Before the Cricket kicked off [tipped off? Bowled off? Hit off?] this week, the fellows over at Sportsfreak were focused on the All Blacks' end of year tour, and the lack of tries in their games. The print media also seem to have chosen this as their lead angle ahead of this weekend's match (exhibit a, b, c, d... need I go on?) against France.

You can see my original response over there, where I gave some stats about the tries the All Blacks have scored and conceded in the NH over the past 11 years, but it sparked something in me. At school, I didn't really pay much attention in Maths. If it was something that captured my attention (like graphs and shit) I'd do it, but as soon as I got to sixth form I dropped it. It's never been a problem in day to day life, but this week I've felt completely incompetent. I've been trying to come up with all kinds of mathmatical stats and graphs for this post, and I'm extremely lucky to have Hadyn's patient tutelage to help me. If it hadn't been for him, you'd have all kinds of data here, and it would be presented on an unreadable line graph.

Something I didn't need help for was gathering the data for this. And it's actually a new feature of the Dropkicks. You can see it here. Currently it features all international test matches from 2006-today, but I may backdate it eventually if I see the need, and I may use it for a post about the Rugby World Cup and whether the 'minnow' teams are becoming more competitive.

The first table to have a look at, because I know you want to see the stuff revolving around the All Blacks, is the 6 Nations. [if this was TV that would be a hook - You would have no choice but to stick with me to find out. But this is a blog, so it doesn't work as well... Fuck.]

Everyone's talking about Dan Carter's tackle on Martin Roberts from the weekend. Was it high? Was it too aggresive? Should he be banned? It's a non-issue to me.

As a winger I hate cheap shots. Spear tackles are enough to have me screaming at the telly and there were some very, very terse words thrown the way of Sitiveni Sivivatu last week. But Dan Carter's tackle on Martin Roberts on the weekend was not as incredible as the Welsh media has been made out. There're a few things to consider here;

1. Carter's original hit was around the shoulder. As the arm wrapped around Roberts, he did connect with the head, yes. But a side-on tackle is impossible to make precisely.
2. There was no malicious intent from Carter.
3. Aside from the potential of danger, this was a fucking incredible tackle. The fact that Carter had the prescence of mind to hit Roberts around the chest so he couldn't get an offload was fantastic, but the force he hit with was outstanding.
4. Roberts failed to protect himself. If he'd been looking around instead of suffering white-line fever he would have been able to brace for the hit. The only reason it looks as bad as it does is because he wasn't expecting it, and he milked it after he landed, I think.
5. Context. Had this been in a Tri-Nations match, or had it been that tackle but 50m back up the field or the teams reversed, would the outcry have been the same? Hell, what if it had been Roberts on Ma'a Nonu? [I did see a couple of neck-shots on Nonu through the match]

And it wasn't as bad as either of these [from a 'non contact' sport] anyhoo.

Speaking of white-line fever, the reason this is getting so much attention in Wales, I reckon, is as a smokescreen because the Welsh team sucked arse in that game. They were as good as the Blacks in turning over the ball in the ruck, but couldn't do anything with it. That one forward who looked like he belonged in Nirvana was awesome with ball in hand [and out of it] but the rest of the team looked like they were just there to make up the numbers. They constantly kicked the ball away [and oh my word, wasn't Zac Guildford amazing? I swear, he was great at doing exactly the same thing that Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Siviavtu have been doing for the last three seasons. Fielding kicks, tackling and getting back on defence, playing as a third centre and chasing kicks. Lets all rave on and on and on about him, because he's brought so much to the team!] and didn't look like having the away team worried - except on the interception, which has somehow not gotten much attention [maybe if it had been thrown by L.McAlister it would have] despite the fact anyone could have forseen that wrap-m2 pass coming. Even a lock.

Conversely the All Blacks had the opposite problem. On two occasions they missed out on scoring a try because the team stopped playing as a team and everyone was desperate to score a try. Nonu's decision to straighten up and go for the line, ignoring a two-man overlap, was slightly forgiveable as it's an attacking play the Blacks use often, but the final push for the line in the game was an absolute farce.

Wales have gone backwards from last year. Does that mean that the game against Australia will feature two teams in decline?

Players who had pearlers though were Conrad Smith, Cory Jane, Jerome Kaino, Dan Carter [of course] and Jason Eaton, who I was surprised about. I would like to see Jane at fullback and Mils rested against Italy though, with Smith and Guildford on the wings, just to get a glimpse at what can happen. Because while Mils did have a couple of runs in that game, they never really went anywhere.

On another note I want to talk about the Air New Zealand Cup final and my love-him/hate-him player, Colin Slade. Slade had a brilliant first half, but was really inconsistent overall and that is symptomatic of his season, I think. I'd rather see you on the wing, really. And sucky, Wellington. Though at least we get more people to watch our finals.

In the leadup to the Tri-Nations this year, I was particularly buoyed by this release on the Welsh RFU's website. It came after all of the vitriol of the Iveco series, where the All Blacks had been blasted from all quarters. There was that loss to the dastardly French, the comeback win [but the coaches didn't tell the players the maths required], the beating of Mathieu Bastareud and criticisms of New Zealand's thug-like nature, and the 'close-fought' win over the Italians, which was compared to the way the Australian side thrashed them in two matches.

So on that day that I happened to flick to the WRFU site, for whatever reason - I think I was trying to see if they'd play us in their canary-feather uniform - I was quite happy to read that. I shared it with fellow dropkicks, I had a slight spring in my step. Because no matter what the journos down here said, we were still seen as being awesome up there.

