A few weeks ago, I made a generalised attack on the culture of elite sport and the extent to which professionalism has detracted from the true nature and value of sport.
So it is only fair to acknowledge when professional sport excels itself – as it has done over the course of the last week.
One week ago, the football and wider sporting world was rocked by the tragic death of Wales national manager Gary Speed. The resulting outpouring of emotion finally and rightly gave the lie to the (in)famous Bill Shankly line: “Football is not a matter of life and death. It’s more important than that.”
Instead, Speed’s passing showed football in a compassionate light it is not often associated with. Shrines were spontaneously set up at Elland Road, Goodison Park, St James’ Park, the Reebok Stadium, Bramall Lane – the homes of clubs Speed played for during his twenty-year career – as well as grounds across Wales.
Initiatives by those clubs – including wreaths being laid a playing of the Welsh national anthem at Everton and the plan for 52,000 Geordies to sing Welsh hymn Bread of Heaven in unison at the Swansea game on 17 December – were welcome.
But perhaps more notable was the generosity of spirit shown by fans, and not just those of the clubs Speed represented. Each Premier League game this weekend was preceded by a minute’s applause for Speed, as well as chants of his name from fans of teams he never even played for.
Speed’s name chanted at Chelsea v Liverpool – neither of whom he ever represented: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_baqt3jDJSI&feature=player_embedded
A friend said his mother, who had no links to Speed, had cried during the tribute at Leicester City’s Walkers Stadium. Shay Given and Craig Bellamy, friends and teammates of Speed, showed great courage to play in matches this week despite their obvious distress. John Carver, Newcastle’s assistant boss who worked with Speed at St James’ Park and with Sheffield United, was comforted throughout the applause by fourth official Mark Halsey.
England and Wales football fans have not always had the warmest of relationships, so it was moving to see that laid aside for the sake of Speed, with Welsh flags adorned with messages to the midfielder fluttering in the crowd at Leeds and Newcastle, amongst others.
The shock and grief at Speed’s death did not only unite opposing fans, it also transcended sports. At the Millennium Stadium yesterday, applause for Speed rained down from the stands prior to Wales taking on Australia.
That match, the last international before retirement for Wales’s little winger Shane Williams, provided another heart-warming instance to dispel some of the cynicism surrounding professional sport.
Williams wept during the rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, in the process reducing much of the crowd to tears themselves. Wales lost 18-24 to the Wallabies, but Williams crossed for his 58th and final international try with the last play of the match, sending 62,000 people into raptures.
The atmosphere was incredible, surreal. Wales had been outgunned by a more clinical and apparently hungrier outfit. For much of the second half, it was painful to watch. The stadium felt flat.
But Williams’ try – skipping past Berrick Barnes before scampering over one final time – rejuvenated the crowd. Nobody seemed to notice or care Wales had already lost. This was Shane’s moment, and all that mattered was that he had the chance to say goodbye in style.
Shane Williams and his family after his last international against Australia yesterday
A win would have been nice, but we cared more for Shane than for the result of what was, after all, a friendly match. Fans stood for the winger, to thank him for his commitment to the Welsh cause for more than a decade, to celebrate with him, to join him in his emotional farewell.
This was not about winning at all costs – it was about a more human side. It was a demonstration that while victory is the ultimate aim of a sportsman or woman, it should not be the sole focus. Grassroots sport, by its non-elite nature, recognises that.
Over the past week, with rivalries set aside after the passing of a legend, and with an international crowd celebrating one man’s achievements rather than reacting negatively after the defeat of their nation, a fundamental characteristic – the value of sport in emotional rather than monetary terms – has been revealed to be present at the top levels of sport on a scale that is sometimes obscured.
Sunday 4 December 2011
Friday 18 November 2011
Tebowled Over
A few short weeks ago, I was one of the diminishing number of Denver fans who was resisting the wave of Tebow-for-Orton mania.
Now, with the Broncos having gone 4-1 with Tebow under centre, I would be happy to admit I was wrong – although I am not exactly sure how that is the case.
Tebow has hardly been a prolific passer. Indeed, the exact opposite would be more accurate.
In those five games, he has gone a cumulative 52-115 for 630 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception. Those numbers are not large – far from it – but his touchdown to pick ratio helps his passer rating to a modest 76.4 – although his lack of interceptions can be at least partly attributed to the fact he throws the ball nowhere near his own receivers, let alone defensive players.
Of course, the big strength of Tebow’s game is when he uses his feet. He has rushed for two touchdowns in his last two games, including a last-minute, game-winning 20-yard dash in yesterday’s 17-13 triumph over the New York Jets at Mile High.
In the five matches he has started, he has rushed 49 times for 351 yards, an average of over seven yards per attempt. Head coach John Fox has placed Tebow at the heart of a read option offense which has reaped great rewards.
Yesterday, Tebow was again quiet for the bulk of the match – from after the first drive until the final one, where he propelled Denver 95 yards to improve the Broncos to 5-5 and – almost ridiculously – give them a realistic shot of taking the AFC West title.
The final drive saw Tebow running for almost the first time all night, but, crucially he did what he had to do when he had to do it.
Yesterday was a typical Tebow performance from the last five weeks. Overthrown passes littered his game, but he was bailed out by his rushing strength.
Von Miller, Tebow’s successor as the Broncos’ first overall draft pick, has another huge game, constantly getting in Sanchez’s face (although was lucky on one or two occasions to avoid being penalised for hits which looked late).
It is players like Miller, wide receiver Eric Decker and backs Willis McGahee and Lance Ball who seem to have taken on a new lease of life in an offense controlled by the former Heisman Trophy winner, and, clearly, not simply because of what Tebow brings to the Broncos in raw numbers.
Perhaps it is Tebow’s very public faith, perhaps it is a motivation to play for someone who has attracted more than his fair share of doubters. Whatever the reason, Tebow’s promotion to starter has raised Denver’s game. As I see Kyle Orton sitting on the sideline, I feel sympathy for him – but I am more than happy to be wrong.
Originally published at UK American Sports Fans
Now, with the Broncos having gone 4-1 with Tebow under centre, I would be happy to admit I was wrong – although I am not exactly sure how that is the case.
Tebow has hardly been a prolific passer. Indeed, the exact opposite would be more accurate.
In those five games, he has gone a cumulative 52-115 for 630 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception. Those numbers are not large – far from it – but his touchdown to pick ratio helps his passer rating to a modest 76.4 – although his lack of interceptions can be at least partly attributed to the fact he throws the ball nowhere near his own receivers, let alone defensive players.
Of course, the big strength of Tebow’s game is when he uses his feet. He has rushed for two touchdowns in his last two games, including a last-minute, game-winning 20-yard dash in yesterday’s 17-13 triumph over the New York Jets at Mile High.
In the five matches he has started, he has rushed 49 times for 351 yards, an average of over seven yards per attempt. Head coach John Fox has placed Tebow at the heart of a read option offense which has reaped great rewards.
Yesterday, Tebow was again quiet for the bulk of the match – from after the first drive until the final one, where he propelled Denver 95 yards to improve the Broncos to 5-5 and – almost ridiculously – give them a realistic shot of taking the AFC West title.
The final drive saw Tebow running for almost the first time all night, but, crucially he did what he had to do when he had to do it.
Yesterday was a typical Tebow performance from the last five weeks. Overthrown passes littered his game, but he was bailed out by his rushing strength.
Von Miller, Tebow’s successor as the Broncos’ first overall draft pick, has another huge game, constantly getting in Sanchez’s face (although was lucky on one or two occasions to avoid being penalised for hits which looked late).
It is players like Miller, wide receiver Eric Decker and backs Willis McGahee and Lance Ball who seem to have taken on a new lease of life in an offense controlled by the former Heisman Trophy winner, and, clearly, not simply because of what Tebow brings to the Broncos in raw numbers.
Perhaps it is Tebow’s very public faith, perhaps it is a motivation to play for someone who has attracted more than his fair share of doubters. Whatever the reason, Tebow’s promotion to starter has raised Denver’s game. As I see Kyle Orton sitting on the sideline, I feel sympathy for him – but I am more than happy to be wrong.
Originally published at UK American Sports Fans
Tuesday 8 November 2011
Cardiff Rules: Panthers dominate Welsh footy
This post was originally published on 'An Early Bath', my new blog dedicated to grassroots and non-mainstream sport.
Australian Rules Football – ‘footy’ Down Under, colloquially ‘Aussie rules’ to the rest of the world – can claim to be one of the well-known non-mainstream sports in the UK, although they will probably see it as a confused melee, loosely based on some kind of hybrid between rugby and basketball.
Most sports fans in this country will have a vague idea of the concept of the game, which is the most popular sport in Australia. But, after it was devised in Victoria as a means of keeping cricketers in shape during the winter, little effort was made to spread it to the rest of the world. Its very name implies a certain degree of isolation.
A 2007 survey by the AFL, the governing body of the sport in Australia, revealed that there were only 303 registered clubs and fewer than 10,000 players in the whole of the rest of the world. By contrast, there are hundreds of thousands registered players in the country of the sport’s birth.
Since that survey, though, Aussie rules has seen something of a surge in support in the UK, says Mark Horsman, club secretary of the South Cardiff Panthers, who play at Pontcanna Fields in the Riverside area of the city.
The Panthers, established in 2006 as a founding member of the Welsh Australian Rules Football League (WARFL), are one of the most successful clubs in Britain.
Only three of the 24 squad members are Australian, suggesting Aussie rules in this country has become far more than simply a comfort for homesick Antipodeans and that, however small, the sport has established a foothold on these shores.
Welsh Australian Rules Football League Video credit: brycestone, YouTube
The version of the sport played most commonly in this country is a truncated adaptation of the original. In Australia, matches are played on cricket pitches – a throwback to the game’s original purpose – by teams of 18. Here, rugby fields are used for nine-a-side encounters.
But Mark Horsman points out that Australia has begun to introduce the nine-player version as well, in an effort to make playing the sport more accessible: “It is in its early days but could prove successful.
“It is a great testament to the game in Europe.”
Other than a solitary defeat against the Swansea Magpies last season, the Panthers have gone unbeaten in the WARFL for the last three years and their only other loss in that period came against a London side comprised entirely of Australians.
Such a success hardly sits well with the description of the Panthers as a grassroots side. They can boast not only the success they have had in their own right – but also the fact three quarters of the Panthers’ squad are internationals, most representing Wales in the nine-man format.
Horsman is among seven Panthers who have also made the step up to the Great Britain Bulldogs 18-a-side game in the past four seasons, one of whom – 6ft 9in ruckman Chris James – played at the International Cup in August, where the Bulldogs finished seventh.
Meanwhile, club President and Wales captain David Saunders has been selected for the EuroCup Team Europe for the last two seasons, the only Welsh player to achieve that feat.
Yet, undeniably, despite the sport’s growing popularity in this country, Aussie rules remains very much a minority sport in Cardiff, as with almost everywhere outside Oz. Organisers of the six-team WARFL (which is to be extended by a further two clubs in time for the 2012 season) are perfectly aware of this – as many players do not play solely Aussie rules, the season runs through the summer to avoid clashing with rugby, football and hockey matches.
Panthers after winning their third successive Welsh Grand Final earlier this year
Other sides in the league have often faced player shortages but the Panthers have managed to avoid these difficulties, which so often affect grassroots sports teams.
Indeed, it could be said the Panthers run a perfect operation for a club of their stature. They have a number of sponsorship deals – Deli Rouge, Cardiff Sports Nutritions, Spire Healthcare and the Outdoor Fitness company if were asking – and also run successful Facebook and Twitter campaigns to keep squad numbers up and embark on an annual end-of-season tour, the latest being a successful trip to Rome at the end of October.
Nor is fitness taken lightly, in a warning to anyone who thinks an ability to catch and kick the ovoid ball is a valid qualification for joining the squad. The commitment to conditioning is one of the main reasons for the success enjoyed by the Panthers, explains Horsman.
“I think I could safely say that all of our players are heavily into their fitness,” he says. The link with Outdoor Fitness gives ample opportunity for that – and, perhaps, little excuse not to.
“Most of the team train with Outdoor Fitness through the week at all times of the year and this type of training – military style – really suits the intensity and physicality of Aussie Rules.”
Although the Panthers were founders of the WARFL, Aussie rules in Wales dates back to the Second World War, when it was played by members of the Royal Australian Air Force based at Pembroke Dock.
Although there may not have been any direct link between that first Welsh taste of footy and the fledging league the Panthers have come to dominate, the side has been asked to commemorate that occasion in 1944 by playing another fixture on Anzac Day (remembrance day for Australians and New Zealanders).
That planned fixture alludes to the perpetual Australian link that will colour every instance of this sport wherever around the world it is played. But teams such as the South Cardiff Panthers are fiercely proud of their own contribution to the development in Wales of the sport as it comes increasingly – if still very slowly – into the public conscience.
“The scene in Wales and the UK is very promising with a big growth in clubs and players over the last 3 years,” notes Horsman. How long it will be before the South Wales Panthers are properly challenged, however, remains to be seen.
Australian Rules Football – ‘footy’ Down Under, colloquially ‘Aussie rules’ to the rest of the world – can claim to be one of the well-known non-mainstream sports in the UK, although they will probably see it as a confused melee, loosely based on some kind of hybrid between rugby and basketball.
Most sports fans in this country will have a vague idea of the concept of the game, which is the most popular sport in Australia. But, after it was devised in Victoria as a means of keeping cricketers in shape during the winter, little effort was made to spread it to the rest of the world. Its very name implies a certain degree of isolation.
A 2007 survey by the AFL, the governing body of the sport in Australia, revealed that there were only 303 registered clubs and fewer than 10,000 players in the whole of the rest of the world. By contrast, there are hundreds of thousands registered players in the country of the sport’s birth.
Since that survey, though, Aussie rules has seen something of a surge in support in the UK, says Mark Horsman, club secretary of the South Cardiff Panthers, who play at Pontcanna Fields in the Riverside area of the city.
The Panthers, established in 2006 as a founding member of the Welsh Australian Rules Football League (WARFL), are one of the most successful clubs in Britain.
Only three of the 24 squad members are Australian, suggesting Aussie rules in this country has become far more than simply a comfort for homesick Antipodeans and that, however small, the sport has established a foothold on these shores.
Welsh Australian Rules Football League Video credit: brycestone, YouTube
The version of the sport played most commonly in this country is a truncated adaptation of the original. In Australia, matches are played on cricket pitches – a throwback to the game’s original purpose – by teams of 18. Here, rugby fields are used for nine-a-side encounters.
But Mark Horsman points out that Australia has begun to introduce the nine-player version as well, in an effort to make playing the sport more accessible: “It is in its early days but could prove successful.
“It is a great testament to the game in Europe.”
Other than a solitary defeat against the Swansea Magpies last season, the Panthers have gone unbeaten in the WARFL for the last three years and their only other loss in that period came against a London side comprised entirely of Australians.
Such a success hardly sits well with the description of the Panthers as a grassroots side. They can boast not only the success they have had in their own right – but also the fact three quarters of the Panthers’ squad are internationals, most representing Wales in the nine-man format.
Horsman is among seven Panthers who have also made the step up to the Great Britain Bulldogs 18-a-side game in the past four seasons, one of whom – 6ft 9in ruckman Chris James – played at the International Cup in August, where the Bulldogs finished seventh.
Meanwhile, club President and Wales captain David Saunders has been selected for the EuroCup Team Europe for the last two seasons, the only Welsh player to achieve that feat.
Yet, undeniably, despite the sport’s growing popularity in this country, Aussie rules remains very much a minority sport in Cardiff, as with almost everywhere outside Oz. Organisers of the six-team WARFL (which is to be extended by a further two clubs in time for the 2012 season) are perfectly aware of this – as many players do not play solely Aussie rules, the season runs through the summer to avoid clashing with rugby, football and hockey matches.
Panthers after winning their third successive Welsh Grand Final earlier this year
Other sides in the league have often faced player shortages but the Panthers have managed to avoid these difficulties, which so often affect grassroots sports teams.
Indeed, it could be said the Panthers run a perfect operation for a club of their stature. They have a number of sponsorship deals – Deli Rouge, Cardiff Sports Nutritions, Spire Healthcare and the Outdoor Fitness company if were asking – and also run successful Facebook and Twitter campaigns to keep squad numbers up and embark on an annual end-of-season tour, the latest being a successful trip to Rome at the end of October.
Nor is fitness taken lightly, in a warning to anyone who thinks an ability to catch and kick the ovoid ball is a valid qualification for joining the squad. The commitment to conditioning is one of the main reasons for the success enjoyed by the Panthers, explains Horsman.
“I think I could safely say that all of our players are heavily into their fitness,” he says. The link with Outdoor Fitness gives ample opportunity for that – and, perhaps, little excuse not to.
