KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
john
It is interesting that leading up to the last two World Cups the AB's won the Tri-Nations and failed to carry that form through. I am sure that those managing the AB's have plans and strategies in place to ensure that our team are in the best possible shape for the world cup. While winning the Tri nations would be good if and when we win the World Cup, that will be what this team is remembered for , not losing the Tri nations.
Andy (Kiwi in London)
Jeanette,
your comments about the hard men of the past are by no means new ones. We still look up to the Meads boys (as a perfect example) with regularity. Things were different then, especially the media which now scrutinizes each players every move and we know so much more about the long term effects of injuries. therefore we deal with them in different (and more informed ways).Secondly, if rugby is so boring, why are you proactively commenting in an online rugby forum about it? I'm bored by gardening- you certainly won't find me commenting on a gardening page about it.As a Kiwi living in London, i'm always proud of the ABs efforts, the ups and downa are what makes it so gripping. All the best lads!
Nzausse
61-13 Joke, 22-19 A Test, AB-SA Durban We'll see.
A true Kiwi fan
As usual the great New Zealand attitude of moaning about how the All Blacks aren't good enough. They are too big for their boots so lets tell them how soft and useless they are. The majority of people, (but not all) think we're gonna lose. Well I'm here to answer the question, yes I believe this is the team that is good enough to beat the boks. This is the team, from the players available, that is good enouugh do the job. Go Hard boys, don't believe the negative clowns you are good enough.
Marcus Joseph (Maori in Hawaii)
I think this is a pretty strong team, I would have to disagree with Oliver and Mauger. I would go with Mealamu and Mcalister, don't get me wrong they are awesome players but lack the X factor the rest of the AB's have. Other than that, this is the perfect side.
Jeanette
The All Blacks are not hard enough - like those farmers and real kiwi men from the old days. They have been pampered and wrapped in cotton wool too much and need to harden up. They will lose. Rugby is a boring game to watch, too many stoppages and fake injuries and kicking!
Fili (Sydney)
A very strong combination and a smart move to bring Mealamu on during the latter stages although most would prefer him to start. Otherwise, it's a pretty balanced outfit but perhaps Nick Evans would feel hard done by and I would've chosen him ahead of MacDonald on the bench - even as fullback cover. I'm pretty confident the All Blacks will win, especially how Thorne is not in the squad because the Springboks would've swallowed him whole the way he's going. We need a bit more mongrel and aggression and perhaps Lauaki and Nonu will provide that when they get their chance to start the other tests - hopefully. The All Blacks will struggle but their class will eventually carry them through, no doubt.
All Blacks by 14.
Vic (Perth)
The ABs will win all games this season and go through unbeaten WC champions. Thats my fantasy and I'm sticking to it!
Cruis
I think we will be tested and it will be a 27-26 scoreline to us against SA. I don't think we will deserve the win however. I also can't see why they haven't got Nick Evans on the bench to run around the forwards once they get tired in the last 20 minutes, not to mention his huge kicking game. Biggest threat to NZ's Rugby World Cup? Argentina in quarter final will be a wake up as call and SA in final will be a great game.
Ed (Auckland)
I think the All Blacks have what it takes to win all tournaments this year. They've prepared more than other countries. If we look at past results of Super 14 & the Boks dominating at the moment than we should see the All Blacks have the upper hand where nobody is expecting them to win. The Boks are only good at home, with or without their good players. A lot of the All Black players haven't even opened up yet. The Boks had two big wins against England. Failed to hammer Samoa and just beat Aussie with two late drop goals. I don't see them beating the All Blacks if they rely on drop kicks. I back Graham Henry's methods and commend his work & will be supporting the All Blacks on their road to winning all trophies this year.
G Rover (Auckland)
Yip, the ABs will put South Africa away this weekend. I agree with some of the other comments that our lineout could be a weak point with our front line guys either unavailable or injured, but it is only a small part of the equation. Our front row will deliver a stable platform, Richie, the enforcers (Collins and So'oialo) and Flavell will dominate the breakdowns and secure go forward ball which will give our backline (the most destructive in world rugby at the moment) the chance to open up the Boks like a bag of chips. I'm sure the trophy cabinet will be well stocked come 21 July. The World Cup will be interesting, the French, Aussies and Boks will all be tough but surely the favourites get to win sometimes? Bring it home boys.
