The Dropkicks - 2007 - Episode 24

The Dropkicks look back at the final and deciding game of the 2007 Tri-Nations series; the All Black selections for the upcoming Rugby World Cup; follow Scott Dixon's ongoing winning ways in Indy Car racing; corruption in the NBA refereeing circles; a moments silence for Jarrod Cunningham; and Dick and Athletes of the Week.

Download Episode 2007/24.

The Dropkicks - 2007 - Episode 23

The Dropkicks review the penultimate game of the 2007 Tri-Nations (All Blacks v. South Africa at Christchurch), and discuss: a World Cup revamp; MLB's All-Stars game; F1 secret stealing; competitive eating (Kobayashi loses!); a javelin getting stuck in a long jumper; MLF v. MILF; and ... other stuff.


Download Episode 2007/23.

Media Scrum Replaces Actual Scrum

Jake White and John "Knuckles" Connelly have played the entire Tri-Nations so far in the press room firing salvos at the All Blacks (in what I believe is an attempt to have us on the backfoot come the World Cup).

Every day the sports news is just the latest Wallaby or Springbok press conference:

• Richie McCaw is a bad captain because he’s penalised too often
• Richie McCaw cheats too much and never gets penalised*
• The All Blacks worry too much about attacking and should concentrate on defence
• The All Blacks are too focussed on the winning the World Cup to win the World Cup
• The rotation policy is [insert adjective]

As you can see from my (grossly oversimplified and biased) list, the statements tend towards the ridiculous. The real problem seems to be that the press, both local and foreign, are running with these stories like they are fact. So much so that they have begun to predict the future.

Perhaps the worst thing is the local media running with these stories (like they are fact and not opinion) and putting unneeded and undeserved pressure on our team.

Before the Super 14 semi-finals the Crusaders were blasé about comments from the Bulls and were joking around confidently. The All Blacks have been the same before both the Wallaby and Springbok tests and have played very poorly.

Here is what I hope happens. We get angry.

We play the next few games (and all the World Cup games) like we did against England after the last Cup. We smash them. We play fast and angry. We hit them right up the middle and punch them in the lineout and ruck them and hurt them. But what we shouldn’t do is respond to them in the press room.

*Note: in the last test the penalty count was nine against NZ and nine against SA with McCaw being the cause of two of them.

Alternative Rugby Commentary - promo

The latest bit of genius from the guys over at the Alternative Rugby Commentary...

The Dropkicks - 2007 - Episode 21

Man, don't you hate it when you post the podcast after the weekend, thereby making your picks look all the more foolish. Yeah, me too.

Anyway, the Dropkicks look back at the South Africa v. All Blacks test match from the weekend before last, look forward to the Australia v. All Blacks game that has just happened (you'll never guess who we picked to win!), the Netball final between the Sting and Force, some player movements (phnarr!), and dick and athletes of the week.

Download Episode 2007/21.

Dom: Prediction Genius? You decide.

The following is an email (allegedly) from Dom about the All Blacks versus South Africa last weekend. Note that in gambling lingo putting in a forward slash (/) symbolizes halftime, (i.e. X/Y means team X leads at the half but team Y wins).

-----Original Message-----
From: Dom Gibbs
Sent: Friday, 22 June 2007 10:23 am
Subject: Tri-Nations

I had a dream the abs won 70-7. might venture a private bet.

In my opinion the boks 12 and under is the hedging bet. NZ have had the goods on SA over the last couple of years. Despite that 22-21 loss last year which was an anomaly. I mean we gave them a lesson in the other games. Apart from the locks its the same team.

We havent gotten any worse. We have played down at the level of France C and Canada so I think a top team will bring out a top performance.

But at home and full of confidence the boks will come out strong. Thats why I like the boks/blacks as the best bet.

They will be weaker without Smit and Dan can do dropgoals just as good as them.

The 'second-string' Boks

So, Jake White is taking the chance to do his own spot of reconditioning, and resting and recuperating his top 20 players from the Tri-Nations squad headed to Australia and New Zealand.

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.

South Africa v. All Blacks, Tri-Nations 2007: video highlights

Final Score: South Africa 21 - 26 New Zealand



Date: 23rd June, 2007
Location: Absa Stadium, Durban, South Africa
Crowd size: 51,861

SOUTH AFRICA: Montgomery; Willemse (Olivier 66), Fourie, De Villiers, Pietersen; James (Steyn 52), Pienaar; Du Randt (Van der Linde53), G Botha, BJ Botha (Muller 66), B Botha, Matfield (capt), Burger, Rossouw, Skinstad (Wannenburg 52)

Tries: Burger, James
Conversion: Montgomery
Penalties: Montgomery 2, Pienaar

NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina (MacDonald 70); Rokocoko, Toeava (McAlister 67), Mauger, Sivivatu; Carter, Kelleher (Weepu 69); Woodcock, Oliver (Mealamu 51), Hayman, Flavell, Rawlinson (Filipo 45), Collins, McCaw (capt), So'oialo

Tries: McCaw, Rokocoko
Converions: Carter 2
Penalties: Carter 3
Drop goal: Mauger

The Dropkicks - 2007 - Episode 20

The Dropkicks look back on the brave Canadian showing against the All Blacks, the thrilling encounter between Australia and South Africa, look ahead to the NZ Netball Championship final, reminisce on the NBA Finals, the US Open and various other sporting events.

Download Episode 2007/20.

All Blacks Named/Shamed

All Blacks squad to tour France and Canada and to contest the 2007 Philips Tri-Nations:

Forwards: Jerry Collins (Wellington), Troy Flavell (Blues), Carl Hayman (Otago), Andrew Hore (Taranaki), Chris Jack (Tasman), Richie McCaw (Canterbury), Chris Masoe (Wellington), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Anton Oliver (Otago), Keith Robinson (Chiefs), John Schwalger (Hurricanes), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington), Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes), Reuben Thorne (Canterbury), Ali Williams (Auckland), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).

Backs: Dan Carter (Canterbury), Nick Evans (Highlanders), Doug Howlett (Blues), Byron Kelleher (Waikato), Brendon Leonard (Chiefs), Leon MacDonald (Canterbury), Aaron Mauger (Canterbury), Luke McAlister (Blues), Malili Muliaina (Waikato), Josevata Rokocoko (Auckland), Conrad Smith (Huricanes), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), Isaia Toeava (Blues), Piri Weepu (Wellington).

Discuss in the comments

The Dropkicks - Episode 34

The latest podcast is now up!

This week the Dropkicks come to you without preparation, without the internet, but with the usual unusual mix of aplomb and stupidity. Despite these handicaps, we manage to review another week of top-notch sports action and news: International rugby, including the All Blacks v. Wales game and enusing haka controversy; South Africa v. England; Ashes Test Cricket. Dick and Athlete of the Week. Corrections and Clarifications. The Tri-Nations League Final Kiwis v. Australia. And the Beleagured New Zealand Knights.

Episode 34 (right click, save target as...)