“Most of the team train with Outdoor Fitness through the week at all times of the year and this type of training – military style – really suits the intensity and physicality of Aussie Rules.”
Although the Panthers were founders of the WARFL, Aussie rules in Wales dates back to the Second World War, when it was played by members of the Royal Australian Air Force based at Pembroke Dock.
Although there may not have been any direct link between that first Welsh taste of footy and the fledging league the Panthers have come to dominate, the side has been asked to commemorate that occasion in 1944 by playing another fixture on Anzac Day (remembrance day for Australians and New Zealanders).
That planned fixture alludes to the perpetual Australian link that will colour every instance of this sport wherever around the world it is played. But teams such as the South Cardiff Panthers are fiercely proud of their own contribution to the development in Wales of the sport as it comes increasingly – if still very slowly – into the public conscience.
“The scene in Wales and the UK is very promising with a big growth in clubs and players over the last 3 years,” notes Horsman. How long it will be before the South Wales Panthers are properly challenged, however, remains to be seen.
Sunday 23 October 2011
New Zealand relief as All Blacks finally regain deserved crown
New Zealand 8-7 France
When referee Craig Joubert blew the final whistle of the Rugby World Cup, one overriding emotion seemed to be prevalent in New Zealand – relief.
The All Blacks have been consistently the best side in the world for decades, but, despite being perennial favourites, have not won the Webb Ellis trophy for 24 years. Now the label of one of sport’s biggest chokers can be laid to rest after an unspectacular but hard-fought – not to mention incredibly tense and compelling – 8-7 victory over France.
Les Bleus looked nothing like the side that lost to Tonga in the pool stage or that struggled to resist 14-man Wales last weekend. This was a team, led by the immense Thierry Dusautoir, which gave the All Blacks – huge favourites going into the match – the fright of their lives. They could easily have won.
But that looked to be very much off the radar when Tony Woodcock dived over the line for the only score of the first half, the prop taking advantage of a huge gap that opened up in the French line-up, as he collected Jerome Kaino’s inside pass.
At that stage, the predictions of an all-too-easy New Zealand win looked like they might materialise. France had dominated the first fifteen minutes, but just as in the sides’ pool stage encounter, failed to capitalise on that pressure – before the All Blacks scored with their first try-scoring opportunity.
Piri Weepu missed the conversion, having already hooked a penalty horribly wide. He would go on to miss another three-pointer, and his performance from the tee was the complete opposite of his metronomic display against Argentina in the quarterfinal, when he kicked seven penalties from seven.
Both sides lost their starting fly halves in a frenetic, physical first period. France’s Morgan Parra took an early knock to the head from the knee of Richie McCaw – debate will rage as to whether or not it was deliberate – and eventually was forced off, sporting a huge black eye by the final whistle.
That incident might be seen by French fans as key but Gallic anger was directed at referee Joubert for his debatable decisions throughout the match. At the scrum in particular, but also at the breakdown in general, France seemed to be penalised far more harshly than the All Blacks. Joubert certainly had been the most impressive referee at the tournament before the final, but a number of question marks remain over key decisions in this match, most of which benefited New Zealand.
Not that the favourites avoided misfortune themselves. Aaron Cruden, who had replaced Dan Carter’s replacement Colin Slade at number 10, himself suffered an injury, forcing veteran Stephen Donald to make his World Cup debut and take over as stand-off – and also seize the kicking responsibilities from the misfiring Weepu.
Donald gave his team an eight-point lead with a penalty at the beginning of the second period, but France responded almost instantly. Francois Trinh-Duc, Parra’s replacement and a genuine fly-half by trade, was excellent all match, and it was his break that led to captain Dusautoir eventually touching down under the posts. Trinh-Duc’s easy conversion left the match finely poised – and with more than half an hour to play, there was tangible fear around Eden Park, reverberating to the strains of La Marseillaise, that another capitulation could be in the offing.
But the All Blacks dug deep. In what was after all the lowest-scoring final of all time (and also the joint-second lowest-scoring World Cup match ever), defence dominated. The threat New Zealand’s backs have posed consistently during this tournament was largely nullified by the French, whose tenacity in the tackle had paid such dividends against Wales.
However, the All Blacks themselves were solid, particularly so when the lead had been cut to a single point. They had to be, as France, desperate even for a penalty (Trinh-Duc did push a long-ranger wide) dominated possession in the last twenty minutes but made little headway in terms of advancing beyond the hosts’ 10-metre line.
When the ball was eventually turned over after a long period of French toil, New Zealand, in a reflection of both the hard-fought nature of the match and the weight taken off the nature’s collective shoulders, were content to run down the five remaining minutes very tamely.
At the end of 24 years of All Black World Cup pain, whatever sympathy for the French effort was banished by the emotion of the achievement. This triumph comes towards the close of a turbulent year for this small outpost in the south Pacific – a mining disaster, the catastrophic Christchurch earthquake – and will unite a nation in ecstasy. From that point of view, no-one can truly begrudge New Zealand this victory – and from a purely on-the-field perspective, there can be no complaints that the best team in the world has finally won back the crown they deserve.
When referee Craig Joubert blew the final whistle of the Rugby World Cup, one overriding emotion seemed to be prevalent in New Zealand – relief.
The All Blacks have been consistently the best side in the world for decades, but, despite being perennial favourites, have not won the Webb Ellis trophy for 24 years. Now the label of one of sport’s biggest chokers can be laid to rest after an unspectacular but hard-fought – not to mention incredibly tense and compelling – 8-7 victory over France.
Les Bleus looked nothing like the side that lost to Tonga in the pool stage or that struggled to resist 14-man Wales last weekend. This was a team, led by the immense Thierry Dusautoir, which gave the All Blacks – huge favourites going into the match – the fright of their lives. They could easily have won.
But that looked to be very much off the radar when Tony Woodcock dived over the line for the only score of the first half, the prop taking advantage of a huge gap that opened up in the French line-up, as he collected Jerome Kaino’s inside pass.
At that stage, the predictions of an all-too-easy New Zealand win looked like they might materialise. France had dominated the first fifteen minutes, but just as in the sides’ pool stage encounter, failed to capitalise on that pressure – before the All Blacks scored with their first try-scoring opportunity.
Piri Weepu missed the conversion, having already hooked a penalty horribly wide. He would go on to miss another three-pointer, and his performance from the tee was the complete opposite of his metronomic display against Argentina in the quarterfinal, when he kicked seven penalties from seven.
Both sides lost their starting fly halves in a frenetic, physical first period. France’s Morgan Parra took an early knock to the head from the knee of Richie McCaw – debate will rage as to whether or not it was deliberate – and eventually was forced off, sporting a huge black eye by the final whistle.
That incident might be seen by French fans as key but Gallic anger was directed at referee Joubert for his debatable decisions throughout the match. At the scrum in particular, but also at the breakdown in general, France seemed to be penalised far more harshly than the All Blacks. Joubert certainly had been the most impressive referee at the tournament before the final, but a number of question marks remain over key decisions in this match, most of which benefited New Zealand.
Not that the favourites avoided misfortune themselves. Aaron Cruden, who had replaced Dan Carter’s replacement Colin Slade at number 10, himself suffered an injury, forcing veteran Stephen Donald to make his World Cup debut and take over as stand-off – and also seize the kicking responsibilities from the misfiring Weepu.
Donald gave his team an eight-point lead with a penalty at the beginning of the second period, but France responded almost instantly. Francois Trinh-Duc, Parra’s replacement and a genuine fly-half by trade, was excellent all match, and it was his break that led to captain Dusautoir eventually touching down under the posts. Trinh-Duc’s easy conversion left the match finely poised – and with more than half an hour to play, there was tangible fear around Eden Park, reverberating to the strains of La Marseillaise, that another capitulation could be in the offing.
But the All Blacks dug deep. In what was after all the lowest-scoring final of all time (and also the joint-second lowest-scoring World Cup match ever), defence dominated. The threat New Zealand’s backs have posed consistently during this tournament was largely nullified by the French, whose tenacity in the tackle had paid such dividends against Wales.
However, the All Blacks themselves were solid, particularly so when the lead had been cut to a single point. They had to be, as France, desperate even for a penalty (Trinh-Duc did push a long-ranger wide) dominated possession in the last twenty minutes but made little headway in terms of advancing beyond the hosts’ 10-metre line.
When the ball was eventually turned over after a long period of French toil, New Zealand, in a reflection of both the hard-fought nature of the match and the weight taken off the nature’s collective shoulders, were content to run down the five remaining minutes very tamely.
At the end of 24 years of All Black World Cup pain, whatever sympathy for the French effort was banished by the emotion of the achievement. This triumph comes towards the close of a turbulent year for this small outpost in the south Pacific – a mining disaster, the catastrophic Christchurch earthquake – and will unite a nation in ecstasy. From that point of view, no-one can truly begrudge New Zealand this victory – and from a purely on-the-field perspective, there can be no complaints that the best team in the world has finally won back the crown they deserve.
Friday 21 October 2011
All Blacks odds on to win back Webb Ellis trophy
There have only been four nations that have won the Rugby World Cup – England and the three Tri-Nations sides. That number is highly unlikely to increase on Sunday.
New Zealand, who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy for the only time at the inaugural tournament in 1987, will face France, who have scraped into the final after an unimpressive – yet somehow effective – run of matcheswhich included a loss to the All Blacks in the pool stage.
France triumphed 9-8 over Wales in last weekend’s semi-final in somewhat controversial circumstances. Marc Lievremont’s side profited from the early dismissal of Welsh captain Sam Warburton, but, despite having a numerical advantage for over 60 minutes, would have lost had Wales’ James Hook, Stephen Jones and Leigh Halfpenny not conspired to miss four kicks at goal between them.
Even so, Les Bleus were strong in defence against what had been a free-scoring Welsh side – but they will know that the workload will go up another few notches when facing the All Blacks, who have already touched down for 39 tries in their six matches at the competition.
New Zealand are, without a shadow of a doubt, the strongest side in the world and have not seriously been challenged in the tournament so far. There is almost an embarrassment of riches in the squad, with no real weakness at any position to give opponents a glimmer of an opportunity.
Even the absence of crocked flyhalf Dan Carter – perhaps the quintessential rugby talisman – has not had anything like the negative impact opposition sides have hoped. Third-choice number ten Aaron Cruden, who will start at stand-off for Sunday’s final, looked assured with ball in hand and also kicked intelligently in the semi-final against Australia. He has just eight caps, but that performance against the Wallabies will have calmed the nerves of New Zealanders, many of whom had entered something akin to mourning upon hearing of Carter’s injury.
Outside Cruden, the backline is nothing less than a phenomenal force. The centres – battering ram Ma’a Nonu, the workhorse Conrad Smith – are complemented well by the wingers. Indeed, there is such a depth of talent out wide that coach Graham Henry seems uncertain as to what his first choice wing combination should be. Richard Kahui, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford and Sonny Bill Williams have all started on the wing in at least one game of this World Cup – though Dagg has become a regular at fullback, a position he will start at for the final.
France do have strength in the backs – Vincent Clerc, the winger, is the joint top-tryscorer at the tournament – but coach Lievremont will persist with the much-debated tactic of playing two scrum halves in the starting fifteen – Dmitri Yachvili at number nine and Morgan Parra at 10. Lievremont fell out with Francois Trinh-Duc, a specialist outside half, and relegated him to the bench.
With Parra at stand-off, New Zealand will attempt to exploit what they perceive to be a weakness in that position. Wales tried exactly that, without luck: minus flanker Sam Warburton, Parra was able to peg them back time and again with intelligent kicking from hand.
However, New Zealand have Richie McCaw, one of the most formidable players of the past decade, who perhaps best personifies the intensity of the All Blacks. In Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire and Imanol Harinordoquy, France themselves do have a decent back row, but, ominously for Les Bleus, McCaw is – still – in the form of his life.
There is little that offers comfort to the French except, perhaps, history. France have traditionally been New Zealand’s World Cup bogey side, knocking the All Blacks out of the 1999 and 2007 tournaments, both times in thrilling fashion. Even that one, tiny, consolation has waned, however. The All Blacks beat Sunday’s opponents in the group stage with almost embarrassing ease, 37-17, and the gap between the sides today is surely greater than either of those two occasions past.
In any case, if history is to be used as a guide, it is worth noting that no team has ever lifted the Webb Ellis trophy after having lost a pool match. France contrived to lose two, including a 17-12 loss to lowly Tonga, arguably one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
Other than the fact they have – somehow – reached the final, this World Cup has threatened to develop into a farcical one for the French. Lievremont, who will leave his post after the tournament, has employed a bizarre man-management style. As well as his very public fallings-out, most notably with Trinh-Duc, he has criticised his squad, at various times, for being “cowards”, “lacking balls” and as “a bunch of spoiled brats. Undisciplined, disobedient, sometimes selfish”.
Whatever the issues of ethos surrounding the French squad, at least they do not have the psychological hang-ups of their opponents. New Zealand have built up a reputation for choking at World Cups, falling short on every occasion since they won the 1987 tournament – which they also hosted and in which they beat France in the final.
The awesome strength of Graham Henry’s side means there would be very little surprise if they were to repeat that feat of 24 years ago this Sunday.
New Zealand, who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy for the only time at the inaugural tournament in 1987, will face France, who have scraped into the final after an unimpressive – yet somehow effective – run of matcheswhich included a loss to the All Blacks in the pool stage.
France triumphed 9-8 over Wales in last weekend’s semi-final in somewhat controversial circumstances. Marc Lievremont’s side profited from the early dismissal of Welsh captain Sam Warburton, but, despite having a numerical advantage for over 60 minutes, would have lost had Wales’ James Hook, Stephen Jones and Leigh Halfpenny not conspired to miss four kicks at goal between them.
Even so, Les Bleus were strong in defence against what had been a free-scoring Welsh side – but they will know that the workload will go up another few notches when facing the All Blacks, who have already touched down for 39 tries in their six matches at the competition.
New Zealand are, without a shadow of a doubt, the strongest side in the world and have not seriously been challenged in the tournament so far. There is almost an embarrassment of riches in the squad, with no real weakness at any position to give opponents a glimmer of an opportunity.
Even the absence of crocked flyhalf Dan Carter – perhaps the quintessential rugby talisman – has not had anything like the negative impact opposition sides have hoped. Third-choice number ten Aaron Cruden, who will start at stand-off for Sunday’s final, looked assured with ball in hand and also kicked intelligently in the semi-final against Australia. He has just eight caps, but that performance against the Wallabies will have calmed the nerves of New Zealanders, many of whom had entered something akin to mourning upon hearing of Carter’s injury.
Outside Cruden, the backline is nothing less than a phenomenal force. The centres – battering ram Ma’a Nonu, the workhorse Conrad Smith – are complemented well by the wingers. Indeed, there is such a depth of talent out wide that coach Graham Henry seems uncertain as to what his first choice wing combination should be. Richard Kahui, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford and Sonny Bill Williams have all started on the wing in at least one game of this World Cup – though Dagg has become a regular at fullback, a position he will start at for the final.
France do have strength in the backs – Vincent Clerc, the winger, is the joint top-tryscorer at the tournament – but coach Lievremont will persist with the much-debated tactic of playing two scrum halves in the starting fifteen – Dmitri Yachvili at number nine and Morgan Parra at 10. Lievremont fell out with Francois Trinh-Duc, a specialist outside half, and relegated him to the bench.
With Parra at stand-off, New Zealand will attempt to exploit what they perceive to be a weakness in that position. Wales tried exactly that, without luck: minus flanker Sam Warburton, Parra was able to peg them back time and again with intelligent kicking from hand.
However, New Zealand have Richie McCaw, one of the most formidable players of the past decade, who perhaps best personifies the intensity of the All Blacks. In Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire and Imanol Harinordoquy, France themselves do have a decent back row, but, ominously for Les Bleus, McCaw is – still – in the form of his life.
There is little that offers comfort to the French except, perhaps, history. France have traditionally been New Zealand’s World Cup bogey side, knocking the All Blacks out of the 1999 and 2007 tournaments, both times in thrilling fashion. Even that one, tiny, consolation has waned, however. The All Blacks beat Sunday’s opponents in the group stage with almost embarrassing ease, 37-17, and the gap between the sides today is surely greater than either of those two occasions past.
In any case, if history is to be used as a guide, it is worth noting that no team has ever lifted the Webb Ellis trophy after having lost a pool match. France contrived to lose two, including a 17-12 loss to lowly Tonga, arguably one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
Other than the fact they have – somehow – reached the final, this World Cup has threatened to develop into a farcical one for the French. Lievremont, who will leave his post after the tournament, has employed a bizarre man-management style. As well as his very public fallings-out, most notably with Trinh-Duc, he has criticised his squad, at various times, for being “cowards”, “lacking balls” and as “a bunch of spoiled brats. Undisciplined, disobedient, sometimes selfish”.
