We timed things perfectly last night. We drove into Wellington to the Phoenix game, because the stadium was advertising $10 parking. We were on the motorway within ten minutes of the end of the 'Nix's 2-1 victory over Sydney FC. And we pulled into our driveway at home moments after the final whistle in the All Black's nail-biting 23-22 win over the Wallabies.
We haven't seen the game yet, so we can't really make informed comment on the minutiae of the contest, but we'll say this; a win is a win is a win. Turn the clock back to the late 1990's/early 2000's where we had to endure a series of last-gasp losses to Australia. The Wallabies had the wood on us, and won matches which they probably shouldn't have, and that is the mark of a good team.
As we predicted they might, the Wallabies faded in the closing stages last night, and the All Blacks put them away. To come from 19-6 and 22-9 down and close out the match shows character, and when the World Cup rolls around next year, that kind of character will be in demand.
And what now for the Wallabies? Three weeks in a row they have built sizeable leads. Twice they have been run down, and last week they only beat South Africa because the Springboks couldn't close the match out when ahead on the scoreboard and in possession. Robbie Deans is now the owner of the longest losing streak - 10 matches - by an Australian coach against New Zealand. We suspect that the psychological damage from last night's match will be significant.
Right; where's the MySky remote?
1 comment:
Have a look INV2 - as you say a win is a win but you will see an All Black team that for the first half looked like last years. I said 24 hours ago that if the AB's lost they would lose it at 9, 10 & 12 and my view is they won it despite 9, 10 and 12. Lets look at the individuals.
9 Goal kicking apart Weepu was poor and he has surely played his last game for the AB's. Passing abysmal and those bloody steps drive me mad.
10 Hard to get a line on Cruden. He suffered from the poor passing of Weepu and the game plan which seemed to be to keep the ball away from him. What he needed was fast service at the start of the game and he didn't get it. His restarts were poor but some good grubbers in the second half. No better than Donald based on todays game.
12. Very average game from Nonu who gave Cruden no help with his poor positional play. Why is he playing halfback at rucks? Actually Smith was no better and missed at least 3 one on one tackles.
Dagg was the pick of the backs but blotted his copybook with that dumb pass to Muliaina when he should have cleared to touch. Even if Muliaina called for the ball he should have known better.
Vito has a long way to go, a bad miss on Elsom, and I thought Slade looked good when he came on. McCaw and Read again leading from the front.
My man of the match - Rocky Elsom,
I have said it before the Aussies are going to be a real threat at the World cup - they are not far off being a very good side and only need Alexander and Holwell back to put some spine into their forwards to win big games.
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