A Question of Sport

This week I thought I’d pose a few questions relating to the past few days of sport. Some are rhetorical and require nothing more to be said, but some need a little bit more analysis…

Was Canterbury first five Tyler Bleyendaal (who spends an awful lot of each game moaning to the referee by the way) offside when he scored what was essentially the match-defining try in the ITM Cup Final vs. Wellington?

In my opinion a ruck had formed, he entered from the side, picked it up and scored, so yes I believe he was offside.

If a (Canterbury) player stands a metre behind the 22 metre line and throws a pass that is caught by his team mate three metres in front of the 22 metre line, is that a forward pass?

Not according to referee Nick Briant and his assistants.

Did Canterbury ‘push the rules to their absolute limit’ in the final?

Yes

Did Canterbury deserve to win the ITM Cup Final?

Sadly (for me), yes

Which team stands to gain more from the current netball ‘test series’ – New Zealand or Malawi?

Why are the Silver Ferns playing Malawi instead of Fiji or Samoa anyway?

Why are the All Blacks playing Japan rather than Fiji, Tonga or Samoa?

Easy answer on that one; $$$

What’s the point of the ITM Championship?

For those of us confused by the whole set-up, that’s the competition formerly known as the Second Division?

When are the Wellington Phoenix going to start firing (at goal)?

Is Irene Van Dyk coming to the end of the sporting road?

Is Joe Moody now a former All Black?

What’s going on at the Highlanders?

Will Mils Muliaina (at age 33/34) still have the skills next Super Rugby season?

Will Benji Marshall be a successful fullback in the 15 man game?

How good is it to see Manchester United and Manchester City only coming 7^th and 8^th in the English Premier League?

‘Not very’ I hear many of you say

And how good is it to see Liverpool in the top three of the EPL?!

As above

Will the return of former local hero Garry Wilkinson be the spark that re-ignites the Breakers’ NBL basketball season?

Does any Australian rugby league player with a surname ending in ‘inelli’ qualify to play for Italy at the rugby league ‘world cup’?

How quickly should Jesse Ryder be welcomed back into the Black Caps?

How cool is it to watch Steven Adams developing into a proper NBA player?

How successful is Lydia Ko going to be?

So Where the Bloody Hell Were You?  

Yes it was windy. Yes it was cold. Yes the Lions were, despite finishing the regular season as top dogs, the underdogs. But jeez, Wellingtonians – where the bloody hell were you?

On Saturday night I braved the cylindrical wind tunnel that is Westpac Stadium to witness the ITM Cup Final. Note: to avoid confusion I’m talking about the A-grade Premiership, not the B-grade Championship. 

As we sat in the middle of what occasionally seemed like a mild tornado, I noted that the rugby union had made a real effort for the final. There was some pre-match entertainment, there were fireworks, there was an array of bouncy castles for the kids, there was a curtain-raiser (although it did start three hours before the main event). Hell, we even had the national anthem to ensure everyone knew what a big deal this evening was. The crowd was enthusiastic and there was definitely a good atmosphere developing as the game kicked off.

Then for the first time I surveyed the rest of the ground. The predominant colour was yellow; as in empty seats. I don’t know what the official attendance was but to me it looked like approximately 12,000 or so. Maybe a smidge more, but not much. And the lights seemed to be out in at least half of the corporate boxes too.

There were family passes (2 adults, 3 kids) available for $45, which is pretty reasonable and adult tickets started at $20. So pricing was not an issue. I did have issues with the Ticketek website though. It advised me there were no family passes available so I went for a more expensive option, yet someone next to me at the Stadium ticket booth was able to buy one 15 minutes before kickoff. Then I received an email saying there was a problem delivering my mobile tickets and that I should call an 0800 number. The answerphone message advised they’d be back in the office on Monday – not ideal on a Saturday night an hour before the game. Therefore I had to line up at the ticket booth to get a physical ticket. But I still got into the stadium in plenty of time so all good.

