Heavyweight battles
Wednesday saw the heavyweights go at each other both on and off the pitch at the World Cup, with NZRU chief Steve Tew showing almost as much destructive intent as the Georgian forward pack.
The burly Georgians proved to have too much starch for their Eastern European rivals Romania in the only match of the day – a dour affair dominated by the referee’s whistle which only saw one try – but perhaps the biggest blow was struck by New Zealand rugby’s top dog.
The IRB have already copped their fair share of flak at this World Cup, with the minnows and their sympathisers giving them plenty of stick for what appears to be quite an unfair schedule clearly designed to maximise broadcast profits from the global showpiece, but on Wednesday they were confronted with an ultimatum from the host union.
In a carefully timed revelation Tew claimed that unless commercial restrictions imposed on teams which causes the NZRU to lose money in World Cup years were revamped, then the All Blacks would not be attending the next tournament in 2015.
His reasoning was that IRB rules penalised major unions in World Cup years because their regular Test schedules were curtailed and teams were not allowed to promote their own sponsors during the tournament.
The IRB really can’t seem to get anything right, they have managed to give both the big unions and the minnows a raw deal at the same tournament, so whose interests are they protecting?
It would be a bold move on Tew’s part should he actually follow through but it is more likely that he is merely trying to use the publicity gained as leverage for the NZRU to get their own way.
Indeed, All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu said the players and much of the country would be “devastated” if New Zealand withdrew from rugby’s quadrennial showpiece.
“The country wouldn’t been too happy about it, the same as the players… it’d be devastating for us as rugby players to know we couldn’t make it to the next World Cup,” he told reporters.
While this battle was raging off the pitch the Georgians managed to get their second-ever World Cup win under their belts, setting some records along the way.
Beastly Georgian flank Mamuka Gorgodze (Gorgodzilla to his mates) became his country’s leading try-scorer outright when he crashed over for the game’s only try, while the Lelos kicked six penalties in a World Cup match for the first time – and the most by any team at this tournament.
Flyhalf Merab Kvirikashvili kicked five penalties, equalling the most in a match at Rugby World Cup 2011, set by France’s Morgan Parra against Canada. The sixth came from Malkhaz Urjukashvili, who had shared the try-scoring record with Gorgodze before this match.
They say that when elephants fight it is the ground that suffers the most and you had to feel for the poor Arena Manawatu pitch as the bulky Eastern European forward packs tore into each other in Palmerston North.
Stevens packs it away:
England prop Matt Stevens proudly announced that he has recently been crowned the team’s competitive-eating king after seeing off an unnamed rival.
“I beat someone on an eat-off, someone a similar size to me. I was very proud of that moment. It was chocolate and sweets,” said the burly Stevens.
“I wouldn’t take me on in that area,” he added.
No Matt, neither would we, you clearly are a champion.
May I have your autograph?
When it comes to being overawed in the presence of greatness it seems even top rugby players are no different to everyone else.
Nic Johnson, the United States loose forward who turned in a sterling performance in a beaten pack against Italy on Tuesday, admitted afterwards to being blown away merely by being in the presence of his opposite, Italian captain Sergio Parisse.
Such esteemed company made the Americans feel “like we are superstars, when most of us are just amateurs who have given up our lives to be here,” Johnson said.
“I can’t help but get starstruck sometimes. When I see the other players like Sergio in the locker room I want to go up and ask for a photo or an autograph.”
Bad luck of the Irish:
The Irish are getting plenty of opportunity to test their luck, as the team’s hotel in Dunedin is attached to a casino.
One player who hasn’t had any good fortune so far is flank Donnacha Ryan. “I’ve had a go at the slot machines, but the only machine I’m winning on is the ATM,” he said.
Asked if he had tried card counting as a way of beating the house, he quipped: “I gave it a go and my understanding is that there are 52 of them.”
Auld Enemy:
Journalists at a Scotland team press conference on Wednesday seemed determined to goad players into some unguarded anti-English sentiment ahead of their crucial Pool B clash at the weekend.
Are they upset they have had to turn out on “paddy fields” in torrential rain when England have played all three pool matches in a stadium with a roof? Do they feel any sympathy that Jonny Wilkinson is apparently “unhappy with the dimples” on the Gilbert ball? Is the prospect of knocking the auld enemy out of the tournament an added incentive?
Eventually, one Kiwi reporter decided to cut to the chase.
“Tell us, do you loathe England?” he asked scrumhalf Chris Cusiter, who diplomatically dead-batted the question away.
With thanks to RNS
