It's Tri-Nations Time

[Mr Bean]

Just watched the opener. My prediction of the AB's to win by 20 points was absolutely bang on. Some star qualities from a few but on the whole not the usual southern hemisphere stuff we're all used to.

Aaron Mauger, McCaw, McDonald and Williams were great. Dan the man took a while to get into the swing of things but seemed to settle after the opening 30 mins. He doesn't strike me to have the same qualities as he did a couple of seasons ago. I don't know whether he's lost his bottle a bit or what?

My Sky is being switched on next week so unfortunately I missed the entire Super 14 season this year.

Wallabies put themselves about a bit too. The usual from George Smith, Gregan, Tuqiri and Latham. I forgot Mat Rogers was on the park at one time and Stirling Mortlock blows so hot and cold I can't believe they can't find a different kicker. Larkham his normal tactical player.

Ali Williams looks strong at the moment along with Hayman. I think the mistakes from NZ came mainly from the 3/4's. Maybe missing Marshall's accuracy off the scrum. Kelleher is in my 1st 15 ahead of Piri Weepu everytime.

I just wish we had an engine room like the All Blacks. Chris Jack is one of my all time favourites in the second row. Tonight I thought he was absolutely superb. He reads the game excellently for a forward and is readily available more often than not.

I think Australia are going to struggle over the next few years with regards to depth as they don't seem to be bringing players through like the rest of the world. Sometimes there is no substitute for experience but I can't help thinking that with a world cup year looming, can they do what England did in 2003? it's always a possibility.

I'm still convinced that South Africa are going to win the Tri-Nations. Looking forward to their opener to see how they are panning out.

[steveharrison84]

Yep watched it all,good game,does that mean Smurfy will be in after, to say
yeah we woz great etc etc.. new hakka was good..

[Mr Bean]

I'm not really a gambling man but I'll wager you the entire contents of my offshore account that he'll be making a guest appearence:D

Personally I rathered the old haka to the new as well Steve.

Hope Smurfy can enlighten me as to why they changed:confused:

[steveharrison84]

MR Bean
i believe that evrsion of the hakka was only the 3rd time they done it.
it must be in retaliation to some aussie tv company,who stuck silver/purple
handbags on them and showed it on telly other day,it was obviously doctored
but was dead dead funny.that looked more intimidating than normal hakka
so thats why i think they changed it..Smurfy will enlighten us sometime today
but it wont be till he gives us the full 110% lowndown of exactly how superior
the All Blacks played lol.... haway Smurfy give us a smile matey.. ;)

[jenae]

Hi, well now, we have been doing the right thing for some time now. Appreciative of your sensitive side and keen to see you mature as more than a one sport wonder. Actually most informed Kiwis would be grateful for the lessons they are learning. Rugby is a game that offers hope for the poor and as such is an inspiration to all Kiwis. It is to be hoped that enlightenment will eventually dawn on the savage mind and NZ could be considered .... well at the least relevant.:thrilled:

[Snurfen]

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraggy????????????
Did I miss half this thread or something - I'm lost and confused by jenae's comments.

[black mirror]

I have only one thing to say..... Bar of soap....:D

[steveharrison84]

Aye i was wondering about that post as well,it doesnt ake any sense
at all...Smurfy hasnt posted yet,must be blanking us or me lol...
like Katherine Tate says" Bovvered am i Bovvered...":dizzy:

[smurfy]

Hi Jenae - long long time no see, welcome back to CTH! Even though you only came back to extoll the virtues of the round-ball code over the Ra-Ra. :)
I think snurfen came up with my fav. quote on the subject not so long ago... Football is a gentlemens game watched by hooligans and Rugby is a hooligans game watched by gentlemen.


Unfortunately only one member of my household went to the match and it wasn't me...
http://smurfy.cybertechhelp.com/images/Sam%20the%20AB%20Supporter.jpg

Beano - are you sure you meant Ali Williams - he was only on the field for 25 minutes in the 2nd half. Jason Eaton was the guy with the mullett for the first 55.

I think the Wallabies made a tactical error and tried to target the fringes to try and expose Kelleher & Carter on defence instead of going wide. Admittedly their forwards didn't give them any front-foot ball to really do that properly but the only defensive weak link in that AB squad was on the left wing (When have we heard that before :) ).
There was only one decent try in the whole match (Tuquiri's), the rest were scrappy (forwards can score good tries but none of these were). The Wallabies new "giant" front row were exposed for lack of experience and frankly basic technique.

Final score flattered the ABs - fair result would have been 10 pts.

[Snurfen]

I think they shouldve used bigger handbags in the 1st phase.