So why did nobody turn up? Assuming people actually give a damn about rugby anymore, the only other thing I can think of is timing. I know money from TV rights is god; and god says ‘thou shalt play in the evenings’, but what about moving 7.30pm games to 6pm? People would still, I think anyway, sit down and watch the game on the telly at that time. And people would, again only my opinion, be far more likely to turn up if they know that by about 7.45pm, they’ll be battling the southerly as they struggle down the concourse on the way home. On Saturday a friend and I took my 8 year old son and his mate to the game and to be honest getting home at about 10.30 wasn’t ideal.

If there had been 25,000 screaming passionate Wellingtonians wearing puffa jackets and beanies on Saturday night, maybe we could have lifted the team that extra 10% required to beat a professional outfit like those Cantabs. Maybe not, but now we’ll never know.

Till Next Time,

SG

How Good Are They Really?

Are Steve, Ian and Aussie truly happy with how things are going? Is this black ship heading in the right direction? There are a couple of things to consider. One is attack, and the other is defence.

On attack, this All Black side is almost without peer. The way they counter-attack so swiftly with multiple players in support providing a plethora of options for the ball-carrier is, frankly, a joy to behold. Everything is done at pace and the execution is clinical and often undefendable.

At the other end of the field, the defensive lines are well organised with the backs defending from the inside out and showing a great deal of belief in the defensive capability of their team-mates.

So they score a lot of points. But they do concede a fair few points as well. 29 in round one versus the Wallabies and 33 this weekend. While they certainly scored more on each occasion, 47 and 41 respectively, one can’t help but wonder whether conceding that many against, say, England or South Africa in their homelands, would result in a loss.

What’s my point? Well, I think this All Black side of the past four to five years would probably be as good as any other rugby team in history. Every player knows his job and does it well. But I do think we have to be mindful of over-confidence. The moment we believe that the AB’s simply have to turn up to notch up another victory, we’ll be in trouble.  Keep that beautiful attacking brand of rugby flowing.  But don’t forget the D. And bring on that end of year tour; can’t wait.

Speaking of that end of year trip up north, I think the players selected can be sorted into particular buckets as follows.

‘The Certainties’

Dane Coles, Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu.

These are the three best hookers in NZ. There are up-and-comers in the domestic game, but no contest for these three.

2 x Franks, Tony Woodcock, Charlie Faumuina

All four of these guys are near the top of the pile when it comes to the world’s propping stocks. Woodcock and Franks, Owen are the incumbents in their positions, Faumuina has been excellent filling in for Franks while Franks, Benjamin offers versatility and extreme mongrel off the bench.

Retallick, Romano, Whitelock, Thrush

The lock stock is once again strong in NZ. Brodie, Luke and Sam are easy selections. And I’m so happy for Jeremy Thrush. He has been such a fine servant of NZ rugby and is grabbing his chance at this level, and his lineout ball, with both hands.

Cane, McCaw, Read, Messam, Luatua

In this group we have arguably the greatest All Black of all time, his anointed successor, one of the best number eights we’ve had, the incumbent blindside who is playing some excellent rugby, and his anointed successor. I’d personally love to see a starting loose trio of McCaw, Read and Luatua.  But Messam would be pretty hard done-by to be dropped based on current form. 

The Little Fella and His Back-ups

Aaron Smith is playing pretty well; I certainly love the speed of his pass that gives the backline that extra half a second of time. Tawera Kerr-Barlow is a more than adequate back-up who, like TJ Perenara, offers a great deal of physicality to boot. I feel for him, but I think Weepu is done.

Flyhalf, Standoff, Pivot, First Five

There’s Barrett, Cruden, Carter then daylight. Simple selections.

Nonu, Nonu, Nonu

He’s still a class act on the field, especially at international level where his bad games are rare to say the least.

On The Outer

Dagg, Jane (despite his lack of recent game time), Piutau, Savea and Ben Smith certainly aren’t (on the outer). They are all quality players and absolutely deserve their spots

The Next Cabs off the Rank

Mr Crockett

I’ve generally made it pretty clear in the past that I’m not Wyatt’s biggest fan. I would’ve picked Ben Tameifuna instead but Crockett is clearly rated by people far more knowledgeable than I, so I’ll move on.

TnT

Tom Taylor is a good, dependable player. It’s hard to see him ever displacing Barrett and Cruden, but he’s a decent backup.

