Felicitations Thierry

37 comments on “Felicitations Thierry ”

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1. queenstfarmer 1

   25 October 2011 at 12:04 pm

   I was disappointed that neither Richie McCaw or Graham Henry mentioned the French in their post-match interviews

   Keith Quinn offers this theory:

   Quinn told Radio New Zealand this morning there was an attempt to gouge the All Blacks captain’s eye during a ruck towards the end of the match and Thierry Dusautoir, who was last night named International Rugby Board Player of the Year, offered no condolences.
   …
   He thought the incident explained why New Zealand and French players didn’t embrace at the end of the game, and why there was little or no mention about the French team in the speeches after the final.
   • Lanthanide 1.1

     25 October 2011 at 12:19 pm

     Beat me to it.

     Lynn – the delete post button doesn’t seem to work for my #3 comment below. Clicking on it takes me to a wp-ajex page with no content and doesn’t seem to delete the comment.
2. JamesMeager 2

   25 October 2011 at 12:14 pm

   We won. We weren’t outplayed by the French.
   • Puddleglum 2.1

     25 October 2011 at 12:54 pm

     In all sports and competitions, factors other than the ‘play’ of the individuals and teams affect the final outcome (e.g., a freak, ferocious gust of wind could blow aside an otherwise on target, last minute penalty that would shift the game’s result).

     I realise you may just be being assertive of the All Blacks’ right to claim victory, but it glosses the reality to imply that only how the sportspeople play affects a result.

     Put bluntly, it’s entirely possible to be outplayed and still to win.

     That takes nothing away from the All Blacks – they fully deserved to win the tournament and no-one would begrudge them the fact that the ball bounced their way on the night.

     In fact, I think it also resurrects the reputations of the 1999 and 2007 teams by emphasising that, when they choked, they were just unlucky enough to be knocked out. When this team choked – which, given pre-match expectations and form they clearly did (e.g., Weepu’s kicking) – they were lucky enough to still win. 
     • lprent 2.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 4:14 pm

       P: I think he is a bit young to understand what you mean.

       It is only after you have seen the vagaries of chance actually operating over time that you gather an appreciation of how little can separate victory from defeat. His posts and comments generally have a brash certainty of results that I associate with youth, inveterate gamblers, and treasury forecasts.

       😈
   • Colonial Viper 2.2

     25 October 2011 at 1:51 pm

     And we didn’t outplay the French.
     • JamesMeager 2.2.1

       25 October 2011 at 3:47 pm

       Yes, we did.
       • Andrew Geddis 2.2.1.1

         25 October 2011 at 4:01 pm

         We certainly outscored the French. But I think the balance of play was pretty even – the All Blacks looked the better team in the first half, the French finished the stronger.

         There we are – the perfect fence sitting compromise.
         • millsy 2.2.1.1.1

           25 October 2011 at 6:52 pm

           Yeah, thats what I reckon as well, very tight and even match. Could have gone either way. You really dont see games like scorelines of 8-7 anymore.
3. Lanthanide 3

   25 October 2011 at 12:19 pm

   Have you seen this?
   http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5845375/Richie-McCaw-eye-gouged-in-final-Quinn

   “French players tried to eye-gouge All Black captain Richie McCaw toward the end of the Rugby World Cup final, Kiwi commentator Keith Quinn says.”

   “He thought it explained why New Zealand and French players didn’t embrace at the end of the game or trade pleasantries in the speeches.”
4. higherstandard 4

   25 October 2011 at 12:21 pm

   Mike can you forward this to the Labour party.
   • McFlock 4.1

     25 October 2011 at 12:43 pm

     Labour will be graceful in victory come november, without etiquette assistance.
5. dazed & confused 5

   25 October 2011 at 1:11 pm

   If it is true about the eye-gouging then I think you have your reason for the apparent lack of acknowledgment towards the Froggies – and of was Captain on Captain – it’s not a good look!
6. Ianupnorth 6

   25 October 2011 at 1:52 pm

   Was there some rugby on? The real big game was Man City hammering Man Utd. at Old Trafford in front of 75000 and a global audience much larger that the Rubber Wool Coup will ever manage.
   • Rob 6.1

     25 October 2011 at 2:04 pm

     So what is your point Ian. Arn’t we allowed to play our games and to have our sporting events and to really engage in them. Do you feel threatened by this event, why do you have to be so demeaning of it.

     Honestly if you love it so much in the UK , why the friick dont you move back there so we dont have to hear from you and your ex pat pommy bullsh*t.