[Mr Bean]

Beano - are you sure you meant Ali Williams - he was only on the field for 25 minutes in the 2nd half. Jason Eaton was the guy with the mullett for the first 55.

Yes I'm talking about Williams. He looked very aggressive when he subbed on. (Should have mentioned it in my original post old mate).

Hope the young 'un enjoyed the match too.

They're never too young to start going to games mate. Mine was 7 weeks old when I took her to her first Pontypool match. :thrilled:

[Mr Bean]

SA to win with a bonus point:cool:

And my Sky is back on so I get to watch the match in the comfort of my own home:happy:

[Mr Bean]

Ahem!

Think I'll choose something else to be a spectator of in future. Classic prediction of the year cock-up:D

Chwarae teg to the Wallabies. They didn't give the Boks a look in. I didn't realise that South Africa were without a couple of key forwards either. They really missed Bakkies Botha and Burger today. Giteau was great. Wallabies pack was superb and the fortunes of Tuqiri and Latham made for a convincing and overwhelming victory.

Roll on Wellington next weekend.

[Snurfen]

Only 30 - nil, not that far out Beanie.
(30-nil for chrissakes - who'd the Boks field? The welsh 15 who played the Pumas?)

[smurfy]

snurfen - I think that was the half-time score mate - final score 49-0.

[Snurfen]

Lawks! It must've been a newsflash on the radio that I heard. Not Posh like Beanster with SkyTV so I won't see many Southern Hemisphere matches this season :(

[Mr Bean]

Just getting ready for kick off. I think even after a severe grilling from Jake White, South Africa will not come anywhere close today. I've not seen the teams so I don't know if Botha and Burger are available. Then again it's not out of character for SA to pull off a completely unexpected win if they can be bothered to turn up today.

Awwwww. I don't know. Maybe I should just sit on the fence for this one?

All Blacks to win with a bonus.:happy:

[Mr Bean]

What a great first half.

Much what I expected the Boks to play like last week but they forgot to bring their boots then.

Pleased to see Reuben Thorne on the pitch. I thought he had retired from international rugby? Or is that the Henry/Hansen wisdom thing:confused:

Fantastic try on the whistle as well. Dan the man my MOM so far although Oliver running a close second.

[Mr Bean]

Found an article on the Sky website here. (http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=406171&CPID=302&clid=&lid=6857&title=Gregan:+We+must+remain+patient) Aussies are pretty confident about the match by the sounds of it. I can't see any more of an improvement from the last effort by them. John Connolly able to select a pretty good side from a nice bench. Lucky sod!

As this match is critical for the Bledisloe Cup, I see GH has named a full strength side.

Let's be honest. If he put his 2nd side out they'd probably come up trumps anyway.

Can't wait for the return fixtures in South Africa as The Current Mrs Bean is fed up of putting Felinfoel on my cornflakes:D

[Mr Bean]

I think I have a case of BMitis:D

Like to see the Aussies win today to set up a cracker in Eden Park.

Boks again missing a couple of key players.

Australia to win by at least 15. Larkham the one to watch.

[Mr Bean]

That was a game of two halves:sarcastic

The first half was utter crap and the second was great.

Percy once again put his boots on the wrong feet. Shame as I think they played the better football.

Gonna be great in Auckland in a couple of weeks.

Smurfy you going to the match?

[black mirror]

i dont think even i have posted 5 times in a row.. soap time yet ???

[Mr Bean]

i dont think even i have posted 5 times in a row.. soap time yet ???

And there's me thinking I'd found a thread that BM hadn't posted in...

Anyway...

Time for me to have a little meeting with myself and try ANOTHER bad prediction on the big game tomorrow.

Let's hope the McCaw/Elsom/Waugh fight in the loose is as entertaining to watch as the thought provokes.

Where's George Smith??? What on Earth was Mr Connolly thinking of?

Aaron Mauger has pulled out (gutted as I really rate him) but his replacement(McAllister) should provide a ding-dong with Giteau in the centre.

Weather permitting Australia's back line should provide the entertainment.

The game will be won up front by the All Blacks by at least 15 pts. Hayman and Jack key players in the furore.

If it's not, then I'll blame Chris White:D

[Mr Bean]

Well that was entertaining.

Absolutely no way was that a try for Rocky Elsom.

Tuqiri was superb throughout(except for dumping Richie McCaw).

Congrats to the AB's for winning the series before South Africa started.:dizzy:

[smurfy]

Hey Beano - realise I've been leaving you to talk amongst yourself here.

