Sports Fan Attic

Renovations Underway In The Attic - A New, Improved Site Is On The Way!

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:18:00 +0000

We're currently working on some pretty major renovations here in the Attic. We're stripping back the old wallpaper, ripping up the old carpet, and knocking out some walls to bring in some much needed light.

We've almost finished the work, and pretty soon you're going to see a dramatically different, refreshed site, with plenty more sporting goodness for you to peruse.

Check back soon - we know you're gonna love it!

Israel and Chris.

2009 Super 14 Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:10:00 +0000

We're less than a week away from the start of the 2009 Super 14, and although it doesn't seem that long ago since we were celebrating the success of the All Blacks Grand Slam tour in November, we can't wait for the rugby season to begin.

The question on everybody's lips whether or not the Canterbury Crusaders can continue to dominate the competition without Robbie Deans as coach, and without the likes of Dan Carter and long-time servants Ruben Thorn and Caleb Ralph. The Crusaders will be on every one's hit list, but as far as we're concerned they should still be the front runners come semi-final time.

There biggest challenge within New Zealand should come from the Hurricanes, who head into the competition with undoubtedly the strongest side in the Super 14. Unfortunately for Hurricanes fans, the Wellington franchise has been the biggest underachievers in the competition, and they'll have to ramp up their game to have any chance of claiming their first Super 14 title.

The Highlanders have struggled in years gone by, and 2009 will definitely be a tough year for them - especially if they get off to a slow start. They have a solid side available, but if they pick up a few injuries they could find 2009 heading in the same direction as 2008. Despite this, we feel they have the talent to surprise a few, and if they can rebuild their once proud home record, they may just be in the hunt come semi-finals time.

The Chiefs have always been slow starters, which has cost them big-time later in the season. For them to have a successful Super 14 campaign they will need to start the year with a bang - and with wins over the Blues and Highlanders in the pre-season, they're showing good signs early on. They have speed to burn in the backs, and will be looking to Stephen Donald to lead them to success in 2009.

The Blues are always a danger of beating anyone on their day, but in recent years they've fallen off the pace in the back end of the competition. They don't have a solid first-five, and so Jimmy Goppeth and Tasesa Lavea will have all the weight placed squarely on their shoulders. We feel it will prove too heavy for them, and the Blues could be looking at another disappointing year. Blues fans will be hoping we're a long way off the mark, but we're just not sure...

In Australia, the team to keep an eye on will be the Western Force. While they've had their problems off the field (a reported player revolt against coach John Mitchell), they've continued to improve since their inception into the competition. They are a strong home side, but will need to improve their efforts away from home.

The Warratahs are the strongest of the Aussie teams, and will provide Australia with their best chance for success in 2009. Their only downfall is that they tend to choke when the pressure is on, and against teams like the Crusaders you just can't afford to be off your game. Look for them to be in the hunt late in the competition.

The Brumbies and the Reds have been the whipping boys of Australian rugby in the past few years, and we don't expect much to change in 2009. The Brumbies were once one of the strongest sides in the Super 12/14, but have suffered since losing players like Gregan and Larkham. The Reds always promise so much, but never seem to deliver.

The biggest challenge to the Crusader's tight grip on the trophy could come from a South African team. The Sharks, the Stormers and the Bulls have all played good footy in the past few years, and are always a constant threat - especially when playing at home. They will all need to learn to win away from home, or they could find themselves narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot - so close is the competition that you just can't afford to drop so many away games.

As for the Cheetahs and the Lions, well..the less said about them the better. They're yet to make an impact on the Super 14, and will more than likely be fighting it out at the bottom of the table.

This year will certainly be an interesting one, with new laws (a rejig of the ELV's), and the introduction of new referee laws meaning we'll all have to readjust to the new competition. And who knows? Maybe this will be the last Super 14, with rumours that yet another team will be added to the competition in either 2010 or 2011. The Australian's want to add a Japanese or Pacific Island team, which we think would be a great idea - it would help the growth of the game in the region, and it would mean even more rugby. How bad can that be?

Get ready, sports fans - this Friday it's all underway.

Black Caps Strike First

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:20:00 +0000

The Black Caps have struck the first blow in the Chappell-Hadlee series, winning a thrilling match off the last ball of the game.

The win has been somewhat overshadowed by an incident involving Australian wicket-keeper, Brad Haddin, who appeared to strike the wickets with his keeping gloves, thus making it appear as though Michael Clarke had bowled Neil Broom. Replays have shown that the ball missed the top of the stumps, and the bails were removed by Haddin's gloves.

Daniel Vettori has called out Haddin, claiming that he must have known Broom had not been bowled, and that his expression at the dismissal proves it so.

The incident happened at a vital time in the Black Caps run chase, when Broom and Ross Taylor were beginning to cruise towards Australia's modest total of 181. It would certainly be hard to prove whether or not Haddin intentionally "cheated", but if he is found guilty he must face a lengthy ban, as that kind of behaviour goes against everything cricket is about.

We'll await more news over the controversy...

The game itself was an edge-of-the-seat type of game, as the Black Caps looked to have blown an easy victory. It took until the very last ball before Vettori hit the winning runs.

The Black Cap bowlers did a fantastic job in limiting the Aussie onslaught - Kyle Mills led the way with four wickets, while Ian O'Brian claimed the vital wickets of Michael Hussey and James Hope, who proved to be the last hope (no pun intended) for the Aussies.

The bowlers were backed up by some fantastic fielding, which led to the crucial run outs of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.

While limiting the Aussies to 181 was a fantastic job, the batsmen certainly made hard work of chasing down the total.

McCullum was dismissed off the second ball of the innings, after being given out in what would prove to be the wrong call by the umpire after replays showed McCullum clearly getting bat on ball before it hit his pads. It was unfortunate, but it does happen - as it did to David Hussey in the first innings, when he was given out caught behind when the ball didn't appear to hit his bat.

If it wasn't for Taylor, Broom, and Kyle Mills it would have been an embarrassing loss, but at the end of the day the Black Caps tour has got off to the best possible start. And what's even better is that the Australians horrible run continues.

It's still too early to say the Black Caps will run away with the series, but if the Aussies don't start to improve soon their Summer is going to get a lot worse very quickly - not that we would mind that too much.

The second ODI is on Friday.

New Faces In Black Caps Squad

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Brendon Diamanti and Trent Boult are the new faces in the Black Caps squad named for the upcoming Chappell-Hadlee series in Australia.

Diamanti has been on the New Zealand scene for some time now, and has been rewarded for some good form in this summer's competition. With Jacob Oram still unavailable Diamanti will bolster the Black Caps all-rounder stocks, although there are rumours that Oram may play some part in the series if he overcomes his injury and can prove his fitness is up to scratch. Here's hoping he can - he's such a valuable asset to the Black Caps, and the balance of the team.

