The News Review:
- Rugby Union: No worries for Australia and New Zealand
- Rugby Union: No worries for Australia and New Zealand
- … look after minnows – New Zealand’s source for sport…
Rugby Union: No worries for Australia and New Zealand
International Herald Tribune – Sep 24, 2007
But Graham Henry of New Zealand and John Connolly of Australia are wrestling with a particularly tricky issue: They don't appear to have any problems. Their two teams both won easily Sunday to assure themselves of first place in their groups with a week still to go in the first round at the Rugby World Cup. Australia beat Fiji 55-12 in Montpellier. The All Blacks beat Scotland's reserves 40-0 in Edinburgh.
Rugby Union: No worries for Australia and New Zealand
International Herald Tribune – Sep 24, 2007
He said his players would not be thinking of saving themselves for the game against Australia. “I think we would be cheating the public if we did not put everything into every game and we would be cheating ourselves. We go into every game as the old hockey saying goes giving 110 percent. ” Even among the minnows there is a clear hierarchy.
… look after minnows – New Zealand’s source for sport…
stuff.co.nz – Sep 24, 2007
South Africa were forced to bring on their big guns – Victor Matfield John Smit Juan Smith and Bryan Habana – to nullify Nili Latu’s gutsy group. It was a surreal experience watching on television in Edinburgh and willing Pierre Hola’s last-ditch kick to stay in play and pop up in to a Tongan hand. Instead it rolled into touch – to the palpable relief of the Springboks who clung to a 30-25 victory. But the Lens locals who had taken the Tongans to their hearts were left bubbling into their beaujolais… Tonga Fiji and Samoa could continue to play in the Pacific Five Nations. Then why not have teams based in Apia Nuku’alofa and Suva join the existing four Australian Super 14 regions and a franchise from Melbourne in an eight-team series after the Tri-Nations and at the same time as New Zealand’s Air New Zealand Cup competition. Underpinned by International Rugby Board funding the Pacific nations could then provide a professional pathway for their players in their home region. It irks that some critics who should know better are still insisting the minor nations have no right to be at the World Cup. These are people dwelling in the past when rugby was a pastime played by Britain and “her” colonial outposts. They are people who probably still wish we stood to God Save the Queen at the movies bought British goods because they were better and posted lettergrams “home” to Britain.