It is five weeks out from another Rugby World Cup. This week I’ve felt the weight of expectation building exponentially.
I have had to remind myself to simply relax and enjoy the worldwide rugby celebration.
In the All Blacks versus Samoa clash, we saw how excited the proud people were to have the World Champions in their midst.
No bitching about how many of their players the All Blacks had adopted over the decades, no complaining that their team lost. There was only singing, dancing, waving and celebrating.
Samoa and New Zealand played like Roman gladiators, Luke Romano turned into ‘One Eyed Willy’, but fought his way back into the melee.
Colin Slade mimicked Mike Catt and clawed around on his haunches before confidently trotting off to be assessed for concussion, before earnestly returning to the fabulous encounter to further stake his claim as Mr Utility.
The clash was a true test, a match worthy of the occasion. Back home, the papers were grim, and gums were flapping about how close the Samoans got to the All Blacks.
I didn’t care. The game was exactly what I wanted. Good, brutal, rugby hustle all the way.
In the All Blacks’ victory against the Pumas last night, it was unusually quiet.
Did the impending vacuum of the World Cup suck all the fun out of the game? With the All Blacks winning 39-18, there was cause to get excited.
Did even the usually vocal Los Pumas supporters lose their voice in the Christchurch pressure cooker? Dan Carter slotted a penalty and not more than a purist murmer seeped out of the television speakers.
World Cups are usually won with such goal kicks. We should be cheering our hearts out and singing loudly and proudly. I bet England fans would be doing it all day long. Are we not entertained?
Has 20 years of Super Rugby spoilt us so that a game with few tries is not a good game anymore?
I was at the Hurricanes versus Highlanders Super Rugby Final, and I chanted a new Ah Oo–Nonu! with my brothers in arms. I attended the game with a pair of British lads who thought it was a brilliant match.
I too thought it was a classic game of rugby. Lima Sopoaga, Marty Banks, Eliot Dixon, Ben Smith and Waisake Naholo and the Highlanders showed how to win finals. They had clutch plays, composure under pressure, and the belief and knowledge of what to do and then doing it.
The Hurricanes, bless them, played the same as they had over the course of the season. But where the strategy was consistent, they did not keep composed. Eight points were lost through missed penalties and conversions, and it mattered.
I admit I lost it, and walked home in a huff. I did not wait to see the new champions crowned. I should have had more fun and respected the brilliant effort by applauding their championship win.
Los Pumas’ Sanchez slotted an equally good penalty goal, and the cheer was larger than the All Black supporters’ previous attempt. Why am I not surprised?
Carter then finds his mark again, and I do believe the cheers for the three points are getting louder. The All Blacks spurned a shot at goal but would go on to score.
I happened to write a rhyme (to the tune of “when the saints come marching in”) for the Black Caps for when they played England at the Cricket World Cup and we sang it with glee. I also remember the immense ‘Southee’ chant and thought this is the way it is meant to be.
However, it barely ever is for the New Zealand sports fan. We tend to fixate, get too caught up in the moment. As phenomenal as the atmosphere is when this happens, it is not as much fun as it could be.
We pay for an experience, and for fun, so why not make it more enjoyable?
We can’t just leave it to the players to entertain us. I believe if the fans are having fun, the players will have fun. If we sit there nervously, the more players will feel that nervous energy. If we are calm and cool and joyful, I like to think the energy we create is the energy our players will feel in support.
One of the Brits swears to enjoy West Ham football games more than seeing his own club play; he says the songs are better and everyone sings them.
There is no doubt the All Blacks, England, South Africa, Wales, France, Australia and Ireland are the teams that can win the Rugby World Cup this October. If all I hear is an ‘All Blacks’ chant from New Zealand fans, then I think the mission will fail.
Have some fun New Zealand. Make up some songs and share them with the whole team. I believe in the All Blacks’ philosophy. Let’s remove the pressure, increase the fun and composure, and enjoy supporting our boys.
Only then can we guide the William Webb-Ellis Cup home.
Targa
Guest
Were you under a rock during the super xv?
Taylorman
Guest
Yep sprained ankle. Fell awkwardly RT. great handoff from Buckman just then, Maoris getting well and truly beaten tonight.
PeterK
Roar Guru
wow played 1 test and already he is considered a world class back
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Jane off injured again for the Baa Baas against NZ Maoris ... and looks serious ...
Jokerman
Guest
I'm an All Black supporter I never sit there in nerves. I'm pumped! And nervous... I scream and shout. I had one friend who said you're a true awesome rugby watcher cause I jumped and swore at the TV. You have to be in the moment. I will agree though with what McCaw said recently, that NZ doesn't savour the good moments enough. I do though. You have too. It's evolved behaviour. It's the mind that is never satisfied always looking ahead for more, or looking behind in regret. The heart is in the moment.