13thwarrior
That clutch cargo looking Rawlinson is overated and over there, ABs to lose it this weekend because of that useless waste of time.
Ti Leha (Tonga)
I believe that the AB's will win the TN and even the WC later in the year cause of their skills and speed around the field is just outstanding that you cannot compare it to any of the other teams.
Shane
The AB's will go all the way. We have the best 15, 22 and 30 which will all count when it matters.
How to win: Simple score more points then the other team. When you can afford to keep Gear and Lukeyboy out of your 15 and 22 we have got things pretty good. However we do choke when it counts most, you never know.
Bruce
On this occasion, unfortunately no. The Springboks to win by 3 points, as they did against Australia.
'Los' Springfield, (Brisbane, Queensland)
I'm sorry to say this but the ABs won't win the Tri-Nations this year and I can't see them winning the RWC. Why you ask? Simply coz Henry and co don't see the Super 14 or the Tri-Nations as their main focus, their main focus is the RWC. Like I said before, when you care less about the S/Final loss in the S14 and don't see losing the Tri-Nations as a big thing because your pounding to the NZ Rugby public, it's all about the RWC, then you lose the greatest power the ABs have had over all our opponents for the last 100yrs, that fear factor. The more important a test win for an AB side was always paramount, now their willing to pick and chose what they fight to win and when they choose to put in their biggest fight, like the RWC. If we can't win finals Rugby now, we will never win the Big games, just ask two time RWC Champions Australia who in 91 and 99 were never favourites and won the big games. And to think, in those two occassions, the Aussies brushed us aside to win the RWC in the semis. Remember this one for the Wallabies, 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog'
Arron
The Boks don't deserve to be on the same park as the AB's when taking into account individual talent and attitude to the game. They are obsessed with kicking, especially drop kicks, which should be removed from rugby altogether as they promote negative play (Hulle speel nie rerig rugby nie, hulle skop net). However, they tackle hard (they should be good at it as they are always kicking their possession away), and the AB's love to choke as soon as they get tackled behind the advantage line early in the game. Matfield and Botha will clean out our lineout, especially with Oliver throwing and Williams and Jack missing. So if we get enough ball, and finally show a bit of character, the ABs should win by 25 points. But if things go wrong and the Japies land their drop kicks it may be a very close call. I still think that history will repeat itself and the ABs will choke at the world cup.
Jonty (Hicks Bay)
I believe!
Joseph (Epsom)
I think the ABs are gonna get slaughtered this weekend. The ABs are not up to play at the same intensity as the South Africans for 80 minutes, and this showed against France & Canada. Good that it happens now rather then during the WC.
Steve, All Black Supporter (Cape Town, South Africa)
The Blacks have more class behind the scrum than any other team in Sanza, or the World Cup for that matter, and very few will argue with that. But to display that class or turn it into points, they need ball and that's my biggest fear. Sad to say, but its no longer a given that they will win their own throw-in and that's fatal against "vultures" such as Matfield, Botha, Vickerman and Sharpe. If Henry and the ABs can sort the lineout out, Carter and Co will bring the Tri-Nations and the Webb Ellis Trophies to NZ where they belong. Richie and crew, show some "gees" (Afrikaans for spirit) and hit them where it hurts -on the scoreboard - in the first 15 minutes on Saturday. By doing the latter, it will silence the crowd and as a result thereof, force Bakkies and cronies to make crucial mistakes and what a pleasure for Carter to knock them over. All Blacks, you can if you believe you can. Go for it!
Mama Mia (Auckland)
The Springboks and Wallabies will simply melt in the hands of the mighty All Blacks. Just ask France.
Aisake (Melbourne)
I have no doubt the AB will win the Tri-Nations this year. We have seen the Wallabies raise the bar on the weekend by coming closer, but there is no place for second in this year's rugby calendar. Given the WC in few months time, we are in for a real treat from the AB's and the three wise men. The hopes are high here for a good game with the Wallaby on 30th June, I'm looking forward to give the voice a good run at the MCG and raise the silver fern flag.
Andre (East London)
I think the All Blacks will choke again at the World Cup. They have never beaten Australia in a play off, mentally they don't have it. Australia and South Africa are the teams to take it. Springboks to take World Cup. The Tri-Nations is of no significance this year.
