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Speaker: It's the recrimination I don't need …

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  • The Dropkicks,

    And, knowing it was actually the Devil in the numbers is not making us feel better.

    Wellington • Since Sep 2007 • 20 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    I don't want Henry to stay. Why? Because we need a branch and root re-examination of our assumptions and expectations at the international level and the lower tiers that support it. We need to look at how dangerously mono-cultural and monolithic (in playing style and professional approach) of our professional franchises compared to the strength in variety of our old provincial teams and question if the Super 14 is really the best competition to pick our international players from. Grahame Henry is part of our now discredited corporate professional rugby culture, and therefore he can't survive any meaningful review.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    And, knowing it was actually the Devil in the numbers is not making us feel better.

    It was the milk devil on the AB's weetbix!

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    And the Wellington Phoenix are battling along okay too. Not over promising but not disappointing either.

    And the Ottawa Senators are 3-0-0. It's early days, admittedly.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I seriously hope this wasn't any of our people ...

    Drunk intruders punch hole in Monet

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    "And, knowing it was actually the Devil in the numbers is not making us feel better."

    The Devil's in the detail or hadn't you guessed?

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I seriously hope this wasn't any of our people ...

    heh! Crediting our drunken hordes with the ability to locate a Monet is perhaps overly generous. But just to be on the safe side perhaps somebody ought to check on the Rodin on display at Te Papa.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    I'd like to see someone try and punch a hole in a Rodin.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Drunk intruders punch hole in Monet

    No dead bodies or cryptic messages left in blood?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • merc,

    The secret's in de tail, said da cat.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • stephen clover,

    Stephen Jones is a bit like the Redbaiter of NZ rugby, eh?

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    I seriously hope this wasn't any of our people ...

    Me too. That story reminds me of the night England lost to West Germany on penalties at the 1990 World Cup. We were at Wembley (to see the Stones) and lots of the crowd had radios etc to listen the football (while at a Stones concert - go figure).

    When the result came through, a wave of disappointment swept the crowd, and as we filed out of Wembley at the end, a large group of 30-40 english 'fans' started ripping all the hood ornaments off every Mercedes and BMW they could see in the surrounding streets, while singing that charming old ditty, '2 world wars and 1 world cup'.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Hey, I love the scenes from Rugby Ball HQ in Paris!! How about that?? Apart from being a huge bullseye for excited French people, it reminds me of the flying saucer from The Day The Earth Stood Still.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    I was at that concert too RL; one of the most surreal events I’ve been to. Massive Wembley crowd with more than a casual ear and eye cast in the direction of what was happening in Italy (I recall lots of people had portable TVs there too).

    And when the England missed the crucial penalties, it was to the backdrop of “Sympathy ffor the Devil”.

    RB; you don’t really think that’s our boys, do you? Although nothing would surprise…

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    I didn't go to see the Stones but was watching the game from my couch in Herne Hill. The final was poor but for most of the tournament it was a really fine world cup - Roger Milla and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Roberto Baggio and Toto Schillaci, and Gazza's tears. Oh, the memories. Sigh.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • Che Tibby,

    was joking this morning about a fantasy scenario.

    england v argentina in finals (not too unlikely)

    england win right? (grace forbid...)

    then imagine the ditty, "one wee war and one world cup!!"

    (and if it was our people in france, then straight to jail. that monet is exquisite.)

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    The final was poor but for most of the tournament it was a really fine world cup - Roger Milla and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Roberto Baggio and Toto Schillaci, and Gazza's tears. Oh, the memories. Sigh.

    That's a tournament we lost in spite of a host-friendly referee (Schillaci's goal in the semi was offside). The next day I had my high school finals and the examiners turned their frustration into the grilling of a lifetime.

    Thanks for reminding me of this, y'all.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    That Italian team were a delight to watch. The goal by Baggio against Czechoslovakia (yes, before the country partitioned) was one of the best I've ever seen.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • Richard C,

    england win right? (grace forbid...)

    then imagine the ditty, "one wee war and one world cup!!"

    Not to mention the papers. Yer 'Super Soaraway' Sun will just not be able to resist some rowdy, Falklands-related stirring:

    "Paul vows to Sack Argie Defence"

    "Jump-Jet Johnny ready for war"

    "Gotcha! Again!"

    etc...

    Waiheke Island • Since Oct 2007 • 27 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    Me too. That story reminds me of the night England lost to West Germany on penalties at the 1990 World Cup.

    Funny you should mention this Richard, as I was thinking yesterday that this game is similar to the ABs loss yesterday. 1990 was arguably England's best team since 1966 and their best chance to win back the football World Cup. Their failure to do so has led to successive tournaments where, despite continued high expectations and hype, their chances of victory seem to get further and further away.

    Oh, and I started the day with another Hammers loss, not a good omen as it tuned out...

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Peter: But no England team has ever gone into a football world cup touted as the dominant team and favourite in the way that the ABs were before this tournament. Brazil usually and the Dutch in 1978 and 1974 but never England.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • Eric Olthwaite,

    So was the scene at St Lukes mall a couple of hours later, when I dropped to kids off at the movies. People -- men especially -- were wandering about distractedly, hoping that a little commerce night change the subject.

    Men at shopping malls, the whole world's gone topsy-turvy. In all seriousness, about ten minutes after the final whistle I heard a lawnmower start up, a lady a few houses along was mowing the lawns, her husband probably still on the couch weeping through shock inside, her intuition telling her Him Indoors needs to be alone for quite some time.

    I had breakfast a bit later own at a local cafe and there were a lot of people out who never go for walks or Sunday breakfasts, you could just sort of tell.

    And since I've already heard the first talk of "mongrel" on the radio everything should be getting back to normal pretty soon.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 20 posts Report

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    Peter: But no England team has ever gone into a football world cup touted as the dominant team and favourite in the way that the ABs were before this tournament. Brazil usually and the Dutch in 1978 and 1974 but never England.

    I think it was Giovanni who pointed out earlier that there are many parallels between the AB's and Brazil, who didn't win the World Cup between 1970 and 1994 (24 years), who went to several of those interim world cups with absolutely fantastic teams (Socrates, Falcao, Zico anyone?), and who for five long tournaments discovered to their cost that playing the prettiest football doesn't always win you the game.

    Sadly, the beautiful and romantic game often loses to the prosaic, ruthless, and pragmatic :)

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    And in most of those tournaments (74-90) they got eliminated in the game of the Cup (especially in 82 and 86). The 94 side that broke the drought was probably the dreariest of all Brazil sides.

    Part of the reason for this is that opposing sides will spend far more time in analyzing and finding weaknesses in them than other teams. This fact seems to be overlooked by the “All Blacks are Unbeatable” brigade.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    [Brazil,] who went to several of those interim world cups with absolutely fantastic teams (Socrates, Falcao, Zico anyone?), and who for five long tournaments discovered to their cost that playing the prettiest football doesn't always win you the game.

    Sadly, the beautiful and romantic game often loses to the prosaic, ruthless, and pragmatic :)

    Yes, they brought in stodgy, dour Carlos Dunga and it started raining world cups. Then again, the ABs under Henry had it all - a tremendous backline and a steely, formidable forward pack - and on paper ought to have been able to play both kinds of game equally well. But then, come crunch time, they seemed uncertain on which tactic to employ. It helps to know who you are, I guess.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

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