Comments on: All Blacks v. Australia http://www.ruggaworld.com/2009/10/31/all-blacks-v-australia/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:48:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: out wide http://www.ruggaworld.com/2009/10/31/all-blacks-v-australia/comment-page-1/#comment-415145 out wide Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:43:23 +0000 http://www.ruggaworld.com/?p=12464#comment-415145 As Dobson wrote there was plenty hanging on this match with the Wallabies who take on England next Saturday and the AB's vs Wales both wanting to get their tours off on a good note. The near capacity crowd of 45 000 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo was appreciative of some good rugby which is significant given that Japan will host RWC 2019. Despite the Aussies having had no rugby since the last time the 2 sides met in Wellington 6 weeks ago, they played some good running rugby with Genia, Ioane and Ashley-Cooper cutting holes in the otherwise impenetrable AB defence and it was the Wallabies that deservedly went into halftime 16-13 ahead after a Ryan Cross try was awarded by Mark Lawrence when he lost patience with the Japanese TMO. Good to see a ref taking a stand on these drawn out TMO decisions and Lawrence as usual had a good game letting play flow nicely. The kiwis have had success at this stadium before - it was here at the 1964 Olympics that Peter Snell won gold in the 800 and 1600m. Henry must have reminded the AB's of that at halftime because they improved their game in the 2nd half. The first half stats deservedly had the Wallabies ahead in the important areas of time in the opposition 22 and breakdown turnovers won but the kiwis turned that around largely through the efforts of Ritchie McCaw who was named man of the match. In the end NZ won the game 32-19 on the back of an early second half try conjured up by excellent play by the 2 Wellington players Corey Jane and Conrad Smith followed by 4 penalties put over by a limping Dan Carter who has now scored more than 200 points vs Australia. Even though the fate of the Bledisloe Cup had been decided during the previous 3 games in 2009 between the trans Tasman rivals, in winning for the 4th time this year New Zealand ensured that they now have a 7-game winning streak vs Australia. In a nice touch, the massive Bledisloe Cup was handed to McCaw with former Japanes PM Mori and present NZ PM Key on the field. The Headmaster, Henry even allowed himself a smile at the end of the match. Despite some difficulties with TMO decisions being lost in translation and players having to cover up tats earlier this week both sides said they had really enjoyed immersing themselves in Japanese culture. Word is that next year's halfway to Europe game could be in the USA after the successful Hong Kong and Tokyo games. The spin doctors say this all part of growing the game in Asia and America but just how many $$'s did the ARFU and NZRU add to their war chests out of this on the road game? Not a bad move by the NZRU - take the AB players out of the Air NZ Cup final rounds to protect them from the merciless injury prone rugby seen between Canterbury and Hawkes Bay and Wellington vs Southland this weekend and make a whole lot of $$'s out of them playing a warmup game for the EOYT. As Dobson wrote there was plenty hanging on this match with the Wallabies who take on England next Saturday and the AB’s vs Wales both wanting to get their tours off on a good note. The near capacity crowd of 45 000 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo was appreciative of some good rugby which is significant given that Japan will host RWC 2019. Despite the Aussies having had no rugby since the last time the 2 sides met in Wellington 6 weeks ago, they played some good running rugby with Genia, Ioane and Ashley-Cooper cutting holes in the otherwise impenetrable AB defence and it was the Wallabies that deservedly went into halftime 16-13 ahead after a Ryan Cross try was awarded by Mark Lawrence when he lost patience with the Japanese TMO. Good to see a ref taking a stand on these drawn out TMO decisions and Lawrence as usual had a good game letting play flow nicely.

The kiwis have had success at this stadium before – it was here at the 1964 Olympics that Peter Snell won gold in the 800 and 1600m. Henry must have reminded the AB’s of that at halftime because they improved their game in the 2nd half. The first half stats deservedly had the Wallabies ahead in the important areas of time in the opposition 22 and breakdown turnovers won but the kiwis turned that around largely through the efforts of Ritchie McCaw who was named man of the match. In the end NZ won the game 32-19 on the back of an early second half try conjured up by excellent play by the 2 Wellington players Corey Jane and Conrad Smith followed by 4 penalties put over by a limping Dan Carter who has now scored more than 200 points vs Australia.

Even though the fate of the Bledisloe Cup had been decided during the previous 3 games in 2009 between the trans Tasman rivals, in winning for the 4th time this year New Zealand ensured that they now have a 7-game winning streak vs Australia. In a nice touch, the massive Bledisloe Cup was handed to McCaw with former Japanes PM Mori and present NZ PM Key on the field. The Headmaster, Henry even allowed himself a smile at the end of the match.

Despite some difficulties with TMO decisions being lost in translation and players having to cover up tats earlier this week both sides said they had really enjoyed immersing themselves in Japanese culture. Word is that next year’s halfway to Europe game could be in the USA after the successful Hong Kong and Tokyo games. The spin doctors say this all part of growing the game in Asia and America but just how many $$’s did the ARFU and NZRU add to their war chests out of this on the road game? Not a bad move by the NZRU – take the AB players out of the Air NZ Cup final rounds to protect them from the merciless injury prone rugby seen between Canterbury and Hawkes Bay and Wellington vs Southland this weekend and make a whole lot of $$’s out of them playing a warmup game for the EOYT.

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