Whatever the issues of ethos surrounding the French squad, at least they do not have the psychological hang-ups of their opponents. New Zealand have built up a reputation for choking at World Cups, falling short on every occasion since they won the 1987 tournament – which they also hosted and in which they beat France in the final.
The awesome strength of Graham Henry’s side means there would be very little surprise if they were to repeat that feat of 24 years ago this Sunday.
Monday 17 October 2011
Dodgy dismissal dumps Wales out
France 9-8 Wales
It is best that I have waited 36 hours before posting on the first World Cup semi-final. In the immediate aftermath of the biggest match Wales have played in my lifetime – and according to some, ever – emotions could have spilled over. Some things needed to be digested rather than discussed straight away.
There is no shortage of talking points that emerged from this heartbreaking defeat at Eden Park, with Sam Warburton’s red card springing to mind most easily.
Warburton was dismissed in the first quarter of the match for a tip tackle on French winger Vincent Clerc, a sending off that provoked outrage in Auckland, the Millennium Stadium, up and down Wales and among most rugby followers.
In a World Cup semi-final, in the opening exchanges. The Welsh captain, a professional, not a dirty player. He let go, he did not drive him into the ground. Unfortunately, the law has to be applied consistently, without regard for these apparent mitigating circumstances, and Alain Rolland felt he had no option but to issue a red card.
The main problem is that the law is not consistently applied. If it was, it could spell the end of big dump tackles. Rolland has form in this area, and treated Florian Fritz much more harshly in a Heineken Cup encounter. Rolland is also half-French, which hardly made it easier for Welsh and neutral fans to accept the dismissal.
The law is probably too strict, too narrow and proscriptive of allowing the referee to use common sense. Most observers would agree that a sin binning would be perfectly sufficient punishment for Warburton. Perhaps Rolland might have thought so. Unfortunately, he interpreted the tackle in such a way that meant he had to show red, not yellow.
The relevant part of the IRB’s Law 10.4 reads as follows: - The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety (red card offence). The crucial, and contentious, interpretation made by Rolland was that Warburton did not have regard for Clerc’s safety – but if that was the case, you would surely struggle to find an incident of such a spear tackle where there was any more regard for safety than the Welsh captain appeared to have.
The tears Warburton shed on the touchline and after the match endeared him to the watching public, including the 61,500 inside the Millennium Stadium, to an even greater degree. The sense of injustice vastly outweighed any potential anger at the captain himself for putting himself and the referee in that position.
Interestingly, the IRB have only suspended Warburton for three weeks despite their own directive mandating a minimum six-week ban. That reflected the lack of malice in the tackle and Warburton’s professionalism, but it also might fuel the fire of the arguments of the many who continue to insist that it should not have been a sending off or that the referee should have applied a touch of leniency, some common sense rather than directing all the post-match attention at himself.
All that said, though, Wales could and probably should have won. It would have been a truly heroic result if the fourteen men had managed to do so, but, despite falling just short, the squad has almost guaranteed hero-status for their gargantuan effort.
Nevertheless, the Welsh kicking, so good so far this tournament in comparison with most other teams (except, incidentally, the French) played a crucial factor.
James Hook, who was the weak link following Warburton’s departure, shanked a couple of kicks. The normally reliable Stephen Jones (who replaced Hook in a move that was met with a sigh of relief from the Millennium Stadium, who gave a huge ovation to the substitution) hit the post when attempting to convert Mike Phillips’ opportunists’ try. Leigh Halfpenny’s late long-range penalty effort was agonisingly close, dropping inches underneath the crossbar.
Wales’ traditional Achilles’ heel, the lineout, also haunted them. Huw Bennett suffered a severe case of the yips, failing to find his range all match. Wales lost six of their 19 throws, a factor that severely handicapped their attempts to reach their first ever World Cup final.
If they had reached that final, they would have faced an imposing New Zealand team who, in the end, comfortably held off the challenge from Australia. The All Blacks ran out 20-6 winners, and after the Wallabies were hit by an early Ma’a Nonu try – following brilliant work from Israel Dagg – there was rarely evidence that they would upset the hosts and favourites.
As it is, it will be a NZ-France final, a repeat of the 1987 tournament, also held in Aotearoa. The third-place play-off, Wales versus Australia, is also an exact replica of that inaugural competition.
A Wales-New Zealand final would have been epic. Wales are perhaps the only team in the tournament who could live with the All Blacks for intensity. The Welsh will also rarely get a better chance to get to the final or to dominate the British rugby psyche as they have done over the last week.
In some ways, if we cannot win the World Cup, perhaps it is better to have lost like this, heroically, with a nation – the whole UK, not just Wales – united behind the team in pride and admiration for the discipline, courage, character and high-class rugby they have displayed Down Under.
Whether Wales finish third or fourth, they will all return as heroes. Sam Warburton will not be vilified. He will be at the forefront of the public’s affection, despite his red card – or perhaps, because of the sympathy that sending-off evoked, even because of it.
It is best that I have waited 36 hours before posting on the first World Cup semi-final. In the immediate aftermath of the biggest match Wales have played in my lifetime – and according to some, ever – emotions could have spilled over. Some things needed to be digested rather than discussed straight away.
There is no shortage of talking points that emerged from this heartbreaking defeat at Eden Park, with Sam Warburton’s red card springing to mind most easily.
Warburton was dismissed in the first quarter of the match for a tip tackle on French winger Vincent Clerc, a sending off that provoked outrage in Auckland, the Millennium Stadium, up and down Wales and among most rugby followers.
In a World Cup semi-final, in the opening exchanges. The Welsh captain, a professional, not a dirty player. He let go, he did not drive him into the ground. Unfortunately, the law has to be applied consistently, without regard for these apparent mitigating circumstances, and Alain Rolland felt he had no option but to issue a red card.
The main problem is that the law is not consistently applied. If it was, it could spell the end of big dump tackles. Rolland has form in this area, and treated Florian Fritz much more harshly in a Heineken Cup encounter. Rolland is also half-French, which hardly made it easier for Welsh and neutral fans to accept the dismissal.
The law is probably too strict, too narrow and proscriptive of allowing the referee to use common sense. Most observers would agree that a sin binning would be perfectly sufficient punishment for Warburton. Perhaps Rolland might have thought so. Unfortunately, he interpreted the tackle in such a way that meant he had to show red, not yellow.
The relevant part of the IRB’s Law 10.4 reads as follows: - The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety (red card offence). The crucial, and contentious, interpretation made by Rolland was that Warburton did not have regard for Clerc’s safety – but if that was the case, you would surely struggle to find an incident of such a spear tackle where there was any more regard for safety than the Welsh captain appeared to have.
The tears Warburton shed on the touchline and after the match endeared him to the watching public, including the 61,500 inside the Millennium Stadium, to an even greater degree. The sense of injustice vastly outweighed any potential anger at the captain himself for putting himself and the referee in that position.
Interestingly, the IRB have only suspended Warburton for three weeks despite their own directive mandating a minimum six-week ban. That reflected the lack of malice in the tackle and Warburton’s professionalism, but it also might fuel the fire of the arguments of the many who continue to insist that it should not have been a sending off or that the referee should have applied a touch of leniency, some common sense rather than directing all the post-match attention at himself.
All that said, though, Wales could and probably should have won. It would have been a truly heroic result if the fourteen men had managed to do so, but, despite falling just short, the squad has almost guaranteed hero-status for their gargantuan effort.
Nevertheless, the Welsh kicking, so good so far this tournament in comparison with most other teams (except, incidentally, the French) played a crucial factor.
James Hook, who was the weak link following Warburton’s departure, shanked a couple of kicks. The normally reliable Stephen Jones (who replaced Hook in a move that was met with a sigh of relief from the Millennium Stadium, who gave a huge ovation to the substitution) hit the post when attempting to convert Mike Phillips’ opportunists’ try. Leigh Halfpenny’s late long-range penalty effort was agonisingly close, dropping inches underneath the crossbar.
Wales’ traditional Achilles’ heel, the lineout, also haunted them. Huw Bennett suffered a severe case of the yips, failing to find his range all match. Wales lost six of their 19 throws, a factor that severely handicapped their attempts to reach their first ever World Cup final.
If they had reached that final, they would have faced an imposing New Zealand team who, in the end, comfortably held off the challenge from Australia. The All Blacks ran out 20-6 winners, and after the Wallabies were hit by an early Ma’a Nonu try – following brilliant work from Israel Dagg – there was rarely evidence that they would upset the hosts and favourites.
As it is, it will be a NZ-France final, a repeat of the 1987 tournament, also held in Aotearoa. The third-place play-off, Wales versus Australia, is also an exact replica of that inaugural competition.
A Wales-New Zealand final would have been epic. Wales are perhaps the only team in the tournament who could live with the All Blacks for intensity. The Welsh will also rarely get a better chance to get to the final or to dominate the British rugby psyche as they have done over the last week.
In some ways, if we cannot win the World Cup, perhaps it is better to have lost like this, heroically, with a nation – the whole UK, not just Wales – united behind the team in pride and admiration for the discipline, courage, character and high-class rugby they have displayed Down Under.
Whether Wales finish third or fourth, they will all return as heroes. Sam Warburton will not be vilified. He will be at the forefront of the public’s affection, despite his red card – or perhaps, because of the sympathy that sending-off evoked, even because of it.
Sunday 9 October 2011
Woeful England head home after World Cup to forget
Wayne Rooney’s petulant kick at an opposition player in England’s stuttering draw with Montenegro on Friday night catapulted the Manchester United striker to the front of the English sporting media’s line of fire. Within twelve hours, however, he had been replaced by Martin Johnson and his squad, who had just been knocked out of the Rugby World Cup.
It was not the elimination itself so much as the manner of it. France defeated England 19-12, but that one-score margin was hardly a reflection of a match that Les Bleus were allowed to dominate. France led 16-0 at half-time, and the error-strewn English side never looked likely to overhaul that deficit.
The off-the-field misdemeanours – captain Mike Tindall’s alleged infidelity, dwarf-tossing in a Dunedin bar, suggestions that three players bullied a female staff member at the team hotel – could be, if not excused, then perhaps glossed over if progress on the pitch was evident.
But, with the possible exception of the performances of Manu Tuilagi, it never came. England ground to a narrow, ill-disciplined win over Argentina, before toiling against Georgia. Romania were, admittedly, seen off easily – but it is only Romania – before Chris Ashton grabbed a late try to extinguish the Scottish challenge.
Yet despite their poor form in the pool, Johnson’s side went into yesterday’s defeat as favourites, owing to the even worse performances from France, who had lost to New Zealand and, sensationally, Tonga, just seven days previously. But a Vincent Clerc try with a quarter of yesterday’s encounter gone horribly exposed defensive frailties that would have embarrassed even the smallest sides at the World Cup. Clerc, somehow, was allowed to brush off tackles at will; the French winger almost looked surprised still to be on his feet as he fell across the line.
That score opened up an 11-0 lead, which was extended by five within ten minutes when Maxime Medard crossed after Clerc sucked defenders away from the centre. Trailing by at least three scores, England could have ended up on the wrong end of a humiliation.
If there is any small vestige of credit to be salvaged by England from this game, it is that they at least managed to claw back that deficit. Two second-half tries – from Ben Foden and Mark Cueto, who this time was given the benefit of any doubt by the TMO, four years after his disallowed try in the 2007 final – gave England hope. But France had done enough, and a Francois Trinh-Duc drop goal ensured that his side would progress to face Wales in the semi-finals. The Welsh, victorious over an Irish side that were far from poor themselves, provide a stark contrast to their larger neighbour to the east.
Sam Warburton’s men are extremely well-disciplined, on and off the field. If it is a generalisation to state that they all watch James Bond films and go to rugby games in their free time while their English counterparts display loutish behaviour, it does not seem to be far from the truth. Public image is important, as well, and while Welsh fans admire their team’s focus, the English despair that their side, with all its shortcomings, seem more concerned with having a good time.
Another difference is in the fitness levels. Wales made only two substitution in their defeat of Ireland, despite having to defend for the majority of the game, apparently a great indication of the merits of Warren Gatland’s gruelling pre-World Cup training camp. His side were fresh, creative and determined. England, though, looked out of ideas and eventually ran out of steam. That late Cueto try gave no more than false hope – and if England had managed to snatch a draw it would have been mightily undeserved.
Martin Johnson was a fantastic player, but his shortcomings as a coach have been laid bare for all to see at this competition. Perhaps he is too matey with the players – many of whom he played with, after all – in allowing them to go further than letting their hair down in the evenings. His team is short of discipline on the field, too, as shown by the number of penalties conceded and the opportunities squandered by poor passes and foolish decision making. RFU bosses have a big call to make over Johnson’s future. Under Johnson, England have fallen back, and a fresh face is surely needed to sort out the team’s problems and rein in its off-the-field habits.
From an English rugby perspective, the last five weeks in New Zealand have been a disaster and an embarrassment; England have shown themselves to be no more than the fourth best team in Europe whilst player behaviour has disgraced the nation and provoked justified outrage from those who have stumped up to follow their team.
England have offered nothing positive at this World Cup – perhaps from their point of view it is something of a mercy that they can go home and undergo a major shake-up of the national set-up.
It was not the elimination itself so much as the manner of it. France defeated England 19-12, but that one-score margin was hardly a reflection of a match that Les Bleus were allowed to dominate. France led 16-0 at half-time, and the error-strewn English side never looked likely to overhaul that deficit.
The off-the-field misdemeanours – captain Mike Tindall’s alleged infidelity, dwarf-tossing in a Dunedin bar, suggestions that three players bullied a female staff member at the team hotel – could be, if not excused, then perhaps glossed over if progress on the pitch was evident.
But, with the possible exception of the performances of Manu Tuilagi, it never came. England ground to a narrow, ill-disciplined win over Argentina, before toiling against Georgia. Romania were, admittedly, seen off easily – but it is only Romania – before Chris Ashton grabbed a late try to extinguish the Scottish challenge.
Yet despite their poor form in the pool, Johnson’s side went into yesterday’s defeat as favourites, owing to the even worse performances from France, who had lost to New Zealand and, sensationally, Tonga, just seven days previously. But a Vincent Clerc try with a quarter of yesterday’s encounter gone horribly exposed defensive frailties that would have embarrassed even the smallest sides at the World Cup. Clerc, somehow, was allowed to brush off tackles at will; the French winger almost looked surprised still to be on his feet as he fell across the line.
That score opened up an 11-0 lead, which was extended by five within ten minutes when Maxime Medard crossed after Clerc sucked defenders away from the centre. Trailing by at least three scores, England could have ended up on the wrong end of a humiliation.
If there is any small vestige of credit to be salvaged by England from this game, it is that they at least managed to claw back that deficit. Two second-half tries – from Ben Foden and Mark Cueto, who this time was given the benefit of any doubt by the TMO, four years after his disallowed try in the 2007 final – gave England hope. But France had done enough, and a Francois Trinh-Duc drop goal ensured that his side would progress to face Wales in the semi-finals. The Welsh, victorious over an Irish side that were far from poor themselves, provide a stark contrast to their larger neighbour to the east.
Sam Warburton’s men are extremely well-disciplined, on and off the field. If it is a generalisation to state that they all watch James Bond films and go to rugby games in their free time while their English counterparts display loutish behaviour, it does not seem to be far from the truth. Public image is important, as well, and while Welsh fans admire their team’s focus, the English despair that their side, with all its shortcomings, seem more concerned with having a good time.
Another difference is in the fitness levels. Wales made only two substitution in their defeat of Ireland, despite having to defend for the majority of the game, apparently a great indication of the merits of Warren Gatland’s gruelling pre-World Cup training camp. His side were fresh, creative and determined. England, though, looked out of ideas and eventually ran out of steam. That late Cueto try gave no more than false hope – and if England had managed to snatch a draw it would have been mightily undeserved.
Martin Johnson was a fantastic player, but his shortcomings as a coach have been laid bare for all to see at this competition. Perhaps he is too matey with the players – many of whom he played with, after all – in allowing them to go further than letting their hair down in the evenings. His team is short of discipline on the field, too, as shown by the number of penalties conceded and the opportunities squandered by poor passes and foolish decision making. RFU bosses have a big call to make over Johnson’s future. Under Johnson, England have fallen back, and a fresh face is surely needed to sort out the team’s problems and rein in its off-the-field habits.
From an English rugby perspective, the last five weeks in New Zealand have been a disaster and an embarrassment; England have shown themselves to be no more than the fourth best team in Europe whilst player behaviour has disgraced the nation and provoked justified outrage from those who have stumped up to follow their team.
