Not Completely Convincing

I’m not really sure what to make of the All Blacks vs. Japan test in the weekend. Obviously the All Blacks were on a hiding to nothing; if they won by 48 (which they did) critics would inevitably say they should have won by 68 (some critics did say that). If they’d won by 68, they should’ve won by 88. And so on.

Japan have scored some very good victories recently, including one over a depleted Wales side. They are a vastly improved team and play at a hundred miles an hour with a hundred per cent intensity. But ultimately they are still a minnow of world rugby. So coaches Steve, Ian and Aussie must have been more than slightly concerned that their team, which admittedly wasn’t anywhere near a first choice line-up, wasn’t able to clock up an additional 25-30 points.

Firstly, the positives.

Sam Cane played very well. He’s developing his game further each time he runs onto the field. I still feel he’s not anywhere near dominant enough at the breakdown but he’s getting there. He’ll have to keep improving to hold off the challenge of Ardie Savea in a couple of years’ time.

McCaw filled in capably for Kieran Read, although this test showed just how good Read is in that no. 8 position. Carter played a solid game and his goal kicking was reassuringly good.  Ben Smith was pretty good in his role as Conrad-Impersonator while Charles Piutau was excellent. He showed outstanding pace and power as always, but the most impressive aspect of his game for me was his workrate. I think it was a big call by the Sky Television analysts to say that his performance puts pressure on Julian Savea for his place, but I take their point.

For me, unfortunately the negatives in that performance do outweigh the positives.

Let’s start with the scrum. I know Japanese props are squat, stocky, technically good and extremely strong. But the way Ben Franks and Wyatt Crockett were demolished by their opposites must be making British props lick their lips in anticipation. Although not all scrummaging woes are down to the props, they do have to shoulder (literally) a fair bit of the responsibility. My feelings on Crockett are well-documented and I think this test simply demonstrates that when he comes up against good props he tends to struggle. Franks is more of a loosehead than a tighthead, and on the evidence presented on Saturday, he’s not much of a tighthead at all.

I also thought second rowers Thrush and Bird were a little disappointing. The lineout didn’t go well and they also need to put their hands up re the woes at scrum time. But they are both very good players and they’ll bounce back strongly.

Tawera Kerr-Barlow will be given a fair few work-ons by the coaching triumvirate after that game. His delivery was sometimes a little laboured and his option taking could’ve been a lot better.

Another to disappoint in the backs was Francis Saili. His option taking was average, and his execution wasn’t much better. I also put his centre partner Smith very slightly in the negative column. Although he did a lot of good things, he also drifted out of the game at times and wasn’t as incisive as he could have been. But he’s a work in progress and showed enough to suggest he could be Conrad MK II one day.

But the thing that stuck with me most from that test is just how good the test incumbents really are. If we’d had Dagg, Smith (Conrad), Savea, Smith (Aaron), Read, Whitelock, Woodcock and Franks (the other one), I think that extra 25-30 points may well have been achieved.

Should be a cracking northern tour. Can’t wait.

Not Completely Competent

My god, the Black Caps are simply not good enough. To lose a single one-day series to Bangladesh is unthinkable. To lose two consecutive series is a disgrace.

What is the cause of this decline? That’s an easy answer; 20/20 cricket. The shots that result in our batsmen returning to the pavilion are often ill-conceived, badly executed and completely unnecessary. Slog sweeps, ramp shots and the horrendous switch hit have snuck into one day matches, and they’re just not necessary. A top five batsman will often have 30 or more overs to produce a decent score. I hope the coaches can convince them to simply return to playing proper cricket shots and accumulate runs. Be patient, defend the good deliveries and put away the bad balls by playing an appropriate shot. Pretty much everything we were taught at 9 years of age.

