Now, of course, we all know Graham Henry was successful in getting 22 NZ players out of their respective Super 14 squads for the first half of that competition earlier this year for a spot of 'reconditioning'. Despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth, this still didn't stop the Crusaders and Blues from making the semis (where they lost, with their full contingent of All Blacks at hand), and Waikato likewise went close to to the top 4. In other words, the NZ teams were still competitive.
This South African side won't be. While they might push the Aussies, they are going to get thumped by the All Blacks.
One of the arguments for the move is that "the All Blacks have been doing it for years!" Witness this statement from Gerard O'Neill on the NZ Herald "Your Views" page...
This is all a bit rich isn't it? Didn't John Mitchell take a NZ C team to Britain a few seasons ago?Did he? A "C" team? In the last overseas tour to Europe before the 2003 World Cup, the squad included the likes of Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen, Andrew Mehrtens, Doug Howlett, Keith Robinson, Kees Meeuws and Ali Williams. We were, admittedly, a little lighter in the forwards than usual, but it was hardly 'C' squad - hardly even a 'B' squad really - and didn't stop the team from being competitive. We only lost by three points to the eventual World Cup champions England, drew with France (despite the ABs being shown three yellow cards), and thumped Wales. I don't think anyone really expects the South African team headed our way now to be a challenge to the All Blacks, who just beat the 'A' squad (minus several top players, admittedly), at Durban. Australia, maybe, but not the All Blacks. (We could, of course, be proven horribly wrong, which, if anything, would throw Jake White into more of a quandary - if his 'B' team can beat the ABs, why would he change a winning formula going into the World Cup?)
There is a difference between resting players but still sending a competitive squad (as per the 2002 All Blacks to Europe), and pulling your entire top squad and sending a 'B' team to the slaughter (as per the current SA squad headed to the Antipodes).
And it's probably going to be counter-productive anyway. The 'reconditioned' All Blacks only seem to be hitting their straps now, after half a season of Super 14 and a handful of test matches. How are the top South African players going to fare after no competitive games for a couple of months, the usual soft World Cup pool matches, and then the do-or-die intensity of the knock-out stages.
We shall see, I suppose. In the meantime, let's just enjoy watching the All Blacks dent some South African pride by giving the Bokke new boys and recalled old hands a rugby lesson on July 14.
3 comments:
Look I think this is bollocks. Its a world cup year. they should have seen this coming. SANZAR only have themselves to blame. It will only happen in world cup years.
Some fool said in the news this morning that, the only people getting hurt by this "rotation" policy and resting of players is the fans. Bullshit. I can tell you that the players dont like it either. You ask Aaron Mauger if he wants to be knocked out of the starting XV for the bledisloe cup match. The pride in the jersey is everything to these guys and while they may put up the "hey its for the good of the team" front, they are dying inside. No All Black ever wants to rest instead of play a test match.
dissent!
fair enough, actually. It is the logical conclusion of what has gone before (S14 reconditioning, 'resting' players for intl tours), so, yes, no real surprises.
Still, don't think it's going to do them any good. As per my last couple of paragraphs - the horse has bolted - you can be well conditioned and match hardened, but the Boks are going to be going into the WC conditioned, but without a decent match under their belt for months.
True, but with playing all the minnows in the early matches, allof the top teams will go into the quarters/semis without a decent match under their belt for months.
Its mad. Still, as long as they all play equally well or equally badly, the games should still be good.
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