Richie McCaw

Seven All Blacks on ice for Crusaders

2012-01-31T12:29:00.005+01:00

While Ben Franks and Andy Ellis are on the bench for the seven-time champion’s first pre-season match against the Highlanders, the primary focus for the Crusaders will be to give their extended playing squad a run.

The presence of the two World Cup winners is likely more cursory, as coach Todd Blackadder will not rush out his All Blacks with an arduous season ahead.

Crusaders captain Richie McCaw has been a participant in the team’s training sessions (albeit without heavy duties) and it was confirmed that his recovery from foot surgery was on track.

The only missing All Black from Crusaders pre-season training is Dan Carter, who has been on his honeymoon with his new wife, and is expected to be suited up for the team by March.

Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock and Israel Dagg are all back with the team, but are being wrapped in cotton wool for now.

Zac Guildford is also available but still serving his suspension after off-field issues.

While the presence of the Crusaders All Blacks contingent on the sidelines will be notable this weekend, the following match against the Hurricanes in Mangatainoka will see the introduction of more test players.

The final pre-season match against the Rebels in Melbourne will see close to a full strength Crusaders team on display, with Kieran Read wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Richie McCaw.

Matt Todd will continue to play at openside in the place of the 103-test flanker.

Tyler Bleyendaal has been given first shot at playing first five-eighth for the Crusaders, with rival playmaker Tom Taylor still not fully fit to play.

Crusaders and Blues title favourites across the ditch

2012-01-29T16:19:00.002+01:00

http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsarticle=18465&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

James Mortimer - (29/01/2012)

Boasting the reigning Investec Super Rugby champions within their own conference hasn’t stopped the Australian betting market installing two New Zealand teams as the most likely to win the 2012 title.

Seven-time champions the Crusaders have been slotted in as the 2012 favourites by the Australian TAB, closely followed by three-time title winners the Blues.

The Reds are listed by as third favourites followed closely by the Waratahs, but the bookies faith in the Queenslanders again doesn’t extend to far, with NSW given the more likely odds of overcoming their great rivals in the blockbuster opening first round in Sydney.

New Zealand betting sees the Crusaders as the favourites, the Reds, Waratahs and Blues equal second likely to win the crown.

The local TAB lists the most likely New Zealand Conference finishing order as the Crusaders, Blues, Chiefs, Highlanders and Hurricanes.

Despite Queensland winning fifteen matches (including their two Super Rugby Finals Series victories over the Blues and Crusaders), the loss of Quade Cooper has meant there is a little uncertainty over the Reds ability to overcome their general’s loss – despite the typical confidence of coach Ewen McKenzie.

The presence of ten All Black World Cup winners in the Crusaders, and a further eight in the Blues, would give confidence to the New Zealand heavyweights.

The Crusaders recorded their third runner-up finish (to go along with seven championships) last season after losing 18-13 to the Reds, but made their tenth straight appearance in a Super Rugby Finals Series, and have only once since 1998 not made the knockout stages.

The fact they continued their remarkable record last season despite playing all matches away from home is a likely reason for their installation as favourites for the 2012 crown.

Richie McCaw and Dan Carter will have delayed starts to the season, but all other players are fit and progressing well, with coach Todd Blackadder happy to have had such an extended off season to prepare his charges to try and bring the title back to Christchurch for the first time since 2008.

The Blues Super Rugby Finals Series berth last year was their first since 2007, and with a title now absent from Eden Park’s trophy cabinet since 2003, the perennial pre-season favourites will hope that the fourth year of Pat Lam’s stewardship will yield a championship.

Other factors against the Reds this season is a far tougher draw, playing more of the top sides (Crusaders, Bulls and Sharks) on the road, versus hosting them at fortress Suncorp.

The Reds hosted the Bulls, Waratahs, Blues and Crusaders to close out their home campaign in 2011.

McCaw says his foot injury is progressing well

2012-01-28T18:23:00.003+01:00

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/96856/mccaw-says-his-foot-injury-is-progressing-well

26 January 2012

The All Blacks captain Richie McCaw says he's recovering well from surgery on his injured foot but still won't put on a date on his likely return to the field.

McCaw was troubled for much of last year by a stress fracture in his right foot and a screw, inserted in February was removed in November.

He expects to return to running next month although he will miss the first few weeks of Super rugby which starts in a month's time.

Crusaders look to play during June test window

2012-01-27T08:52:00.002+01:00

With the Australian sides looking to organise matches while the Investec Super Rugby season takes a rare bye, with the World Champion All Blacks hosting Ireland during June, the kiwi teams are looking themselves to 'plug the gap'.

It was reported that Super Rugby franchises across SANZAR could play matches while the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies assemble, and the Crusaders are already looking to get some game time during this period.

The Crusaders play the Highlanders on June 1 (round 15) before the ‘June window’ and then play another New Zealand Conference match at the end of the month against the Hurricanes on June 29.

While Australian media reported the possibility of the Waratahs, Brumbies and Force playing Scotland, Wales and a South African provincial team respectively – Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder told Fairfax media the idea had been brewing with kiwi coaches for a while.

