THIRD GRAND SLAM SEASON FOR NEW ZEALAND ALL BLACKS IN 2008...


First published at Qassia:


Third grand slam season for NZ All Blacks in 2008...

2008 proved to be the year of redemption for the New Zealand All Blacks, the iconic rugby union brand in the Adidas sponsorship stable, so to speak. They were unexpectedly beaten and bundled out in the quarterfinals of the 2007 World cup by the hosts, France, as favourites for the tournament.

After losing half of their playing squad off season, they recruited many up and coming young, talented and extremely skilful players and again have the depth required to succeed in world rugby - only the All Blacks could do such a thing in only one season.

While it was a slow build-up to the international season, they had also lost super-star No 7 open side flanker and captain, Richie McCaw, to injury for a number of weeks and had lost tests to the South African Springboks and the Australian Wallabies. With McCaw back in charge the All Blacks improved to beat both teams at home.

The All Blacks had now won both the Tri-Nations tournament and defended the Bledisloe Cup successfully. They would create history by playing an extra Bledisloe Cup match against Australia in Hong Kong, even though it was now a dead rubber. It would prove to be a valuable lead up to the end of season tours by both countries.

It was on to the United Kingdom and a potential grand slam, beating Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England on successive weeks; with a midweek game against a fired-up Munster tagged on after the Irish test.

The final game against England was expected to be the toughest game. While the English tried to out-muscle the All Blacks, the latter scored three second half tries and ran away with the game by 32-6. They had now won only their third grand-slam in 103 years. The All Blacks were also presented the inaugural "Hillary Shield" for competition between New Zealand and England, by Lady June Hillary, the widow of the late Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealand-born conqueror of Mount Everest in 1953. Sir Ed is now recognized as being one of New Zealand's greatest sons and heroes. Captain Richie McCaw accepted the trophy on behalf of the All Blacks.

The All Black squad has pulled together after the extreme disappointments of the 2007Rugby World Cup campaign, the two early season losses, and have a left a legacy for the future with their emphatic Grand Slam success.

The New Zealand public can again be proud of these achievements despite their own collective disappoinments of last year.

Acknowledgement to the photographer.

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