Sam Owen (Sydney)
I couldn't say for sure who will win. The 'Sarth Effricans' with their superbly imaginative attack could play up the tramlines all day and still not run out. Somebody forgot to tell the 'Austrayyylians' that they are crap and they overachieved - then again they didn't really need a drift defence did they? And we 'Nu Zilunders?' It doesn't matter how well conditioned you are, if some 100+kg dude is playing the game of his life against the best in the world, it is going to hurt if he gets you at one of those vulnerable moments. They will take a lot of beating as long as they don't lose more than 10 players to injury.
Andy, London
Based on the weekend's viewing the ABs have to be huge favourites for the 3N. The Boks were very disappointing. 1 dimensional attack, pretty flimsy defence at times, and didn't show much of the buckets of confidence they're supposed to be wallowing in. Their forwards were tough and aggressive as usual (although went backwards in a couple of scrums) but their backline are like a group of headless chickens to be honest. Severely lacking a first-five with vision, distribution and game controlling abilities. The Aussies were surprising, but perhaps more flattered by the Boks floundering as the really should have closed the game out. Their scrum went quite well and their defence was outstanding, but didn't really show much threat with the ball in hand.
In all, I would imagine GH and the boys are quietly happy going into the match this weekend. I would imagine the Boks will play a slower game and kick the ball to attack our lineout a lot. They say tests are won up front, but never heard that tests are won on lineouts. If the Aussie scrum can push them backwards, I think Mr Hayman must be rubbing his hands. Will be tight, but would have to say ABs by 10-12 v SA and about 25 v Aus
Oliver Cromwell
You know what? I'm stick of all of the "who cares about this, that, the other, it's all about the world cup..." I don't want international rugby to be reduced to essentially 3 games: quarterfinal, semifinal, final, every 4 years. And a result invariably decided by some foible from an over-eager referee, touch judge or TMO. Followed by three years of "rebuilding" talk and dodgy tinkering with the laws. Just look what's happening. Our best players are all off to England and France to reap reward for 3 years of club rugby. This will mean 3 years of "ah, but if the AB's had their best players home...". Furthermore this will erode the standard of nothern hemisphere rugby as their younger guys don't get a chance to develop. Take as an example, what happened to English football with the growth in the Premiership after their world cup triumph in 1966. And frankly they're bad enough as it is. The WC has only been around since 1987. Let's forget about it, focus on the Tri-Nations, Bledisloe Cup, and international tours. The All Blacks proudest moments lie in defeating the Lions, completing the NH grand slam, retaining the Bledisloe Cup, series wins in South Africa.
Harry (Shanghai)
NZ are going to win, Aussies had an unfortunate loss against Springboks! Spingboks won with luck and with dropkicks!
Rugby fan (Auckland)
I can't see why the ABs would lose the Tri-Nation. We have the forwards and the backs, With Safas got the forward power, and the Aussies got the backs. But I think the Aussies are the dark horse in this Tri-Nation.
Harry Potter (Bangkok)
All Blacks urgently need a good Travel Agent. To give your team every advantage travel must be keep to a minimum. The All Blacks arrived in Johannesburg at 2.10pm on Sunday after a 14-hour flight from Sydney. They then travelled to a Johannesburg Hotel, unpacked and settled in to the Hotel for the night. On Monday the All Blacks repacked vacated the hotel,
travelled to the airport for the 1 hour flight to Durban. If the All Blacks flew straight to Durban on Sunday they would be a lot fresher and would have saved themselves 2 trips between Johannesburg airport and their hotel plus unpacking and repacking in Joburg. Travel was one of Coach Harts downfalls with his French Holiday during the 1999 World Cup. The same may be the case with Coach Henry's little break in Corsica this World Cup.
Dan Kawhia
The abs will not win the Tri-Nations for two reasons.
1) Team and individual performances are some way off.
2) Our number one team including the reserves will not be on the park.
Last World Cup I managed to speak to Deaker and co who poopooed me for saying Australia was our biggest threat, especially after we had just given them a wolloping. Turned out I was right. Had we beaten Australia in that semi we would have over powered England in the second half. Australia still remains our biggest threat this world cup. ABs to win world cup