“I know at the franchise meetings, a lot of the other coaches were thinking on similar lines," he said.

The break will affect the Blues the most, with the three-time champions taking a round 16 bye as most other teams resume action.

Blackadder is in a similar conundrum considering that the Crusaders are currently the premier supplier of All Blacks in the country, with 12 players featuring with the World Cup squad last year.

Playing Ireland has all but been ruled out with the IRFU saying they would decline the opportunity to take part in midweek matches.

Glamour matches against Japanese sides are an option, but there is also the likelihood that a mini-series between the New Zealand Conference teams sans their All Blacks could occur – while some provinces may opt for action to warm up for the ITM Cup and Heartland campaigns.

"We've got a toe in the water to some Japanese sides but it's not looking likely so hopefully we can get a game against another (New Zealand) franchise,” Blackadder said.

“The aim was to give the non-All Blacks game-time and get them up to speed so we can best plan for when the All Blacks return. If (test players) pick up any injuries or niggles or if they're just really tired, we've had some (hit outs) for the players who will be available for that next game."

McCaw pays visit to home town

2012-01-25T14:31:00.000+01:00

http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/195350/mccaw-pays-visit-home-town

By David Bruce on Tue, 24 Jan 2012

It was a secret - but most of Kurow knew about All Black and Rugby World Cup winning captain Richie McCaw's visit to his home town on Sunday.

About 1200 local people turned up to pay homage to McCaw, accompanied by his parents Donald and Margaret, who spent more than two hours meeting people ranging in age from children to a 91-year-old at the town's hay bale tribute to the World Cup tournament and All Blacks win.

One of the organisers, Bob Watherston, said the visit was confirmed about the middle of last week after the town had been trying to get something organised with the home town hero since the World Cup.

The event was kept secret, publicised by "word of mouth" to local people. Media were not notified so McCaw could have a relaxing time.

The aim was for the town and its people to meet McCaw and his family, who were brought into Kurow on the back of a Kurow Fire Brigade fire engine.

"It was to celebrate a great personality as well as the World Cup win in a relaxed atmosphere without any pressure on Richie," Mr Watherston said.

Kurow junior rugby also benefited with a "gold coin" collection. Mr Watherston was unsure how much was raised, but said some people were donating up to $20. Entertainment was also arranged.

McCaw grew up in the neighbouring Hakataramea Valley and spent his early school years and rugby career in Kurow.

- david.bruce@odt.co.nz

McCaw returns to his roots

2012-01-23T15:50:00.000+01:00

World Cup winning All Blacks captain Richie McCaw probably wasn’t expected a full town welcome when he planned to visit his parents Donald and Margaret, but that is exactly what happened when Kurow welcomed back their prodigal son.

The small town, with a population of just over 500, is in the Waitaki Valley some 60 kilometres from Oamaru, and the local area – known for a series of hydroelectric projects for the Waitaki River – proudly lays claim to the 103-test All Blacks flanker.

Oamaru (also home to legendary All Black Fred Allen) and the Waitaki Valley will no doubt for generations argue with Canterbury to herald the flanker as their own – raised in the region before moving to Dunedin and Otago Boys School, before moving to Christchurch and Lincoln University.

Waitaki Valley straddles both Otago and Canterbury.

When local community organiser Bob Watherson heard of the All Blacks incoming visit, he quickly arranged some festivities and spoke to stuff.co.nz of the experience.

"There had always been an understanding we wanted to celebrate with him," he said.

"The town responded spontaneously and it went with a bang.”

"He showed his true skills when it came to entertaining a vast number of people. He is a pretty complete guy, a tremendous role model, with a social personality unaffected by fame."

It is believed that over 1,000 people turned up, despite that being the population of the greater Waitaki-Hakataramea Valley region.

The town’s main street, aptly named Bledisloe Street, saw McCaw ride in on top of a fire engine, while he met with the locals and his old schoolboy coach Barney McCone.

Crusaders to play first 'home' game in Napier

2012-01-19T11:16:00.004+01:00

Napier will host the Crusaders’ first ‘home’ game of the season against the Chiefs on March 9.

Hamish Riach, CEO of the Crusaders, said that in an ideal world they would have loved to have played this match in Timaru or Nelson, but the cold hard financial facts pointed to Napier.

“Having lost $700,000 last year, we are extremely conscious of the financial implications of all our decisions this year, and the extra return from playing at McLean Park is significant. We played there
last season and had fantastic support and we believe that support will be there again this year,” he said.

While the financial returns were firmly in favour of Napier, it was a hard decision to make to bypass both Timaru and Nelson.

“Both those cities gave us tremendous support last season and while we know there will be disappointment that we are not returning for a match in 2012, we hope our fans in those cities understand the reasons for the decision.”

Riach said that this decision would not have been possible without the support of both the Hurricanes franchise and the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union.