Boult makes his way into the squad after a fantastic start to his career in New Zealand. At only 19 years old, Boult joins his Northern Districts teammate Tim Southee as a new generation of Black Caps, and it's clear the selectors are looking to the future with such selections.

Boult's figures in this summer's State Shield are impressive, taking thirteen wickets at an average of 23.84 - not bad for a 19 year old.

Ian O'Brian and Peter Fulton join the squad after missing the ODI series against the West Indies, and other than that it's the same squad.

Brendon McCullum has had an early taste of Australia after being included in the New South Wales T20 team for their final. McCullum was granted a release from his duties with Otago to play in the final. Andrew Symonds has called McCullum's inclusion in the NSW team, as "un-Australian" (and the rest...), but maybe he should be worrying more about his own form.

If the Black Caps are to stand a chance against Australia, McCullum will need to be on top of his game, despite the fact that Australia's form hasn't been red hot as of late.

All we need now is for South Africa to soften them up a bit more before the Chappell-Hadlee series begins next month!

Jimmy Cowan To Captain The Highlanders

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:41:00 +0000

After an up and down 2008, Jimmy Cowan has been given the job of leading the Highlanders in 2009, beating out his Southland teammate Jaime Mackintosh for the role.

Jimmy Cowan had several run-ins with the law last year due to his problems with drinking, which led to him being charged twice for disorderly behaviour in the space of a couple of months, with another charge being dropped by police. His problems with alcohol almost led to him being axed from the All Blacks, and had it not been for the All Blacks management enforcing a complete alcohol ban on Cowan, he would never have had the chance to redeem himself in the black jersey.

Fortunately, he adhered to the liquor ban - and went on to produce some of the best form of his career to date. And, by the end of 2008, he had leap-frogged Andy Ellis and Piri Weepu to become the best halfback in the country.

All his hard work has now paid off, as he becomes the first Southlander to captain the Highlanders. And while he lacks experience captaining, he has a strong group of guys around him who will offer him the support he needs.

Cowan has stated that he will take a lot from what he's learned playing alongside Richie McCaw, and use that to help turn the form of the Highlanders around in 2009. From what we've seen of them at training, we think 2009 will be a major improvement on their 2008 season - which is one best forgotten.

Jaime Mackintosh and Jason Shoemark have been named as vice-captains to Cowan.

It's great to see Cowan taking his rugby more seriously, and giving alcohol the boot - it's saved the career of one of New Zealand's most gifted players.

Super 14 Gets New Referee Law

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:40:00 +0000

The 2009 Super 14 competition is just around the corner, and while the teams are gearing up for a few pre-season games, the laws surrounding the referees is set for a major change.

In the past, all Super 14 games have been refereed by a neutral referee, to avoid any biased of any kind. But as of this year, the referee will be chosen based on form, rather than where they're from. This means we could have an Australian ref officiating a game between the Brumbies and the Crusaders, a South African ref in a game between the Bulls and the Reds, or a New Zealand ref calling a game between the Hurricanes and the Cheetahs.

What this does is force the refs to be in top form every week, because only the best refs will be given games to referee. And although there will be plenty of talk over refs showing biased towards their home team, the Super 14 bosses will be quick to stamp out any cheating.

In cricket, there has never really been an issue with having an umpire from the home country officiating in ODIs, and so rugby should be no different - at least at the Super 14 level. We don't expect the law to flow through into the international arena - that wouldn't be a good idea.

It's crazy to think that the rugby season is almost upon us again - only four weeks to go until the first game between the Highlanders and the Brumbies! It'll be great to get back into the swing of things again, though, especially with much of the Black Caps action being a washout so far.

Black Caps Win - But What Can We Take From It?

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:45:00 +0000

The Black Caps have won the ODI series against the West Indies, after the final ODI in Napier was shortened due (once again) to rain. Under the deeply confusing Duckworth Lewis system, the Black Caps won the ODI by six runs - ending up on 211/5 in the 36th over before the rain caused the end of play.

The West Indies started the day in absolutely devastating form, with Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul spearheading the attack as the Windies piled on 293 runs. Gayle smashed his way to yet another ODI century, finally being dismissed for 135, while Chanderpaul fell six runs short of 100.

Brendon McCullum and Jessie Ryder got New Zealand's run chase off to a good start, and was carried on by Martin Guptill, fresh off his record setting 122* in Auckland, and Ross Taylor, who was left stranded on 48.

Both captains agreed to call the match off, effectively giving the Black Caps the series. It's not the ideal way to win a series, but it really does sum up how the West Indies' tour has gone - wet and miserable.

So, what can the Black Caps take out of the West Indies series? Well, perhaps surprisingly, quite a lot.

Firstly, the concern over our lack of strike bowlers at the top of the innings. Kyle Mills is without doubt our best on offer at the moment, and while he has produced some good form lately, he does have a tendency to follow up a good game with a pretty average one. Mark Gillespie has the pace to lead our attack, but his accuracy is a worry. He is better suited to the fifty over game, and will struggle to make a name for himself in the Test arena based on his performances to date. He would probably benefit from regular game time, though, rather than being dropped all the time.

Secondly, we need to start looking at future replacements for Jacob Oram and Scott Styris, who seem to spend more time on the sideline than they do on the field. Grant Elliott is OK, and shows some promise, but he's a long way of the level Oram and Styris set with both the bat and the ball. Neil Broom certainly has the skills to score runs, and from what we saw in Auckland he can score quickly, but like Elliott he's rather inexperienced. Time will tell for these two...

It's not all doom and gloom, though. Our batting has shown a marked improvement in both forms of the game, especially with the likes of Ryder and Flynn - who have started to prove their worth in the team. Taylor is starting to find some form, too, which will be good for the upcoming ODI series against the Aussies.

As for the new coach, Andy Moles, we think he's started off his career with the Black Caps not too badly. It can't have been easy watching his team get into a commanding position, only to have the weather spoil the party - but based on what we've seen so far, we think he's making the right decisions. As with the players - only time can tell.

The upcoming series against the Aussies should be a cracker, especially as the Aussies seem to have unearthed a new batting 'sensation' in David Warner - who was plucked from obscurity to help lead the Aussies to a win over the South Africans in the first T20 match. Warner hadn't even played a first class game of cricket before being called into the team. Whilst he's failed to ignite in the first two ODI's, doing what he did once means he can do it again - let's just hope it isn't against us.

Lastly, we end on the news that Matthew Hayden has announced his retirement from international cricket. After what's been a pretty tough Summer of cricket for Hayden, the announcement has come as no real surprise. Hayden has certainly been one of Australia's greatest players, and their best opener in Test cricket - and it's another massive loss for Australian cricket as Hayden joins the likes of Warne, Gilchrist, Langer, McGrath and Martin, who have all called an end to their playing days in recent years.