Taylorman
Guest
They talk as though Jane now comes back into contention for that winger spot. I don't see him ahead of either Piutau or George Moala. Good to have Kees Meuws in the commentary for the Baabaas Maori match with some good insights into the mystery of the front row...for us ignorant backs that is...
Taylorman
Guest
Yes true except USA and Russia aren't usually in the knockouts, the matches I'm referring to. Fiji, Samoa, Arg and Scotland are the lowest ranked sides for those.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Haha exactly taylor, as soon as I read the title I thought 'yes mindset but also skills, system, preparation, reffing, luck etc' then I read the article and got something completely different. I know Editors change our titles sometimes ?
Mike
Guest
Only numerically speaking!
Mike
Guest
To some extent yes, but in reality many of those tries don't matter because they come from the gross mismatches. In 2011, we scored from memory either 7 or 10 tries against the USA and something similar against the Russians. So that's 15-20 tries that really don't matter. The pool matches that matter tend to be much lower scoring affairs, and the knockout matches even more so.
Mike
Guest
Good point.
Muzzo
Guest
Well honestly to look at last nights outing, there was no Smith's, Whitelock, Fekitoa, etc. I can see that Hansen will be trying out combinations & players in the lead up to this years WC.Last night the experiment with SBW at second five & Ma'a at center, did look steady, but in reality I do rather prefer Ma'a at 12, as his ability to straighten the attack, & probe, also get through gaps is far superior to SBW. It was noticeable, when Ma'a scored his try, just brushing away defenders, that went to high, reminded me of the Cooper incident at Suncorp a few years ago, when Cooper just let him "sail on by". That was possibly due to Coopers tackling style, of mostly going high. Subsequently, that's possibly what happened. I really would hate to have Hansen & his selectors job for selecting a WC squad, as at it is now, who are they going to leave out? I do think, Ellis is really not up to it anymore, as there are still far better half backs running around in New Zealand rugby, such as Weber, & the under 20 half back, playing for NZ Maori's, along with a couple of others. As Graham Henry has said this will probably be the strongest WC squad ever, with even some players being left behind, but to remain on standby, to cover injuries. Talk about "cattle in the yard", Geeeez the yard is overflowing.
Targa
Guest
Yeah it starts in September, not October. In case you haven't heard Waisake Naholo is out of the WC. Shame for the young man and the All Blacks. That is the 2nd world-class back we've lost this year (Cruden the 1st). Injuries are a huge key.
Simon
Guest
Someone finally stating the obvious
Taylorman
Guest
Yes that's true Sheek but it is only finals. Sides win tournaments by first getting to the final as well. There are 46 tries from 14 semi finals and 117 tries from the 28 quarter finals so the tries are being scored and obviously you have to win those matches, score those tries to get to those finals. That's why I don't think it's a simple case of negative tactics resulting in kicks at goal. I think the physical and mental demands on a side in the cauldron of a World Cup environment and atmosphere, combined with facing increasingly difficult sides that you get with each knockout round, means both sides are spent and the final becomes a leveller, and teams bank against going for it because they're not in peak condition. And if they do try to open up, they're not at peak to do so. So they grind it out, keep the enemy close in, and that scenario is a penalty magnet. That's also why I think the team that manages its players and both their physical and mental levels would have a significant advantage in a final...provided they get there because in those matches, the tries still have to be scored.
Grahame
Guest
I went no further than the first sentence: "It is five weeks out from another Rugby World Cup." 5 weeks = 35 days. The countdown on the Rugby World Cup home says 62 days.
sheek
Roar Guru
Spiro made a pertinent point in the SMH today, although he was referring to Wallabies goalkickers, or lack thereof. It's a sobering thought to realise that in 7 world cup finals to date, there have only been a total of 11 tries scored, but 42 penalties converted. That's 11 tries from 14 teams. Four of those tries came in the very first world cup, three by the ABs. We in Australia talk endlessly about the backline but forget, as we always seem to do, that rugby is won at the contest, possession, territory & kicks for goal. Sadly, the DNA of rugby hasn't changed much over a century. Tries are still that, only 'tries' at scoring tries. The real business is getting into enemy territory to kick the obligatory penalties that will surely come. Three certainties in life - death, taxes & kickable penalty goals in rugby!
Taylorman
Guest
Is it me or is the title a complete misfire as the articles description? Nothing in the entire passage referred to how the correct mindset will win the World Cup. It was more about one fans enjoyment of perception of enjoyment of the game, and how the environment of a match can sway depending on the occasion. A very good article in terms of how we choose to 'enjoy' our rugby but no ones going to gain any insight from it regarding having the right mindset to win the World Cup. But perhaps it's just me... :-(
Targa
Guest
& key refereeing decisions/interpretations! As someone still upset by a WC 20 years ago, I also think what players eat and drink is very important!
Tissot Time
Guest
Well sung Harry