“They stood by us last year in our time of need and they are supporting us again. We are immensely grateful that the Hurricanes have approved the game in their region and that the HBRFU are once
again prepared to work hard to put on a spectacular game of Investec Super Rugby.”

Riach is hopeful that with the Crusaders having three players from the Bay - Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford and Ross Kennedy – and the Chiefs having four, along with the proximity of Waikato and the Bay of
Plenty to Napier, the “full house” signs will be up come March 9.

Carter on track for Crusaders but stadium is not

2012-01-17T17:46:00.003+01:00

The Crusaders have been given mixed news ahead of their Super Rugby first home match against the Chiefs in March.

All Blacks and Crusaders star first five Dan Carter may play in the match but the match might not be played in the South Island.

Carter was ruled out of last year's Rugby World Cup with a groin adductor injury but is on track for early in the season.

Carter and Captain Richie McCaw who is still recovering from a foot injury are not taking part in the pre-season training but coach Todd Blackadder says their prospects are positive.

"He (Carter) is going to be back in March, hopefully for our first or second home game " said Blackadder.
"He is still in rehab mode, but he's looking in good shape," the Crusaders coach told APNZ.

The Crusaders play their first match of the season in Auckland against the Blues but their first home match is against the Chiefs in round three.

While they won't play any of their home games at AMI Stadium they have a new home at Rugby League Park (Addington) in Christchurch.

The venue is an old Rugby League stadium adjacent to the racetrack and is being rebuilt to accommodate the Crusaders but the stadium is unlikely to be ready in time for the first match in March as they were only given the green light in November.

Instead of being played in Christchurch the match could be played at McLean Park in Napier or Nelson's Trafalgar Park.

The good news is that the stadium is almost certain to be ready in time for the next home match which is against the Cheetahs.

Crusaders prepare for 2012 season

2012-01-17T17:43:00.002+01:00

The Crusaders have welcomed back their World Cup-winning All Blacks and are amping up their pre-season training for this year's Super Rugby competition.

With the exception of Dan Carter, who is injured and on his honeymoon, the Crusaders were put through their paces today at Rugby Park.

Embattled winger Zac Guildford sat out much of training with a groin injury, while Richie McCaw and Corey Flynn were also bit-part players because of injury and the limited amount of work they are allowed to do.

McCaw was uncertain when he would be able to play as he continues to recover from a foot injury but said "it definitely won't be the first two or three weeks" of the competition.

Guildford will miss the side's pre-season clashes and the first competition match because of an New Zealand Rugby Union-imposed ban - a punishment for his alcohol-fuelled outburst in Rarotonga late last year.

The Crusaders will begin their Super campaign in Auckland against the Blues on February 24 in the first match of the 2012 competition.

Guildford will speak about cutting alcohol out of his life and putting his past behind him in tomorrow's edition of The Press and on press.co.nz

McCaw and Carter recovering well

2012-01-17T17:41:00.002+01:00

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw and star fly-half Dan Carter are making good progress as they continue their recoveries from injury.

Carter picked up a groin injury during the World Cup, ruling him out of much of his side's trophy-winning campaign.

The 29-year-old underwent surgery a fortnight before the World Cup final and while his rehabilitation is going well, he will not make the start of the Super Rugby season.

"He is going to be back in March, hopefully for our first or second home game. He is still in rehab mode but he's looking in good shape," Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder told reporters.

McCaw had a screw inserted in his foot last year following a stress fracture and played through the pain during the World Cup before having the screw removed in November.

While happy with the rate of his recovery, the 31-year-old has not set a date for his comeback.

"I've had three weeks now out of crutches and getting back walking," he said on Thursday.

"I've done some cross training and all that, so yes, it seems to be going right.

"But actually deciding when I'll be back, you'll have to wait and see, but things are progressing as they should."

Changes to New Zealand Sevens trialists

2012-01-17T17:34:00.002+01:00

New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens has made five changes to his trial squad that will assemble in Mount Maunganui today.

Manawatu’s Rob Thompson, Waikato’s Steve Ketu, Tasman’s Shane Christie, Wellington’s George Tilsley and Auckland’s Ben Paltridge have been called into the trial squad as replacements.

Counties Manukau’s Ahsee Tuala, North Harbour’s Ken Pisi, Tasman’s James Lowe and Auckland’s Nathan Hughes are all now unavailable for the trial.

Waikato’s Frank Halai will not attend the trial due to a bereavement.

The New Zealand Sevens trialists are:
Toby Arnold Bay of Plenty
Tomasi Cama Manawatu
Shane Christie Tasman
Frazier Climo Taranaki
Scott Curry Bay of Plenty
Matt Faddes Otago
DJ Forbes Counties Manukau
Bryce Heem Auckland
Joe Hill Otago
Mark Jackman Hawke’s Bay
Steve Ketu Waikato
Solomon King North Harbour
Warwick Lahmert Taranaki
Jono Malo Waikato
Tim Mikkelson Waikato
Kieran Moffat Otago
Waisake Naholo Taranaki
Kylem O’Donnell Taranaki
Ben Paltridge Auckland
Charles Piutau Auckland
Lote Raikabula Wellington
Glen Robertson Waikato
Ardie Savea Wellington
Ben Souness Taranaki
George Tilsley Wellington
Rob Thompson Manawatu
Nafi Tuitavake North Harbour
Lolagi Visinia Auckland
Joe Webber Waikato
Jack Wilson Bay of Plenty

Rugby injuries stable

2012-01-17T17:32:00.002+01:00

The perception that professional rugby players run a greater risk of injury now than ever before is false, according to the latest in-depth findings.