England have offered nothing positive at this World Cup – perhaps from their point of view it is something of a mercy that they can go home and undergo a major shake-up of the national set-up.
Saturday 8 October 2011
Magnificent Wales make it a 4.30am start to remember
Wales 22-10 Ireland
The score might make it seem relatively comfortable, but from the perspective of this Welsh fan – particularly one watching it in O’Neill’s Irish pub with a pre-9am pint in one hand and tea in the other – though for large parts this was anything but.
Wales became the fourth team in World Cup history to reach the semi-finals despite not winning their pool – France would become the fifth two hours later – in a display that makes hyperbole almost impossible.
A third-minute try gave Wales the start they craved, but for most of the rest of the first half it was Wales who were on the back foot. Ireland were almost camped in the Welsh half, but the Shaun Edwards-inspired defence consistently repelled the green-shirted endeavours.
Much has been made of the fitness of the Welsh squad following a gruelling training camp coach Warren Gatland inflicted on them over the summer. And that physical strength was there for all to see in Wellington today. Even little Shane Williams, occasionally averse to tackling, brilliantly prevented a touchdown for Sean O’Brien.
Wales defended their line with an intensity and an urgency that restricted Ireland to just three first-half points, despite the latter’s near-constant pressure. Wales were helped by bizarre tactical choices after Ireland opted to kick for touch from three kickable penalties, apparently negating the selection of Ronan O’Gara over the more creative Jonathan Sexton.
Wales took a 10-3 lead into the break, Leigh Halfpenny restoring his side’s seven-point advantage by slotting a long-range penalty. Apart from the first few minutes, Ireland had dominated the first 40-minute. They were made to pay for their failure to convert their pressure into points, even if that was as much due to Welsh pluck as Irish wastefulness.
The second half was almost an exact reversal of the first period. Ireland finally crossed the whitewash in the early stages. Keith Earls slid over in the corner, and O’Gara brought the scores level with a fine touchline conversion.
At that stage I was particularly worried. The momentum appeared to be with Ireland – and those wearing green at O’Neill’s were jubilant. For the first time, Fields of Athenry spilled out into the still-gloomy Trinity Street. Wales fans were tense; an English supporter looked ecstatic (that feeling was well and truly wiped out within an hour or two).
But with a resilience that Wales seem to have adopted for the purposes of this tournament, Sam Warburton’s men refused to lie down. Within five minutes they had their reward. Mike Phillips spotted the smallest of blindside opportunities, and used power and incredible agility to first brush off the defenders before leaping into the corner in order to avoid the touchline, echoing Brian O’Driscoll’s score against Australia in the 2003 World Cup.
By this stage, Wales fans were back on top in the battle of Trinity Street as their team’s superior fitness began to tell. With just over fifteen minutes remaining, centre Jonathan Davies burst through an attempted tackle by prop Cian Healy, and had the strength to power his way over for a try which Rhys Priestland converted.
Priestland was generally assured, but his kicking from hand was a bit shaky at times. His opposite number O’Gara, however, had something of a mixed day by his usually high standards. Twice in the first half the Munsterman kicked the ball dead, costing his side both field position and possession.
Questions must surround the tactics Ireland adopted regarding the priorities from penalties, and with O’Gara not on top form when kicking from hand either, the decision to start him was certainly dubious. He was replaced after 55 minutes, to the general relief of the green majority in O’Neill’s.
Even a 12-point lead barely freed me of my nerves and I didn’t feel comfortable until the 79th minute. But that probably says more about paranoia on my part than the existence of a true Irish threat.
They did come close to the Welsh line, but by the end there seemed to be a total dearth of ideas or creativity. The Irish team had no idea how to breach the stubborn Welsh defence, and their team, much older than Gatland’s young upstarts, were far more tired.
Welsh squad discipline and fitness has been in evidence throughout the tournament, but no more than today. Ireland made 93 tackles and missed fourteen for a success rate of 87 percent. But in an indication both of Ireland’s constant first-half pressure and the Welsh strength and determination, Wales made 141 tackles and missed only eleven for a success rate of 93 percent; Luke Charteris made an incredible sixteen before he was forced to go off at half-time with – perhaps unsurprisingly – a shoulder injury.
Yet despite that, Wales made only one other replacement – Hook for Priestland with three minutes remaining – compared with Ireland’s five, an indication of the deep energy levels Gatland’s starting XV demonstrably have.
This was a momentous occasion for Wales, and I am relishing seeing my country in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in my life. The Irish contingent looked glum; their team still has never reached the last four. Today will be incredible; tomorrow the nerves will kick in before the encounter with Les Bleus next Saturday.
The only task for me this week is to find a French bar in Cardiff.
The score might make it seem relatively comfortable, but from the perspective of this Welsh fan – particularly one watching it in O’Neill’s Irish pub with a pre-9am pint in one hand and tea in the other – though for large parts this was anything but.
Wales became the fourth team in World Cup history to reach the semi-finals despite not winning their pool – France would become the fifth two hours later – in a display that makes hyperbole almost impossible.
A third-minute try gave Wales the start they craved, but for most of the rest of the first half it was Wales who were on the back foot. Ireland were almost camped in the Welsh half, but the Shaun Edwards-inspired defence consistently repelled the green-shirted endeavours.
Much has been made of the fitness of the Welsh squad following a gruelling training camp coach Warren Gatland inflicted on them over the summer. And that physical strength was there for all to see in Wellington today. Even little Shane Williams, occasionally averse to tackling, brilliantly prevented a touchdown for Sean O’Brien.
Wales defended their line with an intensity and an urgency that restricted Ireland to just three first-half points, despite the latter’s near-constant pressure. Wales were helped by bizarre tactical choices after Ireland opted to kick for touch from three kickable penalties, apparently negating the selection of Ronan O’Gara over the more creative Jonathan Sexton.
Wales took a 10-3 lead into the break, Leigh Halfpenny restoring his side’s seven-point advantage by slotting a long-range penalty. Apart from the first few minutes, Ireland had dominated the first 40-minute. They were made to pay for their failure to convert their pressure into points, even if that was as much due to Welsh pluck as Irish wastefulness.
The second half was almost an exact reversal of the first period. Ireland finally crossed the whitewash in the early stages. Keith Earls slid over in the corner, and O’Gara brought the scores level with a fine touchline conversion.
At that stage I was particularly worried. The momentum appeared to be with Ireland – and those wearing green at O’Neill’s were jubilant. For the first time, Fields of Athenry spilled out into the still-gloomy Trinity Street. Wales fans were tense; an English supporter looked ecstatic (that feeling was well and truly wiped out within an hour or two).
But with a resilience that Wales seem to have adopted for the purposes of this tournament, Sam Warburton’s men refused to lie down. Within five minutes they had their reward. Mike Phillips spotted the smallest of blindside opportunities, and used power and incredible agility to first brush off the defenders before leaping into the corner in order to avoid the touchline, echoing Brian O’Driscoll’s score against Australia in the 2003 World Cup.
By this stage, Wales fans were back on top in the battle of Trinity Street as their team’s superior fitness began to tell. With just over fifteen minutes remaining, centre Jonathan Davies burst through an attempted tackle by prop Cian Healy, and had the strength to power his way over for a try which Rhys Priestland converted.
Priestland was generally assured, but his kicking from hand was a bit shaky at times. His opposite number O’Gara, however, had something of a mixed day by his usually high standards. Twice in the first half the Munsterman kicked the ball dead, costing his side both field position and possession.
Questions must surround the tactics Ireland adopted regarding the priorities from penalties, and with O’Gara not on top form when kicking from hand either, the decision to start him was certainly dubious. He was replaced after 55 minutes, to the general relief of the green majority in O’Neill’s.
Even a 12-point lead barely freed me of my nerves and I didn’t feel comfortable until the 79th minute. But that probably says more about paranoia on my part than the existence of a true Irish threat.
They did come close to the Welsh line, but by the end there seemed to be a total dearth of ideas or creativity. The Irish team had no idea how to breach the stubborn Welsh defence, and their team, much older than Gatland’s young upstarts, were far more tired.
Welsh squad discipline and fitness has been in evidence throughout the tournament, but no more than today. Ireland made 93 tackles and missed fourteen for a success rate of 87 percent. But in an indication both of Ireland’s constant first-half pressure and the Welsh strength and determination, Wales made 141 tackles and missed only eleven for a success rate of 93 percent; Luke Charteris made an incredible sixteen before he was forced to go off at half-time with – perhaps unsurprisingly – a shoulder injury.
Yet despite that, Wales made only one other replacement – Hook for Priestland with three minutes remaining – compared with Ireland’s five, an indication of the deep energy levels Gatland’s starting XV demonstrably have.
This was a momentous occasion for Wales, and I am relishing seeing my country in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in my life. The Irish contingent looked glum; their team still has never reached the last four. Today will be incredible; tomorrow the nerves will kick in before the encounter with Les Bleus next Saturday.
The only task for me this week is to find a French bar in Cardiff.
Friday 7 October 2011
Clichéd it may be, but this one really is too close to call
Ireland v Wales, Saturday 8th October 6am BST
In many ways, it is a pity that the two sides who have demonstrated the rugby that they have are forced to meet in the quarterfinals.
So it is that for an increasing number of commentators, Wales’ clash with Ireland in Wellington in the early hours of Saturday morning (European time) could easily also decide one of the finalists of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The reasoning behind that is fairly straightforward – the winner will face whoever emerges triumphant from the England-France match. With both those teams in different degrees of disarray, if not chaos, we might well witness the first Celtic nation ever to reach the last two of the cup.
Not that the Irish or Welsh teams are yet looking that far ahead. They will be fully aware that the form that they have both shown so far at this tournament will serve only to ratchet up the pressure.
For Ireland, many stalwarts of the last decade – most notably Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara – must take this chance if they are ever to have success at a World Cup. The Irish have traditionally fared badly at World Cups, and have never reached the semi-finals. This is as good a chance as they have ever had.
Warren Gatland’s Wales, meanwhile, are under the pressure of an expectant nation. The Western Mail this morning is an indicator of the emotional energy expended on the national team by those in the Principality: “
One of these two fine teams will be feeling bitter and disappointed in twelve short hours time. The other will almost certainly be deliriously happy, albeit with a recognition that focus is key in the next stage of their quest to reach the Eden Park final on 23rd October.
Such is knockout sport. The stage is set for the clash of two sides that are the cream of the northern hemisphere crop. Ireland’s physicality and experience versus Wales’ fitness and creativity.
It is a bold pundit who predicts the result with any real confidence. Indeed, many have condensed their analysis simply to further increasing the hype, talking of the titanic battle in the back rows, the need for Ireland to smother the Welsh attempts at ball carrying, the importance of Ronan O’Gara’s tactical game.
Fans on both sides of the Irish Sea will be rising before the sun in order to watch their side, with apprehension available in greater quantity than confidence. But anticipation prevails throughout the rugby world, as two sides who know each other well, who have had very little separate them in recent years and who are both in fine form lock horns.
Ireland will want revenge for the match they lost in Cardiff earlier this year when a Mike Phillips try was awarded despite stemming from a wrongly-taken quick lineout. Wales will be unfazed by that, and – as usual – will relish their underdog tags, however marginal that is.
Ladbrokes make the Irish two point favourites. It really will be that close. And I am going to shun the opportunity to predict it – although my head and my heart are not necessarily on the same wavelength.
Other quarterfinal predictions:
England 27-13 France
Australia 24-19 South Africa
New Zealand 34-8 Argentina
In many ways, it is a pity that the two sides who have demonstrated the rugby that they have are forced to meet in the quarterfinals.
So it is that for an increasing number of commentators, Wales’ clash with Ireland in Wellington in the early hours of Saturday morning (European time) could easily also decide one of the finalists of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The reasoning behind that is fairly straightforward – the winner will face whoever emerges triumphant from the England-France match. With both those teams in different degrees of disarray, if not chaos, we might well witness the first Celtic nation ever to reach the last two of the cup.
Not that the Irish or Welsh teams are yet looking that far ahead. They will be fully aware that the form that they have both shown so far at this tournament will serve only to ratchet up the pressure.
For Ireland, many stalwarts of the last decade – most notably Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara – must take this chance if they are ever to have success at a World Cup. The Irish have traditionally fared badly at World Cups, and have never reached the semi-finals. This is as good a chance as they have ever had.
Warren Gatland’s Wales, meanwhile, are under the pressure of an expectant nation. The Western Mail this morning is an indicator of the emotional energy expended on the national team by those in the Principality: “
One of these two fine teams will be feeling bitter and disappointed in twelve short hours time. The other will almost certainly be deliriously happy, albeit with a recognition that focus is key in the next stage of their quest to reach the Eden Park final on 23rd October.
Such is knockout sport. The stage is set for the clash of two sides that are the cream of the northern hemisphere crop. Ireland’s physicality and experience versus Wales’ fitness and creativity.
It is a bold pundit who predicts the result with any real confidence. Indeed, many have condensed their analysis simply to further increasing the hype, talking of the titanic battle in the back rows, the need for Ireland to smother the Welsh attempts at ball carrying, the importance of Ronan O’Gara’s tactical game.
Fans on both sides of the Irish Sea will be rising before the sun in order to watch their side, with apprehension available in greater quantity than confidence. But anticipation prevails throughout the rugby world, as two sides who know each other well, who have had very little separate them in recent years and who are both in fine form lock horns.
Ireland will want revenge for the match they lost in Cardiff earlier this year when a Mike Phillips try was awarded despite stemming from a wrongly-taken quick lineout. Wales will be unfazed by that, and – as usual – will relish their underdog tags, however marginal that is.
Ladbrokes make the Irish two point favourites. It really will be that close. And I am going to shun the opportunity to predict it – although my head and my heart are not necessarily on the same wavelength.
Other quarterfinal predictions:
England 27-13 France
Australia 24-19 South Africa
New Zealand 34-8 Argentina
Thursday 6 October 2011
NFL: Week 4 review
Performance of the week: Aaron Rodgers, fantasy beast. This sort of performance against a struggling Broncos side was akin to some of the numbers put up by Michael Vick last year. The Packers triggerman threw for 408 yards, 4 touchdowns and one interception, but also used his legs, gaining 36 yards and another two TDs on the ground in Green Bay’s 49-23 win over Denver.
Comeback of the week: Detroit’s 34-30 win over Dallas was all the more impressive considering the Lions trailed by 27 points to three in the early stages of the third quarter. But the stunning comeback – capped by two TDs for Calvin Johnson – preserved the Lions’ unbeaten start to the season.
Comeback of the week (2): Striking fear into the AFC South as well as the rest of Houston’s opponents this season, the Texans welcomed back last season’s sensation Arian Foster this week – and he quickly set about making up for lost time. The running back, who looks fully recovered from his hamstring injury, ran for over 150 yards and a TD against the Steelers.
Chokers of the week: Resisting the temptation to cause further pain to Cowboys fans, I’ll plump instead for the Bills. Leading 17-3 at halftime in Cincinnati, the Bills, alone at the top of the AFC East going into week 3, instead managed to throw away that lead to fall to 3-1. The early-season sensations, heroic victors over the Patriots in their last outing, seemed unable to cope with the ‘favourites’ tag as the Bengals snatched a last-gasp win. Head coach Chan Gailey will have to hope that his side can shake off the disappointment and any self-doubt engendered by that second half nightmare in south-western Ohio.
Disappointment of the week: Both offences in the Ravens’ 34-17 triumph over the Jets. The Mark Sanchez-led New York offence was particularly unproductive – Sanchez threw for just 119 yards and completed less than a third of passing attempts; the Jets also managed just 38 rushing yards, and were lucky to go in at half time with a positive total yardage.
Unique match of the week: Again, that Baltimore victory. Of the six touchdowns in the match, just one was scored by an offence (a Ray Rice run). Joe McKnight returned a kick-off 107 yards for a six pointer, but the other four came from the two defenses (a fumble return and a pick six apiece). It was a bizarre game at M&T Bank Stadium as the Jets slipped to 2-2 ahead of their crunch match with the Patriots in week 5.
Sad sight of the week: It must have been gut-wrenching for Colts fans to see Peyton Manning, in a Colts polo shirt and slacks, watching on as Curtis Painter and his bouffant fell to the Buccaneers. In fact, the Indy back-up, beneficiary of an injury to Manning’s emergency replacement Kerry Collins, did not have a terrible run-out. He steered clear of interceptions and threw for two scores and a very respectable 281 yards. But it is increasingly difficult to see how the 0-4 Colts can snap that record without Manning under center – though they do have a golden opportunity in hosting the Chiefs in week 5.
Mundane statistic of the week: Arizona kicker Jay Feely now has 277 consecutive successful points after touchdowns. Forced to listen to the Cardinals-Giants game on the radio – 5 Live Sports Xtra – this was about the most I got out of it.