In the Middle

Ryan Crotty is an honest footballer who is dependable and hard-working but not the most exciting player on the planet.  But he won’t let the team down if called upon. Francis Saili has been identified as one for the future and unless the selectors take a massive punt on someone else before 2015, he’ll likely still be in the mix.

Further Out

Frank Halai is a very good player. End of story really.

The Young Guns

Joe Moody really seems to have come from nowhere this year. Clearly Mike Cron & co rate him. I’ll be interested to see how he goes against a battle-hardened northern hemisphere veteran or two.

Dominic Bird is enormous and could turn out to be very very good. He appears to be as tough as old boots (steel cap) and reminds me of a bigger version of Sir Brad Thorn. He and Whitelock could be the starting locks by 2015 – you heard it here first. ..

Luke Whitelock is one selection I disagree with. He’s good. But is he playing better than Brad Shields or Victor Vito?

The Jeez They’re Unlucky Category

I’ve referred to him already, but I think Ben Tameifuna would be worth a touring spot. He offers an enormity and mass that no other front-rower in NZ offers to the same degree.

I think the last loosie spot probably came down to Whitelock or Shields or Vito. The latter two have been playing superbly in the ITM Cup and can count themselves very unlucky.

Finally, God knows how you’d work him into the mix but Ardie Savea is a wonderful player. He is an absolute standout in the ITM and I can’t wait to see how he handles the massive step up to Super Rugby.

That Might Be the End of That

It’s hard to see some players coming back into the national team now. Piri Weepu is now ranked fourth-best (or if you’re from Canterbury, fifth-best) halfback in NZ. At age 30, I doubt we’ll see him leading another rendition of Kapa o Pongo.

It’s also hard to see Vito returning, especially if Jerome Kaino carries on where he left off at the last World Cup and Whitelock and Shields continue their development. Unfortunately for him, he’ll probably be remembered as one player who never quite fulfilled his enormous potential.  

Rugby League Debacles

International rugby league really is a shambles. In this world cup, half the Samoan and Tongan teams have previously played for another country (mainly New Zealand), including skipper Roy Asotasi who mysteriously didn’t turn up for the flight to England so is now not the captain anymore.

Then you have Eddy Pettybourne. He was a training squad member for the Kiwis four years ago amongst whispers, probably incorrect, that New South Wales were interested in him for State of Origin. This year he’s nowhere near the Kiwis squad and was also overlooked by the Samoans. So he’s now going to represent the United States! The United States of America rugby league team – wonder how many Americans will be following this tournament.

Nix Watch

Finally this week – the Phoenix. Last week they lost in heartbreaking circumstances, conceding the winning goal in the final 15 seconds. This week they faced the West Sydney Wanderers in Sydney. WSW’s supporters appear to challenge the subtle borderline between enthusiasm and fanaticism and this week was no exception as the sold out stadium influenced and intimidated in equal parts. But the Phoenix held on for a draw that showed tremendous mental strength.

There are a few concerns for supporters though. I wonder if they perhaps regret getting rid of Tony Lochhead at the start of the season although Reece Caira is going ok at left back. Leo Bertos seems a little bit off the pace these days and I’ve never really understood the fascination with Vince Lia, especially in the same team as Manny Muscat. I’d like to see more of Paul Ifill, but he may be carrying an injury – who knows. I also think Kenny Cunningham has a touch of Benjamin Totori about him – he runs fast and does everything at a hundred miles an hour but he often looks like he doesn’t really know where he’s going. But it’s early days and he certainly has pace to burn.

It’ll be a tough season but there have been enough positive signs in the first two games to suggest they may be up to the task of making the playoffs at least.

Till next time,

SG

SBW AWOL – OMG (LOL)

The athlete who created a thousand acronyms for use by budding journalists is at it again. Or rather, he isn’t.

About this time every year, we sports fans await the annual announcement of the upcoming sporting plans of SBW; i.e. Sonny Bill Williams of course. Usually it’s an announcement of at least a change of team and at most a change of sport(s). But this year it’s been an interesting announcement for a different reason; Sonny William Williams will be playing the same sport next season. For the same team. Wow.