The 2010-11 England Rugby Injury and Training audit, published on Monday, shows the injury rate among professional players has effectively remained stable since the first report was commissioned in 2002.

Although the likelihood of sustaining a match injury rose last season by 16 percent - from 80 injuries per 1000 hours in 2009-10 to 93 - that remains within the 'normal level' of season-by-season variation.

Last year's fluctuation is related to an increase in injuries that kept players out for a week or less and a small increase in injuries that resulted in more than 84 days' absence.

The bare statistics show that each Premiership club will lose 1.9 players to a three-week injury after every match of the season.

However, Dr Simon Kemp, the head of sports medicine at the RFU, explained that the days absence figures are distorted by the small number of long-term injuries, with half of the injured players back in action after a week.

The study, conducted jointly by the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association, also shows that medical and physiotherapy advances have led to a decrease in repeat injuries.

Dr Kemp told Press Association Sport: "People like playing and watching rugby union because it is a collision sport. We try and make it as safe as you can while keeping it recognisable as rugby.

"Despite the perception that players are bigger, faster and stronger, there isn't any evidence that the injury rate has increased in professional rugby since 2002.

"Although the studies before 2002 were not as comprehensive, there is some evidence that there was an increase in injury risk between 1995 and 2001, but the risk has now stabilised.

"We do see differences in risk from season to season, as you would expect, but they are those that reflect differences that have arisen as a result of normal statistical variation.

"The likelihood of suffering a recurrence of an injury continues to fall.

"You probably don't want your injury recurrence rate to be zero in a professional sport because that would suggest that you are being a little too conservative in your return to play decisions.

"But the fact it is now only seven percent is good evidence to show that the clubs and the England team are rehabilitating players with injuries well."

The RFU's study into the community game, sponsored by their official insurance brokers Marsh, shows that the risk of injury is significantly reduced at the lower levels of play. Approximately half of all injuries occur in tackles. The next most common cause is running and then the ruck.

"The risk of injury in the community game drops with the decreasing level of competition and with reducing age," Dr Kemp said.

"The risk for Under-18 schoolboys is about half that of the professional game. For Under-10s it drops even further. Rugby is a different game at that level."

At the end of the brutal 2009 British and Irish Lions tour, Dr James Robson raised concerns that players were becoming too muscle-bound and being asked to play too much high-intensity rugby.

While that tour contributed to the perception of rugby becoming more dangerous, Dr Kemp explained the experiences of single teams cannot be taken in isolation.

"At the last IRB meeting we looked at all the good quality data since the turn of the millennium. There simply isn't a year-on-year rise of injury risk," Dr Kemp said.

"The value of studying the whole league is that it smoothes out the club-by-club variations. To infer rugby is more dangerous from looking at the injuries sustained by a single club or team at one point in time is invalid.

"This study gives strong enough information to be able to draw sensible conclusions."

Next year, the injury audit will use data from team conditioners and GPS units worn by players to help better understand how a player's training affects their injury risk at the weekend.

The audit will also specifically be studying players who have sustained concussion.

"When we first started the study it showed concussion was in the top five injuries. We then defined a clear and tight protocol for the identification of concussed players and returning them safely," Dr Kemp said.

"Next year we will test how robust the concussion management is. We will gather statistics from players before and after their concussion injury."

//Getty Images The never ending debate - Size vs. Style, Power vs. Panache

2012-01-17T17:29:00.002+01:00

The upcoming Six Nations will make for compelling viewing for a number of reasons, namely as we in the South muse over whether we shall see free flowing poetry or the bash and crash style attritional rugby that can at times dominates rugby in Europe.

Such rugby is not always dictated by the geographic location of its teams, but often by the type of players selected by the coaches, often with a simple style in mind.

Whether size matters – in a purely rugby sense – has led itself to differing periods of domination over the ages for respective rugby nations.

The great-grandfathers of All Blacks rugby, the esteemed ‘Originals’ and later the ‘Invincibles’, would cut their respective swathes through Europe for multiple reasons in regards to what sort of men (and their size versus their style) the New Zealand greats were.

Uncompromising 'blokes' from the rural regions of New Zealand gave rise to popular legends of All Blacks cum farmers who ploughed fence posts into the ground with hammer sized fists while carrying a sheep over each shoulder.

However for all the power and at times brutal play on display from the All Blacks a century ago, it was their “scientific” approach to the game according to the Northern Hemisphere media that set them apart.