His no-fuss hard-hitting will be missed, in all forms of the game.

How's Luck Runs Out

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:56:00 +0000

Jaime How's run of bad form has forced the selectors hands, as they were faced with no choice but to drop him for the remaining two ODIs against the West Indies. His axing has made way for the young Martin Guptill of Auckland, who made a sensational debut for the Black Caps by scoring a brilliant 122 not out.

Guptill has been knocking on the door for a while now, and has experience playing in the New Zealand A team, including tours to Australia and India last season. His form in this years domestic competition has been very good, including 124 off 97 balls against Northern Districts.

Guptill becomes another in a long line of top order batsmen for the Black Caps in recent years, but if his start is anything to go by then he could just be the answer to the Black Caps problems. Already Daniel Flynn and Jessie Ryder have benefited from Andy Moles tutelage, and Guptill could well benefit from Moles' influence.

As for Jaime How - well, he's going to have to go back to the domestic level and try to regain the form we know he's capable of. If he can manage to do that, then he may have a chance to regain his place in the team for the series against India, but at this stage it's going to take a lot of work by How to regain his place. His one advantage is that he has been working with Martin Crowe on his batting, so who knows?

There may be hope.

His fate is in his own hands, at least, but you've got to wonder how many more chances the selectors will be prepared to give him. Just look at Matthew Sinclair - he's in blistering form this season, but the chances of retaining his return spot with the Black Caps are very slim.

Could this be the last we'll see of Jaime How?

We'll just have to wait and see.

South Africa Create Cricketing History In Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:36:00 +0000

The cricketing world has been privileged to watch one of the great Test series of recent years, with the South African team creating history by beating the Aussies in a Test series for the first time on Australian soil. And the way they went about it was something truly incredible to witness.

This series was always going to be testing for the Aussies, who have looked a shadow of their former selves recently. And although they had opportunities to win in both of the first two Tests, they let those opportunities slip by them - although South Africa still had to do a hell of a lot of work to do to win the first two.

The first Test in Perth was one of the best Tests we've witnessed for some time, with South Africa chasing down a massive 414 runs to win - the second highest ever run chase in Test cricket history. Australia had a chance to put the game beyond doubt, but were bundled out for 319 in their second innings thanks to a good all-round bowling effort by the Proteas. Going into the massive task set by the Aussies, the South African batsmen put on the perfect chase, hunting down the total in spectacular fashion. Graham Smith and AB de Villiers both scored centuries, while Amla, Kallis and JP Duminy (on debut) all chipped in with 50s. It was the perfect start to the tour of Australia, and most importantly it put the Proteas in the box seat.

The second Test continued in much the same way, with Australia looking in control by scoring 394 runs in their first innings. They then had South Africa on the ropes - seven wickets down for 198 runs. What happened on the second day was nothing short of amazing - JP Duminy and Darryl Steyn put on over 150 runs for the 9th wicket, which gave South African a first innings lead. From that moment on, South Africa were back in control, and Australia were fighting to stay in the game. Steyn ripped through the Australian batting lineup, and South Africa were left to chase down 183 - a task they would do with some ease, losing only Smith for 75.

South Africa had the opportunity to move to the top of the Test rankings by beating the Aussies in the third Test, but Australia had a lot of pride on the line, and played as if there was a million dollar prize. Their batting looked a lot sharper, and despite having two rookie bowlers on debut, their bowling looked the best it's been all series. What was amazing about this Test was the run chase in the fourth innings. South Africa were already without Smith, injured in the first innings, and when Steyn was given out late in the day, everyone at the ground (including the players) thought the game was over.

Not so - Smith walked down from the pavilion, suffering from a broken finger on one hand and a damaged elbow on his other arm, to try and help save the Test. It was a valiant effort from the captain, who alongside Ntini brought the game within 7 deliveries of being a draw. Mitchell Johnson finally ended the game, bowling Smith for three, and giving Australia something to smile about after a pretty tough Test series.

The three Tests had so many twists and turns, we were kept on the edge of our seats the entire time - which gave us a nice break from the ho-hum series between New Zealand and the West Indies (the Black Caps won the third ODI, by the way...).

The South Africans have shown the world once again that they are a force to be reckoned with in all forms of the game, and have uncovered some exciting talent. JP Duminy looks to be an exciting prospect in the middle of the order, and will give the selectors a few headaches once Prince is available for selection. Steyn has also shown us that he is fastly becoming (if he's not already there) the best bowler in the game today, and after what he's shown us with the bat, who knows - maybe he could become more of an all rounder...

Australia are in somewhat of a crisis now. Hayden is having trouble scoring any runs, and many people are calling for his retirement. At this point he shows no sign of quitting the game, though, although he's been dropped from the ODI squad - so his days in the coloured uniform may well be over. Bowling wise (other than Mithchell Johnson) none of the bowlers have looked to really threaten consistently. What is apparent is that they are no longer the only heavyweights of the cricketing world, and despite what the rankings say, it appears that India and South Africa are pulling away at the top of the cricketing world.

The beauty in all of this is that these two teams will go head to head in a couple of months, this time on the lethal pitches of South Africa. This could be the opportunity for South Africa to slam an explanation point on this heated rivalry.

We can't wait!

Black Caps vs West Indies, 3rd ODI

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:14:00 +0000

The Black Caps will take on the West Indies in the third ODI on Wednesday, after going down in the second one dayer - which was shortened to 28 overs due to rain. Given that the first ODI was washed out completely, the Black Caps are now in a do-or-die situation, and they will be desperate to put their efforts so far this summer behind them.

While they haven't been playing badly, they've struggled to capitalise on their home ground advantage, especially in the two Tests where all they could manage were draws.

There are several players in the team who need to step up and start scoring runs, because thus far we've relied too much on one or two players to score the runs, and then hoped for some serious tail-wagging. It's time the Black Caps stopped having to rely on those few who do step up. There are eleven players in the team, and they all need to go out there and do their job.

The West Indies have a similar problem, where they rely too heavily on Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul, while the rest of the guys seem to coast by on the efforts of the big three. It was an impressive finish to the second ODI, and the way they fought back to claim victory was great to watch, but what they were effectively playing was a slightly extended T20 match - which they are traditionally good at. Had the game gone the full fifty overs, the story may not have been the same.

Which brings us to our next point - why the hell do they cut the games down to such a ridiculous amount of overs? It's crazy that instead of playing 100 overs of cricket, we get short changed to less than 60. Whatever happened to postponing the game until the next day? At least that way we get the full game, not just a shortened waste of time.

Hopefully the New Zealand weather can clear up for the remainder of the summer, and we'll get to watch some proper cricket.

There's a bit of good news, though. The Indian cricket board has requested that they extend the Indian tour to New Zealand by adding an extra Test. It would be crazy for the New Zealand cricket board to refuse this, as we all know the Indians carry a huge financial weight behind them which could really benefit New Zealand cricket. It would be great for the Black Caps to get some more Tests under their belts, especially against the in-form Indian side.

