provincial championship victory at North Harbour on Saturday.
Citing commissioner John Wootton reporter the incident after the match.
RUNNING THE CUTTER: Beauden Barrett will make his first start in the All Blacks’ No 10 jersey against Argentina in Napier on Saturday.
Beauden Barrett’s All Blacks apprenticeship is finally over.
The Hurricanes first five-eighth will start in the No 10 jersey against Argentina in Napier on Saturday after a chest injury ruled out incumbent Aaron Cruden.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has made three changes to the side that thrashed the Wallabies 51-20 at Eden Park on August 23, with Israel Dagg recalled at fullback and Ma’a Nonu restored to second five-eighth.
Barrett’s elevation marks a significant milestone for the talented Taranaki pivot after a long wait to finally take the controls of the test side.
The 23-year-old has started twice previously in his 21-test career, but both times at fullback, against Italy in 2012 and then against Japan last year.
The advertisement featuring Ashley Johnson in his Bok jersey.
The hosts of the 2015 Rugby World Cup say they didn’t forget to feature the All Blacks in an ad released yesterday encouraging people to buy tickets to the tournament.
In fact, current and former players were approached to do it, but declined the offer, an England Rugby 2015 official said.
Watch the video here
RULED OUT: All Blacks first-five Aaron Cruden has a chest injury and will not be available to face Argentina in Napier on Saturday, handing Beauden Barrett the No 10 jersey.
Beauden Barrett will start at first five eighth against Argentina in Napier on Saturday with Aaron Cruden ruled out of the Rugby Championship test with a chest injury.
The All Blacks team will be named tomorrow morning, but TVNZ reported tonight that Barrett would start for the third time in a test career that’s seen him come off the reserves bench in 19 of his 21 tests since his debut in 2012.
The 23-year-old’s only other test starts have been at fullback, against Italy in 2012, and Japan last year.
Cruden has been in exceptional form this season, but suffered a chest muscle injury during the All Blacks Bledisloe Cup win over the Wallabies at Eden Park two weeks ago.
Stuff – NZ
Andrew Hore
OK, a special for the Ex-Voldy bloggers… we will keep this Hore Thread ALIVE for a while.. so go ahead, get your records!!
Former All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore has answered an S.O.S. to come out of retirement and provide injury cover for Southland.
The loss of veteran hooker Jason Rutledge has left the Stags with problems in the middle of their front row.
That saw skipper Jamie Mackintosh put a call in to his mate Hore to twist his arm to help out in Invercargill.
Pumas spark: Martin Landajo
Martin Landajo admits the rain forecast for Saturday in Napier will not help Argentina’s new attacking philosophy.
The Pumas have been the surprise package of the competition so far, pushing South Africa all the way in both matches between the two.
However with heavy rain forecast for the clash with the All Blacks, the Pumas scrum-half believes Argentina’s attacking game will have to be tweaked.
“We are not accustomed to rain, and we prefer the dry weather,” said Landajo, who started both Tests against the Springboks.
“We know it rains a lot in New Zealand so we must adapt.
ACID TEST: The All Blacks’ pack will have to be at its best to deal with a powerful Argentina eight at scrum time on Saturday.
You can blame the goal kicker, you can blame the concession of daft technical penalties or a single colossal blunder at the wrong time.
It’s hard to argue. But the single main reason why Argentina’s strong men could dominate South Africa the other weekend and still end up losing was the train of Springbok replacements.
Coach Heyneke Meyer hooked beaten players from the pitch and sent on an eager second wave of men like Adriaan Strauss and Tendai ‘the Beast’ Mtawarira.
It’s not a good idea to get in Ben’s way, even if you are the referee.
Waikato prop Ben Tameifuna has been cited for acting against the spirit of good sportsmanship, after referee Glen Jackson was allegedly shoved.
The incident occurred during Waikato’s Week 3 NPC Cup match against North Habour at QBE Stadium on Saturday. The alleged incident occurred in the 72nd minute of the match when Jackson was knocked off his feet.
The incident was noted by Citing Commissioner John Wootton. Tameifuna has been cited under law 10.4 (m) which deems that a player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure. His case will be heard on Wednesday September 3, by Judicial Officer Chris Morris by video conference.
