Questions loom over what’s going wrong with the All Blacks, Warriors mauled by the Panthers & Kiwi on top at Belgian Grand Prix. Video / Sky Sport / Spark Sport
OPINION:
Chris Rattue runs through his winners and losers from the world of sport.
WINNER: This tip will help turn the All Blacks around
It has fallen on this column to offer New Zealand Rugby a bit of advice from the Bleeding Obvious Department.
People, you need to hire agood rugby league coach to help Ian Foster's All Blacks.
Indeed, New Zealand rugby as a whole needs more league influence to keep up with the rest of the world.
Seriously.
Former Kiwi league forward David Kidwell's impact on Argentina must be seen as important after their stirring Christchurch victory, even though he has had a short and limited role under belligerent Aussie Michael Cheika so far.
Juan Cruz Mallia celebrates with Pumas defence coach David Kidwell. Photo / Getty
Rugby is dotted with influencers such as current France assistant Shaun Edwards and Ireland coach Andy Farrell, two league legends who have re-shaped the 15-a-side code.
In Europe, this league factor extends to premiership teams who in turn influence the national sides. League men like Dave Ellis and Mike Ford have been integral to the impressive development of European rugby. Indeed, Ellis was once part of the All Blacks setup, in more successful times.
Even England's all-powerful women's team has been coached for a long time by Simon Middleton, a former top club league player.
It's one of the areas where New Zealand rugby has fallen behind.
I'm no expert, as emailers to my desk repeatedly point out. But if it's good enough for England, France, Ireland etc. to let league coaches guide their teams, then it should be good enough for Fozzie's Flops.
Because New Zealand no longer leads the world in knowing how to play successful rugby.
I still hear rugby people bemoaning league's claustrophobic influence on union, saying it has wrecked their dear old game. I understand what they are saying.
But Kiwi rugby has sat on its hands letting old men rub their bellies and drool over old glories while the rest of the rugby world allows desperation and innovation to drive their ambition.
This is why so many New Zealanders wanted Scott Robertson to take over the All Blacks. The man has energy, a willingness to find fresh ideas, exuberance and vitality. There is a unique authenticity to his persona that you simply can't coach.
It's also why New Zealand Rugby's big mistakes included allowing an old retired coach like Graham Henry to dictate their coaching selection.
Stereotypically, league coaches help rugby union in defensive areas.
However, the All Blacks' attack looks dated. Whereas a team like Ireland has clusters of powerful players running decoys and angles, the All Blacks shovel the ball around like it's in 1980, leaving lone players facing expert defensive systems.
A dejected Will Jordan after the All Blacks' loss. Photo / Photosport
Unfortunately, the days when Christian Cullen ruled the rugby world so magnificently are long gone. The game is about systems and playmakers need to engage defensive lines.
A lot of what the All Blacks did against Argentina on Saturday night would be described as ineffective one-out running in league parlance. This is necessary at times, but ball carriers need options to beat the best defences.
The main exception in Christchurch came when Rieko Ioane drifted sideways and fed a teammate into a gap, creating a long-range All Blacks attack with a league-like play.
And it goes without saying that while learning how to defend, coaches and players naturally get ideas about how to attack.
The best hand-to-hand attack by a New Zealand side over the weekend came from the Black Ferns, who had to battle hard for victory over Australia in Adelaide. Some of their interchanges were spectacular.
If the world's best teams are employing defences powered by league knowledge, then the best way to unlock that is to incorporate league attack methods into your game.
The All Blacks could give Kiwi great Steve Kearney a call. The Melbourne Storm might be prepared to give Craig Bellamy's well-respected assistant a sabbatical in the Rugby World Cup year.
WINNERS: Argentina
Congratulations to coach Michael Cheika, their magnificent captain Julián Montoya and co. Those scenes of celebration in Christchurch were inspiring.
The Pumas will be back at work by now, plotting the All Blacks' demise in Hamilton.
In days gone by, the Kiwi rugby public would have confidently predicted a fiery and intelligent response from the All Blacks. But I'm not sure that this squad has it in them.
LOSER: Ian Foster…
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
…for whinging about some of the refereeing after the historic loss to Argentina. The All Blacks are such bad losers and have been for a long time.
LOSERS: Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith
The All Blacks trio opened their mouths (when invited to do so by the media I presume), and now they are fixed in time as the men who backed Ian Foster and helped save his job.
Bad move people.
While some fans may have been sucked in by the player support, many will have quite rightly distrusted the statements as being made in self-interest.
I've actually heard of players complaining privately in recent years that there are no new ideas in the All Blacks camp.
Bottom line: Players' public statements should not dictate coaching policy.
WINNERS: The Turquoise Terrors
That was quite some fashion statement by Argentina, whose squad was brightly decked out in Christchurch. It gave Argentina an aura of modern energy, whereas the dour All Blacks look like a team trapped in the past.
I'm not sure if turquoise will catch on though.
LOSERS: Soothsayers…
…who allowed themselves to be fooled by the All Blacks' win in Johannesburg. The Springboks were very poor in that game. The result enabled Foster to save his job as All Blacks coach, but the game itself told a very different story if you could look past the scoreboard.
WINNERS/LOSERS: Black Ferns
A re-jigged side won a gripping test against Australia, but they were pushed much harder than expected and I don't think the game did anything to improve confidence around their World Cup chances. Coach Wayne Smith has a lot of work to do in a short space of time and with limited opportunities. The Aussies put in some mighty hits, while the Black Ferns' ball handling was superb at times.
WINNERS: The Warriors (not really)
Warriors players after getting thrashed by the Panthers. Photo / Photosport
The Wests Tigers faded against the Dragons in the penultimate NRL round meaning the Warriors will go into the final game knowing they cannot end up with the wooden spoon.
The Warriors were their usual hopeless selves as they were crushed by the Panthers.
WINNER: Emotion
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are league forwards who operate on their emotions.
The two big Kiwis clashed as the Roosters and Storm went toe-to-toe in the latest round of the NRL, a reminder of days when individual battles made the game so great.
Unfortunately, player substitutions have diluted this wonderful aspect of rugby league.
LOSERS: Triathlon
Why on earth does it take a sport so long to carry out a simple investigation? According to Triathlon New Zealand, the world body will take up to three months to work out if Hayden Wilde's Commonwealth Games silver medal should be upgraded after he was hit by a time penalty in Birmingham.
Three months? Seriously? It's not Watergate.
WINNER: Anoosheh Ashoori
Ashoori is a 68-year-old British-Iranian who spent five years in a frightening Iranian prison, and emerged as a marathon runner.
The retired engineer, who was accused of spying, attempted suicide three times in the interrogation facility.
He even ran in small circles when denied gym facilities to build his stamina, and turned to things such as poetry to give his life meaning in captivity.
He will run October's London Marathon to raise money for the organisations which supported him.
Amazing.
WINNER: Vanessa Bryant
Kobe Bryant's widow struck a blow for decency when she won a civil case against Los Angeles County, after employees shared photos of the helicopter crash scene which claimed nine lives including those of the basketball legend and one of his daughters. The photos included images of bodies.
Boundaries have shifted in the digital age, and the concept of privacy is one of the many things that have been skewed forever.
WINNERS: Liverpool, but...
The 9-0 drubbing of Bournemouth has them back on track in the English Premier League. Amazingly, Mo Salah didn't score any of the goals, missed two chances and didn't even have an assist.