Let's hope the NZ cricket board do the right thing, and accept the deal.

Top 5...Biggest Sporting Stories of 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:13:00 +0000

Well, sports fans - 2008 has come to a close, so we thought we'd take a look back at the five biggest stories (in our opinion) of 2008. This wasn't easy, either - there have been some very interesting stories and events to emerge this year.

5. The Beijing Olympics
There were a lot of questions about whether or not China could host a successful Olympics, but they put forward a solid effort, and despite some pretty average crowd turnouts, the games themselves were very entertaining - especially for us New Zealanders, who had one of our most successful games in recent times.

The games themselves were almost entirely dominated by two individuals - Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt - both of whom captured our imaginations with some truly spectacular performances. Phelps set a new record by winning eight Gold medals in the pool, while Bolt blitzed the rest of the field in the 100 and 200m, before helping Jamaica to Gold in the 4x100 relay. The scary thing was that Bolt never looked to get out of 3rd gear, and he still dominated. Just imagine him at full pace...

The Beijing games were well organised, and have seemed to re-spark interest in the Olympics.

Bring on London in 2012!

4. Graham Henry vs Robbie Deans
After the All Blacks bailed out of last years World Cup in unspectacular fashion, many called for Graham Henry to get the chop, and for Robbie Deans to be given the job as All Blacks coach. After so many successful years in charge of the Canterbury Crusaders, all signs pointed to Deans getting the job, but to the surprise of many the NZRU reappointed Henry - along with Wayne Smith and Steve Hanson. Not long after that Australia snapped up Deans, and the Henry vs Deans saga kicked up a notch.

When the All Blacks and the Wallabies met in their first encounter, most of the focus was on the coaches rather than the players - it really was quite strange.

When the Wallabies won the first encounter, thanks in part to the All Blacks playing terribly (rather than the Wallabies playing spectacularly), most of New Zealand began to think the wrong man had been given the All Blacks job. But within a week the All Blacks were back on top, completely outplaying the Wallabies in Auckland. The All Blacks went on to beat the Wallabies in the last two Tests as well, giving Henry a 3-1 victory over Deans.

While many people were outraged at Henry's reappointment, you can't argue with the results he's helped produce. The All Blacks are back on top where they should be, and that has a lot to do with Henry. The Wallabies, on the other hand, haven't really shown any marked improvement from recent years, so it's going to be interesting to see what Deans does next year.

3. Bracewell finally departs
This story was pretty big for us, because we'd been calling for Bracewell to step down for some time. So, when he finally did at the end of the Tests against Australia, we were two of the happiest people in the world. The Black Caps were not showing any signs of improvement under Bracewell, and since Andy Moles has taken the reigns several players have already shown huge improvement.

Flynn moving up the order has been a success already, as has Ryder moving to five. Both players have gone on to score some runs, and while neither has made 100 they look like they aren't far away from their maiden tons. Tim Mcintosh has shown early on he has the makings of a good opener, making his first Test century against the West Indies in Napier.
We have to remember that it's early days yet for Moles, but the signs so far are looking pretty good.

2. The Sonny Bill Williams saga
In a matter of days Sonny went from one of the most loved men in Australia to one of the most hated. Not satisfied with his lot at the Bulldogs, Sonny up and left his club to take up a contract with French rugby team, Toulon. There was a problem with that, though - he was going against his current contract with the Bulldogs, who were prepared to take the matter to court if Sonny took the field for Toulon. It got to the point where Sonny was facing serious problems with the law, but fortunately for him the matter was eventually resolved.

Sonny's contract with the Bulldogs was paid out by Anthony Mundine, but it has meant that Sonny can't return to the NRL until 2012, which is a major loss for rugby league.
Sonny's departure really hit the rugby league world hard, and it will take a lot of time before loyal Bulldogs fans can ever forgive him - if they ever can. He would have to be pretty brave to step back into Bulldogs territory any time soon...

While he isn't exactly setting the rugby world alight, he certainly isn't disgracing himself, despite getting sin binned in his first game for a shoulder charge. It's going to be interesting to see if he can make the All Blacks some time in the future, as he's certainly an asset for any team - whether in rugby or league.

1. Kiwis win rugby league World Cup
By far the greatest moment of 2008, and possibly of our sporting lives. Beaten 32-6 by the Aussies in the first game of the World Cup, very few people gave them a chance of winning when they met the Aussies in the Grand Final. But this was to be a game no one would forget, as the Kiwis put on the performance of a life time to beat the Kangaroos 34-20, winning their first ever rugby league World Cup.

The Kangaroos were playing as though they had the game in the bag, and the mistakes began to pile up, while the Kiwis maintained their composure as they pushed the lead out to a fourteen point margin.

The feeling at the final whistle was something we'll never forget - finally the Kiwis had won the World Cup, and in spectacular fashion. The fallout for the Kangaroos was disappointing, to say the least. Ricky Stuart abused the referee, which eventually cost him his job. His actions were disgraceful, and he deserved what he got. In all honesty, he should be banned from coaching completely for the way he acted. Rugby league doesn't need that kind of behaviour - the players do a good enough job of tainting its name.

But all that doesn't really matter for us Kiwis, who got to end the year on an absolute high. It was a moment that we'll remember for a lifetime, and we can just see us talking about the day the Kiwis conquered the rugby league world fifty years from now, when we're old and grey.

________________________

We'd like to thank everyone for taking the time out to read our thoughts on the sporting world during 2008. We're back bigger and stronger in 2009, ready to start another year of sporting action.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!

Chris and Israel..... the Sports Fanatics.

First Test Ends In A Draw

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:40:00 +0000

The first Test between the Black Caps and the West Indies has ended in a draw, after the last day was abandoned due to rain. It's the second day out of the five that has been abandoned due to poor weather, which raises the question - why would you play the first Test of the summer (and we use the word summer tentatively...) in Dunedin, not known for it's weather at the best of times? Sure, the University Oval is a great cricketing ground despite it's small size, but they should have held off and given Dunedin one of the Tests later in the summer, when they would be more likely to get five good days in. Not to mention that most of the students would be back by February, and that would mean a packed ground.

Aside from the weather, the cricket played has produced some positive aspects, and a couple of not so positive aspects. Firstly, the switching of Daniel Flynn and Jessie Ryder has been a great success, with both batsmen scoring plenty of runs in the first innings. John Bracewell must be wondering why he persisted with Flynn down the order, when he is clearly a better player coming in at three - and the same can be said of Ryder moving from three to five, where he too looks a lot more comfortable.

