The Orange

New Zealand is the current world series champ in Sevens. Not even the current World Cup Sevens holder.

Which is still more than can be said about our 15’s team but that’s another story.

New Zealand also hosts one of the premier events in the Sevens series – the Wellington party.

You could excuse the way the NZRFU have exploited Wellington’s love for the Stadium (don’t call it the CakeTin!) given that we’ve won it the last couple of years.

However the chickens are coming home to rest this season and they’re bringing the footy equivalent of the bird flu.

The NZ Sevens team has been beaten in the quarter-finals at the first two tournament.

“Titch” has made major changes to the team to try and come up with something ie replacing one bunch of no names with another bunch.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to think that the team will struggle to replicate its previous successes.

Likewise, the Commonwealth Games will expose the fact that we’ve taken for granted out Sevens dominance and it’s about to blow up in our faces. Give Titch access to at least some of the top players and we can continue to dominate at least one flavour of footy.

I hope I’m proved wrong … but the chances aren’t high.

The NZRFU have taken from the sevens – Lomu, Cullen to name just two – but have failed to put anything back in.

It will be sevens next weekend but not seventh heaven for Black supporters.

Scott Dixon did his bit to fly the NZ flag winning the Rolex 24-hour event at Daytona. According to the NZ Herald, it’s the biggest endurance event in the States … and we thought it was always bigger in Texas??

We’re pretty spoilt in New Zild, somehow expecting that Kiwi spirit, passion, whatever (I use this word knowingly as I have a 12 year old daughter, like) … the Kiwi battling against the odds will overcome them all in the end.

That’s great in the movies and what a great movie The World’s Fastest Indian is too.

But Scott Dixon’s success comes in a sport where talent is only part of the equation. Dollars – and lots of it – is needed just to compete but to compete successfully takes even more.

For Dixon – the boy from Auckland to beat the Yanks – is simply outstanding.

Unfortunately, in this case I’m no petrolhead altho I can be categorised as a gas producer if I unconsciously come into contact with onions (sorry, definitely too much information).

However, even someone who doesn’t really appreciate motor racing can appreciate what Scott Dixon has achieved.

Ironically, the arguments for celebrating Dixon’s achievement are the same that were used to nominate Russell Coutts for NZ Sportsthingy of the Year. The problem was that Team New Zealand (comprised of all nationalities that we could afford to pay) had hi-jacked our national pride and “loyal”-ty.

So what if Dixon is winning races in the States. There’s no chance of him competing and earning at this level here or across the Ditch. Even so, to win at this level should be celebrated.

At least the Super14 hadn’t started so he made it above the headlines.

I know it’s the middle of summer (it seems like the middle of Dubai here today) but it’s just over a month to the start of the NRL and I really need to start with my pre-season writing.

You never want to think the Warriors have turned a corner, but as much as you felt for Tony Kemp, you have to feel a little more confident with Ivan Clearly on board.

Those who know a bit about league rate John Akland – the man who “discovered” Sonny Bill – and now he’s back with the Warriors.

I also think the – quite perversely – Stacey Jones leaving may just about end up being a positive. While he showed he was still the lynchpin in the Kiwis efforts, with the Warriors it was a case of stop Stacey, stop the Warriors. Now it’s who the #@^% do we stop?

Monty Betham leaving will also be a positive. The Warriors have always been blessed with second rowers and while Monty was the beneficial of many bad calls, the refs seemed to go looking for him regardless of whether he was being a good boy or not.

Tony Martin is fit – he hasn’t really impressed so far but he’s hardly played 20 games for the Warriors since he joined because of injury. Don’t forget he’s one of the few in the Warriors squad to actually have won a ring … which is why his nickname is Bilbo. (It’s not, I made that last bit up, … but it’s got a ring to it ).

Not many sleeps to go.

It was the Big Day Out today of the equine kind … particularly if you were a Wellingtonian.

The Wellington Cup has become more than just a race – it’s become a real event. People who wouldn’t know which end of the horse to pat and which end of the horse to avoid pile up in masses to go to Cup Day.

One of the intriguing aspects of the day is the way in which sponsorship has been extended.

If you didn’t already know it, the colours (”silks”) worn by the jockey on a particular course have specific relevance. It’s not like the jockey gets up and decides what they want to wear that particular day!

The silks are either the colours worn by horses trained by a particular trainer or owned by a particular owner or group of owners. For example, Sunline’s famous colours are worn by all the McKee-trained horses. You get the picture.

It’s a big deal for an owner or trainer to win a big race like the Wellington Cup and see their colours first cross the line.

Which makes it an even bigger deal that as part of the sponsorship of the race, Dulux gets to prepare a set of colours based on their paints. So the poor owner pays the bills, gets their horse into the race, but doesn’t get to see their colours go round the track.

To be francis, most owners will view any sponsorship deal the size of the Dulux one as good for racing and there seems to have been no real negative reaction to this innovative move.

But pity the race commentator. Guess how he calls the horses? Based on the colours used by the jockey … in every race except one.

And if you saw the race, what a ride on Envoy by Grant Cooksley … from first to last in a phenomenal effort (as said about Kiwi in THAT Melbourne Cup win).

Apparently there’s some tennis on in Melbourne.

Sorry, I just can’t get enthused.

Am I somehow retarded for not appreciating tennis? If you think so, I’d appreciate you not commenting!

Is it the lack of personalities or name players in the men’s draw?

Or just NZ’s fascination with a small range of sports involving big hits and balls (a lot like this blog!).

Perhaps it’s the lack of New Zealand players at the top level. Even the Australians are struggling to compete and they think they invited the game. Mind you, they think that about all sports so why should tennis be any different?

I won’t watch any of the finals but I will still be interested in who won. But that’s the limit of my interest.

Anyone else for tennis?

You gotta love Hamilton man Chris Hanlon.

He’s come up with the idea of building a site to have a whip-around for Tana and give him a few bucks to retire with. And we’re not talking animals with antlers either.

Before you laugh your head off, stop and think for a moment.

In plenty of other sports, people go out of their way to give money to players who have or are about to retire. No, it’s not called working for Sky, it’s called a benefit and sports like cricket have them almost every season. In fact, for many county players, it’s the icing on the professional cake.

So it’s not such a crazy idea.

OK, I take it back. It is still a crazy idea but it’s not THAT crazy.

After all, while Tana’s earnt the equivalent of the GDP of one of Samoa’s smaller island every year for the last couple of years and we are still waiting for the bios, the videos, the t-shirts etc, he’s brought back respect for the role of All Blacks captain. He’s given us a great year and has single handedly (headedly??) popularised dreads.

I kind of like the idea of personalising the benefit and making it from the fans. I wish someone had done something like this for Stacey Jones. Or at least for Mrs Jones for giving him the biggest day pass ever.

Tana most likely doesn’t need or want the money. But it’s quite clear that their are fans in New Zealand who appreciate what Tana has done for rugby in New Zealand and in Wellington. And we’re not talking THAT tackle either.

Which makes you wonder … do you think they’ll get lots of donations for Tana from Ireland?

Check our the Tana appreciation society (membership:1, head office Hamilton) site here.

Postscript:

1. The plug has already been pulled on the donations but watch out for www.farewelltotana.com.
2. Coming soon to a browser near you … www.makedodgyamill.com.

I was thinking back to the hard time I gave Craig Gower for being such a dickhead.

Having said that, you’ve got to be a real dickhead to stand out in the NRL as a real dickhead.

So I can’t see how I can give Sione Luaki any latitude.

First, take the following quiz:

It’s a couple of weeks before the Super12 kicks off and you’re – at best, and on a good day – a fringe All Black.

Your pre-season consists of:
A. doing extras after each training session
B. relaxing and preparing the mind for the big year ahead
C. getting pissed and smacking the living crap out of any prick that gets up my nose
D. nothing – it’s more important that I take part and make friends with my opponents than focus on the primal competitive nature of sports

If you need help, you may have come to the wrong blog. Mind you, I need help and I’m still here so lets have a party!

Back to Sione.

Sure, there’s always going to be somewhere who will want to bait an All Black. The calibre of the man is that you resist that sort of crap. Even better, you don’t put yourself in the position that it is likely to happen.

I suspect that the NZRFU won’t show the balls that the NRL has altho in fairness, it’s been forced on the NRL by so many badly behaved players.

I wonder what the Minister of the Rugby World Cup thinks about this?

We all know Kobe Bryant likes to score on and off the court.

But yesterday’s efforts was something else – the second most points scored by an individual ever in a NBA game. Read about it here.

To put it into context, this season alone 99 times has a team of 12 players failed to score 81 points in a game.

Which reminds us of the story about Jonah Lomu at the 1995 WC told by Aussie Peter Fitzsimons.

Apparently, captain Sean Fitzpatrick received a telegram from a young All Blacks fan:

Dear All Blacks
Remember, rugby is a 15 man game.
All 14 of you give the ball to Jonah!

It’s such a good story you have to hope it’s true!

It would seem unrelated but nonetheless ironic that just after Kerry Packer was dismissed (third umpire call), the Aussie cricketers start coming back down to earth.

Yes the Ockers beat NZ in a one day series but it’s a bit desperate for any team to celebrate beating NZ these days. In any case, had NZ not imploded in the last over in Wellington – having put themselves in a position where they should have won – NZ could have won the series.

OK, the Aussies did beat the Japies in the Test Series but with the way the umpires worship the Australians I’d fancy my chances of getting a couple of runs batting for the Aussies.

So it is a surprise that the current VB series is proving to be quite different from what we all expected.

The Sri Lankans were expected to be left on tea duty, especially after their dismal run in NZ recently. Yet they have now beaten both Australia and SA. And in the Japies last match, they also beat the Aussies.

So in the space of a month or two, the all conquering Aussies have lost to three different countries and have a barely flattering record (at least for them) of played 7, won four. One of the wins was by just 1 run and the one of the losses was the greatest run chase in ODI history.

What gives?

For a start, the Aussies success over the last 10 years or so has been built on the back of a couple of outstanding bowlers. Glenn McGrath and Shane “Text Me” Warne are two of the top bowlers in all of cricket. To have both in their peak in the same team at the same time is greedy to say the least.

Likewise, Adam Gilchrist – a genuine batsman who keeps – has been another gift from the cricket gods.

The Aussies have always been blessed with top batsmen altho it would seem reasonable to argue that some of the batsmen figures are enhanced by both the umpires’ largesse and the flat tracks they tend to bat on.

The fact that the Aussies appear to be struggling in ODI’s at present then shouldn’t be a surprise. Warne is a hard player to replace as he has shown in the tests, while McGrath does finally appear to have reached the other side and from here, mate, it’s all downhill – just ask Chris Cairns.

The success of the Aussies specialists has meant that they haven’t needed to worry about finding all-rounders. Compare that with the Black Craps where the team is a bunch of all rounders with a couple of specialists thrown in. Not that we’re sure what’s so special about them!

The desperate attempt to manufacture Symonds into an all-rounder is a case in point. He can bat and bowl and field but whether he can do it all at the same time is under question.

Quite frankly, it’s time the Aussies returned to the real world.

Not that anyone should be complaining as it will make cricket a competition again, rather than an exhibition of Aussie flat track bullying.

OK, with a post title like that, you’re bound to think that I’m going to talk about some namby pamby NZEI or PPTA directive – no team shall win.

That way, we can prepare generations of future players for the Knights. (Sorry to both you Knights fans but it was too much to resist).

Horse racing tries to protect its integrity through the use of stewards to look for dodgy race dealings. Ideally, the punter is protected by this process.

In one of the main races at Trentham yesterday, the process worked but I doubt the punters would have been delighted.

The winning horse, Wahid, won … which is what winning horses tend to do.

However, the horse that came third (Abbey Drive) claimed that the winner interfered with it (in a non-sexual manner of course!) and that had the interference not taken place it would have came second.

Note that last point. The third horse said it would have come second, not first.

There was an inquiry into the race and the stewards agreed. So the third horse was promoted to second.

Sounds good so far.

But what is tough about this is that the second horse – Chettak – was promoted to first and the winner demoted to third, even though the second horse was never going to win. In fact, if you believe the Stewards (and in this case I do but in a non-marriage vow kind of way) Chettak was lucky to have got second yet it was promoted to first.

What’s a little surprising is that this happened in a major race and that the favourite was actually relegated.

Needless to say, the trainer wasn’t jumping for joy (or for anyone else either) and the jockey who rode the winner who officially came third is now looking at three week holiday packages in Fiji.

But that’s racing.