.. and lets not forget those appalling Baz Luhrmann adds last year … but wasn’t Kidman born in the US …. it’s a bit like getting Russell Crowe as the spokesman …

… must say though I must get me a pair of those boots …German craftsmanship, soft Kangaroo leather and great ball control – so the boots do the controlling for you – very smart

Did Ronald de Boer make that comment after finding out that the dutch were a seeded team ? … prior to that if asked and he thought they weren’t going to be a top seeded side wouldn’t he have looked at getting in South Africa’s group as being the dream option ….

sure the Kiwis and North Korea are going to viewed as bankers – but, as we’ve seen in the past, it’s the results against these that can cause problems … but in saying that a group including Brazil / Spain, France, Ivory Coast, NZ / North Korea is a group of death … the only group that won’t be is if NZ / North Korea end up in the same group as SA …

Completely agree AS … and ditto those comments re FoF’s assertion that Henry is the equal of Cristiano Ronaldo … they’re not on the same sphere

“So there is no excuse not to play like the Wallabies did in their Test against Wales.” …. true to some extend – there certainly are some poor S14 sides that would mirror the abysmal welsh – but also there are sides that if the warratahs did try to open up they’d get murdered – the Hurricanes for one would love an all out open game …

horses for courses is needed for the Tahs the problem last season was they got off to a flyer playing a certain style (on the back of a couple of favourable Dickinson performances) that progressively got more and more conservative and they ended up going down a path that they then found hard to retreat from … they really had no second or 3rd option when things weren’t going right for them – the force game was a classic example …

Yes – it is strange – but also the poor option taking has been glossed over as well … the miracle pass verses the sure thing … esp given Mitchell positioning to receive it was poor … if that try had been scored – then it’s a fair guess to say the floodgates would have opened … and Wallaby supporters – would be bemoaning the Irish result only

“Where did I write that Nelsen did not play well in Wellington and was not deserving of plaudits?”

Your right I really don’t know where I got that idea from – well perhaps from

“you’ll find plenty of NZers ringing up and waxing lyrical about how good Ryan Nelsen is … simply because he organized the NZ defence to, somewhat luckily, keep that great force of world football, Bahrain, goalless.”

I’d consider that a snide remake and denigrates Nelsen’s contribution

as for FoF’s contribution – reading it literally he’s based his entire argument on the fact that I misspelt Nelsen’s name … judge that how you will …

So Cooper didn’t throw a forward pass (despite the evidence of the where the ball was let go and received in respect to the 5 metre line) … yet according to most Australian commentators and fans McCaw in Hong Kong last year most definitely was the recipient of a forward pass – interesting – it is all relative after all

Got to agree with this article – throw Tiger Woods on that list also – who gives a flying !@#4 what the story behind it all is – the news should be there was a car accident and he’s ok- and that’s it … the rest is no-ones business other than those involved and possibly the police if there’s been a traffic violation

so waxing lyrical now .. rather than believing that Nelson is the best defender in the world – there’s a bit of a difference – his performance in Wgtn certainly was worthy of people making positive comments – he played well, lead the team well and deserves the plaudits for it …

I’ll ignore your latest snide bit – you’re just not worth it

love your work too Greg – it seems obvious from many of your posts on here you subscribe to the Stephen Jones school of commentary – ie write snide comments that you know will incite a rebuff – sit back and wait for these comments – and then point to these reponses as evidence that the group you have chosen to belittle take themselves far too seriously … you often “quote” radiosport as your source of reference – why am I not surprised that this is your point of reference and it from here you draw your conclusions that those talkback callers represent mainstream NZ … as I said utter crap comment

Well more fool you – I think if anything has been shown over the last 2 years is that the NZRFU made a well informed decision by retaining the current coaching set up and not continuing down the same path which has consistently failed – Deans has shown that he’s all a sea in the international arena and I don’t think he’d have had better performances than the current set up

Henry is and has been a very successful coach and I’m more than happy to have him charge up to 2011 and the current set up have shown they’re the preeminent coaching set up in world rugby at the moment … they certainly haven’t betrayed the country – each to their own JB – but there’s no way I’d switch country alligence based on the fact that my favourite didn’t get a job

“I agree Wales were weak in 1st half and suffering from losing captain and star winger – almost as weak as France vs All Blacks”

the only realty check needed is your incessant need to try and run down NZ performances – credit where credit is due – neither Wales or Aust from last weekend could have lived with either France or the AB’s

“proclaim something local as “world’s best” just because it is very, very good (I reckon there’d be many NZers who genuinely believe right now that Ryan Nelsen is the best defender in world football” …

I think that’s more the preserve of the Australians than kiwis – esp when over hyping their rugby players …. but I can guarantee that zero NZers esp those involved in all levels of football would describe Nelson in this way – utter utter crap comment

Shame the pitch is constantly sh!t … suncorp is fantastic and I was mightly impressed with the cake tin in Wgtn for the All Whites game a few weeks back …

“but by 2007 they came within a whisker of winning the world cup” … what by association of losing in the quarter finals to the beaten finalists ?