Tim Mckintosh looked OK, but didn't appear to offer any more than Arron Redmond would have opening the batting. Time will tell whether or not he can make a career for himself opening for the Black Caps. His opening partner, on the other hand, is on the fast track to joining the scrap heap. Jaime How has once again failed to score any runs, which has called his position in the side once again to question. We know he has the talent, but he'll need to get himself out of his slump very quickly.

The bowling was average at best, and was lacking someone who could put real pressure on the West Indian batsmen - aside from Daniel Vettori, of course, who was his usual impressive self. We are definitely missing someone with out-and-out pace like Shane Bond, and it's starting to show. Mark Gillespie failed to make the most of his opportunity (once again...), and unless he pulls out a blinder in Napier he will surely find himself back on the outer. He does have some pace, but fails to find consistency with his line and length, causing him to go for plenty of runs. The only thing in his favour is his batting ability, which while not outstanding is a hundred times better than Chris Martin's. Then again, he's not in the side to bat - he's there to take wickets.

The West Indies showed that they're not here to play games. They batted well, and gave some of our batsmen a bit of a working over with the ball, proving they are a dangerous side for anyone who takes them lightly. If the next Test can go the full five days, they are a real chance of beating the Black Caps.

The Black Caps already look a better unit with Andy Moles as coach, though, and while there are a few things to work on, we're confident Moles can get them back on the right track.

The next Test starts in Napier on Friday.

John Drake Dies At 49

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 07:29:00 +0000

The New Zealand rugby community has been hit by the sudden death of former All Black prop, John Drake, at his home in Mt Maunganui.

Drake, age 49, played in the 1987 World Cup final where the All Blacks defeated the French to claim the first ever rugby World Cup. Although he only played eight Tests for the All Blacks, he is regarded as being one of New Zealand's finest props.

Drake has also become one of Sky Sports top rugby commentators alongside Grant Nisbett and Tony Jonston, and most recently commentated the Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong. His commentating style was like no other, and he never shied away from saying what was on his mind - no matter how biased or unpatriotic it seemed. He certainly said things as he saw them, something which not all commentators seem willing to do.

He will certainly be remembered as one of the real characters of New Zealand rugby on and off the field.

The cause of his sudden death are not yet known - no doubt more news will emerge in the coming days.

Drake leaves behind his wife and three daughters.

We here at the Attic send our condolences to his family and friends at this terrible time.

Hayman Set For New Zealand Comeback

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:08:00 +0000

Rumours are starting to fly that former All Black Carl Hayman is wanting to return to New Zealand to play his rugby, after departing for Newcastle at the end of last year.

Hayman has been out of action in the English Premiership for the last month due to injury, and has been spending his time here in New Zealand - and it seems he's been bitten by the New Zealand bug, and a return down under may not be too far away.

At this stage it's all rumours, so no one really knows where he plans to play over the next year or two. But if he is indeed planning to return to New Zealand it's great news for the All Blacks, and New Zealand rugby in general.

Hayman is without doubt the best prop in the game at the moment, and while the All Blacks have been able to continue their dominance in the front row, having a guy like Hayman available would be an added bonus for Henry's team. Front rowers around the world will be hoping he stays put in Newcastle, because there wouldn't be many who would want to face up against Hayman, Hore and Woodcock. New Zealand fans, on the other hand, will be praying the rumours turn into a reality.

Unfortunately for Otago fans (that's you, Israel) Hayman is reportedly interested in making a switch to Taranaki (obviously due to his fondness for farming), which of course would make him available for the Hurricanes.

Whether or not he moves to Taranaki or Otago the most important thing is that he does come home, because the All Blacks are a far better team with guys like Hayman involved.

Benji Eyes Up Code Switch

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:45:00 +0000

The NRL could be in line to lose another big name to rugby after it was uncovered that Tigers and Kiwis star, Benji Marshall, is eyeing up a code switch in the near future.

This follows the recent departure of Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams, both of whom are now playing rugby in Europe.

Benji has expressed interest in playing rugby in Japan during the NRL off season, which would see him remain in the NRL - but of course this is all dependent on whether his club will give him permission to take up rugby during the off season. With Benji's tendency to need surgery during his time off, it's unlikely any club would be happy about having their star player risk injury playing rugby.

The danger here is that if his club, presently the Tigers, doesn't allow him the chance to play in Japan, he may look to take up a permanent rugby contract in Europe - which would mean he would be lost to the game for good, and this would not be good for the NRL.

Benji has already won a Premiership with the Tigers in 2005, and of course was a part of that Kiwis team that won the World Cup, so in all honesty there's not a whole lot left for Benji to accomplish in the game. But we still feel he has a lot to offer the game in the NRL, and it would be a real shame to see him go.

Unfortunately, we feel he'll end up leaving the game to take up the big dollars in European rugby, because we don't see any club in the NRL wanting to risk such a valuable asset by allowing him to play union in Japan.

Although, if any club was willing to take that risk it could be a good way of getting the services of one of the most exciting players in the game as of 2010, when his Tigers contract expires...

New Black Caps Coach Already Making Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:40:00 +0000

The new Black Caps coach, Andy Moles, has already started making changes to his side in preparation for the upcoming series against the West Indies, starting in Dunedin this Thursday.

The biggest change sees opening batsman Aaron Redmond dropped for Tim Mcintosh, who has been in good form over the past few seasons for Auckland. Mcintosh has already had a taste against the West Indies in the three day warm-up game for Auckland, where he scored 78 against the visitors.

Redmond has failed to set the cricketing world alight, and will join the likes of Craig Cumming, Michael Papps and Matthew Bell, who have all tried and failed at the top of the order for the Black Caps.

The pressure will certainly be on Mcintosh to score plenty of runs this summer, or he could find himself joining the ever growing pile of failed Black Caps openers.

The other changes come in the bowling department, where Mark Gillespie and James Franklin will return to the squad. Their selection comes at the expense of Tim Southee and Chris Martin. Southee can feel a little hard done by, but we're sure we haven't seen the last of him - especially when you consider the amount of time Gillespie has been given a chance and failed.

Martin, who for a while now has been considered our best bowler (at least since Shane Bond left) only has himself to blame for his axing. While he isn't in the team for his batting, the fact is that he is a liability when he comes out to bat - and it means that the Black Caps are effectively 1 down before they even walk out there. He can't be trusted to score a single, let-a-lone hit a boundary off the last over if required - and until he learns how to hold a bat properly, it's unlikely he'll be selected any time soon.

Come on, Martin - it's really not that hard to at least swing the bat.

Without having to jump in the air.

At yorkers.

The last change sees the return of Jacob Oram, who was sorely missed against the Aussies. Oram injured his back in the Tour of Bangladesh, and was forced to miss the two Tests in Australia. But he has been back playing for Central Districts, and more importantly he has been bowling plenty of overs, which is a good sign.