I actually thought that was a great game to watch because the Wallabies actually got some mongrel back and dominated many facets. Admittedly much of it was done illegaly and they've given the world the obvious way to beat the ABs (knock Richie McCaw senseless as many times as possible). I didn't think there was much in the Tuqiri "spear" tackle on McCaw - I can think of a certain Irishman who may be laughing at the NZ media outrage right now. The Elsom (or was it Waugh) high shot on McCaw in the 1st half was the telling blow.
My guess is McCaw won't take the field against the 'bok thugs.

Lote Tuqiri would have been my Man of the Match. He's been the best outside back on show in 3 NZ-Aus matches this year.

Another stunning performance from the ABs at scrum-time. Even after Hayman (the supposed lynch-pin of the pack) went off after being knocked out cold, Sommerville came on and they still had the wood on the Wallabies. Funniest moment - Hayman in Disneyland realising Tuqiri was coming at him and making an effort to cut him down, for all of about 3 steps :)

[smurfy]

... I didn't think there was much in the Tuqiri "spear" tackle on McCaw...
Well, that was a Beanerism if ever I've committed one... 5 match ban!

[Mr Bean]

The incident looked a bit nasty in my eyes. McCaw seemed to roll on his neck when Tuqiri drove him into the ground. Almost malicious!!!

After the tackle with BOD last year I think the refs and citing commitees have no alternative but to enforce bans on players for these "spear tackles".

Throughout my playing career I was on the receiving end of such tackles and also the provider of quite a few but thankfully no injuries were incurred.

As the game gets more physical from year to year it raises the question of how much longer is this going to be allowed. I'm all for physical contact but these boyo's are so much quicker, stronger and brutal than we were. maybe a small change in the rules would help. :happy:

[Mr Bean]

Well, that was a Beanerism if ever I've committed one... 5 match ban!

I think we need to attend the Cliff Morgan/Murray Mexted school for match predictions:rotflmao:

[Mr Bean]

There was only ever going to be one winner today, although for the first 25 mins I thought Daniel Carter had forgotten how thin the air is when playing at altitude!!!

Smurfy your bench is amazing. Very similar to Pontypools during the eighties. The pack works like a combine harvester to provide for the back line. David Bishop once said that the Pontypool pack was the best he'd ever played behind. I think he might think differently if he had the opportunity to play 9 for the AB's as part of their 1st XV.

Just when I thought SA looked like they could possibly creep back into it, GH brings on Jerry Collins.

I mean talk about strength and depth:dizzy:

[Mr Bean]

Well that was cracking.

SA were desperate to win that game and put everything into it. Their front five (especially Big Os) were outstanding. Andre Pretorius kept the ball up the AB's end of the park as much as possible. This along with the diabolical, and totally uncharacteristic, mis-handling of the ball by the Kiwi's gave them the victory they deserved. NZ seemed to be lacking their normal support game today.

Still they can't be completely brilliant all the time.

McCaw is undoubtedly the finest open side I have ever watched. The man just DOES NOT give up. He is 99% of the time the first man to the breakdown. His commitment to the tackle is totally unquestionable. I wish I could have been half the player he is.

Carter seemed to be let down a bit today. Maybe could have done with Kelleher being on from the start???

Our league started last night with a win for my team (The Dragons) up in Glasgow. Looking forward to tonight's match. The spotlight will be on Justin Marshall as he debut's for The Ospreys against Edinburgh.

Our league is very similar to the Super XIV tournament only it's a lot slower:sarcastic

Quality stuff or what:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[smurfy]

Didn't get to see the game this weekend unfortunately.

I believe that a loss was a good thing for this team to suffer at this point. If they continued on this unbeaten run they'd end up with big heads come World Cup time.

Beano - Ben Blair is winging his way to Cardiff this week. Probably the in-form fullback in the AirNZ Cup (old NPC).
Good to see more of the NZers going to a quality comp not the English clubs.

[Mr Bean]

Ben Blair is winging his way to Cardiff this week.

Looking forward to watching him play. he arrives Thursday I think so he'll be available to play against the Ospreys.

I have one eye on Northampto v Newcastle at the moment. Carlos Spencer still has it!!!

[Mr Bean]

As the tournament draws to a close this weekend, I understand the coaches are going to field some experimental sides. As the All Blacks won the series weeks ago it only seems fair they should give the youngsters a run anyway.

Big battle up front with experience the key.

SA have Spies and Pretorius, on last weeks performance, as key men. Hope new cap Pietersen fills the boots left behind by Monty. He is from good stock but then again so was Craig Quinnell!!!

Australia are fielding Cameron " oh what another fantastic finish " Shepherd as Mr Tuqiri has taken a short, deserved holiday. Stephen Larkham will be up against it this week With Pretorius on his case. George Gregan's niggling can only benefit the Wallabies but I feel it won't be enough for them to take the match.

I'm going for a Boks win by 10.:happy: