Ultimately, it was a day of disappointments…
It started with such promise; evening kick off, sense of excitement, controversy about the Village Idiots comment, the opportunity to show the respect for the Haka not shown in France or ‘HQ’, the chance to score against the best team in the world, the chance to see the best team in the world in the best rugby venue in the world, having a fair few beers with friends to name just a few of the little points of frisson that can make for a crackin’ rugby day.
How sad then that the Haka was, for whatever reason, performed behind closed doors. How, oh so very disrespectful to the supporters of both countries. I want to see the Haka and I am bloody annoyed that some jokers in both unions screwed it up. I mean, we managed to get a bull on the field, for goodness sakes. And what a spectacular poo he had in front of the West stand, too. Very impressive. I do hope the groundsman dug it into the pitch. It looked as if it needed it. It may be the Best Rugby Venue in the World but the pitch is shoite – Roath Rec looked better. And it only has dog poo on it.
How sad then that the Best Team in The World cannot help but cheat, cheat, cheat. Why, if they can beat teams hollow with superior, well, everything, do the All Blacks insist on cheating? Is it compulsive behaviour? Or are they just practicing being the Best in the World at Cynicism, too? Perhaps they feel that they need to keep their hands in (literally and metaphorically, Mr McCaw) so that, if they need to, say, get a penalty just outside the 22/25 to win a game by, oooh, I don’t know, diving out of a lineout, they won’t be so rusty in the Art of Cheating as to blow it and, heaven forbid, lose to a better team?
Surely not.
And I always thought that it was an offence to push at a scrum before the put in…
How sad then that the feel of an All Blacks game is, I’m sorry to say, just not satisfying in the way a good three-courser of Union can and should be. The thing that sets rugby apart is the sense of pressure, of the building of something, the creation of a dynamic that is so different from cricket, football, league. The current All Blacks are almost too efficient; they have re-defined rugby in a more dramatic and complete way than anyone seems to have noticed. Forget the prop-posed changes to the scrum; Henry et al have changed the way the game is played fundamentally. Am I alone in ultimately feeling still hungry for rugby after watching their games? I can’t see any way of really explaining why it leaves me cold but it does. They base their game on being accurate and efficient in all the basics, defending smartly and with a real emphasis on the inside man working harder than anyone else, tackling brutally, cheating and then using the most precise running and passing game to score tries. It is immediately thrilling. But ultimately, whisper it, rather boring to watch.
Oh, I know.
But at least England lost.
I remain, yours truly,
The Village Idiot.
Paul Nolan wrote...
Totally agree, but don't understand why a Welsh forward didn't rearrange Richie McCheat's face.
wilbach says - i think several english and french lads tried... i am not sure i can condone facial disfigurement, though.
ripping the skin off his hands and shoulders with studs sounds good, however.
Posted by: Paul Nolan | November 26, 2006 3:29 PM