Not only were their forwards relishing the opportunity to run with the ball – indeed, running as if they were ‘all backs’ – they had pre-determined positions in the scrum (as opposed to the first down method employed by the Home Nations) while the at times controversial use of a ‘wing forward’ was said to be so beneficial that some believe the International Rugby Board amended the position to cull the dominance of All Blacks teams.

Welsh golden eras were executed by their backline wizards who were the contradiction of picking the biggest meanest player available; French rugby began its rise on the back of wild-eyed forwards who had an appetite for the rough stuff, while England’s rule in the nineties came from immense goliaths up front with faces only their mothers could love.

Telegraph rugby writer Paul Ackford wrote over the weekend that the Red Rose now cannot call on such hard men, and this has given way to the ‘gym monkey culture’.

He wrote that in years past “It was team policy, a deliberate attempt to intimidate the opposition by sending the roughest, toughest, ugliest brutes out at the head of the queue.”

Further explanation and examples from Dorian West, Northampton’s forwards coach, and Rob Baxter, Exeter’s coach – went on to explain that raw physicality and brutality had changed.

It wasn’t so much a case of bullying or fighting, but now expressing dominance in purely rugby terms, namely hitting hard in the tackle, carry ferociously into contact, but most importantly consistently get up onto their feet to do it all over again.

This last aspect is perhaps the most crucial element of the game.

Size, skill, the number of test caps or who is the purely better team often comes down to which side can get up off the deck and reset with enough speed and efficiency to put the first phase structures into place.

Often much of the All Blacks brilliance comes from watching them off the ball, seeing how quickly they retune their field positions.

It helps that the raw aspects as above are featured, and none would encapsulate these features more than current New Zealand Player of the Year Jerome Kaino – the epitome of an enforcer.

His captain Richie McCaw may not suit this mould, but while the 103-test flanker will be the first to admit he isn’t the most proficient All Black in the gym or during strength testing, the one consistent with test level training is that the openside flanker is king when it comes to overall fitness.

In an interview with Fairfax Media in 2009, McCaw gave his input into the debate.

“Myself, fitness is my first thing. Strength-wise I'm certainly OK, but I'm definitely not the strongest,” the All Blacks captain said.

"I picked up a few injuries when I was younger through doing weights and it sort of put me off a little bit. I tended to carry on not too bad just doing rehab stuff in the gym without trying to make huge gains."

He said gym work can help, but key was lasting for the 80 minutes and improving your overall attributes as a rugby player.

"That's probably through my own experience that I'm not so big on that (bodybuilding style gym work),” he said.

“Fitness has been my sort of thing, and my argument to people who say you should be stronger is that, maybe the first five or 10 minutes when everyone's fresh, it might be an advantage, but after 60 minutes when I'm still getting there and beating the other guys that's when you have more of an influence.

"It depends on the player. In rugby a lot of it is instinct and how you play the game. A big, strong, fast man isn't necessarily going to make a good rugby player.

"A good rugby player can get better by adding physical attributes, so that's what I balance up.

"To be fresh on Saturday, if that means not doing so many weights early in the week, then that's the decision you have to make."

Danger for SBW as Tillman potentially looms

2012-01-17T17:27:00.001+01:00

With Richard Tutaki no longer Sonny Bill Williams’ opponent for his February 8 bout, it is possible that he could be replaced with the toughest opponent the World Cup winning All Black has ever faced.

Tutaki was arrested after failing to appear in court this week, so Williams and his manager Khoder Nasser are moving quickly to find a replacement boxer to duel with the All Blacks midfielder / wing for the vacant New Zealand heavyweight title.

The Sunday Star Times reported that Clarence Tillman is potentially being lined up, something that allblacks.com confirmed with the American born New Zealand heavyweight recently fighting on December 3 at the Fight Club in Ellerslie, while the 11-8-2 boxer is tentatively scheduled to confront an unnamed opponent on the 23rd March.

Tillman is ironically the last boxer to cross paths with Tutaki, who won with a split decision to give Williams’ cancelled opponent his fourth loss in five fights and 21st overall.

The proposition of Williams facing the 196cm, approximately 125-132 kg Tillman, who has only lost one of his last six and fought eight times last year, could be a very serious test of the All Blacks credentials in the squared circle.

Williams told the Sunday Star-Times he was disappointed but looking forward to his greatest challenge as a pugilist.

"I was just absolutely gutted when I found out, man. That was probably my initial feeling," he said.

"For the last three or four weeks I've been training with Richard in mind. But I was told that all was not lost and that I will still be able to fight for the belt.

"The New Zealand Boxing Association has put forward a couple of names and that's a good thing because I'll still be fighting on February 8. On one hand I'm pretty gutted and still disappointed. But on the other hand, the fight's still going to happen on February 8 and now it's just a case of changing my opponent.

"The class is definitely a step up from what I've been fighting."

All Blacks fans chance to vote for greatest sporting moment

2012-01-17T17:25:00.001+01:00

The Halberg Awards in Auckland on February 9 will feature a category – New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment of 2011 – that will be decided purely by the public vote.

The All Blacks are featured, with their 8-7 win over France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final in the running to be the greatest moment of the year in New Zealand’s sporting landscape.

While some might feel it is a fait accompli that the All Blacks moment was the greatest, there are other historic achievements by other codes that are threatening to steal Richie McCaw and his troops thunder.

There is the NZ Breakers becoming the first kiwi team to win an Australian league, winning the National Basketball League title; Valerie Adams Gold in the shotput at the IAAF world championships; the Black Caps historic win over Australia in Hobart, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray winning rowing gold in Slovenia; and the try that sent the Warriors into their second NRL Grand Final.

The Sunday Star-Times revealed that perhaps the Warriors could upset the All Blacks, with voting currently favouring the league team.

The Halberg Awards will update the public as to the status of the voting, with the category run alongside High Performance Sport New Zealand.

To vote (before February 9), click here.
To view the moments, click here.

All Blacks: McCaw's 'time will come'

2012-01-13T10:10:00.000+01:00

Richie McCaw (L) and Sir Graham Henry carry the Webb Ellis Cup through Auckland after the RWC final

Rugby World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry is not surprised that All Blacks captain Richie McCaw declined the honour of a knighthood.

"He is a young fella and he has a few years ahead of him playing rugby," he said. "He will probably feel uncomfortable about that (a knighthood), particularly when he is captaining the side and is still playing rugby.
"But I am sure his time will come."

The 65-year-old former school teacher, who resigned the All Blacks coaching job after the World Cup final in October, is now Sir Graham Henry and the latest of a handful of former players or coaches to receive one of New Zealand's highest honours.

Martin Snedden, the former test cricketer who headed the company that organised the World Cup, has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, one step down from a knighthood.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw was also approached by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and offered a knighthood but declined, saying that at 30 and with at least two years still to run on his All Blacks contract, it would be too soon to be Sir Richie.

Crusaders stars share optimism

2012-01-13T10:04:00.000+01:00

Zac Guildford has told media he has turned over a new leaf and is off the booze

Rugby bad boy Zac Guildford and saint Richie McCaw were both upbeat at the Crusaders' training session yesterday.

Guildford, who is suspended for three pre-season games and the Super opener against the Blues on February 24 after his liquor-fuelled misdemeanours in Rarotonga last year, told media he is now off the booze and promised he had turned over a new leaf.

Meanwhile, World Cup-winning captain McCaw, who is recovering from an operation on his injured right foot that forced him to play through pain at the RWC, said he hoped to be available for the Crusaders about mid-March.

He did not want to put a time on his recovery, but expected to be back about the time of the Crusaders' bye weekend of March 17-18.

McCaw said he was doing a lot of swimming and cycling as part of his recovery, and he wanted to be around the team to be up to speed with everything.

Dan Carter, also recovering from surgery, is also expected to return in March.

On March 9 the seven-times Super champions have their first "home" game against the Chiefs.

However, with progress on the new Addington stadium slower than expected, it will probably be played in Nelson or Napier.

The World Cup All Blacks except Carter and McCaw returned to full Crusaders training this week.

Richie to stay just Richie - for now.

2012-01-13T09:59:00.000+01:00

Richie to stay just Richie - for now - 3 Sport - Video - 3 News

Nick Evans compares Chris Robshaw to Richie McCaw

2012-01-13T09:52:00.000+01:00

Harlequins fly-half Nick Evans has likened Chris Robshaw's leadership to that of New Zealand's World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw.

The Quins skipper is a leading contender to captain England in the upcoming Six Nations.

Evans told BBC London 94.9: "He's Richie McCaw-like, in the way that he leads by example.

"He's not one of those guys that will mouth off but he leads by example round the field."

The former All Blacks international continued: "He's one of those guys that you need in the pack when things are going tough. He's always the guy that puts his hand up.

"He showed that especially in the Northampton game on Friday. He really stood out even though we were going backwards."

Robshaw has been named alongside team-mates Joe Marler, Jordan Turner-Hall and Mike Brown in England's 32-man elite player squad for the Six Nations.

Harlequins are preparing for Saturday's Heineken Cup match against Gloucester, having won the reverse fixture 28-9 at Kingsholm in November.

Evans said: "We've parked the Premiership for a while, top of the table there, so looking forward to a couple of really exciting games in the Heineken Cup and hopefully set ourselves up for a quarter-final if we can.

"Every year you come across a team you play lots. Last season it seemed to be Wasps and this season it seems to be Gloucester. I think both teams will know each other inside out.

"We're really looking forward to getting back to the Stoop, seven of our last 10 games have been away so we're looking forward to getting back there and taking on a team that will be smarting after losing to Worcester."

McCaw to miss opening Super Rugby games

2012-01-13T09:43:00.001+01:00

The most famous foot in New Zealand is on the mend but Richie McCaw will miss "at least the first few" Super Rugby games.

McCaw was walking with no sign of pain at Crusaders' training yesterday and the All Black skipper said he should be running again next month.

"I've had a few weeks off crutches now and been back doing some cross-training and it seems to be going all right."