Comeback of the week: Detroit’s 34-30 win over Dallas was all the more impressive considering the Lions trailed by 27 points to three in the early stages of the third quarter. But the stunning comeback – capped by two TDs for Calvin Johnson – preserved the Lions’ unbeaten start to the season.
Comeback of the week (2): Striking fear into the AFC South as well as the rest of Houston’s opponents this season, the Texans welcomed back last season’s sensation Arian Foster this week – and he quickly set about making up for lost time. The running back, who looks fully recovered from his hamstring injury, ran for over 150 yards and a TD against the Steelers.
Chokers of the week: Resisting the temptation to cause further pain to Cowboys fans, I’ll plump instead for the Bills. Leading 17-3 at halftime in Cincinnati, the Bills, alone at the top of the AFC East going into week 3, instead managed to throw away that lead to fall to 3-1. The early-season sensations, heroic victors over the Patriots in their last outing, seemed unable to cope with the ‘favourites’ tag as the Bengals snatched a last-gasp win. Head coach Chan Gailey will have to hope that his side can shake off the disappointment and any self-doubt engendered by that second half nightmare in south-western Ohio.
Disappointment of the week: Both offences in the Ravens’ 34-17 triumph over the Jets. The Mark Sanchez-led New York offence was particularly unproductive – Sanchez threw for just 119 yards and completed less than a third of passing attempts; the Jets also managed just 38 rushing yards, and were lucky to go in at half time with a positive total yardage.
Unique match of the week: Again, that Baltimore victory. Of the six touchdowns in the match, just one was scored by an offence (a Ray Rice run). Joe McKnight returned a kick-off 107 yards for a six pointer, but the other four came from the two defenses (a fumble return and a pick six apiece). It was a bizarre game at M&T Bank Stadium as the Jets slipped to 2-2 ahead of their crunch match with the Patriots in week 5.
Sad sight of the week: It must have been gut-wrenching for Colts fans to see Peyton Manning, in a Colts polo shirt and slacks, watching on as Curtis Painter and his bouffant fell to the Buccaneers. In fact, the Indy back-up, beneficiary of an injury to Manning’s emergency replacement Kerry Collins, did not have a terrible run-out. He steered clear of interceptions and threw for two scores and a very respectable 281 yards. But it is increasingly difficult to see how the 0-4 Colts can snap that record without Manning under center – though they do have a golden opportunity in hosting the Chiefs in week 5.
Mundane statistic of the week: Arizona kicker Jay Feely now has 277 consecutive successful points after touchdowns. Forced to listen to the Cardinals-Giants game on the radio – 5 Live Sports Xtra – this was about the most I got out of it.
Unconventional Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts, is probably the world’s foremost seat of learning. Named after the almost equally illustrious English university city, its two universities, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are usually ranked in the top five in the world.
Not bad for a city of just 100,000 residents. But then this is a city that has very little to offer visitors apart from the splendour and grandeur of its tertiary educational establishments.
It is also only a stone’s throw from the great city of Boston. Indeed, the cities are only divided by the Charles River, and Cambridge is often seen, falsely, as little more than a suburb of Boston. Cambridge is pretty, a world apart from the common conception of the urban United States, of concrete jungles and skyscrapers forests.
Instead, it is filled with red-bricked buildings and cobbled pavements. The sprinkling of trees adds a touch of personality, giving Cambridge its distinct small-town, almost oversized-village feel. Harvard and its predictably impressive facilities represent the quintessential, if the most clichéd representation of Cambridge. Structures such as Dunster House – a hall of residence – and the memorial church are two of the most prominent features of the city, rising in elegance as symbols of the university’s wealth but without any unnecessary pretentiousness.
Being a student town, of course, gives Cambridge a deeper personality than just smart streets. Shops and restaurants are generally cheap but excellent quality, and even some of those of a less upmarket nature have attained cult-like status. A friend, a student at Harvard, took me to one such establishment, Pinocchio’s. Of dubious cleanliness, it is fascinatingly popular with students. I went with said friend to discover that there was no meat left - they had run out for the evening – yet there was still a lengthy queue behind me, indicating there was more to this place’s appeal than top nosh. The pizza was greasy and staff were hassled – but it didn’t matter. I almost felt like a proper Harvard student.
Up until twenty years ago, Boston was a city with a high crime rate, and its history and culture were clouded by the pervasive threat of danger. But the city I encountered as I took the subway – 10 minutes from Harvard Square to downtown Boston – bore little resemblance to its former self. Clean, green, modern and friendly, Boston was my favourite city on my tour of the east coast.
Admittedly, Boston probably tries a little too hard to play up its historical appeal, through the incessant promotions of attractions such as its old town hall and city centre cemeteries, with their gravestones of great revolutionary and original settler heroes. Unfortunately, this emphasis on the historical tourism seems somewhat false. Indeed, its best historical attraction for me was the superb JFK Library and Museum.
More appealing for an authentic taste of Boston – literally – is America’s oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster House (left), which began serving food 185 years ago. The favourite restaurant of Boston’s favourite son President John F. Kennedy, it unsurprisingly focuses on seafood, the standard fare throughout New England. This was something of a hindrance to me, being allergic aux fruits de mer. Even so, the experience of eating in its old-fashioned booths, of watching oysters being shelled on the other side of the bar we drank at, and, perhaps most importantly, it being full of locals, meant it oozed with character.
Being something of a sports aficionado, though, my favourite experience in Boston was a visit to Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, one of the most historically successful baseball teams in the United States. Its rickety wooden benches and randomly shaped stands host 30,000 raucous but friendly Bostonians three times a week during the summer months – it has sold out every home game for the last nine years. I watched two matches, a win and a loss, but the experience was incredible. I was instantly captured by the atmosphere as much as the game, and I have followed the Red Sox closely ever since.
That is what Boston and its near neighbour Cambridge did. They made me feel at home, sucking me in with their relaxed spirit and friendly attitude. The wide variety of attractions further underlined my new-found love for this area of coastal Massachusetts, and there is little reason why others won’t be similarly enticed by the great university city and its diverse big brother.
This was originally published at Textbook Travels.
Not bad for a city of just 100,000 residents. But then this is a city that has very little to offer visitors apart from the splendour and grandeur of its tertiary educational establishments.
Instead, it is filled with red-bricked buildings and cobbled pavements. The sprinkling of trees adds a touch of personality, giving Cambridge its distinct small-town, almost oversized-village feel. Harvard and its predictably impressive facilities represent the quintessential, if the most clichéd representation of Cambridge. Structures such as Dunster House – a hall of residence – and the memorial church are two of the most prominent features of the city, rising in elegance as symbols of the university’s wealth but without any unnecessary pretentiousness.
Being a student town, of course, gives Cambridge a deeper personality than just smart streets. Shops and restaurants are generally cheap but excellent quality, and even some of those of a less upmarket nature have attained cult-like status. A friend, a student at Harvard, took me to one such establishment, Pinocchio’s. Of dubious cleanliness, it is fascinatingly popular with students. I went with said friend to discover that there was no meat left - they had run out for the evening – yet there was still a lengthy queue behind me, indicating there was more to this place’s appeal than top nosh. The pizza was greasy and staff were hassled – but it didn’t matter. I almost felt like a proper Harvard student.
Admittedly, Boston probably tries a little too hard to play up its historical appeal, through the incessant promotions of attractions such as its old town hall and city centre cemeteries, with their gravestones of great revolutionary and original settler heroes. Unfortunately, this emphasis on the historical tourism seems somewhat false. Indeed, its best historical attraction for me was the superb JFK Library and Museum.
Being something of a sports aficionado, though, my favourite experience in Boston was a visit to Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, one of the most historically successful baseball teams in the United States. Its rickety wooden benches and randomly shaped stands host 30,000 raucous but friendly Bostonians three times a week during the summer months – it has sold out every home game for the last nine years. I watched two matches, a win and a loss, but the experience was incredible. I was instantly captured by the atmosphere as much as the game, and I have followed the Red Sox closely ever since.
This was originally published at Textbook Travels.
Monday 3 October 2011
Real victim overlooked by US media triumphalism over Knox acquittal
As Amanda Knox and Rafaele Sollecito were acquitted of murder in a Perugian courthouse, anyone approaching the case for the first time could be forgiven for assuming that all is now well in the world.
The overwhelming majority of British and, especially, American media have treated the verdict with varying degrees of what amounts, in essence, to triumphalism.
There is a very real sense that the US networks see themselves as on a crusade to bring justice to ‘their girl’. The announcement that Knox and Sollecito were free to leave prison was greeted like a successful sports result on American television and in street parties and vigils in Knox’s home city of Seattle.
In reality, the true tragedy has only been intensified. Meredith Kercher – despite Knox’s testimony appealing for her own life back – is the only victim of this case, and while a man, Rudy Guede, is still serving time for her murder, her family has only had their grief exacerbated.
What was particularly tasteless about the aftermath of the verdicts being quashed was the statement read by Knox’s sister on behalf of her family. It made absolutely no reference to Meredith or the Kerchers, failing even to allude to the fact that a heartbroken family now has more questions than answers as they seek justice for the British student.
It all contrasts markedly with the Louise Woodward case in 1997. Then, the tables were reversed, so to speak, as the British au pair was convicted of the second-degree murder of the American baby in her care in Massachusetts.
That verdict was later reduced to involuntary manslaughter and nineteen-year-old Woodward was sentenced – like Knox, who remains guilty of slander – to time served.
There was none of the US media justice-seekers in evidence during that trial, though – quite the opposite.
American media balked at the possibility that Woodward should be able to return to the United Kingdom after serving just 279 days in prison. They feared she would try to sell her story. The case came close to tempting Massachusetts lawmakers into restoring the death penalty in the traditionally ultra-liberal Bay State. Years later, Woodward was branded the most notorious criminal ever convicted in a court in the state by a Boston legal publication.
The media circus is at the opposite end of the dignity scale from the family of Meredith Kercher.
The overwhelming majority of British and, especially, American media have treated the verdict with varying degrees of what amounts, in essence, to triumphalism.
There is a very real sense that the US networks see themselves as on a crusade to bring justice to ‘their girl’. The announcement that Knox and Sollecito were free to leave prison was greeted like a successful sports result on American television and in street parties and vigils in Knox’s home city of Seattle.
In reality, the true tragedy has only been intensified. Meredith Kercher – despite Knox’s testimony appealing for her own life back – is the only victim of this case, and while a man, Rudy Guede, is still serving time for her murder, her family has only had their grief exacerbated.
What was particularly tasteless about the aftermath of the verdicts being quashed was the statement read by Knox’s sister on behalf of her family. It made absolutely no reference to Meredith or the Kerchers, failing even to allude to the fact that a heartbroken family now has more questions than answers as they seek justice for the British student.
It all contrasts markedly with the Louise Woodward case in 1997. Then, the tables were reversed, so to speak, as the British au pair was convicted of the second-degree murder of the American baby in her care in Massachusetts.
That verdict was later reduced to involuntary manslaughter and nineteen-year-old Woodward was sentenced – like Knox, who remains guilty of slander – to time served.
There was none of the US media justice-seekers in evidence during that trial, though – quite the opposite.
American media balked at the possibility that Woodward should be able to return to the United Kingdom after serving just 279 days in prison. They feared she would try to sell her story. The case came close to tempting Massachusetts lawmakers into restoring the death penalty in the traditionally ultra-liberal Bay State. Years later, Woodward was branded the most notorious criminal ever convicted in a court in the state by a Boston legal publication.
The media circus is at the opposite end of the dignity scale from the family of Meredith Kercher.
Saturday 1 October 2011
Plucky? Unlucky? No, it is more fundamental than that for Scotland
I do kind of feel sorry for Scotland, as - barring a real upset tomorrow - they look set to crash out of the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage.
But on the other hand, I don't. Honestly, I find them incredibly dull to watch. It is almost as if they suck the life, the creative spark out of every game they play.
Some will say that today Andy Robinson's men were plucky, were unlucky. It is true that the bounce of the ball could have gifted a try to Richie Gray, while Nick de Luca will have nightmares about his failure to cleanly pick up the loose ball with the tryline at his mercy.
Against Argentina, too, only Felipe Contepomi's offside forced Dan Parks to attempt a drop goal with his wrong foot - if it had been with his right, he would surely have slotted it and given his team a priceless win.
But while their defense has been admirable, their attack, so far as it is, has been dire. Scotland have managed just four (4) tries at this World Cup, fewer than Namibia, fewer than Russia. Indeed, only Romania - who ran the Scots embarrassingly close - and Georgia, who still have a game to play, have crossed the whitewash on fewer occasions at this tournament.
That those two have scored so few demonstrates, perhaps, that their pool stage opponents, Scotland included, have been mean on defence.
But Scotland will struggle to win either big matches or neutral support with their brand of anti-rugby and such an overreliance on the boots of Chris Paterson, Ruaridh Jackson and Parks.
But on the other hand, I don't. Honestly, I find them incredibly dull to watch. It is almost as if they suck the life, the creative spark out of every game they play.
Some will say that today Andy Robinson's men were plucky, were unlucky. It is true that the bounce of the ball could have gifted a try to Richie Gray, while Nick de Luca will have nightmares about his failure to cleanly pick up the loose ball with the tryline at his mercy.
Against Argentina, too, only Felipe Contepomi's offside forced Dan Parks to attempt a drop goal with his wrong foot - if it had been with his right, he would surely have slotted it and given his team a priceless win.
But while their defense has been admirable, their attack, so far as it is, has been dire. Scotland have managed just four (4) tries at this World Cup, fewer than Namibia, fewer than Russia. Indeed, only Romania - who ran the Scots embarrassingly close - and Georgia, who still have a game to play, have crossed the whitewash on fewer occasions at this tournament.
That those two have scored so few demonstrates, perhaps, that their pool stage opponents, Scotland included, have been mean on defence.
But Scotland will struggle to win either big matches or neutral support with their brand of anti-rugby and such an overreliance on the boots of Chris Paterson, Ruaridh Jackson and Parks.
Saturday 24 September 2011
Encouragement reverberates around Tyneside as Newcastle remain unbeaten
The off-season pessism at Newcastle was well-documented. But the belief now sweeping around St James’ Park is tangible.
The Toon held on to 4th place in the Premier League, as Alan Pardew’s men continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.
It was encouraging to see Demba Ba notch his first goal for the club – and then even more satisfying that the summer signing from West Ham managed to claim a hat-trick. The Senegalese striker joins Leon Best at the top of the Toon’s goalscoring chart, though Best himself missed a number of good opportunities to add to his season’s tally against Rovers this afternoon.
That minor complaint aside, though, Pardew and his squad deserve a lot of credit for the first six games of the season. Newcastle’s record is an impressive three wins and three draws, but perhaps the most striking statistic is that the Toon have conceded the fewest goals in the whole of England. Today’s consolation for Junior Hoilett was only the third time that the excellent Tim Krul has had his net breached in the league.
Admittedly, Nottingham Forest scored three in the Carling Cup tie in midweek, but even that wasn’t enough to overcome a resilient Newcastle, for whom captain Fabricio Coloccini grabbed a 120th-minute winner.
Newcastle have shown few signs of missing Jose Enrique, even with emergency left-back Ryan Taylor struggling at times to keep tabs on wingers exploiting his lack of positional experience. But Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton have been replaced well by Ba, Best, Gabriel Obertan, Sylvain Marveaux and the irrepressible Yohan Cabaye. With Hatem Ben Arfa finally getting back to full fitness and Davide Santon not needing surgery, Newcastle has turned the corner well in terms of the disruption of the overhaul of players.
Sure, there are still more than rumblings of discontent with Mike Ashley and his so-called Cockney Mafia. But the on-the-field performances have been encouraging, to say the least.
Ba had underperformed this season before today’s treble, but that can be largely attributed to the fact that he was fasting during the period of Ramadan. With Ba demonstrating his prowess, the defence tight and belief exuding from the Magpies, this – it has to be said unexpected – optimism will hopefully continue to prevail on Tyneside for a long time.
The Toon held on to 4th place in the Premier League, as Alan Pardew’s men continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.
It was encouraging to see Demba Ba notch his first goal for the club – and then even more satisfying that the summer signing from West Ham managed to claim a hat-trick. The Senegalese striker joins Leon Best at the top of the Toon’s goalscoring chart, though Best himself missed a number of good opportunities to add to his season’s tally against Rovers this afternoon.
That minor complaint aside, though, Pardew and his squad deserve a lot of credit for the first six games of the season. Newcastle’s record is an impressive three wins and three draws, but perhaps the most striking statistic is that the Toon have conceded the fewest goals in the whole of England. Today’s consolation for Junior Hoilett was only the third time that the excellent Tim Krul has had his net breached in the league.
