Google

Sunday, July 1, 2007

ALL BLACKS DEFEAT. NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, OKAY.

Dammit. Yeah, okay, so, All Blacks loose to the Wallabies. Then again, its not the end of the world yet. After all, Wallabies took about what, 4 years to beat All Blacks?

HENRY HAPPY TO BE RID OF INVINCIBLE TAG

The All Blacks have finally been beaten, and despite the disappointing nature of defeat, their coach Graham Henry insists the lose is "a good thing".

Most people, before the game, were convinced that New Zealand would sweep all before them in the coming months resulting in a World Cup win. The result does not cast New Zealand's credentials into doubt, but it does give hope to others and prove they are not invincible.

Henry, who has grown tired on the invincible tag, believes the defeat will give the squad a chance to now reaccess where they are as well as providing huge motivation for the coming months.

"I think this is probably a very good thing in many respects," he told Fox Sports.

"It just put us back on our hind foot and made us think and rethink what we are doing.

"Hopefully this is motivational."

The expectation for New Zealand to deliver the World Cup has grown over the past years and has now become something of a burden, similar to 2003. At that stage four years ago New Zealand had whitewashed Australia in the Bledisloe Cup but went on to lose 22-10 in the World Cup semi-final.

Despite the winning score coming from a Luke McAlister mistake Henry was quick to defend the makeshift outside centre.

"We made some mistakes defensively generally, I won't blame any particular individual and that's the way it was," he said.

"And Mortlock played particularly well, had a big game, and exposed us a couple of times."

Henry was however far from happy with the manner in which referee Jonker handled the scrum, with both sides struggling to come to terms with his interpretations of the laws.

"It's frustrating the scrum at the moment," he said. "It needs to be looked at.

"That's not the way to play it really with short-arm penalties all the time. It's frustrating."
Article Published: Saturday 30 June 2007
Written by: Sports Digital Media

5 comments:

UglyButAdorable said...

same as tennis i never cud figure out how the points scored...gave up.. but i know i enjoy that haka moves and the game..

my late brother gave up explaining it to me..lembab...

Mr Hobo said...

c'mon OZzie .. oi oi oi !!!

......But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Blabarella said...

Ah, another rugby fan! But it was at least better than last week's match in Durban. I'm just happy to see Rocokoko back in action instead of Sivivatu. And RIco Gear wasn't terribly efficient though (other than the cues try he got).

What say you for this year's finals? Methinks it'l be Blacks/Boks (Schalke is crazily efficient!) with perhaps France lingering on the fringes.

Anonymous said...

Shucks... i missed the game!! All Blacks lost is sooo unexpected since the Boks thumped the Wallabies. i guess that's why its such an exciting n unpredictable sport. one can always expect the unexpected...

akula said...

uba: Still can learn what.

Hobo dude: I dig Wallabies, when they are not playing against all blacks.

Blab: Ahh, didnt know you are a fan. I'll say All Blacks all the wayla, what else. Rocokoko did make a difference, but I have to say, the Wallabies were really good in that game.

MYA: Yeah, who thought that will happen. Anyway, looking forward for the next match. Jangan lupa aah.