The West Indies won't be easy, and it's going to be interesting to watch Chris Gayle send the ball over the boundary at the University Oval in Dunedin, which has possibly the smallest boundaries in Test cricket. They will certainly be entertaining to watch, and with the likes of Sarwan and Chanderpaul in their lineup, the Black Caps will have to be on top of their game to come away with a win.

Let's just hope the weather in Dunedin can clear up, and we can get five days in without rain.

Rovelli Saddles Up For Cowboys

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:17:00 +0000

Grant Rovelli has announced his departure from the Warriors, and has signed up with the North Queensland Cowboys for the next two years. The announcement follows the return of Stacy Jones to the Warriors, who looks set to take the halfback spot - providing he can make it through pre-season training.

Rovelli failed to set the world alight in 2008, and spent most of his time playing in the lower grades while trying to regain his form. With Nathan Fien and Michael Witt proving to be a worthy combination in the halves, Rovelli's only game time came off the bench, and those games were few and far between.

With the return of Jones, and the signing of Joel Moon and Liam Foran for 2009, it's no wonder Rovelli has decided to ply his trade elsewhere - although it's hard to see him playing at halfback for the Cowboys when you consider the firm grasp that Jonathan Thurston has on the position in Townsville.

Rovelli would be best to try and develop into a standoff where he could take over from Travis Burns, who has a knack for getting suspended. It would be a great learning curve for Rovelli playing along side Thurston.

The Cowboys' 2008 season was one they would want to forget, and it won't hurt them to bolster their halves, especially for when Thruston is off playing rep footy. Rovelli will be a fine asset for them over the next two years.

The Warriors have plenty of stock in the halves department, and will be able to move on from Rovelli quickly. Not hard, when you consider his form over the past twelve months - although in saying that he has provided plenty of great moments over the past few seasons, especially last year when he was without a doubt in his best form.

Rovelli will stay on in New Zealand for a few more weeks, as he and his wife await the arrival of their baby, before heading off to North Queensland.

All Blacks Draw France In 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:31:00 +0000

The All Blacks will face their old World Cup nemesis, France, in pool play at the 2011 World Cup held here in New Zealand. It's no secret that the All Blacks don't have the best track record against France at the World Cup (although lets not forget we beat them in the final in 1987), but All Blacks fans can take comfort in the fact that the top two placed sides in each Pool will advance. So, even if we succumb to the French again, we're unlikely to lose to the Tongans, or one of the other two minnows yet to be named.

England, Argentina and Scotland make up the heavyweights in Pool B, and the two winners from this group will face either the All Blacks or France, depending on results. Based on last year's World Cup, Argentina must be considered the top dog in Pool B, especially when you consider England's poor form - although there's still a long way to go before 2011, so we might just be getting ahead of ourselves.

Australia will face Ireland and Italy in Pool C, while the Springboks will look to defend the 2007 title against Wales and Fiji in Pool D. The rest of the nations are yet to sort themselves out, but at this stage it looks like Canada and Japan will join Pool A, Romania and a play-off winner (most likely Portugal) in Pool B, Georgia and the USA in Pool C, and Samoa and Namibia in Pool D - these predictions are based on the teams playing in the 2007 World Cup, though, so the actual teams may vary.

The All Blacks may be known for choking at World Cups, but this time we'll be on home soil where we have a brilliant record - only losing to South Africa in Dunedin after an unbeaten record spanning the last few years.

Let's just say, we're already quietly optimistic...

All Blacks - 2008 Season Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:02:00 +0000

It's been a fantastic year for the All Blacks, as they have looked to erase the memories of last years early exit from the World Cup.

And erase them they have.

Out of the fifteen games they've played (14 Tests and the game against Munster) they've won thirteen, which is an impressive result for a team that many people thought would struggle after Graham Henry was re-appointed as coach.

Henry, along with Steve Hanson and Wayne Smith, has moulded this All Blacks side into a very well drilled unit, and they've built up a squad capable of going through to the 2011 World Cup. Henry may have had his doubters, but no one can argue with the results he's helped produce on the field. The best thing about the way he's run this team is that he's abandoned his rotation policy, which was undoubtedly one of the main causes for the poor showing at the World Cup. Players are benefiting from regular game time, rather than being switched out every other week. We want to congratulate Henry, Smith and Hanson on their efforts this year - and it's nice to see that Smith has decided to stay on with the All Blacks, instead of taking the Ospreys job.

The only concern with this team is the lack of a genuine back-up for Richie McCaw and Dan Carter. Adam Thomson and Scott Waldrom are the two contenders as McCaw's understudy, but still have a long way to go before they're close to his level. They need more game time at the highest level, but it's not that easy to take McCaw off when he's such a vital part of the team. Stephen Donald has shown glimpses of brilliance, but was shown up for his lack of experience in the game against Munster. He too needs more time, but we feel he can get better over the next year.

Other than that, we feel the All Blacks are looking unstoppable right now - and that should be a worrying sign for all opposition.

Best Performance: vs Australia, Auckland 02/08/08: Only a week earlier they had put in their worst performance of the year, and many people thought the Wallabies would be too good in this Test. But the All Blacks were absolutely outstanding, and never looked like letting Australia into the game. Their kicking was spot on, and they attacked the Wallabies' lineouts causing many turnovers. The final score was 39-10, and most importantly it was the moment the All Blacks turned the corner and began to look unbeatable.

Worst Performance: vs Australia, Sydney 26/07/08: This was a shocking effort by the boys, who had gone down to the Springboks the week before. Australia weren't necessarily brilliant - rather, the All Blacks were bad, and thoroughly deserved to lose this one. Passes weren't sticking, and there were far too many turnovers - which the Wallabies were able to capitalise on. Not a game we remember fondly...

Newcomer of the Year: Richard Kahui: Many were surprised by his selection at the beginning of the year, but after his first Test against England there weren't many doubting him. He has shown he has the strength and speed to play at the highest level, and has put a lot of pressure on Conrad Smith for the center position. He is such a versatile player, and so long as he can remain injury free we expect to see a lot more of Kahui in the years to come.

Comeback of the Year: Ma'a Nonu: This was a hard one to choose when you consider the number of players who have fought their way back into the team. But Nonu has proven that he belongs in the All Blacks, and has cemented his spot at second-five. Many criticised him for being one dimensional, but this year he has developed his game to where he passes a lot more - which has made him a far tougher player than he was when he just ran it all the time. He may not be the greatest kicker, but his running game makes up for that by the bucket load. We have to give honourable mentions to Piri Weepu, Jerome Kaino and Isaia Toeava, all of whom have returned to the form we knew they were capable of.

Player of the Year: Mils Muliana: Another tough call, and we could quite easily have gone with McCaw or Carter - but we think this has been a standout year for Muliaina. He has developed his running game, and has shown many times throughout the year that he is a real handful on attack. He was as solid as a rock on defence, and very reliable at fullback under the high ball. Muliaina often gets overlooked for the likes of Carter and McCaw, but we certainly wouldn't be as good if he wasn't there. We really think he has been the standout of the All Blacks in 2008.

Now the countdown can begin until the 2009 All Black season begins - only 195 days to go.

All Blacks Complete Grand Slam In Style

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000

The All Blacks have capped of their Grand Slam Tour in style, beating England 32-6 in what was another game of two different halves. The win gives them their third Grand Slam title, and ends the year in the best possible fashion.

England came out strong, just as Scotland, Ireland and Wales did, and just like those three England kept in the hunt in what was a first half of penalties. England's only downfall was their discipline, which proved costly - four players spent time in the sin bin during the game. That's a total of forty minutes without a player on the field - and at one point they were down to thirteen men. They were constantly infringing at the ruck, which left referee Alain Rolland with little option but to go to the yellow card.

The first half was dominated by penalties, and the game never really got into third gear - but with the All Black's recent efforts in the second half, you just got the feeling they would blow England off the park in that part of the game. And that's exactly what they did, running in three impressive trys, and most importantly keeping England from crossing the line.

The only consolation for England is that they were the only team to score against the All Blacks in the second fourty - although it was only one measly penalty.

The All Blacks looked as sharp as they have all year, and the second try to Mils Muliaina was something truly special. Dan Carter put in a little kick across the field, straight into the arms of Muliaina who ran away to score his second of the night. Ma'a Nonu scored the last try, which really caps off a fantastic year for him - he's fought back well to secure his spot in the team, after struggling to cement his place in recent years.

Aside from Carter's shots at goal, which were unusually bad, this was the best possible finish to the year. The All Blacks have won thirteen out of their fifteen games, and only dropped Tests to South Africa and Australia.

Australia, on the other hand, have not finished in the same impressive style, going down 21-18 to Wales - who managed to hold off a late run by the Wallabies. After all the talk about how Robbie Deans was going to be the saviour of Australian rugby, it's going to be interesting to see how they react to their year under Deans - which has been unspectacular, to say the least.

We said earlier in the year that it would take some time for Deans to start improving the Wallabies given their lack of depth in key positions, but the Australians have never been the most patient bunch when it comes to unsuccessful teams - and we can't wait to see what transpires over the next few months. We think he'll be safe for now, but he'll have to start showing some forward momentum next year or Deans may find himself on the growing pile of scraped Aussie coaches.

It's unfortunate that this is the end of the rugby year for us here in New Zealand - although it's not too long a wait for the Super 14 to begin next February. Stay tuned for our review of the 'year that was' for New Zealand rugby in the days to come.

For now, though, we can bask in the success of the All Blacks - and turn on the cricket.

New Black Caps Coach Named

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:54:00 +0000

Fantastic news for New Zealand cricket fans, as a new coach has been named to replace the departing John Bracewell. Northern Districts coach, Andy Moles, will replace Bracewell after the final Test in Adelaide in a few days time. This is welcome news for all those who felt Bracewell should have gone a long time ago - and yes, we are certainly in that group.

Bracewell was originally scheduled to leave at the end of the New Zealand Summer, but has decided it would be best to leave after the two-Test series against the Aussies - which we think is the best decision Bracewell has made in his time as coach.

The Black Caps have failed to make any improvements in their game under Bracewell, and while we still rank in the top 4 in One Day cricket, we haven't made a serious attempt at challenging for that top spot. As for Tests, we seem to have gotten worse as time has gone on - and our batting can only be described as atrocious.

Andy Moles was an opening batsman, and hopefully he can come in and teach our top order a thing or two about staying at the crease. He has plenty of potential to work with, but we'll just have to wait and see if he can get the best out of them.

The one thing he has said he will do is make the players accountable for their performances, which is something Bracewell has never done. Just think back to how long Hamish Marshall was kept in the team, despite being in the worst form of his life. If the players aren't performing, then they need to face the consequences. We've said it a million times before - there is potential by the bucket loads, but for some reason the players just aren't producing the goods.

Barrack Obama said it best - "It's time for a change". And, while he probably wasn't talking about the Black Caps (we don't think), the saying fits nicely.

Moles has a hard task ahead of him, but if he's given the right support fro New Zealand Cricket and, most importantly, the players themselves, we don't see any reason why he can't lift the Black Caps out of the mediocre, and into one of the best teams in the world.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

All Blacks Continue Their Winning Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:14:00 +0000

The All Blacks proved too strong in the second half, as they defeated the Welsh 29-9 at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday. It's the fifth game of the end of year tour that the All Blacks have gone without having any points scored against them in the second fourty, which is an outstanding effort when you consider the caliber of teams they've faced.

Wales came out strong, much the same as Ireland did, but just couldn't match the All Black's intensity in the second half. They looked to attack early on, and led 9-6 at half time through the boot of Stephen Jones, but once the second half began they looked out of their depth. Their scrum was terrible throughout the game, as Tony Woodcock dominated Adam Jones up front, and without quality ball in the second fourty they never got a chance to get their wingers involved - although when they did they got shut down by the All Black's impressive defence.

The All Blacks completely dominated the second half, and played the game at a high tempo, which ground down the Welsh defence. Ma'a Nonu scored the first try in the second half after a good team drive forward, and some good attacking footy from the backs. Jerome Kaino scored right on full time, after being denied earlier in the game, pushing the All Blacks out to a twenty point win.

The All Blacks have been very good at nullifying the passion these teams bring in the first half, and then shutting them down completely late in the game. It would be good to see them score a few more points in the first half of their games, but it does illustrate the level of intensity that's brought to these Tests early on.

England will be the last stop on their Grand Slam Tour, and the way England has been playing it should be a walk in the park for the All Blacks - although England always save their best for these end of year tour clashes.

The All Blacks will be looking to stamp their authority on this game, and finish the year on a high. And, with rumours spreading that Wayne Smith will be leaving to coach the Welsh club, Ospreys, a solid win will be a good send off for him.

This will be the last game of rugby for the year - here's hoping it's an exciting end to whats been an outstanding year of rugby action.

Kiwi's On Top Of The World

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:13:00 +0000

Could there have been a better way to end the rugby league year?

The Kiwis shocking everyone (including us, to be fair...), by beating the Kangaroos 34-20 in the rugby league World Cup Final. This was a game that Australia was supposed to have virtually wrapped up going into the final, and after already beating the Kiwis 30-6 in the first round of matches, it was justified that they were expected to walk away with the Cup. But the Kiwis had other ideas, and they executed the perfect game plan for beating the Aussies.

Right from the Haka you just knew this one wasn't going to be a walkover for the Aussies - the Kiwis laid down the challenge, as the Aussies marched forward to face their opponents face to face. It was without a doubt one of the best Haka's we've seen in a long time.