Admittedly, Nottingham Forest scored three in the Carling Cup tie in midweek, but even that wasn’t enough to overcome a resilient Newcastle, for whom captain Fabricio Coloccini grabbed a 120th-minute winner.
Newcastle have shown few signs of missing Jose Enrique, even with emergency left-back Ryan Taylor struggling at times to keep tabs on wingers exploiting his lack of positional experience. But Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton have been replaced well by Ba, Best, Gabriel Obertan, Sylvain Marveaux and the irrepressible Yohan Cabaye. With Hatem Ben Arfa finally getting back to full fitness and Davide Santon not needing surgery, Newcastle has turned the corner well in terms of the disruption of the overhaul of players.
Sure, there are still more than rumblings of discontent with Mike Ashley and his so-called Cockney Mafia. But the on-the-field performances have been encouraging, to say the least.
Ba had underperformed this season before today’s treble, but that can be largely attributed to the fact that he was fasting during the period of Ramadan. With Ba demonstrating his prowess, the defence tight and belief exuding from the Magpies, this – it has to be said unexpected – optimism will hopefully continue to prevail on Tyneside for a long time.
England, even in winning, and France provide little to strike fear into later opponents
In all likelihood, England will face France in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals, with the winner expecting to play either Ireland or Wales.
The Celts will be confident, whoever they face.
England waltzed to a 67-3 win over lowly Romania in Dunedin in today’s early match, scoring ten tries in a match that, on the face of things, should banish most of the bad feeling that has been lingering around the England team. Wingers Chris Ashton and Mark Cueto scored a hat-trick each, and the Oaks barely resisted a much-improved performance from England’s backs, with Manu Tuilagi and Ben Foden also cutting through the blue-shirted defence with ease.
But, despite the marked improvement from Martin Johnson’s men in comparison with the performances against Argentina and Georgia, this victory should not eliminate all the concerns within the English camp. This was not the same Romania side that ran Scotland so close – many of their more solid and experienced players started this game on the bench, resting before their encounter with Georgia, the one match they feel they have a chance of winning.
England also continued to commit silly penalties when it was not required, although, admittedly, the problem was nothing like the scourge that blighted their performances in the earlier pool matches. Judgement on England by their potential knockout opponents should be reserved until they give a dominating performance against a team of far more rugby calibre than Romania. Scotland should provide that challenge when the sides meet next Saturday; until then, there is little reason why Ireland, France and Wales should see England as having made any great progress in the past six days.
England were certainly impressive – but most teams would be in the face of a Romanian side that could not win its own lineout, could not catch and seemed frightened of taking the game to their opponents.
France, on the other hand, were a shambles. Apart from the first eight minutes, the controversial selection policy of Marc Lievremont had clearly not paid dividends – far from it. New Zealand were constantly on the attack and the backline – especially Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Israel Dagg and substitute Sonny Bill Williams – seemed to break through their French opponents’ tackling almost at will.
Some passages of play resembled those seen in matches between teams with a far greater gulf in class than the Eden Park crowd expected to see. This was most obviously the case with the try within a matter of moments after the second half kick-off, when the All Blacks broke up the middle with almost embarrassing ease. Again, at the death, responding to a few minutes of French toil that finally brought Les Bleus seven points, the hosts raced downfield before spreading the ball to allow Williams himself to slide over for his side’s fifth score.
But it was more a case of the French being desperately disappointing than the All Blacks being imposing. France committed a catalogue of basic errors, were short of discipline and, for the most part, clueless. Their two tries were hardly demonstrations of any prowess – one was a fifty-metre interception score for Maxime Mermoz; the other, from Francois Trinh-Duc (Lievremont swallowed his pride to order him to replace Morgan Parra at fly-half), came from a tap penalty taken by Dmitri Yachvili while it appeared that the All Black forwards were still getting a talking-to from referee Alain Rolland.
Whatever Lievremont was trying to achieve with his almost-random selection policy was not achieved; even if, as conspiracy theorists have suggested, he wanted to lose, that will backfire considering the scale of this defeat. Lievremont is leaving his post as French coach at the end of the tournament, though, so his thinking could have been to employ a scorched-earth policy… At least that would explain the abysmal performance.
Ireland and Wales have both impressed so far – Ireland providing the shock of the World Cup by beating Australia; Wales by coming so close – on more than one occasion – to turning over the world champion Springboks. The winner of a quarterfinal between those two would have next to no evidence from today’s fixtures to fear either England or, especially, France, even if Lievremont were to restore his players to their natural positions.
That said, it would be typical of Ireland, but particularly of Wales, to self-implode themselves – they must prove, against Italy and Fiji respectively (wins over Russia and Namibia are a given) that France or England should fear them.
The Celts will be confident, whoever they face.
England waltzed to a 67-3 win over lowly Romania in Dunedin in today’s early match, scoring ten tries in a match that, on the face of things, should banish most of the bad feeling that has been lingering around the England team. Wingers Chris Ashton and Mark Cueto scored a hat-trick each, and the Oaks barely resisted a much-improved performance from England’s backs, with Manu Tuilagi and Ben Foden also cutting through the blue-shirted defence with ease.
But, despite the marked improvement from Martin Johnson’s men in comparison with the performances against Argentina and Georgia, this victory should not eliminate all the concerns within the English camp. This was not the same Romania side that ran Scotland so close – many of their more solid and experienced players started this game on the bench, resting before their encounter with Georgia, the one match they feel they have a chance of winning.
England also continued to commit silly penalties when it was not required, although, admittedly, the problem was nothing like the scourge that blighted their performances in the earlier pool matches. Judgement on England by their potential knockout opponents should be reserved until they give a dominating performance against a team of far more rugby calibre than Romania. Scotland should provide that challenge when the sides meet next Saturday; until then, there is little reason why Ireland, France and Wales should see England as having made any great progress in the past six days.
England were certainly impressive – but most teams would be in the face of a Romanian side that could not win its own lineout, could not catch and seemed frightened of taking the game to their opponents.
France, on the other hand, were a shambles. Apart from the first eight minutes, the controversial selection policy of Marc Lievremont had clearly not paid dividends – far from it. New Zealand were constantly on the attack and the backline – especially Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Israel Dagg and substitute Sonny Bill Williams – seemed to break through their French opponents’ tackling almost at will.
Some passages of play resembled those seen in matches between teams with a far greater gulf in class than the Eden Park crowd expected to see. This was most obviously the case with the try within a matter of moments after the second half kick-off, when the All Blacks broke up the middle with almost embarrassing ease. Again, at the death, responding to a few minutes of French toil that finally brought Les Bleus seven points, the hosts raced downfield before spreading the ball to allow Williams himself to slide over for his side’s fifth score.
But it was more a case of the French being desperately disappointing than the All Blacks being imposing. France committed a catalogue of basic errors, were short of discipline and, for the most part, clueless. Their two tries were hardly demonstrations of any prowess – one was a fifty-metre interception score for Maxime Mermoz; the other, from Francois Trinh-Duc (Lievremont swallowed his pride to order him to replace Morgan Parra at fly-half), came from a tap penalty taken by Dmitri Yachvili while it appeared that the All Black forwards were still getting a talking-to from referee Alain Rolland.
Whatever Lievremont was trying to achieve with his almost-random selection policy was not achieved; even if, as conspiracy theorists have suggested, he wanted to lose, that will backfire considering the scale of this defeat. Lievremont is leaving his post as French coach at the end of the tournament, though, so his thinking could have been to employ a scorched-earth policy… At least that would explain the abysmal performance.
Ireland and Wales have both impressed so far – Ireland providing the shock of the World Cup by beating Australia; Wales by coming so close – on more than one occasion – to turning over the world champion Springboks. The winner of a quarterfinal between those two would have next to no evidence from today’s fixtures to fear either England or, especially, France, even if Lievremont were to restore his players to their natural positions.
That said, it would be typical of Ireland, but particularly of Wales, to self-implode themselves – they must prove, against Italy and Fiji respectively (wins over Russia and Namibia are a given) that France or England should fear them.
Friday 23 September 2011
All Blacks should be wary of dismissing admittedly bizarre French selection
“Rugby World Cup’s $460 French farce,” exclaimed the broadsheet New Zealand Herald newspaper earlier this week upon hearing the news of Les Bleus’ controversial selection policy for their Pool A showdown with the All Blacks tomorrow morning.
Marc Lievremont, who will leave his post as French coach at the end of this tournament, has frequently courted criticism from the domestic media for the bizarre, inconsistent teams he selects, as well as his questionable man-management style. After a 22-21 defeat in Italy in the Six Nations Championship earlier this year, for example, he criticised his players for having betrayed the national shirt: “They are cursed with cowardice.”
For tomorrow’s fixture at Eden Park he has, according to the New Zealand press, plumbed new depths, disrespecting the tournament by aiming to lose deliberately in order to avoid the half of the draw containing Australia and South Africa (not to mention their World Cup nemesis, Argentina, should they beat Scotland on Sunday). A loss to the All Blacks would instead see the French competing with likely quarterfinalists England, Ireland and Wales for a place in the final.
The most obviously bizarre choice was Morgan Parra, who has been selected at outside-half despite plying his trade at scrum-half. His kicking – particularly from the tee –rivals that of most number tens, but the extent to which he can control the game, a vital skill for a fly-half to have, is certainly open for debate. In addition, Damien Traille, more accustomed to playing in the centre, is picked at full-back.
Predictably, France has reacted angrily to suggestions that they are seeking to lose deliberately; (tomorrow’s) scrum-half Dmitri Yachvili responded to the allegations with Andre Villas-Boasesque levels of sarcasm. Surely not even a coach as eccentric as is Lievremont would attempt to sabotage his own team in the manner that he has been accused of doing. A side of France’s talent will aim to get as far as the final – and that can hardly be squared with the apparent attempt to scoot in by the back door. France are good enough to beat either Australia and South Africa (and they know it), and if they beat the All Blacks in the pool stage, what is to say that they cannot repeat the feat in the semifinal?
After all the fuss, it would be typical of the French to go and beat the All Blacks, even in spite of all the huffing and puffing that Les Bleus had to go through in order to see off Japan and Canada in their previous matches in the pool. Or perhaps that should say that it would be typical of the All Blacks to lose to the French.
After all, New Zealand have always struggled against France in World Cups. In 1999 (semifinal) and 2007 (quarterfinal), the All Blacks, heavy favourites on both occasions, were upset by French upstarts. That considered – as well as the extra motivation that the New Zealand Herald and fellow media outlets will provide for France – the All Blacks and their fans would do well not to complain too much about the line-up their team will face.
Because, despite the strength of New Zealand’s own team, it is not too difficult to envisage a third successive Gallic World Cup victory over the perennial favourites.
Marc Lievremont, who will leave his post as French coach at the end of this tournament, has frequently courted criticism from the domestic media for the bizarre, inconsistent teams he selects, as well as his questionable man-management style. After a 22-21 defeat in Italy in the Six Nations Championship earlier this year, for example, he criticised his players for having betrayed the national shirt: “They are cursed with cowardice.”
For tomorrow’s fixture at Eden Park he has, according to the New Zealand press, plumbed new depths, disrespecting the tournament by aiming to lose deliberately in order to avoid the half of the draw containing Australia and South Africa (not to mention their World Cup nemesis, Argentina, should they beat Scotland on Sunday). A loss to the All Blacks would instead see the French competing with likely quarterfinalists England, Ireland and Wales for a place in the final.
The most obviously bizarre choice was Morgan Parra, who has been selected at outside-half despite plying his trade at scrum-half. His kicking – particularly from the tee –rivals that of most number tens, but the extent to which he can control the game, a vital skill for a fly-half to have, is certainly open for debate. In addition, Damien Traille, more accustomed to playing in the centre, is picked at full-back.
Predictably, France has reacted angrily to suggestions that they are seeking to lose deliberately; (tomorrow’s) scrum-half Dmitri Yachvili responded to the allegations with Andre Villas-Boasesque levels of sarcasm. Surely not even a coach as eccentric as is Lievremont would attempt to sabotage his own team in the manner that he has been accused of doing. A side of France’s talent will aim to get as far as the final – and that can hardly be squared with the apparent attempt to scoot in by the back door. France are good enough to beat either Australia and South Africa (and they know it), and if they beat the All Blacks in the pool stage, what is to say that they cannot repeat the feat in the semifinal?
After all the fuss, it would be typical of the French to go and beat the All Blacks, even in spite of all the huffing and puffing that Les Bleus had to go through in order to see off Japan and Canada in their previous matches in the pool. Or perhaps that should say that it would be typical of the All Blacks to lose to the French.
After all, New Zealand have always struggled against France in World Cups. In 1999 (semifinal) and 2007 (quarterfinal), the All Blacks, heavy favourites on both occasions, were upset by French upstarts. That considered – as well as the extra motivation that the New Zealand Herald and fellow media outlets will provide for France – the All Blacks and their fans would do well not to complain too much about the line-up their team will face.
Because, despite the strength of New Zealand’s own team, it is not too difficult to envisage a third successive Gallic World Cup victory over the perennial favourites.
Tindall's men must take the opportunity to prove a point
Ever a sensible face amongst the hysteria whipped up by the media and an attention-seeking security guard, England coach Martin Johnson has refused to rise to the bait of those pronouncing a sense of panic within his side’s ranks.
England, of course, remain unbeaten in this year’s Rugby World Cup, after having seen off Pool B top seeds Argentina and lowly Georgia, but the manner of those wins has simply encouraged the doom-mongers, who have this week been further encouraged by apparent late-night shenanigans engaged in by Johnson’s men.
Captain Mike Tindall, recently married to the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, played a central role in the controversy (such as it was), apparently captured on CCTV footage leaked by the aforementioned guard in an amorous embrace with another woman. The team as a whole were also involved in a bizarre dwarf-throwing incident in the party town of Queenstown. Most ridiculously, Johnson was criticised for allowing his squad to bungee jump; less frenzied coverage pointed out the marked difference with the England football team at last year’s World Cup campaign in South Africa, who were cooped up, bored, in their hotel rooms, something that was widely accepted as contributing towards their early exit.
That Johnson has not imposed such strict rules on his group of players – who are adults, after all – should reflect well on his man-management skills. However, while the controversy surrounding the team’s visit to bars and clubs is overblown, the players should know not to take advantage of their freedom, something which has also put unnecessary additional pressure on Johnson himself.
Following a fortnight of relatively negative headlines – the stale brand of rugby evident in the defeats of Argentina and Georgia as well as the reporting of England’s off-the-field antics – the team which steps out at against Romania on Saturday morning will feel that they have a huge point to prove.
Certainly, in purely rugby terms, England have hardly impressed so far. Some have pointed out, fairly, that England need not (and indeed should not) peak at such an early stage in the tournament. Even so, the performances have been undisciplined, lacking conviction. A narrow 13-9 win over an Argentina that is little more than a shadow of the side that finished third in 2007 was followed by a 41-10 win over Georgia, but that scoreline hardly reflects the difficulty that England – who led by only seven points at the break – faced. In both matches, England had a player sent to the sin bin, and they can be thankful that Georgia’s Merab Kvirikashvili and Argentina’s Martin Rodriguez have missed a total of eleven penalty kicks over the course of the last 160 minutes of play.
As the cliché states, it is a mark of a good team that they can still win even when playing badly. Even so, Saturday, and England’s third match at Dunedin’s Otago Stadium, provides an excellent opportunity to go some way to making amends for the (perceived and actual) shortcomings displayed so far. Romania is probably the weakest side in the pool, and you can only fear what could happen to them if England succeed in their attempts to make a statement, if they manage to draw a line under what has happened so far and start their campaign afresh. A win on the scale of South Africa’s 87-0 destruction of Namibia on Thursday is not completely out of the question, though it would represent a stunning turnaround in English fortunes.
Indeed, it would be foolish to count on such a scoreline, not least considering the difficulty Scotland had against the Eastern Europeans in their meeting two weekends ago. Scotland did secure a bonus-point win in Invercargill, but the 34-24 result indicates the discomfort that the Oaks – who only fell behind in the last five minutes of the match after a Simon Danielli double – caused for Scotland.
As such, England have named an arguably stronger side than the one that toiled so much against Georgia. Captain Tindall is recalled, and as he takes his place in midfield he will know that he will be the centre of attention. He will also, of course, also be aware of the most effective way to answer his critics. Jonny Wilkinson replaces Toby Flood, and England’s 2003 World Cup-winner will have no better opportunity to banish the demons of his previous start against Argentina, when he missed an unprecedented five kicks at goal out of eight. There are five further changes to the side that faced Georgia, as Mark Cueto, Alex Corbisiero, Steve Thompson, Louis Deacon and Tom Croft all start. Courtney Lawes, meanwhile, serves the second of his two-game suspension.