That doesn’t sound very interesting, but it is. For so many reasons. Where to start with this one…

Apparently the word on the street is that he made his decision six weeks ago. If that’s true I think Sonny needs to take a good look at himself. I know he’s not obliged to tell anyone what he’s doing; it’s his decision. But the repercussions have been immense.

Let’s start with boxing. SBW now says he’s taking a break from boxing. That’s more than likely a side-step of the highly impressive Joseph Parker who would, without any doubt in the world, knock Sonny out. But Parker’s backers have been lining up a high profile and big money (for NZ anyway) showdown between the pugilists. So now Parker is going to going to have to take a sizeable step up in opponent to garner the respect from fans that he so deserves.

Then there’s the Chiefs. Such was the confidence that SBW would be code-hopping again in 2014 that the reigning Super Rugby champions held an empty spot in their roster on the assumption that it would be filled by the return of their enormous inside back of two seasons ago. But now that’s not happening, the Chiefs are having to hunt for a replacement. The fact that the substitute may well be one M. Nonu is something of a blessing in disguise, in terms of talent and ability anyway. But ultimately it could have a massive impact on the Chiefs’ title defence.

The Roosters, and the NRL in general, are also directly affected. While the odds offered on the Chiefs achieving a Super Rugby three-peat have just lengthened considerably, the odds on the Roosters defending their NRL premiership next season have shortened by an almost identical margin.

Not to mention poor 21 year old Tohu Harris who was selected for the Kiwis Rugby League World Cup squad one day and then dumped the following day after SBW had kindly informed coach Stephen Kearney that he wanted to play after all. 

So how can one individual have such a profound effect on two sports (I’m not counting boxing because I really don’t think he’s a top-rate fighter)?  Because he’s good. He’s really good.

Whatever you think of him, SBW is an astonishing athlete. He has an amazing physique, he’s huge, he’s fast, he’s strong and he’s skilful. He’s also a good-looking bloke, seemingly a very nice and humble person who spends a lot of his time helping charities and kids and is therefore a marketing manager’s dream. 

And therefore we have the unique situation whereby an individual appears to be bigger than a sport (or two). I can’t think of too many examples where a player in any sport can sign short-term, lucrative contracts and leave everyone on tenterhooks while dictating his terms to the powers-that-be in each code while those men in suits hang on his every word. It’s an amazing situation really.

And it creates a tough dilemma. Do the Roosters need him? Yes. SBW was one of the main reasons the Roosters were able to turn the tables and win the NRL grand final. Do the Kiwis need him? Yes. Do the Chiefs need him? Yes. Do the AB’s need him? Probably; he’s definitely in the ‘nice-to-have’ category anyway.

But as highly as I rate his talents on the football field I find myself wondering if it’s time, as suggested by journalist Duncan Johnstone, for the NZRU to tell him ‘thanks, but no thanks’. But no, I think he’s still worth welcoming back in 2015.

If Ma’a Nonu continues his outstanding form in this year’s Rugby Championship through to the next World Cup, SBW’s signature becomes slightly less crucial. If Nonu’s star fades, we definitely need Sonny back.

For me the equation is simple. Without SBW we stand a very good chance of winning the next Rugby World Cup in 2015 and the Olympic sevens gold medal the following year. But with him, our chances are even better.

So Where the Bloody Hell Are They (Part 2)

My last blog on how to bring the crowds back to NZ rugby seemed to strike a chord with many of you as there was a fair bit of feedback and comment.

There were a few great ideas sent in too but the most repeated was that either Super Rugby should be done away with, or that the ITM Cup should be a qualifier competition for Super Rugby with the top five teams going through. Then the top four in Super Rugby play a Champions League against the top four in the northern hemisphere’s Heineken Cup.  Sounds outstanding to me and I totally agree.

Most responders agreed with my sentiments, but there were a couple of questions/comments that I’d like to reply to.

Firstly, how could they replace current vendors with ‘mainstream’ ones (Maccas, Subway etc) when vendors are contracted to the stadium, not the sport itself?

This is definitely a tricky one but isn’t insurmountable. If the NZRU wanted to go down this route, early negotiations could see existing deals phased out and replaced. While the NZRU isn’t the only ‘client’ for these stadiums (my sister, the English teacher, would point out that the correct plural for ‘stadium’ is ‘stadia’, but I just hate that word – it sounds wrong), I’m sure they’d have significant clout in such decisions.

