Mind the Gap

Its just over three days to go, and only now are The Papers here starting to even notice. The weekend just gone finally saw the likes of The Times and The Observer acknowledge the fact the World Cup was even on this week, but the supplements were poor when you consider the the scale of this sporting event. They were by the numbers, and had a few odd mistakes or items. For a start, The Times identified Matt Giteau as a Springbok player to watch (under a photo of him in the Canary Yellow of the Wallabies), and the Observer saw fit to designate nearly four pages of the ‘World Cup Special’ in their Sport Monthly to an irrelevant chat between two great English journeymen - Martin Corry and ... Matthew Hoggard! Last time I looked, even Henry Paul had more English rugby caps than Hoggard. The cover story: Beckham. Sigh.

Conclusions that they seemed to draw across the board:

• The gap between NZ and the rest of the World has closed - I say “Rope a dope”
• Dan Carter is not the player he was in 2005 - I say “Correct, he’s now got two more years experience”
• Get McCaw: nullify him by making him make tackles and ending up under rucks - I say “Brilliant ... that's his bloody job”
• The weight of expectation is too much for the All Blacks - I say “Duh, its our National Sport. Its the same every Test Match, let alone a World Cup”
• That Ireland will be our 2007 Banana Peel - I say “They have never beaten us. They won’t achieve that in a RWC knockout.”

Mind the Gap I reckon - it’ll open up again in the knockout stages.

With all of England as usual obsessed with the new Premiership season, and the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Russia and Israel (yes, they’re in UEFA because the Palestinians won’t give their ball back since it went over the Aparthei ..., sorry, Peace Wall) I am glad we are going to France - a rugby country. See the welcome the ABs got in Marseilles? What a master stroke having Monsieur Fluffy McCaw greet the locals in French! Finally a PR success from the Thorndon Quay brains trust. Now even the French are on our side, that’s gotta be a good sign. Mind you, I think that's what Churchill thought ...

ALL BLACK PLAYLIST

TV 3 and Sky (in their 60 second highlights bonanzas) will no doubt rely on Back in Black by AC/DC, or if they really stretch themselves, Men in Black by Will Smith. Yawn. Why not ‘get pumped’ with proper music, I found these tunes lurking on my iPod. Got any others to add?

All Black World Cup - Casiospittake

The Haka - Ka Mate

Men in Black - Frank Black

Black Magic - Jarvis Cocker

Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Black & White - Asian Dub Foundation

Black Flowers - Yo La Tengo

Black Out - Pavement

Weight of the World - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Supreme - Ansell Collins & The Upsetters

Waltzin’ Black - The Stranglers

Black Wave - The Shins

Home Again - Shihad

Home, Land & Sea - Trinity Roots (my pick for new natty anthem)

And one last (possible) musical omen - I went to see Sonic Youth perform Daydream Nation in a Don’t Look Back concert at The Roundhouse on Saturday night; it was phenomenal. What’s it got to do with the rugby? Well, it was released in 1988 ... when NZ were World Rugby Champions. Sign of desperation?

Lu

Nervous as the Nineties

No hiding this time. In 1999 I was living in the UK, but chose to spend my cash on a trip home rather than sojourns to sunny Huddersfiled to watch World Cup Games. Somehow the lure of Central America was greater than Hart's All Blacks. Not because I was anti the team; I just think that first 3 years in London had disconnected me from rugby a bit. Now, after another 5 year spell in NZ watching NPC & Super 12, I am fanatical again ... and this time round we have even managed to see the All Blacks play here and in France which can't be beat. Last year we even had primo seats at the new Twickers courtesy of the other half's 3 month stint as a contractor at the RFU. The ultimate mole!

Back in '99 I actually believed we had won the semi against France. I was with my mates Ewen & Jenn, travelling through Mexico & Guatemala during that World Cup, and the last report on the game we got was that we were up at half time, looking good and Big Jonah was going crazy. So while I was sunning it up in Tulum, blissfully ignorant of the final score for three days (news broken by gloating Englishman), AB fans were elsewhere venting their spleens. I didn't have a scooby. I still have the draw I took in my diary, taped on the inside back cover; it has NZ inked in as a finalist. Sad, eh?

Fast forward 8 years: I'm back in London, with a MasterCard maxed out to buy All Black tickets and after one score years, its time to correct our past failings, and put that crap about 'choking' to bed for good. I honestly believe we are as well prepard as we can be. Sure it would be nice to have Tana's old head in the back line, and a bit more game time with centre combinations, but the squad Ted has built up is the envy of the rugby world. I think only France can match us in the potential of their 30 players. Other teams like England and South Africa may try and batter their way through the knockouts, but us and Les Bleus are clear faves ... all we have to is get past those Wallabies. And I have a cunning plan ...

Reschedule the match for midnight - its past their bedtime!

In the UK press today: Guardian: "Since the last World Cup, Graham Henry's men have won 34 of 39 Tests, inflicted a record defeat on the British and Irish Lions and won the southern hemisphere's premier event, the Tri-Nations, three years in a row. They are unbeaten against European nations for over four years and in that time have handed England and France their heaviest home defeats." 'Nuff said.

And the Independent - just when I sometimes begin to nod approval at their coverage they write drivel like this "the Guinness Premiership – firmly established as the leading domestic tournament in the game and envied by every major rugby nation with the single exception of France, who have a thriving league of their own". The only thing I envy about English rugby is its modesty and humility.

Still, the rugby world must look different to them, they are looking up from seventh place. Swing low indeed ;0)

Player Poaching

Here in the UK, when reading what is passed off as rugby journalism, you constantly get annoyed by pointless references to the NZRU 'poaching' players from the Pacific Islands. Its a tired argument, offered up by frustrated Englishmen, and in particular, one confused Welshman at The Times.

Lately the flip-flop is on the other foot though. As if Guinness Premiership beer barons snapping up all our All Blacks for their bloated domestic squads was not bad enough, now our Ballroom Dancing talent is being pinched by an Old Blighty desparate for any slice of glory over their sausage eating foes.

I hope Brendan Cole will be watching the rugby. He may even have a pair or two of Dan Carter briefs for good luck. Then again, these dancers probably go Commando.