ALL BLACKS AND WALLABY RUGBY TEAMS PLAY AN INTERNATIONAL RUGBY TEST AT HONG KONG...


All Blacks and Wallaby rugby teams play an international rugby test at Hong Kong...

First published at Qassia:

On Nov 2 2008 the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies scored a first for world rugby union by playing the fourth Bledisloe Cup test at a neutral venue; the holders NZ had already retained the cup 2-1 through earlier games played in New Zealand and Australia, but the fourth was played out in a true manner and won by the All Blacks 19-14 on what was really a sub-standard surface, and probably caused the ankle injury to All Black hooker, Andrew Hore, who is now out of the impending northern hemisphere tour and has been replaced by another player back in NZ.
It was the usual and expected no holds barred tough encounter between world rugby's giants. A rusty and out-passioned All Blacks team had to claw there way back from a 9-14 deficit to score ten unanswered points and win by 19-14 at the final whistle. Some strange selections which were changed in the second half saw the AB's overcome a somewhat ill disciplined Wallabies in the second half. To select the world's greatest No 10 Daniel Carter at second five or inside centre was baffling. After he was returned to his rightful position into the second half as the playmaker and the physical Ma'a Nonu was brought on at No 12, the Black backline started to fire, gaining better possession and territory statistics than during the first. half. A second half try to All Black captain, Richie McCaw, the world's greatest No 7 and open side flanker, sealed the game for the All Blacks.

There was no doubt the Wallabies played well in the first half. Both teams had problems adjusting to a different set of ELVS( experimental laws) than those played in the southern hemisphere which helped to make the game a better spectacle.

The reasons for organising an international test match at Hong Kong, famous for its annual sevens rugby tounaments, was for the globalisation of rugby, but also revenue gathering for the New Zealand and Australian rugby unions who reportedly gained 4-5 million dollars from the match.

Its off to Edinburgh, Scotland today for their match next week against Scotland, followed by tests against Ireland, Wales and England and, hopefully, another grandslam! The Wallabies are also off to Britain for the end of year tour.

I'll be back later to post some stories on the All Blacks northern tour.

Kiaora

WORLD NO 1 RANKED RUGBY PLAYER'S FRENCH CONNECTION...


World NO 1 rugby player's French Connection...

First published at Qassia:

The world's No 1 ranked rugby union player, All Black Dan Carter from Canterbury and the Super 14 Crusaders franchise is negotiating multi million dollar deals for just six months work.
1/ $1.4 million dollars to play for just six months with former All Blacks captain, Tana Umaga's team.

2/$400,000 in bonuses and merchandise rights.

This $1.8 million dollar deal is subject to the French club Toulon being promoted to the first grade this year.

Dan Carter would move to the French club after the New Zealand All Blacks end of year Grand Slam tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2008.

The New Zealand Rugby Union is hopeful of convincing Dan Carter to return to NZ after his 'sabattical' in Europe and to play for the All Blacks again in 2009. Carter could be persuaded to continue playing for the All Blacks until the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in New Zealand. Similar annual deals are a possibility for the world's NO 1 rugby union player.

Such a deal has not yet been negotiated with any other New Zealand players. Dozens of All Blacks and first grade players have been lost to the NZ game in recent years.

Usually New Zealand players have to play in the southern hemisphere Super 14 professional rugby competition to be eligible for selection to the international All Blacks team. This may or may not set a precedent for future players, or just be an historical deal for arguably the greatest Number 10 in rugby history.



My Qassia

A SPECIAL GIFT TO THE ALL BLACKS FROM THEIR MAIN SPONSORS - ADIDAS


A special gift from Adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the All Blacks stay connected to their homeland at a purely grass roots level for the World Cup in France this year.

The NZRU and Adidas are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of grounds around the country.

Soil from the turf will help to make up the gift that the team will take to France in August.

Adidas NZ marketing manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign was that the 1072 All Blacks to date were "Of This Earth".

"The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played," Craig said.

"We'll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the World Cup."

NZRU marketing manager Fraser Holland said turf would be collected from major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, as well as small provincial grounds like Southbridge, the home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.