Secondly the issue of increased cost to unions (paying extra to ground staff, vendors etc) when curtain-raisers are played and the impact of this when I’m proposing decreased gate-takings and increased merchandise giveaways.

I’m not proposing decreased gate-takings at all. I’m simply saying current pricing structures should, by and large, be maintained. Many games currently offer $10-$15 adult tickets and free kids tickets. This should continue and become the norm.

My other idea around ‘ticket-and-a-t-shirt’ type packages would not, I think, create an additional financial burden for the unions. While there would be an initial cost to order garments as well as other associated costs, I think the union would more than make up that cost through sales. I haven’t researched numbers but I’d imagine the cost of, say, blocks of 2,000 - 4,000 shirts wouldn’t be that outrageous.

The additional wages paid to vendors could potentially be covered by additional sales as more hungry/thirsty punters turn up earlier. And any additional amounts paid to ground staff etc should be covered by additional tickets sold.

Hey – it’d all be something of a gamble, no doubt. But doing nothing is far worse. Support for rugby (below international level) in this country is only going one way; and it’s not up.  

Impartial or Incompetent

The recent netball series between NZ and Australia was a shambles. Not because Australia won 4-1 and nothing to do with the standard of play. It was the umpiring.

Netball suffers from a nasty case of Rugby-League-itis. Realistically only three countries (NZ, Oz and England) actually take it seriously and it’s also played to varying degrees in the Pacific Islands (where it’s widely played but suffers from a lack of funding), the Caribbean, South Africa and, bizarrely, Malawi. So not exactly a global sport.

And it never will be as long as match-ups between the only two good international teams are destroyed by incompetent officiating. It got to the point during this series where I started to wonder if the umpires even knew the rules of the game. The nonsensical calls were only matched by the ludicrous lack of calls for offences as basic as obstruction or contact. I’m not suggesting they were biased, as bad calls went both ways. But the Aussies got away with a hell of a lot more than the Kiwis did and bad decisions directly influenced the outcome of at least two of the five games.

The answer? Simply appoint competent Aussie and Kiwi umpires to officiate in these tests, as is the case in trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. Train up the overseas umps and when they’re ready, give them a run. Otherwise international netball is going nowhere.

Till next time,

SG

So Where The Bloody Hell Are They?

The standard of play is, generally, excellent. The games are exciting and often brutal. Many of the matchups are steeped in tradition with the trophies that are so keenly contested dating back decades. And yet week after week the atmosphere in each stadium is usually non-existent with empty seats vastly out-numbering the ones with bums on them.

I’m talking about the ITM Cup. The competition formerly known as NPC comes across as an after-thought; a competition the NZRU feels obliged to continue to run, albeit at a financial loss. Games are packed into an incredibly short schedule, top-level players only rarely make an appearance and overall it feels like the Cup has been relegated to a competition of secondary status.

I’m old enough (just!) to remember the epic battles of the 1980’s, like the legendary matchup between all-conquering Auckland and Canterbury in 1985. So this weekend when Auckland hosted Canterbury at Eden Park, I felt a tinge of sadness. There were approximately 50 spectators (not really, but there certainly weren’t many there) in attendance in an eerily empty stadium. Any cheers rapidly faded to echoes and every word uttered by the referee, the players or the ‘crowd’ could easily be heard by those of us watching at home. And that’s possibly the dilemma – it is easier, warmer, comfier and definitely cheaper to stay home and watch it live. On Saturday at Eden Park, adult tickets were $10 and children were free. And yet still the crowd numerically resembled that of a local club game.

There’s no doubt that society has changed immeasurably in the last 25 years. Going to the big match in the 80’s was an event that you looked forward to. That might still be the case but the intent of many spectators is different now. In my teens I didn’t go to the rugby to meet up with others and hang out; I went along to watch the game. That isn’t always the case these days; there are often as many people hanging out in the concourse as there are cheering on their team.

In the 80’s you might get to see the biggest games live, but many games were shown much later or the next day. And the concept of an HD picture was not actually even a concept yet. So watching it live was often the best available option.

