Donal Lenihan, Auckland
AUCKLAND really has gone rugby mad with World Cup fever just about gripping everybody. It is almost impossible to turn a corner without someone sticking out his tongue at you or doing an impromptu Haka in your face. As a spectacle I quite like the Haka actually but if this continues, things could get a bit out of hand.
One also gets the impression that while the nation is firmly behind the All Blacks in the quest to end their twenty four year world cup nightmare, Graham Henry's tweaking with selection for their opening encounter against Tonga has not gone down well with eight changes in total from the side that lost recently to Australia.
Former second row Colin Meads was recently voted the greatest All Black in history and as a consequence, when he talks, New Zealanders listen. In his opinion new Zealand have the best 15 players in the competition so in his opinion it is now up to the coaches to prepare the side properly. Oh and by the way, all of New Zealand will be watching. No prizes then for guessing who is going to get the brunt of the abuse if another New Zealand World Cup campaign goes pear shaped.
Of some consolation to Henry is that in a list of the New Zealand Herald's top six public enemies in rugby, the coach is currently in sixth place with his status to be reassessed by October 23rd - the date of the World Cup final. Top of the list is New Zealand born, Australian out half Quade Cooper whose recent spats with All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw haven't exactly endeared him to his former countrymen.
Cooper is currently the subject of a vicious campaign through his Twitter account but the Wallaby wonder kid seems to be taking it all in his stride. Should he inspire a third Australian World Cup success at the expense of the locals he had better be careful.
Another interesting inclusion in the list is Sunday Times rugby writer Stephen Jones who is ranked public enemy number three. Apparently he doesn't rate the New Zealanders and has never spared them in their hour of need.
Despite Henry's success ratio with the All Blacks and his ability to deliver Tri Nations, Bledisloe Cup and Nothern Hemisphere Grand Slams by the truck load over his seven year tenure, it is clear that the only thing that matters in this part of the world is getting their hands on that magnificent William Webb Ellis trophy. Having witnessed firsthand grown men and women in floods of tears at the Millennium Stadium four years ago when France dumped them out of the tournament, I dread to think of their reaction if they fall short once again on this occasion.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/7EMBqK4sjKI/post.aspx
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