THIS IS A BOOK BLOG, NOT A SPORTS BLOG BUT AS SEVERAL FRIENDS IN THE BOOK TRADE HAVE BEEN DISPLAYING SIGNS OF DEPRESSION SINCE THE ALL BLACKS EARLY EXIT FROM THE RUGBY WORLD CUP I THOUGHT THIS ARTICLE BY THE CHIEF RUGBY CORRESPONDENT FOR LONDON'S THE INDEPENDENT MIGHT PROVIDE SOME SOLACE.
THE STORY WAS IN THE NZ HERALD THIS MORNING:
Rugby: Henry best off without tarnished trophy
England were brave and courageous, South Africa disciplined and dedicated to defence. So was this a World Cup final to put before the planet via global television? You must be joking.
What South Africa and England churned out in Paris was - in a technical sense - poor, unadventurous, defensive-minded rugby, littered with aimless kicking.
But this isn't rugby as we know it. Nor is it the rugby most people want to see played now or in the future. Sure, the South African nation will celebrate and claim all is well in their land now the mighty Bokke rule the world once again. They'll be deluding themselves if they believe that.
Never mind the frightening crime levels in their country, the nagging poverty and the alarming divisions between whites and blacks, between rich and poor. Winning a World Cup in such an ugly manner hardly reflects well upon either the ultimate champions or the game itself.
South Africa have now played in two Rugby World Cup finals, won them both and not scored a single try in either.
For the rest of Peter Bill's story use this link.
Photograph by Brett Phibbs also taken from NZ Herald October 23.
2 comments:
i totally agree your UK rugby correspondent's comments about boring rugby. the best thing NZ rugby Union could do is to reappoint Henry to the coaching position for the all blacks. after all he has been one of our most successful coaches-outside of the world cup.this would send a strong message to sponsors of the game and NZ fans together with the world followers of the game,saying that it is the sum total of our game over the years that really matters, and the Cup is only one measure of the game at any point in time.
when this nation hosts the next world cup we will have to learn how to be gracious in defeat, great hosts to other nations and show a level of sportmanship that many of us would doubt exists in this country at present.the reputation of NZ as a host country is in jeopardy if we focus entirely on winning the cup. The reappointment of Henry as coach would be an inspiration to all of us to prepare for the posibility of loosing the next cup even if we had played inspiring rugby over the previous years.
philip
Thanks Philip, I agree with your arguement. The French certainly turned it on for their visitors, let us ensure we do the same.
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