Aside from technology and societal change, there is simply more competition for the entertainment dollar these days. Anything from advanced gaming options to 3D movies to other sports; all are competing for a slice of the increasingly limited supply of disposable income pie.

So what should the lads at NZRU do? There are options, but unfortunately none of these are clear-cut. Following are my suggestions.

1.       Continue the bargain-basement pricing for ITM Cup and Super Rugby matches. If I know I can take 2 adults and 3 kids for a total of $20-$30, I’ll go along. If I have to fork out $50, $70 or even more to take along my family, I’ll stay on my couch.

2.       Be creative with pricing. Keep the $10 adult tickets. But for $25 offer a ticket and a [insert the name of your favourite team here] t-shirt or cap. Or for $18, punters can get a ticket and a discounted food/drink combo.

3.       Bring back the curtain-raiser. When the Warriors faced the Bulldogs in Wellington the Junior Warriors played before the main event and it was fantastic viewing.

4.       Decrease the ludicrous price of replica jerseys. Anything up to $180 for adults or $120+ for kids’ jerseys are ridiculous prices. If I took my kids to a game and I could buy the three of them a jersey each for $150-$160 in total (once a season), I would seriously consider it.

5.       Get rid of the food and beverage providers. Bring in Maccas, Subway and/or other mainstream companies to provide food. I just hate spending $14 for a burger combo that is, with all due respect to the caterers, horribly greasy, sometimes cold and over-priced.

6.       In respect to the ITM Cup, make it feel like more than a competition that has simply been squeezed into the only available timeslot and has only been retained because it has history.

7.       And get rid of the confusing Premiership/Championship thing. If it’s a first division/second division split, keep it that way with one team being relegated at the end of the season and the top four in the second division playing off to be promoted. Each week it’s often difficult to tell which team is in which division due to the playing schedule – for example the top team in the Premiership can play the bottom team in the Championship and get the same points for a win as they would for beating the team coming second in the Premiership. Confusing, and it makes the whole concept of two divisions almost meaningless.

It’s not too late to get the crowds back. But it’s starting to get that way.

And That Was the End of That

S’pose I’d better mention the Americas Cup. The rich man’s competition that temporarily grabbed the people of our nation (including me) and screamed ‘WATCH ME’ is now at an end. And, fittingly, the winners (Team “USA”) had the most advanced (expensive?) technology and as a result of a tweak or five were able to sail away at will from good ol’ Team NZ. The finals series unfortunately became a pretty uneven contest and the latter stages became difficult to watch.

Outside of any sailing issues there were two aspects of this regatta that stuck with me.

Firstly, the economic benefits for San Francisco were not as great as had been envisaged. If that were also the case at the next regatta, which many had hoped would be staged in Auckland, it makes me wonder whether it was such a wise investment by our Government after all.  

Secondly, very few people outside of NZ actually care about this event. At one point in the finals series, the highest rating the regatta had achieved on American television was 0.9%. To put that in perspective, the 2013 U.S. Open women’s tennis final rated more than five times higher.

I think it’ll be very interesting to see if Team NZ continues. It’d be a massive financial gamble for anyone game enough to take it on.

Quote of the Weekend

Sky TV rugby commentator Scotty ‘Sumo’ Stevenson used to annoy me. But he’s grown on me, so to speak, and I now really enjoy his commentaries. He’s knowledgeable, humorous and quick-witted.

In the weekend just gone he was commentating on the aforementioned Auckland vs. Canterbury match. Auckland’s replacement halfback was the veteran Samoan international with the unpronounceable surname Junior Poluleuigaga. Sumo was doing an outstanding job, repeatedly mentioning Junior’s name without error or hesitation. He then pulled out this legendary comment when referring to a pass from Poluleuigaga to first five Simon Hickey;

“That pass was so fast, I hadn’t finished saying his name before the ball got to the first five”.

Brilliant! Oh well, I enjoyed it anyway…

I’m Lovin’ It

Liverpool Football Club are sitting in second place in the Barclays Premier League. Manchester United are 12^th. Outstanding, long may it continue!

Till next time,

SG