     IanUpYours
     • Joe Bloggs 6.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 2:12 pm

       you beat me to it Rob.

       Yes, there was a real game on – and on Sunday night it had 1.9 million viewers in New Zealand.
       Not bad for a minor sporting code eh, IanUpYours?
     • Puddleglum 6.1.2

       25 October 2011 at 2:19 pm

       As an “ex pat pommy” it would have been nice if you’d stopped after your first paragraph, Rob.

       Nevertheless, you made very strong points. Condescension and dismissiveness are not likeable (though I doubt that Ianupnorth was going, with his comments, for the winner of ‘Mr Likeable, New Zealand’).

       If what I heard the head of the 2015 RWC say on radio yesterday is correct, then somewhere between 7-8 million people in England (and more in Scotland, Wales, Ireland – and France) are committed followers of rugby.

       That means that Ianupnorth’s comment is also directed at at least twice as many English (‘poms’) as New Zealanders – though I doubt whether they’re reading this blog. 

       I think (hope) it’s a soccer/football versus rugby thing, not an England versus New Zealand thing. 
       • felix 6.1.2.1

         26 October 2011 at 6:06 pm

         In related matters, I recently purchased personal computer with the windows operating system.

         I have since been advised that Apple’s Macintoshes may be superior in certain aspects.

         Discuss.
   • Colonial Viper 6.2

     25 October 2011 at 2:19 pm

     yeah sense of perspective here.

     Rugby union now returning to page 4 of the Sydney Morning Herald sports section.
     • Rob 6.2.1

       25 October 2011 at 2:33 pm

       Hoenstly who cares if it is page 3 5, 7 of any newspaper. Often the arguments on this site are engaged about local issues and keeping a local prespective on things. We have just had a fantastic local festival where some of the best that NZ and NZ’ers do came together in a celebration. Also our team won, for a lot of people (of course you would be dammed to include all NZ’ers in this) we had a really great time.

       However some people just cannot help themselves can they , the inherent winging and nay saying and crap that some people display is just so fricken ordinary. I apologise about the pommy bashing , however all it reminded me of was that old cloth cap saying ‘oh by eck, you are above your station’.
     • Rob 6.2.2

       25 October 2011 at 2:35 pm

       So CV do you think it may have had something to do with the fact that it would have been different if Aus were actually in the final and certainly different if they have won.
   • millsy 6.3

     25 October 2011 at 6:49 pm

     The main teams of two privately owned companies with players that have no connection with the city of Manchester other than the where they get the wages from to blow on cocaine and girls.

     I get sick of all these soccer snobs who think that England’s soccer competition is the best sporting event in the world. Frankly I cannot think of anything more boring. The same teams, week in, week out.
     • Ianupnorth 6.3.1

       26 October 2011 at 4:25 pm

       Ooooh! Touched a nerve!!
        
       Rugby is the UK is a toffs game; here in NZ is watched over by the elite, land owning, conservative farmers. The talented young players get picked from their South Auckland/Tairawhiti/EBOP homes and get dropped into the most elite schools in NZ because they are quick and hard. I am all for equity, not elitism.
        
       Rugby is the biggest sport in NZ, but NZ is good at many other sports and credit should be given to those sports.
        
       BTW, when there is the next NPC/Air NZ Cup, or indeed Super 15, lets see if we can manage to fill stadium or a regular basis. In addition we can now lose the dreadful Martin Devlins of this world from our TV screens talking shit about nothing!
       • Rob 6.3.1.1

         26 October 2011 at 4:39 pm

         Mate , you have no idea do you. Your historical prejudice just shines through. Go and tell the parents, players and supporters at Otahuhu Rugby Club (and countless others like it) that they are all a bunch of elite, land owning, conservative farmers.

         Ian Up Yours!
         • Ianupnorth 6.3.1.1.1

           26 October 2011 at 5:53 pm

           Bullshit – the nepotism and money talks attitude prevails in much of the provincial game; how come the BOP Union moved to Tauranga? Bob Clarkson dangled a very big carrot. Waikato RFU? Funded my a ‘charity’ that has pokies in some of the most deprived communities, but funds their ‘clubs’ millions. How many lawyers and accountants on the board of the NZRU?
            
           At a grassroots level in NZ it is a working class game – but the good kids get exploited and treated like the elite. Why, in the majority of high schools, do the ‘first 15’ get treated like royalty, but if you do another sport, tough shit.
            
           Like I said, if people are really that passionate lets see them out in force at every NPC or Super 15 game; the Chiefs couldn’t half fill Waikato Stadium most weeks despite being in rugby’s heartland. When was Eden Park last full?
            
