World Cup curse of crashing Kiwis
Get used to it New Zealand. Come October there will be another heartache semi-final exit as yet another of New Zealand’s national teams implodes.
The Black Caps were smashed in their last three matches at the Cricket World Cup and the manner of defeat against Sri Lanka reminded me so much of the All Blacks last two rugby semi-final exits.
The Black Caps couldn’t cope with the pressure of the occasion. Their fielding was ordinary, their bowling indifferent and their batting exposed as brittle. The New Zealand batting, so powerful in the early part of the tournament, folded with the weight of expectation. It surely is a sign of things to come with the All Blacks.
Cape Town, in 2005, and Rustenburg, in 2006, were evidence enough to know that the All Blacks are more than capable of that one horror match a year. And to lose the World Cup all they need to do is be true to form and produce that shocking 80 minutes against the Springboks.
Already their management are talking up the brutality of the Springboks. Already there is doubt within the All Blacks camp. Influential members of the All Blacks keep on reminding the public that victory at this year’s World Cup is not a done deal and that South Africa, in particular, pose a real threat.
It is as if they are preparing their public for the worst and the Springboks in Jake White’s squad know the only team the All Blacks fear physically are the boys in green. There is a disregard in New Zealand for the challenge of England, Wales and even Ireland. The New Zealanders simply believe they can’t lose to those players. There is a respect for Australia and France, only because the two have done New Zealand in the World Cup at the last two semi-final appearances.
But there is genuine fear that the Springboks will be physically too potent in a one-off situation. And it is a fear the Boks can already smell.
It is interesting how many of the current Bok squad have privately noted how much respect the Boks are being given in New Zealand. As some have said, it is as if New Zealand are already talking themselves into defeat.
White has the squad to beat the All Blacks, but his job will be all that easier if the All Blacks have already beaten themselves before kick-off.
I loved watching the Black Caps getting smashed. A World Cup semi-final implosion. Get used to it New Zealanders. This one is minor to what’s coming in October in Paris.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:31 am
nice discussion here. sorry i been working so damn hard i missed it!
April 26th, 2007 at 7:40 am
239 Pietman,
Yep, many of the expats here are not worth knowing. Some are very raciest believe it or not. Some are just mean. Many are good though.
Philippines has 10% more land than New Zealand but 2200% more people! (88 million vs 4 million)
You can congradulate the Catholic Church on the fine population effort
April 26th, 2007 at 7:40 am
munki
Same here, popping in and out.
But it has been interesting indeed.
Kia has made some observations worth pondering.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:42 am
251 munkiboi,
Pietman will be back. Still early in Korea
April 26th, 2007 at 7:45 am
252 Ok, not just the church. Also an economy/social intrastructure/culture where income is all about the family. Children are a retirement income plan
April 26th, 2007 at 7:49 am
keo, shut up.
If NZ are expected to fold they wont.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:51 am
i’ve been driving all over Auckland the last few hours between home and office checking you guys out, ha ha.
Sensible discussions in here today, a touch of reality is good.
April 26th, 2007 at 8:07 am
What a bunch of Clueless rugby folk we have here.
The only way that the All Blacks can lose to the Boks is if SA lose to England in the pools. – Is that the Great SA plan to win the WC?
April 26th, 2007 at 8:14 am
#217
Where did i say in my post that there was no racism in NZ?
Tell me why are you here
April 26th, 2007 at 8:25 am
HAHAHAHAHA, this article was no doubt written BEFORE the second semi-final.
The performance by SA against Australia was a HORRIFIC CHOKE much worse then the Kiwis effort.
And SA has now choked VERY BADLY in the last THREE cricket world cups and the last TWO rugby world cups.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones!!
April 26th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Tomsta and Munkibooi
If you guys are SURPRISED that you have encountered racism in New Zealand then you don’t know that much about human nature.
Many people, all over the world are racist or hold some form of racist attitude. In fact I’m sure that you and me and everyone reading this post are racist in some way and discriminate in some way, consciously or unconciously. Did you think that NZ somehow missed out on this human characteristic? I try not to be racist and so do most people.
South African politicians tried to institutionalise racism and make it normal. This was a foolish and disastrous thing, and look how SA is suffering the consequences now.
As for NZ, yes it has its share of racist people like all countries. However the UN notes that NZ has a high level of integration and racial tolerance. It doesn’t really matter what colour you are in NZ and that’s one of the things I love about it.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:06 am
By the way Munkibooi, Welcome to Godzone. Don’t worry, you’ll soon settle in. It took me about one day.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Only way to face Nz in the semi’s is to lose to England in group stage and then beat beat Aus on 1/4 final.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:45 am
The article is not mouthing off about facing the AB’s and beating them in the semis, it simply highlights that in a one off test of significance at the WC the boks have the potential to derail the AB’s, bearing the AB track record when they carry the favourites tag.
Meeting and Beating them in the final is a given.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:46 am
I retract my previous comment… re: Semis.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:28 am
good lord, it seems ok for the australasians to ham it up with us, but as soon as the boot is on the other foot, the tears start.
grow a sense of humour, do u honestly think we dont all know how munificent the kiwis are?
actually the responses probably say alot, sounds like worry to me, obviously alot of pressure to win this one.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Nice work by the Proteas yesterday…lekker!
April 26th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Well I thought keo’s jibe was quite funny.
We have tried every tactic under the sun and have come up short when it has mattered most. Until we get over the hump and actually win a second RWC, we deserve what is dished up to us.
Chokers, it is a harse and abrasive name tag. But if the cap fits?
April 26th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Hmmm.. I was wondering, in all the earlier postings where certain individuals seem to enjoy defending the aptly named “quota system” saying that it is -unfair- to have a team that is predominantly white in a predominantly black country, why is it that no one thinks its unfair that while there is no cap on the number of black players in the 1st 15, there is still a cap on the number of whites? Isn’t this quite racist as well? It seems like the whites are being made to pay the price for the sins of their forebears.
If the “blacks” are talented like paulse habana pietersen etc then i would pick them in a heartbeat. But wouldn’t it be better for SA rugby if say they had a team like this
1.Os
2. John Smit
3. CJ van de Linde
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Venter/Skinstad
9. du Preez/ Pienaar
10. Pretorius/steyn
11. Habana
12. de Villiers
13. Fourie
14. Steyn
15. Percy
Hmm seems to me that this would be useful in a tight game where you have at least 4 ppl with huge boots to play for territory. Steyns 60 m drop kicks would be better than whatever the Ndungane brothers could pull off
April 26th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
sorry theres only 1 black in there though.. but IMO the only other spot you could put a black in on ability is the other wing…
April 26th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Delek, #261.
I shake your hand and welcome you with a hug (a manly hetrosexual hug). Slap you on the back and say thanks for coming.
We aint perfect. Thats’s a fact. But some of us try.
And thanks to you for trying.
Cane.
April 26th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Get used to it South Africa, because come October,,,,Keo you are a ******* joke.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Another STUPID article by KEO
Looks like KEO has stumbled accross some of that funny tobacco again.
Digging your own grave again, KEO ?
April 27th, 2007 at 6:32 am
From time to time Keo over-medicates on that bone-throwing muti he takes and he suffers a massive mental cramp called “Wishful Thinking”.
Then people like me have to talk him down from his madness.
It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.