The Orange

Ten points if you worked out the title.

Here’s a clue.

Or perhaps for NFL, five points for union, and four points for league.

Smashed Em Bro.

Great TV.  Love it.

Must write full sentences.

Righto.

We all love the full contact with rugby and league.  The professional era has seen bigger, fitter, faster athletes smashing each other, eh bro.

Just like the NFL.

Problem is that the NFL is finding out that those big hits keeping on hitting well after players retire.

They wear protection for a reason (no, not THAT type of protection):

But in the long term, most alarming of all is the reason why those children in the park – none of them more than 12 years old – were kitted out like medieval knights girded for battle. Even the most casual observer can’t watch a game for 10 minutes without realising that gridiron football is a brutal business.

Funny thing is that the Yanks think NFL is brutal and they were all that protection.  But perhaps the protection ain’t working?

In September, the University of Michigan published a survey (paid for by the [NFL]) of more than 1,000 former players, who had all put in a minimum of three seasons. The study found that among those over 50, dementia, Alzheimer’s and other memory-related diseases were five times higher than the national average, while for younger retired players the incidence was 19 times greater.

Hands up those who think the NZRFU board must have played NFL?  But we shouldn’t poke the borax:

The NFL and others have challenged the reliability of the figures, but anecdotal evidence from physicians and other research points to an identical conclusion. Ever more cases are also coming to light of ex-players suffering from the separate condition of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. They are, in plain English, “punch-drunk,” like a boxer who’s hung around the ring too long.

What about the future?  Good question!

So what happens now? Obviously you can’t eliminate injuries in football without getting rid of the game itself. Like boxers, the players know the risks they are getting into and, though careers are not long, they are well paid. The biggest obstacle to real change is the sport’s macho culture.  …  But that culture still consists of men playing through injury as a point of pride. It’s where concussion is for wimps, and where a bone-crushing hit is as big an attraction as a cleverly worked touchdown.

The point of course is that NFL has been professional and smashing em bros for decades.

The issue for league and union is that we haven’t yet seen the impact of the level of contact we now have and love.

We’re used to league and union players being drunk – but punch drunk?

The Aussies are officially on the ropes (at least according to the Guardian).

I’m sure it’s coincidental, but has anyone heard from the Robbie Deans fan club recently??

Anyway, but to the Wobblies.  And the rope.

Australia were struggling to paper over the cracks after suffering their seventh straight defeat by New Zealand in their Bledisloe Cup test in Tokyo.

Sorry don’t know what happened to the rope but perhaps the sub-editor was just stringing us along?

Yep, those Wobblies are definitely having some problems.

But don’t worry.  Dingo Deans has officially become a bleating Aussie:

“Can anyone tell me what the penalty count was?” Deans tetchily asked reporters, accusing the All Blacks of negative tactics under a fierce Wallaby assault late in the first period.

Answer:  Can anyone tell me how many tries the Aussies have scored this year? Actual tries (not make believe ones because the video ref can’t speak English and doesn’t under the rules).

It’s not just Robbie who’s bleating either:

Australian playmaker Matt Giteau also took a swipe at perceived All Blacks spoiling tactics under pressure.
“We got in their 22 a number of times, especially in the first half, and ball was killed when we had the opportunity to play wide,” he said, icing his right hand.
“All we could take was three points rather than seven and I think that had a huge bearing.”

Anyway, Robbie wasn’t completely unhappy:

As Deans was left scratching for positives, a first try against the All Blacks since their first Bledisloe Cup game of the year at least brought the hint of a smile.
“I was very pleased,” said the New Zealander. “We threatened a lot more and could so easily have scored more.”

Ah Robbie, the only try you’ve tried since the first game was a try that wasn’t.
Not that Teacher Ted is letting this get personal.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry, who got the nod ahead of Deans for the All Blacks job in 2007, grinned when asked if he felt his “foot was on the throat” of his opposite number.
“That’s a very interesting question,” said Henry. “We take all our tests very seriously and there’s a huge amount of pressure in New Zealand to perform — whether we’re playing Australia or South Africa or Wales or whoever.
“It just happens it’s 4-0 against the Wallabies this year which is pleasing but it’s not a personal thing. It’s a win-loss thing. They guys should be proud of their performance.”

[Tui Ad]This game wasn’t personal. [/Tui Ad]

I don’t normally flog almost an entire story but seeing a paid journo did it and got away, then I may as well do it too.

A former Manawatu rugby administrator has written an open letter to the NZRFU and it’s certainly worth reading. Especially so as it appears on the Manawatu Sub Standard section of Stuff and no one will find it there.

I won’t comment at this stage as there’s a lot to digest but while I’m happy to see a ten team comp, he does raise some interesting points.

Tew and Hobbs were in Palmy to see the Turbos flog Harbour but that may not be enough to sway the people that matter.