           Pathetic or apethetic?
7. Mike Smith 7

   25 October 2011 at 2:31 pm

   I hadn’t seen Quinn’s comments or the Stuff video before I wrote this post but neither has changed my mind. What we have is Quinn’s hearsay allegation offering an excuse for what appeared graceless after the match. All I could see from the video is that McCaw spoke to the referee and Dusautoir spoke to the linesman at the time. Neither took any action, nor has anyone official backed up Quinn. Eye-gouging is a serious matter – if it happened it should have been reported and acted on. Otherwise its just another smear.
   As for Dusautoir, this changes nothing. A jury of his peers, notable captains of past teams, voted over a long period. He emerged the winner as player of the year, and on Sunday’s performance you would have to say it was thoroughly justified. He was the outstanding player on the field, and led his team to heights that no-one else had seen in them before. He was very gracious at the awards ceremony. To quote another All Black captain, “full credit to the man.”
   • Joe Bloggs 7.1

     25 October 2011 at 5:47 pm

     to mangle the Bard the lad doth protest too much methinks…

     Quinn has Sky TGF footage showing an eyegouging incident and has today been told by All Black squad members that McCaw was indeed eye-gouged (by Rougerie and not Dousautoir as it turns out).

     Frankly it reflects well on the ABs that they chose not to report this incident – gracious rather than graceless.
   • Joe Bloggs 7.2

     25 October 2011 at 6:10 pm

     and now reports are emerging of the French players pushing journalists around and spitting on them … how fortunate for Dousautoir that he’s not tainted by the same poor behaviour of his team-mates
   • queenstfarmer 7.3

     26 October 2011 at 9:18 am

     I trust this changes your mind:

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10761711

     Whether or not it was intentional, this proves it happened and is certainly not a “smear” nor “excuse” (I’m not sure why you referred to it in those terms anyway).
8. swordfish 8

   25 October 2011 at 4:57 pm

   Let’s hope Richie McCaw doesn’t suddenly pop up on National’s campaign advertisements, as one of their ‘Celebrity Endorsers’.

   It’s not simply that McCaw’s from an affluent South Canterbury farming family (which, of course, virtually guarantees Nact sympathies), but also that I seem to recall him making some informal remarks a few years ago (possibly in run-up to 2008 Election) of a pro-Nact/anti-Labour nature.

   Then again, would he really be willing to put his status as ‘national hero’ in potential jeopardy ?
   • Joe Bloggs 8.1

     25 October 2011 at 5:49 pm

     I don’t think any of that will matter once McCaw’s knighted…
     • millsy 8.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 6:44 pm

       When McCaw is knighted (yes, when), he will be doing the Nats’ bidding just like Jackson and Leitch.

       Not too take anything away from him as a rugby player of course, its just that these things happen.
9. logie97 9

   25 October 2011 at 9:35 pm

   Apparently TV3 are collecting to pay the fine that the French copped for confronting the Haka.

   And why a haka anyway?
   Take a look at this “choreographed” performance in 1973.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emJyEa4z2Ec&feature=related

   And this one …

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGtIp1uK3TE&feature=related

   One could argue that it is the right of the All Blacks to perform it on home soil, but if it is a challenge to the opposition then the moment the All Blacks step on foreign soil, they are guests and if they are prepared to offer a threat, surely they should be prepared to be confronted.
10. Cactus Kate 10

    25 October 2011 at 10:55 pm

    Skip to November 26th and your own wet dreams. You think Phil Goff is going to be saying this

    “We were outplayed by the Nats, but got up to stitch up a coalition to win by a seat. We should be extremely grateful for that, and also very appreciative of what the Nats contributed to a magnificent occasion.

    No fucking way will Phil Goff ever say that.

    Now stop the sports posts and get back to politics. The Standard sucks more at sports posts than politics. And that’s saying a hell of a lot.
    • lprent 10.1

      25 October 2011 at 10:58 pm

      I’d admit that we can’t emulate your level of concentrated bile. But then who’d want to?
    • Colonial Viper 10.2

      25 October 2011 at 11:01 pm

      Wow, seems like the RWC may be turning into a political liability for National.

      I wonder if 5 weeks is enough time for the bills on the RWC to start coming due.
    • Ianupnorth 10.3

      26 October 2011 at 5:59 pm

      Troll alert, right wing lawyer with a desire to be an ACT MP in the house!!
       
      Anyone ever told you that you are irrelevant?

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