Watch the video below.
SLIPPERY WHEN WET: All Black TJ Perenara catches the ball during a rain-affected training session in Napier.
Rarely do the All Blacks relish the chance to train in relentless rain and on a sodden pitch.
But when it comes to playing Argentina in New Zealand, those conditions have been a given in recent times, so today’s training at the Napier Old Boys Marist club may prove the perfect dress rehearsal for Saturday’s Rugby Championship test.
“We have a plan A and a plan B, but we have an eye on Saturday’s [forecast] and it looks like it’s going to be reasonably wet later in the week,” backs coach Ian Foster said.
“We’re going in with a plan that we want to play if the conditions are great, but our awareness of plan B is pretty high this week.”
The All Blacks are aware that they played poorly in the wet three weeks ago during a dour 12-12 draw with Australia in Sydney where they kicked too much and struggled with their handling.
This turned out to be a pretty good week for visiting teams and those in the Championship section, but a couple in the Premiership won’t be feeling quite so chipper about life.
At the end of hostilities the top five in the lower division are separated by only three points and, in most cases, have not yet started playing amongst each other.
Manawatu opened the weekend with a big win at Wellington; it was only their second ever over Wellington a in the capital and deserved on the run of play, since the Turbos didn’t squander their chances and Wellington did.
TOUGH TEST: Conrad Smith says the All Blacks will need to be smarter in coming to terms with Argentina’s unique style of rugby.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and it seems Conrad Smith has missed his old mate Ma’a Nonu during the midfield pair’s enforced break up.
The old firm has been closed for business since Smith broke his hand during the second June test against England, but seems likely to reopen for business against Argentina on Saturday.
Nonu and Malakai Fekitoa had a run during the third test thrashing of England in Hamilton, and again during a dour 12-12 draw against Australia in Sydney while Smith attended the birth of his first child.
Then in Auckland, Smith and Ryan Crotty teamed up for the Bledisloe Cup bash as Nonu sat out with a bruised shoulder.
Argentina gave a good account of themselves in Hamilton last year and pride themselves on their work at the set piece.
Steve Hansen has challenged his forwards to repeat their devastating display against Australia when they meet Argentina in Napier on Saturday.
The All Blacks arrived in Hawkes Bay yesterday ahead of their Rugby Championship test against the Pumas, with coach Hansen wasting little time in putting the acid back on his big men as they prepare for what he called one of the best scrums in the game.
NO COMPROMISE: All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick is not one to take a backward step on the rugby field.
Brodie Retallick’s eyes light up at the prospect of locking horns with a similarly built opponent with a shared interest in physical destruction.
The All Blacks lock will likely get a chance to reacquaint himself with young Argentine lock Tomas Lavanini during Saturday’s Rugby Championship test at McLean Park.
Lavanini, a 21-year-old colossus at 2.04m and 129kg, caught Retallick’s eye last year during a stint with the Chiefs Super Rugby academy in Hamilton.
“He was definitely a physical player,” Retallick recalled on Monday. “I remember seeing a video clip where he knocked someone out just cleaning them out [of a ruck].
Move over Sandler, make way for Piri.
World Cup winning All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu has begun his overseas rugby career as a water-boy, promising a selfless attitude as he tries to help London Welsh establish themselves in the English Premiership.
Weepu said he would bring a team-first approach to a club freshly promoted and looking to do better than their last stay at the top that lasted just one season. And he’s already proved that by running the water bottles in a pre-season match.
“I’m here to push this club as hard as I can and I’ll do everything possible for the team,” Weepu told The Rugby Paper website as his arrival in Britain drew attention ahead of this weekend’s season kickoff.
“Everything is about the team, not the individual, and if someone’s not pulling their weight, including me, I hope they’ll say it.
James Slipper
Wallabies prop James Slipper says it’s unfair to single out five-eighth Kurtley Beale for criticism following the side’s recent 51-20 loss to the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Calls are growing for Beale to be replaced at flyhalf by Bernard Foley for Saturday night’s Rugby Championship clash with South Africa in Perth.