I think it’s a fairly well held view that Pele and Maradona were a cut well above the rest and it’s a purely personal perference who you rate higher … the rest follow by some distance … I find it incredible that Beckenbauer get a mention here – yet Moore hasn’t been raised – the 2 of them were neck and neck during their respective careers … and then what of Best – where does he fit into the great scheme of things – surely the equal of Cruijff etc

I agree with this – he’s not “an absolutely phenomenal player” … he’s consistently come up short against the SH teams – the true test of a 1st 5 that wants to be considered “great” ….

quoting what other players say is an exercise in recalling bumpf and soundbites – Carters hardly going to say he’s limited in the extreme and a turnstyle in a 10 jersey – but he can kick quite nicely …

PHB is right is saying that his play has limited the Irish – their rankings would have been better served with someone with a bit more game – a Tony Ward for example

Of course the no relegation and the play offs also impact on the HAL – and therefore make it non comparable with the European leagues … there’s nothing wrong with level playing field and ever team having a chance to be in to win … nearly ever season so far we’ve had a smokey that has surprised – this year I think the Pheonix could be the team that surprises

This can’t be serious surely – the talk of how popular the EPL is despite the monopoly on the top spots is a red herring – every season is the same the talk really is which team might sneak into the top 4 .. the real competition is at the other end of the table …. what’s the point in having a Melbourne / Sydney domination – it’ll kill the league … and really to achieve it and be a “proper” team they’ll need to be mired in debt … ask the men in the streets in the UK what the think of the PL … and they’ll tell you if they had a choice they’d return to the days when more than just 2 sides had a chance of winning the league – the Man U / Chelsea monopoly of the PL has made it one of the most boring leagues in Europe

VC – surely you’re not trying to put OGara in the same class as Carter ? … operating on just 2 cyclinders Carter is still on a different planet to O’Gara

… and to think I got scoffed at when I made this suggestion after the BaBas game this year – off the bench as an impact player who can cover most positions in the backline – which allows the drongo to load up on loose forwards as is his want ….

I see though that Deans’ biggest fan has now jumped from the bandwagon – things must be bad if this clown has pulled the pin

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10611461

Remember the rainbow warrior

Even in this day and age you can over egg your CV – Paul Tito an AB ?? …

I’d almost have a minute portion of grudging respect for this w@nker if he reacted similar to Maradona – cop it – say yeah I did it and move on …

but all the rubbish about “I’m not a cheat” – f@#k off yes you are mate …. Cantona’s right – why didn’t the Irish bloke fill him in – everything after the incident seems nothing but floss … FIFA should impose a ban on him for the W/cup on the basis he’s brought the game into disrepute

Ignore the RWC and commence a route and branch clearout – the basics are lacking, skills are poor and fundamentals are being ignored (eg – wet weather rugby – why didn’t Moore dive low prior to the try line and slide over – it’s not bloody rocket science) …. look at the next couple of seasons as the pain needed in order to achieve a decent pathway for players … unfortunately that’ll mean sticking with a few of the current crop and re-introducing some older heads …Sharpe needs to be re-introduced … and given a senior mentor role …

stop the endless hype machine of every young or emerging player as being “world class” … they’re not – drop those that don’t perform and tell them what needs to be done to correct their game – currently there’s zero incentive for any player to improve – because they continue to be selected … the list is endless Burgess, Mitchell, O’Connor, Cross, Cooper … FFS the most over hyped, ineffectual player in Australia (Beale) is actually on this tour …

re-introduce the A team programme, let the kids develop in the right environment first – O’Connor shouldn’t have been within a bulls roar of the tri-nations team … instead he should have been at the U20’s world cup …. contrast his “progress” to that of NZ’s star player there, Cruden, … Henry’s left him to develop over time … first in the NPC and then S14 … yet we’ve had more than 1 article by SZ on here saying he should have been in the AB’s run on side … a classic example of what Oz do time and time again – select players well before they’re ready – the odd one might make a decent fist of it but the large majority flatter to deceive for their entire international career …

the focus on the RWC is hampering any real long term improvement – currently the Wallabies will get out of their pool – because it’s weak, but they’ll falter in the quarters … what should be done now is a re-focus – ignore the 2011 RWC and look for a long term goal