As the interview wound down, and talk inevitably shifted to RWC 2011, Williams had this to say:
We can't fear greatness. None of us will be great or superstars if we don't win a Rugby World Cup
That's real frankness from the recalled All Black lock. But most of all, it shows that the biggest fear this All Black team has is fear itself. If they can counter the fear of greatness, they will be great players in a great team.
Williams also suggested that the biggest learning the All Blacks face is to put aside their desire to play attractive rugby, and perfect the art of winning ugly. That is music to our ears, because a RWC final is not going to be a try-fest. As Ali Williams noted, it's far better to play ugly rugby and be ahead by one point when the final whistle blows that to throw the ball around and come up one point short.
This was great stuff from Ali Williams. Welcome back to the All Blacks big fella!
11 comments:
Agreed.
Hopefully I will be seeing some candidates at the Auckland Canturbury Game this afternoon.
It will be my little boys' first of many visits to eden park. I hop tey last the entire game.
But first the siren call of the office as pennance.
Afternoon rugby in the sun; what a treat!
It will be an unusual experience. Sun on the back and all that.
Even odder will trotting along to the same venue on Wednesday to watch the Aucks playing Otago.
Proper rugby is back on our screens despite the very disappointing performance and result by Hawkes Bay yesterday.
There was some intersting talent on display in the Otago/Harbour game on Friday night.
Hey big fella.
We can't fear the meek and downtrodden either.
See... it is possible to have it both ways.
Sports psycho babble and motivational claptrap is what preachers use to suck the vulnerable into believing what their agenda is.
'We will try to win the RWC' is good plain talk. I thought the right wing loved plain speak.
Sarah Palin and George Bush and John Key do! Ha!!!
PDM see you at the game next week at Maclean Park! I'm coming in off the farm for that one. My old university town vs my birthplace and where I've lived for 70 odd years. My money is on the home team.
Back from the game so a report.
Also monitoring the patrons as they leave.
Just pointed out to one that my yard is not a urinal.
Eden Park, small crowd. the rule nazis made me empty water bottles for a 6 year old and 4 year old.
Consequently I was forced to purchase a beer and cold drinks for the lads. Not cheap. Makes the corner dairy seem like pack'n save.
Ticket scanners are a pain as are the yellow vested jobsworths.
Purchased my tickets using cash. Cashier not prepared for folding stud and messed around interminalbly with my change.
Once inside the ground even with a small crowd only a few food bars open with queues to africa and back again.
Lots of jobsworths standing around watching and doing nothing but holding clip boards.
Things need to pick up before the RWC otherwise it will be a cock up.
Oh and the game wasn't that bad. Some good trys but some of the handling was not as it should be.
The right team one.
'rule nazis.' 'jobsworths'. 'forced to order beer.'
'ticket scanners are a pain' 'messed around interminalbly' 'queues to africa' 'and back' 'cock-up'
all class and no grumbles from the 'conservative' and 'relaxed' right wing as usual.
It's a dagger through the heart of Rugby! The sky is falling!
One Alex was there and one was not. On balance, I'll go for the eye-witness account.
Fox News is good at impartial measured eyewitness accounts too.
Alex,
You should hear me when I am pissed off.
I heard a lot worse about Eden Park waiting in the queue for the said beer and refreshment.
Alex - I won't be there as tomorrow we head to the King Country. HB will need to improve a lot even with home ground advantage - still I will be cheering them on.
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