Comments on: All Blacks unconvincing in Milan

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:58:22 +0000

How on earth did the Italians get 80,000+ to a Rugby match? The game wasn’t great but the atmosphere was absolutely immense!! They need to play all their matches at stadiums like that from now on I think… it could prove to be a very effective 23rd man for them with level of noise and passion.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:39:24 +0000

What would you have suggested he do?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:59:50 +0000

This was always going to be a bore of a match I just could never have predicted how boring it actually was. The ending was a shambles but as has been pointed out elsewhere not once was there grounds for a penalty try but maybe a few more cards.
I don’t think one should really take too much out of this game as is only 3 in the starting 15 fronted up against Wales last week. This was and clearly is a 2nd XV who were getting their promised run.
Sadly the ABs never took this game seriously and that is a disappoinment, however I doubt many of the other top 5 nations would play their top 15 against such opposition
The thing is and lets get real here people had Italy played last weeks AB starting XV do you really think the game would’ve been so close?

By: ohtani's jacket

ohtani's jacket — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:51:03 +0000

Those overhead camera shots were like an EA Sports game.

By: van der Merwe

van der Merwe — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:09:25 +0000

The last 10 minutes of this match illustrates what an awful referee Dickinson is.

By: Mungehead

Mungehead — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:37:28 +0000

A dreadful game. The newcomers, Delaney, Smith and Ellison, were poor. Ellis is a terrible halfback, I can’t stand him. Our scrum was diabolical and was demolished more than once but we embarrassingly managed to forstall an Italian try at the game’s end by infringing over and over and over, and even Tialata’s sending off didn’t stop that rot. The ending was farcical, and the Italians have a right to be pissed off over it and of the way Dickenson policed the mauls.

Positives?

Cory Jane showed his quality, he was our best player IMO. Sivivatu has made a good recovery from injury and showed he still has what it takes. McAlister’s kicking was pretty decent. We won.

By: CraigB

CraigB — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:22:13 +0000

watching the replay it struck me how much better the coverage was coming from the soccer stadiusm compared to other games hosted in Italy. The camera angles etc made it a far better experience than previous Italian games.

By: katzilla

katzilla — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:04:27 +0000

I regret staying up for this game.
At least I got to see a decent scrum in action.

If Gower wasn’t so bad we might have lost that one