The Romanian players are no mugs, though, and they will put up a tough physical battle, particularly upfront. England have been penalised to such an extent that Romania’s gameplan will surely revolve around a tactic to draw infringements at the breakdown. The importance of eradicating ill-discipline will not be revealed so clearly against a side of Romania’s calibre, but England must eliminate that side of their game, which has so obviously frustrated both referees and Martin Johnson, before they encounter a team with the capability of taking advantage of those errors. Scotland, for example, would fancy their chances of overcoming an England side which fails to keep control in the manner that it has done so far. If England are serious about regaining the Webb Ellis trophy, they must demonstrate to their rivals on Saturday that they have – finally – turned up to the party. How well Romania manage to play the spoiler role will determine the scale of England’s win.
This was originally published at The Vibe
England, of course, remain unbeaten in this year’s Rugby World Cup, after having seen off Pool B top seeds Argentina and lowly Georgia, but the manner of those wins has simply encouraged the doom-mongers, who have this week been further encouraged by apparent late-night shenanigans engaged in by Johnson’s men.
Captain Mike Tindall, recently married to the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, played a central role in the controversy (such as it was), apparently captured on CCTV footage leaked by the aforementioned guard in an amorous embrace with another woman. The team as a whole were also involved in a bizarre dwarf-throwing incident in the party town of Queenstown. Most ridiculously, Johnson was criticised for allowing his squad to bungee jump; less frenzied coverage pointed out the marked difference with the England football team at last year’s World Cup campaign in South Africa, who were cooped up, bored, in their hotel rooms, something that was widely accepted as contributing towards their early exit.
That Johnson has not imposed such strict rules on his group of players – who are adults, after all – should reflect well on his man-management skills. However, while the controversy surrounding the team’s visit to bars and clubs is overblown, the players should know not to take advantage of their freedom, something which has also put unnecessary additional pressure on Johnson himself.
Following a fortnight of relatively negative headlines – the stale brand of rugby evident in the defeats of Argentina and Georgia as well as the reporting of England’s off-the-field antics – the team which steps out at against Romania on Saturday morning will feel that they have a huge point to prove.
Certainly, in purely rugby terms, England have hardly impressed so far. Some have pointed out, fairly, that England need not (and indeed should not) peak at such an early stage in the tournament. Even so, the performances have been undisciplined, lacking conviction. A narrow 13-9 win over an Argentina that is little more than a shadow of the side that finished third in 2007 was followed by a 41-10 win over Georgia, but that scoreline hardly reflects the difficulty that England – who led by only seven points at the break – faced. In both matches, England had a player sent to the sin bin, and they can be thankful that Georgia’s Merab Kvirikashvili and Argentina’s Martin Rodriguez have missed a total of eleven penalty kicks over the course of the last 160 minutes of play.
As the cliché states, it is a mark of a good team that they can still win even when playing badly. Even so, Saturday, and England’s third match at Dunedin’s Otago Stadium, provides an excellent opportunity to go some way to making amends for the (perceived and actual) shortcomings displayed so far. Romania is probably the weakest side in the pool, and you can only fear what could happen to them if England succeed in their attempts to make a statement, if they manage to draw a line under what has happened so far and start their campaign afresh. A win on the scale of South Africa’s 87-0 destruction of Namibia on Thursday is not completely out of the question, though it would represent a stunning turnaround in English fortunes.
Indeed, it would be foolish to count on such a scoreline, not least considering the difficulty Scotland had against the Eastern Europeans in their meeting two weekends ago. Scotland did secure a bonus-point win in Invercargill, but the 34-24 result indicates the discomfort that the Oaks – who only fell behind in the last five minutes of the match after a Simon Danielli double – caused for Scotland.
As such, England have named an arguably stronger side than the one that toiled so much against Georgia. Captain Tindall is recalled, and as he takes his place in midfield he will know that he will be the centre of attention. He will also, of course, also be aware of the most effective way to answer his critics. Jonny Wilkinson replaces Toby Flood, and England’s 2003 World Cup-winner will have no better opportunity to banish the demons of his previous start against Argentina, when he missed an unprecedented five kicks at goal out of eight. There are five further changes to the side that faced Georgia, as Mark Cueto, Alex Corbisiero, Steve Thompson, Louis Deacon and Tom Croft all start. Courtney Lawes, meanwhile, serves the second of his two-game suspension.
The Romanian players are no mugs, though, and they will put up a tough physical battle, particularly upfront. England have been penalised to such an extent that Romania’s gameplan will surely revolve around a tactic to draw infringements at the breakdown. The importance of eradicating ill-discipline will not be revealed so clearly against a side of Romania’s calibre, but England must eliminate that side of their game, which has so obviously frustrated both referees and Martin Johnson, before they encounter a team with the capability of taking advantage of those errors. Scotland, for example, would fancy their chances of overcoming an England side which fails to keep control in the manner that it has done so far. If England are serious about regaining the Webb Ellis trophy, they must demonstrate to their rivals on Saturday that they have – finally – turned up to the party. How well Romania manage to play the spoiler role will determine the scale of England’s win.
This was originally published at The Vibe
Wednesday 21 September 2011
FIFA World Rankings: an amusing farce
If Argentina played Croatia, who would you expect to win? What about an encounter between Sweden and Norway? Would Welsh fans feel confident about beating Jordan? Scots, surely, would see their footballers as superior to those of Armenia?
Such are the type of questions, accompanied by much anguished hand-wringing, that arise each month as FIFA publish their official world rankings. This month sees Croatia take ninth place from Argentina, who drop to tenth, while Norway remain above Sweden (in 23rd and 25th places respectively). Wales, in 90th, are indeed behind Jordan (85th), while Scotland, in 52nd, are eight places in arrears of Armenia.
But it is hardly worth football fans getting excited – or despondent – about where their team is placed by the boffins. The scornful reaction of the press in this country when FIFA suggested last month that England was the world’s fourth best international team was indicative of the low regard in which the rankings are held.
The whole charade should be treated as little more than a mildly entertaining opportunity to feel aggrieved at your nation’s position. It represents the chance to exclaim indignantly to uncaring friends and colleagues that: “I can’t believe Northern Ireland has slipped below Gabon” or, somewhat pretentiously, “Isn’t it fascinating that Nicaragua have overtaken Tajikistan?”
The FIFA rankings only matter in their use for seeding teams for international tournaments and their qualification stages, meaning that discrepancies even in the lower half of the rankings can have a negative impact on those nations – and further hinder their prospects of rising in time for future tournaments.
For the UEFA qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, for example, pot 6 contained Wales, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Kazakhstan (dubiously European, but that’s a different matter), Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino. Wales and Iceland had the most grounds to feel aggrieved – neither team would have felt that they were worse than Azerbaijan or the Faroe Islands. Indeed Wales were actually placed joint-112th with the Faroes, who pipped Wales into pot 5 on what – alphabetical order?
Of course, there has to be a system that enables qualifying, and tournaments themselves, to be carried out (relatively) fairly. The rankings are generally accurate, and there are none of the glaringly obvious discrepancies that used to be a common feature of the system – in the early 2000s, for example, the United States benefited from the footballing paucity of most neighbouring CONCACAF nations to rise to 4th place.
But perhaps this should be based on real results, in a more direct and transparent manner than appears to be the case with the FIFA rankings. This month England slipped from 4th to 8th, and while it is generally agreed that this is a more truthful appraisal of the team’s prowess, the fall came despite two wins out of two since the August table was published.
An alternative method of seeding would be to base it on nations’ standing in the previous qualifying campaign, something that would also give far more of an incentive to teams already out of the running to qualify this time around. I’m sure this proposal has its flaws; indeed, it would probably be laughed at. But then again I’m no expert. After all, I still think that Finland are better than Sierra Leone.
Such are the type of questions, accompanied by much anguished hand-wringing, that arise each month as FIFA publish their official world rankings. This month sees Croatia take ninth place from Argentina, who drop to tenth, while Norway remain above Sweden (in 23rd and 25th places respectively). Wales, in 90th, are indeed behind Jordan (85th), while Scotland, in 52nd, are eight places in arrears of Armenia.
But it is hardly worth football fans getting excited – or despondent – about where their team is placed by the boffins. The scornful reaction of the press in this country when FIFA suggested last month that England was the world’s fourth best international team was indicative of the low regard in which the rankings are held.
The whole charade should be treated as little more than a mildly entertaining opportunity to feel aggrieved at your nation’s position. It represents the chance to exclaim indignantly to uncaring friends and colleagues that: “I can’t believe Northern Ireland has slipped below Gabon” or, somewhat pretentiously, “Isn’t it fascinating that Nicaragua have overtaken Tajikistan?”
The FIFA rankings only matter in their use for seeding teams for international tournaments and their qualification stages, meaning that discrepancies even in the lower half of the rankings can have a negative impact on those nations – and further hinder their prospects of rising in time for future tournaments.
For the UEFA qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, for example, pot 6 contained Wales, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Kazakhstan (dubiously European, but that’s a different matter), Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino. Wales and Iceland had the most grounds to feel aggrieved – neither team would have felt that they were worse than Azerbaijan or the Faroe Islands. Indeed Wales were actually placed joint-112th with the Faroes, who pipped Wales into pot 5 on what – alphabetical order?
Of course, there has to be a system that enables qualifying, and tournaments themselves, to be carried out (relatively) fairly. The rankings are generally accurate, and there are none of the glaringly obvious discrepancies that used to be a common feature of the system – in the early 2000s, for example, the United States benefited from the footballing paucity of most neighbouring CONCACAF nations to rise to 4th place.
But perhaps this should be based on real results, in a more direct and transparent manner than appears to be the case with the FIFA rankings. This month England slipped from 4th to 8th, and while it is generally agreed that this is a more truthful appraisal of the team’s prowess, the fall came despite two wins out of two since the August table was published.
An alternative method of seeding would be to base it on nations’ standing in the previous qualifying campaign, something that would also give far more of an incentive to teams already out of the running to qualify this time around. I’m sure this proposal has its flaws; indeed, it would probably be laughed at. But then again I’m no expert. After all, I still think that Finland are better than Sierra Leone.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Orton: Denver fans should lay off their solid quarterback
It seems as though I am in a rapidly diminishing minority of Denver fans, but I am still in favour of Kyle Orton carrying on at quarterback than have Tim Tebow take snaps.
Orton is an almost quintessentially unglamorous player. Generally solid, dependable, fairly consistent, Orton has qualities that are admirable, if hardly inspiring. In Peyton Manning’s injury absence, the Indianapolis Colts could do much worse than have Orton rather than Kerry Collins, who was disappointing in his new side’s blowout defeat to Houston last weekend.
Orton, in Denver’s home defeat to Oakland, looked rusty, particularly when put under pressure. Although he threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown, he only completed half of his pass attempts. ESPN analysis indicated that he went only 2-for-10 when he was put under pressure or hit before the pass was thrown.
Although head coach John Fox has pledged his support for his embattled quarterback, Orton could hardly rely on similar backing from the Mile High faithful. The match ended to a deafening chorus of orange-clad Coloradans chanting Tebow’s name tumbling from the stands, and Broncos message boards are full with calls for the second year out of Florida to take the starting role. One fan has even paid for a billboard to be adorned with a plea to Coach Fox to replace Orton with Tebow.
But Tebow is not ready to take the starting job – far from it. Yes, he was made starter at the end of last season by interim head coach Eric Studesville, who took over from the sacked Josh McDaniels, and led the team relatively successfully, including a one-point win over the Texans.
Throughout 2010, even when Orton was starting, Tebow would typically come in for goalline snaps in order to utilise his pace and brawn. He scored six rushing touchdowns over the course of the nine matches he participated in, including one at Wembley and a powerful, exhilarating 40-yard run against the Raiders. The ideal scenario for me would be to increase this type of opportunity for Tebow, in order for him to gain experience under the watch of Orton. It is unlikely that Orton would be willing to act as a mentor – he is only 28, and must have ambition of his own which is not conducive to acting simply as a trailblazer for his young teammate.
In any case, Tebow is thought not even to be second on the roster at Denver. Pre-season, observers noted that Brady Quinn, signed from the Cleveland Browns last year, appears to have been more successful in staking his claim for an opportunity for game time. And if the Broncos have a high draft pick in the 2012 draft, what is to say that John Elway won’t trade up (if they have to) for Stanford’s hugely rated quarterback Andrew Luck?
I would be a disappointed supporter if Denver ended the season with a record that would allow them to draft Luck next year, and I still see Tebow as being a long-term solution for my team. It is clear, however, that his enthusiasm, work ethic and charm are far from enough to bring immediate success to Mile High. He has to learn rather than be plunged straight into the NFL.
Denver still has Orton, and he is a conservative option who should be used in the short-term in order that Tebow can be the most successful quarterback for the franchise since Elway. Fox must stick to their guns, and while Tebow naturally appreciates his widescale support, Broncos fans should listen to their hero when he insists that the whole franchsie should unite behind their team – at the head of which is Kyle Orton.
Orton is an almost quintessentially unglamorous player. Generally solid, dependable, fairly consistent, Orton has qualities that are admirable, if hardly inspiring. In Peyton Manning’s injury absence, the Indianapolis Colts could do much worse than have Orton rather than Kerry Collins, who was disappointing in his new side’s blowout defeat to Houston last weekend.
Orton, in Denver’s home defeat to Oakland, looked rusty, particularly when put under pressure. Although he threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown, he only completed half of his pass attempts. ESPN analysis indicated that he went only 2-for-10 when he was put under pressure or hit before the pass was thrown.
Although head coach John Fox has pledged his support for his embattled quarterback, Orton could hardly rely on similar backing from the Mile High faithful. The match ended to a deafening chorus of orange-clad Coloradans chanting Tebow’s name tumbling from the stands, and Broncos message boards are full with calls for the second year out of Florida to take the starting role. One fan has even paid for a billboard to be adorned with a plea to Coach Fox to replace Orton with Tebow.
But Tebow is not ready to take the starting job – far from it. Yes, he was made starter at the end of last season by interim head coach Eric Studesville, who took over from the sacked Josh McDaniels, and led the team relatively successfully, including a one-point win over the Texans.
Throughout 2010, even when Orton was starting, Tebow would typically come in for goalline snaps in order to utilise his pace and brawn. He scored six rushing touchdowns over the course of the nine matches he participated in, including one at Wembley and a powerful, exhilarating 40-yard run against the Raiders. The ideal scenario for me would be to increase this type of opportunity for Tebow, in order for him to gain experience under the watch of Orton. It is unlikely that Orton would be willing to act as a mentor – he is only 28, and must have ambition of his own which is not conducive to acting simply as a trailblazer for his young teammate.
In any case, Tebow is thought not even to be second on the roster at Denver. Pre-season, observers noted that Brady Quinn, signed from the Cleveland Browns last year, appears to have been more successful in staking his claim for an opportunity for game time. And if the Broncos have a high draft pick in the 2012 draft, what is to say that John Elway won’t trade up (if they have to) for Stanford’s hugely rated quarterback Andrew Luck?
I would be a disappointed supporter if Denver ended the season with a record that would allow them to draft Luck next year, and I still see Tebow as being a long-term solution for my team. It is clear, however, that his enthusiasm, work ethic and charm are far from enough to bring immediate success to Mile High. He has to learn rather than be plunged straight into the NFL.
Denver still has Orton, and he is a conservative option who should be used in the short-term in order that Tebow can be the most successful quarterback for the franchise since Elway. Fox must stick to their guns, and while Tebow naturally appreciates his widescale support, Broncos fans should listen to their hero when he insists that the whole franchsie should unite behind their team – at the head of which is Kyle Orton.
New blow dealt to Obama as Republicans win key seat
The Democratic Party in the United States hardly needs reminding of the rough ride it suffered on election night last November. Although President Obama’s party retained control of the Senate, it lost 63 seats – and its majority – in the House of Representatives to the Republicans, earning John Boehner the speaker’s chair at the expense of Nancy Pelosi.
One seat the Democrats did comfortably retain control of, however, was New York’s 9th Congressional District. Comprising parts of New York City’s districts of Brooklyn and Queens, this appears to be fertile Democratic territory.
Democrat Anthony Weiner was elected to serve the district in the House of Representatives six times between 1998 and 2010. He was also returned unopposed in 2006, and challenged only by an independent conservative candidate two years later, indicating the GOP’s acceptance of the hopelessness of their situation.
Weiner’s 2010 success came with a majority of over 20 percentage points – nearly 24,000 votes over his Republican challenger, Bob Turner. But in May this year, Weiner was embroiled in a scandal, involving his sending sexually explicit images to one of his followers on Twitter. He initially denied sending the pictures, a stance that only exacerbated his predicament, and which eventually forced his resignation in June.
