Carpelone says...

porridge_time

Express yourself, freely and try to articulate it. Take all the time you need.

Posted 11:50 28th June 2012

Carpelone says...

@ Sandal

I suppose that you consider John Kirwan one of the said boneheads....

Posted 16:59 27th June 2012

sandal says...

@foxrock & Carpelone

So you and all the other knowledgeable fans sitting in the stand or in the pub or in their living room see McCaw cheat and all the world's top referees from a number of countries blink at that moment. Extraordinary.

I don't necessarily discount conspiracy theories, but yours is the most lunatic I know of.

It is worth noting, that McCaw isn't the only openside flanker to be accused of cheating, though you say he is unique in this. Pocock also draws a lot of opprobrium. It will only increase as his star brightens and McCaw's fades.

A couple of things I believe:

1. McCaw and Pocock know the laws a lot better than most boneheads watching.

2. They can act a lot faster than most of the said boneheads can think.

Posted 02:06 27th June 2012

markpat says...

From some of the comments on here, anyone would think that McCaw was the first openside to push/flaunt the laws of the game.

For years (before McCaw), I hated / admired George Smith in equal amounts for everything he got away with. Everything McCaw does, Smith did as well.

As an England fan, we have always had players playing to that standard, before Back, we had Andy Robinson who admitted that he played 5 yards offside whenever he could.

Hookers, generally, play slightly beyond the lines of legality as well - I certainly know that every one of them I've ever played with has been the nastiest player on the pitch - difference being that they do it in the tight whereit's not so obvious.

For any people claiming he's more of a "cheat" than other teams, please explain who your team is and I'm sure there are plenty of examples of exactly the same role in your own team.

Off the top of my head, the only top team I can think of who don't have an openside who pushed the laws of the game are probably France, Betsen and Dusautoir was more of a different type of 7. Certainly Aus, SA, Eng, Wales, Ireland have had plenty. (although SA less so, maybe, other than Broussouw, can't remember any SA opensides before Burger and he plays a very different sort of openside role)

Posted 12:01 26th June 2012

Nicholas41 says...

I like Steve Hansen's comment on staying humble. I presume he is talking about the team, because no one else is listening...

Posted 11:25 26th June 2012

sandal says...

Jesus, after Saturday's showing he can move anywhere he likes.

Posted 08:11 26th June 2012

foxrock says...

ABs play great rugby, keep raising the performance bar, and field numerous players who are a joy to watch and are a credit to the game. (Carter, for example, is both peerless and sporting and plays in the game's best traditions.) BUT. There is a reason why McCheat is so named and why he, uniquely, attracts such opprobrium. Yes he's a very effective player but that isn't all that matters. He brings a soccer sensibility - 'who can cheat the most and get away with it' - to rugby. That's something the game can do without. Ditto the ABs who'd still win without such cheating and would gain a lot more friends and admirers in so winning. Those thin-skinned supporters seeking to deflect McCheat criticism by suggesting it's just "envy" couldn't be more wrong. They might reflect on the fact that better sportsmen than McCheat repudiate the notion that cheating is okay if you get away with it. And they might reflect on why so many rugby fans admire the ABs while deploring their current captain.

Posted 22:24 25th June 2012

GoWalesGo says...

Why not? New Zealand are still going to beat everybody

Posted 16:04 25th June 2012

fozza says...

Markpat, great example. I was all keen to come on here and remind people of the Phil Waugh/George Smith pairing at flank but the example of Richard Hill is perfect.

As for Richie, he is a great player... no an outstanding player... he is also a flanker so of course he pushes the limit of the rules that is what flankers do, however, McCaw is so much better at it than others because he is so intelligent (do you honestly think refs aren't looking for him every game!?) and knows the laws as well if not better than most international referees.

That's also not all that Richie is about, he carries well, has a fantastic tactical knowledge of the game, inspires and tackles like a dervish.

With the wealth of talent that New Zealand have in their back row it's even more gauling for the rest of us that Richie could play 6, 7 or 8 and still be discussed in the top 3 players in their position!!

As a one-eyed Englishman I'm happy to see such a great of the game playing as long as he is able... even against us!

Posted 12:44 25th June 2012

Carpelone says...

In any case, better at 6 than at 8. He has no power for that.

Posted 12:36 25th June 2012