Changing The All Black's Ways?

[steve@thaib]

Interesting, watching the Rugby Club last night, to hear that there is a bit of a feeling that the ABs might be having too big an impact on the domestic game and the public want some changes.

It seems like all the top players get snaffled by the national team and wrapped in cotton wool because the ABs are all-important. I've always kind of admired that, but now that they have failed in another World Cup people are beginning to ask questions about the system.

When the 'big' players are absent, the crowds stay away from league games. That happens here as well, as a Sale fan I want to see the likes of Chabal and Sheridan, but I guess it has a double effect on the clubs because they lose the gate money and the players.

The ironic thing is that the moan from the English side is that the elite players are not getting enough time together, which is part of the reason why they got off to a bad start and improved through the tournament. As England, who got to the final, look to follow the All Black system a little more, the All Blacks are quite likely to change their own ways and water down their influence on the clubs...

My personal opinion is that the elite squads should get more preparation time but, rather than that be at the expense of the clubs, the RFU should stop being so greedy about the number of 'test' matches they arrange.

[retepg]

The All Blacks were pulled from the first half of the Super 14 this year in attempt to keep them fresh for the WC. The net result was that there was no Nz team in the Super 14 Final for only the second time in the history of S 12/14.
Attendances were down as a result of the perceived lack of quality and the timing did not work in favour of the All Blacks come WC.
There are obviously other factors that come in to play and the early exit in the WC cannot be put down just to the pulling of players from other competitions.

The Springbok management pulled the top players out of the away leg of the Tri Nations and out of the Currie Cup, our domestic provincial championship.
Once again watering down those competitions.
The only difference was that the Bok's obviously won the WC and their handling of players in the buildup was seen as successful.
But Currie Cup attendances were down, or at least they were at my beloved Newlands, but then Western Province had a forgetful season and fans do vote with their feet.
I know that it is not feasible, but an international season of sorts with prescribed windows for club, provincial and Internationals would be the ideal situation.
Another thing that gets discussed here in South Africa quite often is the return to the old system of tours. Four tests plus warm up games against club or provincial sides. The old first fifteen and dirt-trackers tours that we used to have and still do in the form of the British Lions.
But I am sure that is all part of the past, TV dictates now and they seem to prefer the short tournaments as far as internationals are concerned. The more they can fit in the better, all part of the professional era.

[mars]

In the last few weeks its been good to watch a few youngsters playing Magners league rugby for the Welsh regions but now the internationals have returned one or two of the youngsters are missing out,
One in particular is a young openside flanker for the Scarlets Jonothan Edwards he's had 2 or 3 tries in the opening matches and man of the match on a couple of occasions he now can't get named in a squad of 38 for Heiniken cup matches to come.

So it also leaves questions of who plays club rugby, One thing is certain if the internationals don't perform to a high standard they could well miss out at club level and the youngsters will be putting their hands up for international honours.

[steve@thaib]

But will you pay your £25 entry to watch the youngsters honing their talents? I won't, I can watch a decent standard of rugby for free locally, I pay to watch special players and if they are not there I stay away...

[nelsonone]

Can't see the "reconditionning program" argument holding sway ever again in NZ....anyone who ever suggested it would be laughed out of the room

I for one could never see running around a paddock and lifting weights as a decent way to build a successful team....it's match time and teamwork that build up to winning RWC's....and I think I was pretty constant in saying that throughout our various threads in the lead up....

Forwards need a spell here and there but backs.....they should be on the field every match unless injured

Hmm....tghink I may be putting in a submission for henry's job after the "inquiry" has exhonerated all parties...........55555

[steve@thaib]

Originally Posted by nelsonone

...
Hmm....tghink I may be putting in a submission for henry's job after the "inquiry" has exhonerated all parties...........55555

He still has a job? I've not read any newspapers for a little while but I thought he would have been rousted out before the plane landed.

[dizbuster]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

...When the 'big' players are absent, the crowds stay away from league games....

At least they keep on playing club rugby, whereas in football (aka the game with the odd-shaped ball) they close down the Premiership for the weekend.

We can't have a few home-grown talents running around showing that they can play, can we ? Oh noooooo sir !! Not the done thing sir.

[nelsonone]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

He still has a job? I've not read any newspapers for a little while but I thought he would have been rousted out before the plane landed.

that was all just Nth hemisphere press talk steve....no one in NZ was able to think clearly enough to come up with that response....so they called an enquiry like they do for every other political issue here.....in the hope that it will al blow over before a result is fopund.....55555

Funny thing is that they've had a couple of opinion polls and more than 70% of kiwis think Henry should keep the job??????

I'm not one of them....not because he failed in the cup campaign....more that his and therefore the teams strategies were plain + simply wrong

[steve@thaib]

Who do you replace the guy with? I'm sure there is someone domestically, but maybe it's time for the NZ public to take a deep breath and stick with him? They have dominated SH Rugby since the last world cup, and you would think that they will have learned from the mistakes made in this campaign (whatever they were), rather than start again?

I'm a bit surprised over here to find that Brian Ashton's job is not secure. A couple of the players have turned on him and Jake White appears to have stuck his hand up for the job. That's what getting to a WC final brings as a reward??