He's been spotted at a number of different pools around the South Island doing lengths over the holiday period and has spent plenty of time on the bike.

He's itching to get back, but just when McCaw will return to the field for what will be his 12th Super campaign remains up in the air.

The Crusaders have a bye in the fourth round and McCaw hinted that extra week off might be necessary and that he'd return for the side's week five clash against the Cheetahs at Rugby League Park.
"We'll just have to wait and see," he said. "I'm reluctant to put a time on it but things are progressing how they should."

McCaw was one of several injured returning All Blacks who sat out part of Crusaders training yesterday.
While McCaw and his fellow All Blacks are no doubt still getting pats on the back and the odd free pint from the general public, the second World Cup-winning All Black skipper said the memories of that win had to be shelved within the Crusaders' environment.

"You have to realise that that's done," he said.

"You come back here and there's only half a dozen guys that were involved and every other guy is worried about the Crusaders and this side doing well.

So we have to make sure we're worried about that and not focusing on the past. We have to move on because the teams from South Africa and Australia sure won't care about it."

While the side talked down the impact of having to leave Christchurch for every game last season, following the February 22 earthquake and the damage that caused to AMI Stadium, McCaw said he was rapt to have a home venue sorted for 2012.

He said the side had to ignore it last year because they had no choice, but doubted even his side could have done it again.

"I don't think you could do it two years in a row and it's nice to know we're going to have games at home."
McCaw was joined on the sidelines yesterday by Zac Guildford, Corey Flynn and Israel Dagg who were all on limited workloads but Crudasers coach Todd Blackadder said none were major concerns.

McCaw on track with rehabilitation

2012-01-12T14:48:00.000+01:00

Injured World Cup winning All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has said his recovery from foot surgery is proceeding to plan, having already started walking again and participating in minor training sessions.

McCaw, whose right foot became one of the most talked about appendages in world rugby last year, had surgery after he guided the All Blacks to an 8-7 victory over France, removing a small screw that has been inserted after suffering a stress fracture early in 2011.

While he said his foot was feeling good, he could not guarantee when he would return to action for the Crusaders.

As well as recovering from the surgery, McCaw has a sabbatical clause in his contract that allows him to ease into the Investec Super Rugby season, as opposed to the ‘overseas’ option that was taken up by Dan Carter in Perpignan and more recently Ma’a Nonu with the Ricoh Black Rams.

With the surgery a success and the screw removed in November, McCaw expected to be running again in February, and would probably eye a return to contact training by March.

"I've had three weeks now out of crutches and getting back walking," he said.

"I've done some cross training and all that, so yes, it seems to be going right."

McCaw, now the most capped All Black in history with 103 test appearances, wasn’t sure when he would add to his 110 caps for the Crusaders.

"But actually deciding when I'll be back, you'll have to wait and see, but things are progressing as they should,” he said.

Chiefs or Cheetahs likely comeback for Carter

2012-01-11T10:17:00.000+01:00

Injured All Blacks first five-eighth Dan Carter will return to action in March for the Crusaders, with coach Todd Blackadder saying the tournament’s record points scorer will return for the team’s “first or second” home game.

The Crusaders kick off their season against the Blues at Eden Park, and head down to Dunedin the following week to play the Highlanders.

Their first home game is against the Chiefs in round three, they take their first bye the next round, before hosting the Cheetahs in their first outer Conference clash of the season.

Those early home matches could be shifted away from Christchurch as work continues on redeveloping their new home at Rugby League Park.

Carter, who returned to the Crusaders alongside other World Cup winning All Blacks on Monday, sat out training alongside Richie McCaw, with both still recovering from their groin and foot injuries respectively.

The All Blacks first five was due to lead his country for the first time against Canada at the Rugby World Cup, but a minor mishap during the captain’s run saw Carter fall to the ground while undertaking kicking practice.

In obvious pain, it was later revealed that Carter had suffered a torn adductor longus tendon in his left groin, and was ruled out of the 2011 tournament.

He had surgery two weeks before the final.

Blackadder said that March 9 (Chiefs) or March 24 (Cheetahs) were the most likely dates for the man who has scored a record 1,272 points for the Crusaders.

"He is going to be back in March, hopefully for our first or second home game,” the coach said.

“He is still in rehab mode but he's looking in good shape."

Baby Air New Zealand aircraft gets All Black treatment

2012-01-11T10:15:00.000+01:00

While an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 777 have received special ‘All Black’ paint jobs recently, Air New Zealand’s smallest aircraft has been decked out in the black livery.

The Beech 1900AD arrived in New Zealand this week, and while the 19-seat plane isn’t quite as awe inspiring as its big brothers, it will serve domestic routes and is the first of three such aircraft to receive the new makeover.

It is the smallest plane in Air New Zealand’s 103 aircraft fleet.

Eagle Air’s (a subsidiary of Air New Zealand) general manager Carrie Hurihanganui welcomed the arrival of the new plane.