As for the bowling, well it’s a similar story. Bad strategies and even worse execution. In the third and final one dayer, Ross Taylor’s slog-sweep batting strategy worked this time and produced a century as New Zealand produced an excellent 307-5. To not be able to defend such a total against Bangladesh (who must be close to moving ahead of us in the world rankings and who were missing their two best batsmen) is an awful effort. Players like Captain Mills and Mitchell McClenaghan bowl far too short and are far too expensive. These guys need to put in some hard yards in the nets.

As an aside, can someone please remove Danny Morrison from the commentary box? His ‘Rosco grabs himself half a dozen’ commentary style belongs in an episode of Saturday Night Live, not Sky Sport.

Calling Time

Liverpool Football Club captain Steven Gerrard has been a legend for a long time. He’s arguably one of the greatest British players, although Sir Alex Ferguson begs to differ. But, as with all great sportsmen and women, there comes a time to call it a day. There’s no bigger Liverpool fan than I (apart from someone I met last week who has two LFC tattoos – outstanding dedication), but as much as it pains me to say it, I think Gerrard has just about reached that time. You have to understand my pain; it’s akin to an All Blacks fan acknowledging that Richie McCaw needs to be put out to pasture, or a Silver Fern supporter admitting that Laura Langman hasn’t got the old magic anymore.

In Sunday morning’s match against Arsenal, Gerrard was nothing more than a passenger. He made no telling contribution over the entire 90 minutes and spent an extraordinary amount of time simply strolling along the halfway line. He didn’t get forward in support (he has admitted he can’t do that like he used to) and he didn’t often get back to help the defenders. His midfield combination with Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson was about as effective as Mike Catt’s tackling technique on Jonah Lomu. It’s got to the point where if he doesn’t offer to step aside, manager Brendan Rogers may have to make the call for him. Maybe he can work his way back into form. But if not, he may have to get used to riding the rimu for the rest of his career.

Northern Pacific

Are we witnessing the beginning of the future look of British rugby teams? England (and Wales) are now realising what New Zealand and Australia have known for ages; Pacific Islanders (please excuse the vast stereotypical generalisation) are wonderful rugby players.

England’s first choice centre is a Samoan called Tuilagi, and now their very impressive number 8 is an Australian-born Tongan called Vunipola who helped demolish the hapless Wallabies over the weekend. They are both, it seems, outstanding players. So in twenty years’ time will we see half a team of players of Pacific Island descent pulling on white jerseys and singing God Save the King (which a) will be the name of the anthem by then and b) is the most boring anthem in the world)?

As more and more players from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands move to the muddy fields, wind and rain of old blighty to secure their financial futures, it becomes more and more likely. If Tuilagi and Vunipola are anything to judge by, they could end up with a heck of a team.

El Capitano

Just a mention of a couple of pretty random captaincy selections in the past few days.

Kyle Mills is almost 35 years old and I’d question whether he’s assured of his place in the Black Caps ODI team. I know he has vital experience, but I think if he’s conceding eight runs an over against Bangladesh, you’d have to wonder whether he’s worth a spot in the team.

The Wallabies have lost 70% of their tests this year. But often one of their best players has been lock, and skipper, James Horwill who leads from the front. So to strip him of the skipper’s armband was a strange call by coach Ewen McKenzie. And to replace him with loose forward Ben Mowen was equally perplexing. Mowen has hardly been a fixture in the team, but he has to be a permanent starter now.

And equally bizarrely, his deputy is Quade Cooper. I think McKenzie has fallen into something of a trap for new coaches; he’s trying to very publicly stamp his mark on the team. Such moves are all-or-nothing so I hope for McKenzie’s sake he’s made the right calls.

Unacceptable

Just to finish with something completely unimportant; Google ‘Rob Nicol’ and try to find a recent picture of the Canterbury cricketer. My mate and I were watching a bit of their HRV Cup game versus Otago on Saturday and we agreed unanimously that his hairstyle is effeminate and totally unacceptable. Cut if off for charity or for whatever reason you like. Just do it, please!

Till Next Time,

SG