Partly, this would have to be to do with the WRFU's fantastic attempts to embellish a rivalry with us. A rivalry founded on the fact you've never, ever, beaten that other team [update: in living memory] is a hard one to maintain, but they've done it. There was the whole 'here's a haka I prepared earlier' situation in 2006 [anyone got video of that?], the pilfering of Warren Gatland, the 6 Nations victory last year and the high hopes that the team would finally beat the All Blacks, and not to mention the violent bludgeoning of the Welsh side in 2005, by Dan Carter and Rico Gear.

My main question ahead of this year's test was whether or not the pitch would be in better condition this year - the 2006 game was played on a pitch described as 'a boggy disgrace'. I wasn't going to start thinking about the matchups until the week of the game. But then my self-appointed nemesis, Chris Rattue [shakes fist], wrote this piece, which was in turn picked up by Wales and used in a sort of Any Given Sunday speech. This brought the game to immediate prominence in my mind. So much so that when I saw the headline 'Wales Stars Can't Play ABs' in a Sunday News left on my desk over the weekend, I actually read it.

It appears that Premier Rugby, the organisation which runs the club championship in England, is refusing to allow Welsh players on its books to play for their national team in the match, because the test doesn't fit within the IRB's official test window. Just imagine the furore if the French Top 14 refused to allow players like Johnny Wilkinson to play the English match for similar reasons!

I have a bit of sympathy for Wales. Where else are their players to go [aside from France] where they can get experience and stay in form at a time which allows them to peak for their country? Surely their clubs can spare them for two games! What do you reckon?

"A great rugby rivalry was born when a last-minute try to All Black Bob Deans was disallowed, handing the Welsh victory. The incident remains a source of great debate amongst fanatical rugby fans of both nations.

Following a sustained period of attack late in the game it was claimed that Deans had grounded the ball over the try line – only to be dragged back into the field of play by Welsh defenders before the referee arrived"

Source

Wales finally clawed one back for the Northerners by beating Australia 21-18 in what was apparently a very exciting game (two-tries apiece).

Sadly the "Best Sports Website for 2007 and 2008" only has one stock photo of a welsh rugby player and it's at least a year old. Nice work Stuff.

Herald's got the right pic though: Lee Byre, looking happy.

The Welsh Rugby Union is coming under fire from PETA for it's new uniform:

According to PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) each of the new yellow Welsh jerseys requires the plumage of up to forty dead canaries to produce their distinctive bright yellow hue. 

Peter de Villiers named his first South African squad today. And while it doesn't contain many players from the team that won the World Cup (5), it doesn't look at all weak.

South Africa
Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavhanga, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Bolla Conradie; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Brian Mujati, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp.

Reserves: Bismarck du Plessis, C.J van der Linde, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant, Percy Montgomery.

It looks like the type of team that will rip the spirit out of the free running fun-loving Six Nations champs. and then stomp on that spirit until it's dead.

Something to note:

...halfback Ricky Januarie, has been axed after a disciplinary breach. "He was not considered because he broke team protocol and, after handling the matter internally, he has been suspended for one week"

Any guesses? Late night out in Bloemfontein?

As with the Rugby the Dropkicks take a look at the contenders for the Netball World Champs. First up: Pool A

Botswana
­Nickname: None
Colours: Sky Blue, White & Black
Coach: Joseph Makakaba

If you are anything like us your first thought was: “Where’s Botswana again?” Well for a start, Africa, duh. It borders South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Young shooter Tebogo Radipotsane is apparently the one to watch for.

“[Radipotsane] made her mark on the world stage at the 2005 World Youth Cup in Florida, where she finished as the fourth best shooter at the tournament, with 86 percent accuracy.”

Sadly Botswana maybe the netball equivalent of Namibia at the Rugby World Cup. Interesting point to note: they have a male coach.

Malawi
Nickname: The Queens
Colours: Red, green & black
Coach: Griffin Saenda

If you are anything like us your first thought was: “Is Malawi anywhere near Botswana?” No. They’re also much better at netball.

In fact they’ve got a bit of a rivalry with South Africa.

“Malawi’s third appearance at the World Championships is keenly awaited after its 2004 & 2006 COSANA gold medals, and sixth placing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, beating South Africa in the play-offs at all three tournaments.

Malawi drew a three-match series with South Africa in July, 45-all, 35-56 and 38-34”

I expect that Malawi will the team people will cheer for when their own team isn’t playing.

New Zealand
Nickname: Silver Ferns
Colours: Black & Silver
Coach: Ruth Aitken

Unlike the All Blacks, the Silver Ferns kick ass. They have won the World Champs four times! (1967, 79 jointly, 87 and 2003).

“From 22 July 2003 to 20 July 2006 the Silver Ferns won nine of their eleven matches against arch-rivals Australia”

However they’ve lost recent games, but y’know what? It doesn’t matter! Why? Because New Zealand has the best netball player in the world: Irene van Dyk. And blind faith, lots and lots of blind faith.

More on our girls later.

Wales
­Nickname: None
Colours: Red and White, Black and White
Coach: Denise Ellis

Isn’t funny how at certain World Champs (football, rugby, netball) the home nations split up, but in others (Olympics, league) they band together. Here Wales are all on their own. The Welsh are another team looking to the womenfolk to make amends for the menfolks inability to win.

Unfortunately aren’t as good at netball as they are at rugby. Still they beat Scotland in the build up matches and want to give Malawi and Botswana a run for their money. Likelihood of that: slim.

­

Those ARC guys have started a campaign on Facebook to “Save the Wales”. Accompanied by a brilliant bit of art by the talented Fraser Davidson.

Clearly the Japanese intend to beat Wales, this must be a breach of international convention.

So if you think the Wales need saving get in there. Personally I'd like to see Japan harpoon the buggers.