"Flying into and out of regional New Zealand every day we know that our customers are crazy about rugby – we're sure this will be a very popular aircraft to be on during the winter months in particular,” she said.

Last year Air New Zealand extended their relationship with the New Zealand Rugby Union until 2015, by which time the carrier would have acted as an official sponsor for 20-years.

England hope to outdo NZ2011

2012-01-10T10:40:00.000+01:00

Source: All Blacks

The man in charge of delivering the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England is confident that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have finally got their house in order and hopes the competition will be the best in history.

Key figures from the world of rugby gathered opposite Twickenham today to mark the official launch of planning for the tournament.

Twickenham has been the scene of a number of long-running boardroom battles at the RFU, which ended with a number of high-profile departures amid a backdrop of a poor World Cup campaign that saw England knocked out in the quarter-finals.

England's disciplinary troubles in New Zealand also dogged the team and former manager Martin Johnson was heavily criticised for not keeping his players in check.

Paul Vaughan, chief executive of host organisation England Rugby 2015 (ER 2015), is aware that England performing well is a big factor in the success of the competition and hopes they will rise to the challenge of competing for the Webb Ellis trophy on home soil.

"I think the RFU and English rugby they have pretty much got themselves sorted out now in terms of improving the governance of the game and getting the right culture involved in the England team," Vaughan said.

"We want and need them to do well because inevitably a successful England team will help us raise interest and it will help us sell a lot of tickets.

"We want to make sure that happens. We have to believe that England will get themselves into a good position."

The 2015 World Cup will be the first time that England has hosted the competition on its own and they are confident that it will be even more successful than last year's event in New Zealand, which gained widespread praise.

Around 1.3million people attended the tournament in 2011, but ER 2015 hope to sell around three million tickets in England.

The economic downturn could have an impact, but Vaughan claimed today that supporters will be able to afford to watch games, with pool tickets available for less than 10 pound.

"Our objective is to be the best Rugby World Cup in the history of the game," Vaughan added. "It will be a difficult challenge. They did a fantastic job in New Zealand. They were absolutely brilliant at running the event.

"Part of the task will be to get the ticketing strategy right. We are going to make sure the cup will be affordable and accessible to everyone.

"We are looking to sell just under three million tickets. We have nine million people interested in the game in this country and we hope to have 350,000 people coming in to attend too. I think it's a realistic target."

The stadia to be used and the start and finish dates will be discussed at an International Rugby Board (IRB) meeting in March.

A number of football grounds, including Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium and Anfield in Liverpool could be used.

That could cause problems as the World Cup could clash with the football season, but organisers are confident that Premier League and Champions League games will not dilute the public's interest in the World Cup.

IRB chief executive Mike Miller said: "We have a few tricks up our sleeve to get people interested in this event.

"The Premier League happens week-in, week-out, this does every four years, and once every 20, 30 or 40 in England so this is a special event, it's a world event."

Miller added that the IRB will discuss over the next two months whether Wales should be allowed to play some of their pool matches at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

2012 New Zealand Sevens trialists named

2012-01-10T10:37:00.001+01:00

Source: All Blacks

New Zealand Sevens Coach Gordon Tietjens has named 30 players to assemble in Mount Maunganui for the national squad trials starting on Tuesday 17 January.

The players were named at a post-tournament dinner following the Pub Charity National Sevens in Queenstown last night. The tournament was won by Auckland who beat Otago 36-24 in the Final.

Titejens said the trial camp was an important part of identifying and developing future talent.

“The players know they are competing for contracts for the 2012 season but they also know we have an eye on talent for the Olympics in Rio de Janerio in 2016.

“This is a really exciting time to be involved with Sevens rugby. With fulltime Sevens contracts up for grabs in the future there are some talented young players coming into this trial that could put their hands up as Olympic medal hopefuls in Rio in four years’ time,” he said.

A national contracted squad of 15 will be named on Friday 20 January at the conclusion of the trial and will assemble in Wellington on Thursday 26 January ahead of the Hertz Sevens tournament in the city on 3 and 4 February.

The New Zealand Sevens trialists are:

Toby Arnold Bay of Plenty
Tomasi Cama Manawatu
Frazier Climo Taranaki
Scott Curry Bay of Plenty
Matt Faddes Otago
DJ Forbes Counties Manukau
Frank Halai Waikato
Bryce Heem Auckland
Nathan Hughes Auckland
Joe Hill Otago
Mark Jackman Canterbury
SolomonKing North Harbour
Warwick Lahmert Taranaki
James Lowe Tasman
Jono Malo Waikato
Tim Mikkelson Waikato
Kieran Moffat Otago
Waisake Naholo Taranaki
Kyle O’Donnell Taranaki
Ken Pisi North Harbour
Charles Piutau Auckland
Lote Raikabula Wellington
Glen Robertson Waikato
Ardie Savea Wellington
Ben Souness Taranaki
Ahsee Tuala Counties Manukau
Nafi Tuitavake North Harbour
Lolagi Visinia Auckland
Joe Webber Waikato
Jack Wilson Bay of Plenty