All Blacks v England
WHAT a game of rugby. It’s a game that would have had coaches tearing their hair out, but those games are the most entertaining ones for the fans.
The pace, the oppenness from minute one, was outstanding and it is really quite unbelievable the sort of punishment bodies can take for a full 80 mins.
Jaco Peyper ensured England started off well by laying down the law with regard to penalties. The All Black infringements looked too naive not to be planned. They had thought about disrupting the maul, but got pinged in their execution. The resulting three penalties back to back put the Blacks on a general warning and Richie McCaw had to ensure caution. I said last week that Aaron Smith was poor and was disagreed with by many quarters, but his charge down kick almost led to a try and gave a very good England side all the invitation they needed. He got charged down again later in the game, and it was an area of weakness England had clearly identified with them having their taller men on the fringes. Smith is poor. Perenara is not the alternative.
Nevertheless, the previously poor Nonu had a stormer, and despite being left for dead by Twelvetrees had a rollicking twenty minutes after half time. That period coincided with New Zealand’s best rugby, and won the game for them at the end. I also said last week that Israel Dagg has to be the only dead cert to get the boot and he was. Ben Smith was sensational, and his try saving tackle and turnover on Manu Tuilagi could have won the game for the Blacks at a very crucial stage. Tuilagi was not as dangerous but he didn’t see a lot of ball. Whether Burrell is the preferred player in the 13 jersey next week we’ll have to wait and see. If I was Lancaster I’d bring Tuilagi into 13.
When the game opened up Conrad Smith was in his element, and while the halves combination continues to stutter, the midfield combo purred into motion. The Snake ran angles, and his sleight of hand was incredible, as was his defense. They’ll replace Richie easily with the current crop of talent, and Reid will take on the leadership mantle. But Conrad will be the most difficult player to replace, should he, God forbid, have an injury.
England, with Owen Farrell and Danny Care looked more incisive, and the physical presence of their rejigged midfield intimidated the New Zealanders a little. The steely determination on Tuilagi’s face as they took on the Kapa O Pango was a precursor to the drama that followed. Farrell has a cool neatly combed head on his shoulders, and he won the battle of the no. 10s until Beauden Barrett came on. Aaron Smith was alright until he started kicking to Mike Brown more often, and that’s when New Zealand’s dominance ended. Coupled with a shocker day from Cory Jane, and a missed tackle from Richie McCaw, and a dubious try awarded to Brown, England had it mostly their way on the night.
I would imagine that Liam Messam would be replaced by Vito or Read, if he is fit, and Kaino move to the blind side. Barrett may start at fly half unless the great Daniel Carter is not yet fit.
Australia v France
Ewan McKenzie’s experimentations are slowly making themselves more clear. He makes changes, and he picks players on form. Whether this will give him enough of a base for the RWC 2015 remains to be seen. An ugly win against Thierry Dusatoir’s France was about as much as they deserved, in a game that promised much but provided little. The French still look a little dazed, and Australia don’t have the magic in midfield. Berrick Barnes, Cooper, Beale and Giteau all made things happen. Nic White and Foley don’t. Which is why Israel Folau is their go to receiver, instead of a surprise attacking option.
The Frogs after shipping 50 points last week were a much changed side. And this team looked liked it meant business. Can’t wait for next year.
Springboks v Wales
Wales were s***. The Boks are beasts. Matfield and Botha are back. Ouch!
Schools Rugby
Trinity met Kingswood in a much anticipated all Kandy clash. From all accounts it was a stunning game of rugby with Trinty scoring a last gasp winner to overhaul the four point lead that Kingswood took with them into injury time. The final scoreline of 27-24 will leave the Kingswoodians devastated, and means that they cannot win the league.
Despite not playing the best rugby all season, Trinity have been a very good side. They have good combinations and Ratwatte is probably one of the most cultured players on the circuit. The win is not undeserved on paper, but whether they have deserved the wins on the day, is debatable.
Nevertheless with this all important win they give themselves an outside chance to win the league, if Kingswood beat Isipatana next week. But now without the ability to win the league, whether Kingswood will be able to lift themselves we will have to see.
Isipatana are likely to come flying out of the blocks, after suffering a virtual defeat drawing with Peters 25 all. The game was another sizzler with both defences found wanting. Most of the scoring was done early in the game and at half time Isipatana led 20 – 13. Their usually awesome second half performance was not on hand this time as they scored only 5 points to their opponents twelve in the second half.
For the Peterites who scored in the first and last minutes of the game, it was Kevin Dixon who played the Patana brand of rugby better than the Greens on the day. He dazzled and stepped, and powered his way through for his second hat trick of the season. It was the first time Isipatana were facing a team that was willing to run at them, and the same holes that appeared against Trinity opened up again this time time.
Once again, the same malaise that set in against Royal and Trinity, where Isipatana relax after taking a lead was apparently. At 20 – 13 and then at 25 – 18, they thought they had the game sealed and didn’t do enough. The Peterite forwards can take the credit for that, as they were aggressive and up for this game. It was an entertaining game where only the spectators were the ultimate winners. SPC also have to ask themselves whether they play better without Burah as first receiver in their backline, since the second half was played largely without him.
In another thriller Science held on stoutly to defend a 23 – 20 lead against St. Joseph’s. The Joes were defensively awful to allow in the points they did for Science who played an unconventional attacking game, and the quickness of the Science ball carriers had the Darley Road defense in tatters. When they finally regrouped and launched their assault it was too little too late.
There was some controversy after the game with Taariq Saleh being handed a red card by referee Cader. Video evidence suggests that he may have carded the wrong man, and it will be interesting to see how the SLSRFA and the Referees’ Society respond to the mistaken identity. It’s not the first time it has happened to the Josephians with Yohann Keyser being wrongly sent off in 2011. So they have a right to feel aggrieved.
Nevertheless a loss is a loss, and it makes the Lady Jayatilleka shield against S.Thomas’ next week all the more important for the bottom two sides.
S. Thomas’ wrested the Michael Guneratne Trophy back from Royal last year, but the visit was short lived, as they surrendered it again with a 36-17 victory. The scoreline doesn’t suggest the true nature of the game as the Thomians contested bravely against a Royal team that was just too good.
Nimshan Jayawardena was direct and his forwards were excellent and physical managing to completely overpower their younger Thomian counterparts. The game however highlighted out how ineptly set pieces and rolling mauls are refereed in Sri Lanka and the lack of awareness of what defensive sides do and shouldn’t do, is a major problem.
Royal scored as many as six tries, but STC managed to touch down three times in an effort that saves them the embarrassments caused by Peters and Patana. They will look to the Josephian game as a must win.