Anyway, here’s the letter in question:

Thank you you for your prompt and concise response to the letter written by Barrie Angland on behalf of all rugby followers in the Manawatu.

However, the points you emphasised about fiscal responsibility, while valid, have a rather hollow ring to rugby followers in this area.

On the one hand you expect unions to exercise financial prudence. Yet almost daily we are being told about the escalating losses expected as a result of the Rugby World Cup which, despite being underwritten by the Government to some extent, will surely lead to more substantial future losses than those sustained by the Air New Zealand Cup.

You can see therefore the reason for the cynicism of followers in this area. To make matters worse, Steve Tew has stated publicly that the New Zealand Rugby Union will make a substantial contribution to the proposed new division one competition (when and if it begins). Doesn’t that strike you as a strange decision?

You have worked in the corporate sector for some time now and surely one of the basic principles is that when any commercial entity undergoes a sustained period of financial reverses, a normal process is a comprehensive review of the entire operation, starting at the top.

I would suggest you instigate an independent review of NZRU head office. However, I would suspect most of the employees would struggle to achieve normal key performance indicators, if the last few years are anything to go by.

A lot of the financial pressures have, particularly in the last year, been caused by falling attendances at Super 14 matches. Has the board noticed this? I ask this question because, rather than cutting back on this competition, the board has agreed to an expansion.

That is a further unwise intrusion into the already limited window to play Air New Zealand Cup fixtures. Why do the Sanzar delegates from the world’s premier rugby nation seem to get over-run by South Africa and Australia when, historically, Australian teams, in particular, perform abysmally in that competition?

When you open the Manawatu books in the near future you will hopefully agree that if the organisation you chair achieves the same financial turnaround, you would be a happy man. The Turbos have captured the imagination of the entire region unlike any sporting team I have seen during a lifetime of playing, coaching and lately administering a game. For the reasons outlined above, axing the Turbos at the end of this season will be seen as a major betrayal.

You must concede that the poor attendances at this year’s Super 14 matches were due in part to the brand of rugby and also to the saturation of matches early in the year.

By contrast, the Air New Zealand Cup has produced an entertaining quality of rugby, drawn good attendances and built a bigger fan base (especially in the provinces). This competition has brought back to the game a generation of people who have felt disillusioned for some time. Axing such a format will surely undo all the good achieved in the last few years, a situation aggravated by the less-than-stellar performances of our flagship team, the All Blacks, so far this season.When your board considers the future of our national game, it should be mindful of the fact that stakeholders include not just the bigger unions which have a Super 14 franchise.

I have detected at all levels an attitude of disenchantment. If you choose to ignore this, the long-term ramifications will damage the game way beyond the 2011 World Cup.

Bill Anderson

Great to see the Shield go to Southland, 50 years after they last had it.

Amid the largely turgid offerings of the NPC, it’s an obviously stand out moment of the season.

The game itself was nothing to note in terms of entertainment – 9-3 is the type of scoreline we used to laugh about in NZ. And Canterbury’s points came from a dropped goal!!

More so, we used to get wild when Stephen Jones of the Times lauded such contests when we were pining for try-fests.

Sadly, I suspect most of the punters will miss the reality that these types of results are only possible because the AB’s were not playing.

Which of course raises a number of discussion points.

First, how do you think HB are feeling right now?  They get within a dodgy linesman (he didn’t assist the referee!) of sharing points with the Cantabs with all their ABs while the following week the Southland get the Shield, four comp points, and with it a place in the Semis against Christchurch’s best club players.  Hardly a level playing field.

Second, most people have been lauding the NPC this year for being much more interesting and particularly the achievements of the underdogs.  Again, this has come because the AB’s have largely been absent from the comp.

Frankly, the NPC is increasingly sounding and looking like a second-tier competition at best.

It doesn’t undermine the achievements of Southland in winning the Log o’ Wood nor does it reflect badly on their obvious passion.

It just shows that the NPC as our number one rugby competition is a nonsense.

So the AB’s coaches are swapping roles and responsibilities.

Chris Rattue for one smells a … err, rat and he’s taking the distinctly un-nationalistic approach of support Wales.  And not just the beached ones either.

This particular rugby rivalry, not to mention the pompous All Black coaching panel, needs a giant kick up the behind.

Yep, our boyo Chris would be happy to see the Dragons fire to stick it up the three AB coaches.

The latest instalment of grandiose nonsense out of New Zealand rugby, involving the All Black coaches swapping their jobs, only makes the thought of a Welsh victory, however remote, even more mouth-watering.

Funny when you think that both Henry and Hansen (not the boy band) coached Wales too.

After a fair-to-hopeless season, a shock defeat would be a welcome comeuppance for the Teflon trio, a panel which escapes the serious scrutiny that has shaped All Black history and been a cross to bear for their predecessors.

It is fair to say that coaches with better records have fallen on their swords or, shall we save, have been through an assisted suicide process.

Perhaps – schock, horror! – we no longer expect the ABs to win every game and we’ve become more realistic when they do lose.

Perhaps we’re sick on winning everything every year and then falling over in World Cup year?

Perhaps not, according to Chris the Rat:

Having scuppered the prospects of other genuine All Black coaching aspirants, the NZRU and its wonder-boys are engaging in more of their mad-scientist schemes, arranging new job descriptions for themselves, minor tweaks they claim, apparently at the suggestion of senior players.

It’s interesting decision because if a player wasn’t performing in a core role (eg Latimer, Ross) they wouldn’t be given a different role would they?

Here’s a novel concept: if Steve Hansen really isn’t good enough to coach the forwards any more, then get someone in who is rather than let these 2007 World Cup failures become insiders trading places.

Indeed.  If Hansen is to take the blame, why give him another role?

In fairness, Rattue’s main focus is on what the Welsh need to do to beat the ABs.  Scoring more points than the Blacks would be a good start.

However in terms of the broader issue, Rattue’s point is valid – we either need an unexpected sweep with the ABs playing majestic football or a complete disaster of a tour which will force the NZRFU to react.

Anything else will see the focus remain on who is coaching the ABs off the field rather than what the ABs are doing on the field.

I blogged yesterday about the oafs at the NZRFU and their half baked decision regarding TMO’s.

Part of the problem with the neanerthals running amok is that they don’t seem to get the responsibilities that come with the professional game and all that goes with it.

I’m sure the NZRFU is happy to take the percentage commission it gets out of betting on rugby yet is happy to skimp on the investment to ensure that the results reflect the performance on the pitch.

The NRL’s Roosters found themselves in a similar spot with some allegations allegedly alleging (hey!!, a Rooster lawyer may read this!!!) that the Roosters had chucked the second half to so some one(s) could cash in on the 13+ for the Cowgirls.

In a related story which revisited the scam allegations, there was an interesting comparison with racing:

In the wake of the betting allegations, Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys  has warned punters about the risks in sports wagering.

“In racing, we spend $4million a year to have the best stewards in the country to protect the punter,” V’landys  said.

“The sports codes don’t have anything in place to handle this sort of issue. There is no protection for punters in sports betting.”

So perhaps if the NZRFU intends to save on the TMO’s, the TAB could save on paying out the commission to the NZRFU?

There’s been a lot of biffo in the media after the Hawke Eyes were robbed of a legitimate try on Thursday.

Strange of course that it always seem the big teams like the Cantabs that get the luck of the draw.  If anything, you would have expected a home town decision.

Indeed, Chris Rattue notes in the Granny:

It even makes you wonder if reputations hold sway, whether the Canterbury aura and the presence of Richie McCaw and co subconsciously persuaded the officials not to make a tough ruling against them.

Regardless of the merits of the decision – and quite frankly, there weren’t many! – the real issue is the idiotic decision of the NZRFU to ditch the TMOs for the NPC.

It saved a couple of hundred grand but in the wider scheme of things that’s a high cost to pay for little benefit.

Indeed, as many are pointing out, with a little innovation, the same cameras that deliver the punter sitting at home a clear view could have been used by the match officials.  Indeed, this is the model used by the NFL where the same match officials use the same video footage we all see.

Heck, if you want to go the whole NFL ten years (and that’s a first down baby!) then you could even use a challenge system.  Any excitement would normally help this year’s flacid NPC.

The NZRFU apparently are justifying their decision on the basis that the officials have got it 90% right.

That clearly won’t impress a team like HB if it misses out on a home semi (or inded the semi finals) on the basis of points it could have got through a 10 % decision that was patently wrong to everyone apart from Blind Bob on the sideline.

You’d be right pissed off if you put the house on a draw or a two points spread.

Bet ya the tab won’t refund monies either – if the punter makes a mistake, the punter pays but if the NZRFU or the officials stuff up, the punters still pay.

Let’s leave the final words to Chris Rattue:

The NZRU must consider re-introducing the video referee, and this should be easier to do in a new 10-team competition. Credibility and sporting justice is suffering without the video inspection.

Seeing the Save Our Teams people are having so much fun, I’d though I’d start my own campaign.

It’s got to have a nice slogan – like “Save Our Teams” – so how about Otago’s Got Ta Go! From the Super 14 that is.

All the kerfuffle about the NPC and the teams that should take the drop have raised, at least in my strange mind, a different question – why the hell do we continue to put up with the Highlanders in the Super comp?

If the NPC relegation was based on performance this year alone, there would be a fair degree of ants in the kilts in Dunedin given that Otago is currently 5th from the bottom just one point ahead of Manawatu who are odds on to go down.

While you could possibly argue that the performance of Southland (currently 4th equal but fifth on for and against) mitigates the lowly position of Otago, it’s a pathetic effort for the base of a Super franchise.

More importantly, Otago’s performances in the Super comp doesn’t stack up either:

• 2009 – 11th and last of the NZ franchises
• 2008 – 11th and last of the NZ franchises
• 2007 – 9th and last of the NZ franchises
• 2006 – 9th and last of the NZ franchises
• 2005 – 8th and last of the NZ franchises
• 2004 – 9th and second to last of the NZ franchises
• 2003 – 7th and second to last of the NZ franchises

Based on the last seven years, Otago’s lucky it’s not a racehorse – it it was, it would be canned and Fido’s favourite.

Like my flat earth friends at Save Our Teams, there will likely be someone crying but look at Otago’s past record.

Sadly, the past has nothing to do with the present when it comes to sports teams.  Much of Otago’s successes in the 1980’s and early 1990’s came from the imports who played out of Otago University.  With the development of professional rugby and academies, Otago’s lack of quality players is woefully exposed as the players don’t need to pretend they’re at university to play rugby full time.

It’s no surprise to see Hawke’s Bay for example prosper in the professional environment when for many years their best and brighest went away to play first division and super rugby and many of those to Otago.

Off the field, Otago doesn’t appear to have the commercial support either although the replacement of Carisbrook creates a bit of a moral dilemma.

However, if it came down to performance, then the Highlanders should go north.

Yep, it’s official.  At the moment (until Winston Peter’s brother threatens legal action), the NZRFU is still threatening to drop four teams from the NPC.

Mind you, we won’t hold our breath because as Stuff tells us, the NZRFU have chickened out before:

It has happened in the past – the recent past even – when the NZRU bailed out, under threats of legal action, on its decision to downsize the top grade in provincial rugby.

However, don’t hold your breath because nothing is ever like it seems in rugby.

Talk about turkeys and Christmas:

“The reality is the unions came to us at the beginning of the year and said this competition is in trouble, none of us are able to pay our bills and collectively we’re going to lost $2.5-3 million this year across the 14 unions, on top of $3m last year and almost $4m the year before,” said Tew in an interview with Radio Sport this week.

“Everyone agreed we would not get a unanimous view on what the competition should look like – but we did get a unanimous view on what the key factors for a successful competition were and which we should apply to the decision.”

These included a desire to have professionals in it, so it couldn’t start till at least the end of Super rugby; protection of the club rugby window; the need for a full round-robin, and semifinals format; that midweek rugby was avoided; and that it would all be done and dusted by the end of October.

“You apply these factors and you end up with a 12-week window maximum, 10 teams takes up 11 weeks, and that’s where we’re at,” summed up Tew.

Funny that our mates over at Save Our Teams don’t mention any one of these points.

Why stop at 14 teams?  Why not have 21 teams in the first division.

Perhaps the problem is that only half the current comp is making any money:

Tew confirmed that seven of the 14 teams in this year’s Air NZ Cup had forecast a deficit and that the competition simply did not stack up financially in its current format.

If you really want to save our teams, take your medicine and cut four to save the rest.

Nice to see the Save Our Teams fanatics checking out the rest of the internet.

Big ups also to Kevin Hare who posted under his own name responding to my earlier post about Save Our Teams.

I’ve added their site to my blog roll – I don’t agree with them but it’s good to see some grass roots activity for a change.

Kevin makes a couple of points, first about the NZRFU choosing the size of the competition.

The NZRFU set up the 14 team Expansion. They Said it was always going to take 3-4 years to come right . IT HAS.

The reality was that the NZRFU had proposed a smaller premier division for all the reasons that are becoming evident now.  Under pressure and legal threats, the NZRFU showed all the bravery Italian armies are renowned for and backed down quicker than Shane Cameron.

To that extent, the NZRFU has only got itself to blame as if it had shown some balls (preferably adidas) a few years ago, it would never be in the pickle it now is.

The second point Kevin makes is about the local economies being impacted by the four teams being cut:

So As you see it is not Just TAKE The teams Away , If they Are moved out then the Crowds will twindle once again , People Won’t be WORKING on Match Day and Lastly as is the Common Theme we are hearing From ALL Provinces is this….

It Is Working Stop Putting $$$ ahead of RUGBY.

The problem of course is that the process was started by the same unions who are now crying wolf.  There isn’t the money in the comp to keep it afloat and NZRFU simply can’t stump up more.

The numbers are simple – say 25 players at a paltry average of say $40K and your average provincial union has to find a cool $1 million.  That’s a lot of hot dogs.

I have respect the provincial pride that many of these places have.  But provincial pride doesn’t pay professional wages and so long as the NPC is a professional comp (at least at the very top) then less is more.