The Kiwis kept themselves in the game despite the Kangaroos taking an early 10-nil lead, but the crucial moment was when Darren Lockyer dropped the ball over the line, giving the Kiwis a life - if he had scored the Aussies would have had a 16-nil lead, and they would most likely would have gone on to thrash the Kiwis. The Kiwi's then managed to scored through Jeremy Smith, and from that moment on they knew they were in with a chance.

They did all the important things well, like shutting down Thurston and Lockyer, and despite some poor errors at times they kept fighting.

Going into the second half the Kiwis had to dig deep, as they have a habit of slipping in the last fourty. But this time they maintained their composure, while the Aussies were the ones who started to get the wobbles. It started when Billy Slater threw the ball infield as he was about to go out, only to have it land in the arms of Benji Marshall who ran away for a try. There was then another crucial moment when Lance Hohia was awarded a penalty try, after Joel Monaghan took him out as he went for the ball. The momentum had swung the way of the Kiwis - but you could never count out the Kangaroos, who have a habit of scoring late in the game to spoil the party.

When Adam Blair scored late in the game, though, we knew we had won - especially when Marshall slotted the conversion. It was the greatest feeling possible, and for us it will go down as the best moment in New Zealand sport that we've personally watched. We always talk about the 2005 Tri Nations final as being great, but this surpasses that by a long way. Not until the All Blacks win another World Cup (or, even less likely, the Black Caps win one), will this feeling be repeated.

The tournament has been a huge success, and we feel it is worthy of being run every four years. Based on the supporter turn out, we don't think the rugby league governing body would disagree.

It's been a fantastic year of rugby league, and although we didn't get all the results we'd have liked, all in all it's been very entertaining - and the Kiwis win caps it off for us in the best possible way.

Now all we have to do is wait for the 2009 season to begin, which will be the year of the Warrior.

You heard it here first.

All Blacks At Full Strength Against Welsh

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:26:00 +0000

Graham Henry has once again selected a full strength side for the Grand Slam tour, and this time the Welsh will feel the full force of the All Blacks. The only change from the side that played Ireland last weekend comes at center, where Richard Kahui replaces the injured Conrad Smith. Smith has been suffering from a groin injury for some time now, and will not be risked against Wales.

Kahui has been in outstanding form when given his opportunity's in the black jersey, so the All Blacks won't lose much with Kahui at 13. Many people doubted his selection at the beginning of the year, but the more Kahui plays the better he seems to get.

The only other selection concern comes from Tony Woodcock, who has been bracketed with John Afoa and Neemia Tialata, who could also miss the game due to illness. If Woodcock gets suspended, Afoa will move into the starting lineup, meaning either Ben Franks or Jaime Mackintosh will get a chance on the bench. There could be a possibility that both will get game time if Tialata succumbs to his illness before kickoff.

Both newcomers have a lot to learn at the highest level, but there's no better place to learn than being thrown into the lions den.

Based on the evidence we don't think Woodcock should be suspended (for what looks like a little push to the face rather than a punch), but then again we won't be surprised if the English board comes down hard on him.

Joe Rokocoko is certainly making up for lost time as he plays his third game in seven days, backing up from the clash with Munster on Wednesday. He is back to his best form, and deserves to be considered the best winger in the country at the moment. He makes a point of going hunting for work, and when he gets the ball in hand he poses a real threat for the opposition. Based on the Test against Ireland he also seems to be motivating his cousin, Sivivatu, to start finding the form we know he's capable of - which can't be a bad thing, if both of them are in good form.

Piri Weepu, Corey Flynn and Stephen Donald will also back up from Wednesday, but will start off the bench, while Kieran Read also retains his spot on the bench, alongside Isaia Toeava.

Like the game against Ireland, the All Blacks should be too strong for the Welsh - who were unimpressive against the Canadians last week. We expect them to come out fired up for the first twenty minutes, only to fade as the game goes on. This All Blacks side is one of the best we've seen for a while now, and are well on their way to securing another Grand Slam victory.

Here's the full team:

Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Sitvini Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata/John Afoa, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock/John Afoa/Neemia Tialata.

Reserves: Corey Flynn, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava (one to be added).

All Blacks Scrape Through Against Munster

noreply@blogger.com (Sports Fan Attic) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:21:00 +0000

It was a lucky escape for the All Blacks, as a try by Joe Rokocoko in the 75th minute gave them a narrow 18-16 lead - one which they would manage to hold on to until full-time.

Munster scored a try just before half-time to give them a 16-10 lead going into the break, and although they didn't score in the second half, they held on to their lead for most of the second fourty - only to watch Rokocoko cross the line to give the All Blacks the lead in the dying stages. Despite their loss, they can hold their heads up very high, and be proud of the performance they put in against the best in the world.

Munster were very strong around the ruck, and although the ref let them get away with a lot of infringements, they put a lot of pressure on Piri Weepu and the All Black forwards - who were unable to get quality ball to the backs for much of the game. When the backs did get the ball they played very laterally, and failed to get any real forward momentum. And, when they did, the Munster forwards slowed the ball down at the ruck, which put the All Blacks on the back foot.

To their credit, though, the All Black forwards kept trying, and eventually they started to wear down the Munster pack, which led to the final try. This was a game for some of the new boys to test their skills, and everyone stood up proving the decision to take such a large squad was the right move.

Liam Messam was very strong on attack, while Scott Waldrom showed his ability to get to the breakdown quickly and put pressure on the opposition. Messam may have down enough to warrant selection in one of the last two Tests...

Ben Franks looked strong at scrum time, and should be happy with his first performance in the black jersey. With Tony Woodcock likely to miss the Test against Wales, either due to injury or suspension, either Franks or Mackintosh will have to fill the void on the bench - and based on today's efforts, Franks might have the edge.

The other player who looked sharp when he came on was Alby Mathewson, who created several gaps, and came very close to setting up another try late in the game. It's unlikely we'll see him play again, but he's done himself no harm in putting pressure on Andy Ellis.

This game was something truely special, especially for the people of Munster, who are obviously very passionate about their team. They were deafening in their support, except when it came to shots at goal, when they fell deathly silent (you could hear people shushing the noisy fans) - and it seemed to put Stephen Donald off, as he missed a couple of simple kicks.

Donald started off the game in good fashion, but we felt that as the game went on (especially in the second half) he held the ball a bit much, and put in a couple of useless chip kicks - which turned the ball over to Munster. This game time is important for Donald, especially as he is the backup for Dan Carter, but he does still have a bit to learn at this level.

The IRB should take note of this game, because it proves that there should be more midweek games for touring teams. The crowds love it, and it gives teams a chance to expand their squads. It would be great to go back to the days when there were midweek games on every tour...

The All Blacks can heave a sigh of relief, and now start focusing on the Test against Wales in a few days time. Most likely Graham Henry will go back to a full strength team, which should have no trouble against the Welsh.