President Obama would certainly have cursed the timing of the special election held to replace Weiner, but surely would not have envisaged that his party was in danger of losing the seat. The last time the Republicans represented this district was in 1923, the year of the death of incumbent president Warren Harding. Five US presidents had not yet been born.
Opinion polls, however, began to suggest that Bob Turner – the defeated GOP candidate in 2008 – was running ahead of the Democrats’ David Weprin. And yesterday, Turner did indeed capture the district for his party, indicating that the Democrats may be in even more dire straits than ten months ago. Less than a week after Obama’s keynote appeal to a joint session of Congress – but of course aimed specifically at the GOP-controlled House of Representatives – he must now contend with an increased Republican majority in the lower chamber.
Predictably, the two parties have reacted very differently to Turner’s victory, adopting the stances political watchers have come to expect after such a result. Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee chairman, explained that the result was a direct repudiation of Obama and his policies, indicating that even traditionally liberal areas, such as New York City, were abandoning him. By contrast, Democratic spokespeople emphasised that local issues played a key role, and that the contest should not be extrapolated to the national scene.
Whatever one’s interpretation, it was certainly a stunning success for the GOP. Turner was the beneficiary of a fifteen-point swing, with Weprin losing nearly three in five of voters who had selected Weiner last autumn.
The ninth congressional district has a heavy proportion of orthodox Jews, and is thus hardly a representative segment of the United States as a whole. Observers, including the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which described Weprin’s defeat as a ‘Jewish thumping’, have suggested that the President’s relative indifference to Israel – particularly compared with some of his predecessors, notably George W. Bush – cost his party votes.
Even the former Democratic mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, criticised Obama for “throwing Israel under a bus”. Turner played on his support for the Jewish community and his party’s traditional pro-Israel stance. Turner, a Roman Catholic, might have been expected to have been at a disadvantage considering that Weprin is Jewish. To win in such circumstances would apparently underline the phenomenon of the victory.
But, despite Weprin’s religion, he was not necessarily seen as a Jew-friendly candidate. He has previously pledged his support for the controversial proposals to build an Islamic cultural centre near Ground Zero, a position that is deeply unpopular with many of the Jewish inhabitants of Brooklyn and Queens. In any case, Weprin was generally regarded as a weak candidate, particularly in comparison to the hard-working Turner, who also received high-profile endorsements from former NYC mayors Koch and Rudy Giuliani.
Even so, Turner himself barely half the number of votes received by Weiner in 2010, and just a quarter of Weiner’s 2008 total (albeit when the Democrat’s only opponent was a fringe candidate). Perhaps most damningly for the Republicans’ claims, Turner received fewer votes than he did less than a year ago in the district, and only secured the seat this time because of a complete collapse in the Democratic vote. This was no great endorsement of the Grand Old Party – although they do not necessarily require that to win in 2012, as long as there is a dramatic fall in enthusiasm for Obama.
The Massachusetts Senate special election in 2010 bears a resemblance to Turner’s success. In the Bay State vote, held following the death of long-serving Democratic stalwart Ted Kennedy, brother of the president, little-known Republican shook Washington by securing an eventually comfortable win. If Massachusetts, that liberal bastion, had turned red, commentators remarked, Obama was already in huge trouble. But, then too, Brown faced a lazy, lethargic campaign from the Democrats’ Martha Coakley, who seemed to take her election for granted. Brown, by complete contrast, campaigned tirelessly.
But Turner did not gain votes in the manner that Brown did – he only lost fewer than his opponent.
It is also somewhat disingenuous of the Republican Party to imply that New York is a homogenous, Democratic-voting liberal block – if any city is a melting-pot of cultures, peoples and political opinions, it is New York. The ninth district, indeed, is one of the most pro-GOP in the city. It backed President Obama by the relatively small margin of eleven percentage points in 2008; this is not the equivalent of the Bronx going Republican, or Utah choosing a Democratic president.
Even so, this will be of no comfort to President Obama, as he continues his nationwide tour to promote his jobs bill. Republicans will be somewhat boosted by the impression of fallibility that surround the president and his party, but they will be acutely aware that there is much work to be done if Obama is to be a one-term commander-in-chief. There was no good news for the White House from the ninth congressional district of the State of New York – but there was also less than might be expected winging its way to Rick Perry and Mitt Romney HQ.
One seat the Democrats did comfortably retain control of, however, was New York’s 9th Congressional District. Comprising parts of New York City’s districts of Brooklyn and Queens, this appears to be fertile Democratic territory.
Democrat Anthony Weiner was elected to serve the district in the House of Representatives six times between 1998 and 2010. He was also returned unopposed in 2006, and challenged only by an independent conservative candidate two years later, indicating the GOP’s acceptance of the hopelessness of their situation.
Weiner’s 2010 success came with a majority of over 20 percentage points – nearly 24,000 votes over his Republican challenger, Bob Turner. But in May this year, Weiner was embroiled in a scandal, involving his sending sexually explicit images to one of his followers on Twitter. He initially denied sending the pictures, a stance that only exacerbated his predicament, and which eventually forced his resignation in June.
President Obama would certainly have cursed the timing of the special election held to replace Weiner, but surely would not have envisaged that his party was in danger of losing the seat. The last time the Republicans represented this district was in 1923, the year of the death of incumbent president Warren Harding. Five US presidents had not yet been born.
Opinion polls, however, began to suggest that Bob Turner – the defeated GOP candidate in 2008 – was running ahead of the Democrats’ David Weprin. And yesterday, Turner did indeed capture the district for his party, indicating that the Democrats may be in even more dire straits than ten months ago. Less than a week after Obama’s keynote appeal to a joint session of Congress – but of course aimed specifically at the GOP-controlled House of Representatives – he must now contend with an increased Republican majority in the lower chamber.
Predictably, the two parties have reacted very differently to Turner’s victory, adopting the stances political watchers have come to expect after such a result. Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee chairman, explained that the result was a direct repudiation of Obama and his policies, indicating that even traditionally liberal areas, such as New York City, were abandoning him. By contrast, Democratic spokespeople emphasised that local issues played a key role, and that the contest should not be extrapolated to the national scene.
Whatever one’s interpretation, it was certainly a stunning success for the GOP. Turner was the beneficiary of a fifteen-point swing, with Weprin losing nearly three in five of voters who had selected Weiner last autumn.
The ninth congressional district has a heavy proportion of orthodox Jews, and is thus hardly a representative segment of the United States as a whole. Observers, including the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which described Weprin’s defeat as a ‘Jewish thumping’, have suggested that the President’s relative indifference to Israel – particularly compared with some of his predecessors, notably George W. Bush – cost his party votes.
Even the former Democratic mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, criticised Obama for “throwing Israel under a bus”. Turner played on his support for the Jewish community and his party’s traditional pro-Israel stance. Turner, a Roman Catholic, might have been expected to have been at a disadvantage considering that Weprin is Jewish. To win in such circumstances would apparently underline the phenomenon of the victory.
But, despite Weprin’s religion, he was not necessarily seen as a Jew-friendly candidate. He has previously pledged his support for the controversial proposals to build an Islamic cultural centre near Ground Zero, a position that is deeply unpopular with many of the Jewish inhabitants of Brooklyn and Queens. In any case, Weprin was generally regarded as a weak candidate, particularly in comparison to the hard-working Turner, who also received high-profile endorsements from former NYC mayors Koch and Rudy Giuliani.
Even so, Turner himself barely half the number of votes received by Weiner in 2010, and just a quarter of Weiner’s 2008 total (albeit when the Democrat’s only opponent was a fringe candidate). Perhaps most damningly for the Republicans’ claims, Turner received fewer votes than he did less than a year ago in the district, and only secured the seat this time because of a complete collapse in the Democratic vote. This was no great endorsement of the Grand Old Party – although they do not necessarily require that to win in 2012, as long as there is a dramatic fall in enthusiasm for Obama.
The Massachusetts Senate special election in 2010 bears a resemblance to Turner’s success. In the Bay State vote, held following the death of long-serving Democratic stalwart Ted Kennedy, brother of the president, little-known Republican shook Washington by securing an eventually comfortable win. If Massachusetts, that liberal bastion, had turned red, commentators remarked, Obama was already in huge trouble. But, then too, Brown faced a lazy, lethargic campaign from the Democrats’ Martha Coakley, who seemed to take her election for granted. Brown, by complete contrast, campaigned tirelessly.
But Turner did not gain votes in the manner that Brown did – he only lost fewer than his opponent.
It is also somewhat disingenuous of the Republican Party to imply that New York is a homogenous, Democratic-voting liberal block – if any city is a melting-pot of cultures, peoples and political opinions, it is New York. The ninth district, indeed, is one of the most pro-GOP in the city. It backed President Obama by the relatively small margin of eleven percentage points in 2008; this is not the equivalent of the Bronx going Republican, or Utah choosing a Democratic president.
Even so, this will be of no comfort to President Obama, as he continues his nationwide tour to promote his jobs bill. Republicans will be somewhat boosted by the impression of fallibility that surround the president and his party, but they will be acutely aware that there is much work to be done if Obama is to be a one-term commander-in-chief. There was no good news for the White House from the ninth congressional district of the State of New York – but there was also less than might be expected winging its way to Rick Perry and Mitt Romney HQ.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
NFL: Week 1 review
Performance of the week (team):
Buffalo Bills: Numerous contenders stand out: Houston, Baltimore, Chicago. All three faced play-off sides from last year, all secured emphatic wins in week 1 of this. But performance of the week has to go to the unfashionable, unfancied (to say the least) Buffalo, facing a road trip to the hostility of Arrowhead stadium to face 2010’s best-of-the-west Chiefs. They emerged with a 34-point triumph, shutting down Jamaal Charles, allowing Dwayne Bowe only two receptions, and also clicking on offense. Excellent on both sides of the ball, the Bills provided food for thought for the many who had written them off.
Performances of the week (individual):
Cam Newton: In Week 1 of season 1 in the NFL career of the number 1 draft pick, Carolina’s quarterback, a number 1 adorned on his jersey, threw two touchdowns and a rookie record-equalling 422 yards in the Arizona desert. Admittedly, Panthers fell short of their first road win since December 2009, but Newton’s passer rating of 110.4 belied his lack of professional experience, and proved to remaining doubters that Carolina has a gem under center.
Tom Brady: Brady posted a career-high yardage - and when you have had a career like that of the Patriots' quarterback, that is nothing to be sniffed at. With 517 yards and 4 touchdowns, Brady once again led his team to a big road win at a divisional rival, though Pats fans also raved about Nate Solder’s showing, who effectively nullified the Cameron Wake effect.
Moments of the week:
Randall Cobb: Perhaps surpassing Newton in terms of impact from a rookie was Green Bay’s wide receiver. His 108-yard kickoff return TD tied a league record and came as commentators and fans were berating the new rule which see kickoffs on the 35, rather than 30-yard line. Already, Al Michaels told viewers, Lambeau had seen more touchbacks than in the whole of last season, but, displaying to-heck-with-that spirit, Cobb emerged from deep inside the endzone, his sensational run including an almost gravity-defying pirouette. Oh, and he also hauled in a receiving touchdown with his first reception.
Sebastian Janikowski: The tied-longest field goal in NFL history was enough to see Oakland win at Denver. The air is thinner at Mile High, but this is still some achievement from the Raiders' kicker, who once – ridiculously – attempted a 76 yarder.
Beasts of the week:
Baltimore Ravens: Seven turnovers, seven points allowed – and facing the Steelers. Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and co. were at their fearsome, disciplined best.
Chicago Bears: At Soldier Field, Matt Ryan’s offense was blunted and managed only two field goals (the Falcons’ TD was also a defensive score). The Bears, led by the irrepressible Julius Peppers, Henry Melton and, of course, Brian Urlacher, picked up one interception, forced two fumbles (one of which Urlacher returned for six), sacked Ryan five times and hit him 11.
Surprise of the week:
Ryan Fitzpatrick: Bills head coach Chan Gailey will claim that this was no surprise, that they had faith in their QB all along. Undoubtedly, Fitzpatrick repaid their trust by tossing four scores in his team’s stunning win at the Chiefs, for a rating of 133.0.
Disappointments of the week:
Chris Johnson: The contract dispute is behind him, but CJ still looks unsettled. He barely had an impact in the Titans’ defeat in Jacksonville, carrying the ball nine times for just 24 yards.
Donovan McNabb: The Vikings’ replacement for Brett Favre was embarrassingly unproductive. He completed only seven passes (of 15 attempted) for 39 yards, a touchdown and an interception – although did gain 32 yards with his feet. Former positional rival at Washington Rex Grossman, incidentally, put in a very assured performance in the Redskins’ 28-14 win over the New York Giants.
Inevitability of the week:
San Diego’s special teams were abysmal last year, in all probability costing Norv a play-off berth. And so, you could just tell what would happen as Nate Kaeding kicked off the season at Qualcomm Field. With Percy Harvin returning, the resulting kick return touchdown, in hindsight, had more than a whiff of predictability. Kaeding also had to leave the game with an injury sustained in trying to stop Harvin; you could almost hear southern California sighing a collective ‘here we go again’.
Improvisation of the week:
But that Chargers misfortune also saw them land this slightly more coveted award. Punter Mike Scifres could deal with PATs, though not with field goals; it must have been the first time in Philip Rivers’ career that he had had to stay on the field for a 4th-and-20, in the first half, just outside the red zone. The FG would have been 43 yards – too long for Scifres – while the punt was barely worth it. But, at the start of the fourth quarter, Scifres brought his side level with a 40-yarder, the pigskin barely sneaking through the posts – ugly, but effective, and Scifres notched his first career field goal.
Originally published at UKAmericanSportsFans.com
Buffalo Bills: Numerous contenders stand out: Houston, Baltimore, Chicago. All three faced play-off sides from last year, all secured emphatic wins in week 1 of this. But performance of the week has to go to the unfashionable, unfancied (to say the least) Buffalo, facing a road trip to the hostility of Arrowhead stadium to face 2010’s best-of-the-west Chiefs. They emerged with a 34-point triumph, shutting down Jamaal Charles, allowing Dwayne Bowe only two receptions, and also clicking on offense. Excellent on both sides of the ball, the Bills provided food for thought for the many who had written them off.
Performances of the week (individual):
Cam Newton: In Week 1 of season 1 in the NFL career of the number 1 draft pick, Carolina’s quarterback, a number 1 adorned on his jersey, threw two touchdowns and a rookie record-equalling 422 yards in the Arizona desert. Admittedly, Panthers fell short of their first road win since December 2009, but Newton’s passer rating of 110.4 belied his lack of professional experience, and proved to remaining doubters that Carolina has a gem under center.
Tom Brady: Brady posted a career-high yardage - and when you have had a career like that of the Patriots' quarterback, that is nothing to be sniffed at. With 517 yards and 4 touchdowns, Brady once again led his team to a big road win at a divisional rival, though Pats fans also raved about Nate Solder’s showing, who effectively nullified the Cameron Wake effect.
Moments of the week:
Randall Cobb: Perhaps surpassing Newton in terms of impact from a rookie was Green Bay’s wide receiver. His 108-yard kickoff return TD tied a league record and came as commentators and fans were berating the new rule which see kickoffs on the 35, rather than 30-yard line. Already, Al Michaels told viewers, Lambeau had seen more touchbacks than in the whole of last season, but, displaying to-heck-with-that spirit, Cobb emerged from deep inside the endzone, his sensational run including an almost gravity-defying pirouette. Oh, and he also hauled in a receiving touchdown with his first reception.
Sebastian Janikowski: The tied-longest field goal in NFL history was enough to see Oakland win at Denver. The air is thinner at Mile High, but this is still some achievement from the Raiders' kicker, who once – ridiculously – attempted a 76 yarder.
Beasts of the week:
Baltimore Ravens: Seven turnovers, seven points allowed – and facing the Steelers. Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and co. were at their fearsome, disciplined best.
Chicago Bears: At Soldier Field, Matt Ryan’s offense was blunted and managed only two field goals (the Falcons’ TD was also a defensive score). The Bears, led by the irrepressible Julius Peppers, Henry Melton and, of course, Brian Urlacher, picked up one interception, forced two fumbles (one of which Urlacher returned for six), sacked Ryan five times and hit him 11.
Surprise of the week:
Ryan Fitzpatrick: Bills head coach Chan Gailey will claim that this was no surprise, that they had faith in their QB all along. Undoubtedly, Fitzpatrick repaid their trust by tossing four scores in his team’s stunning win at the Chiefs, for a rating of 133.0.
Disappointments of the week:
Chris Johnson: The contract dispute is behind him, but CJ still looks unsettled. He barely had an impact in the Titans’ defeat in Jacksonville, carrying the ball nine times for just 24 yards.
Donovan McNabb: The Vikings’ replacement for Brett Favre was embarrassingly unproductive. He completed only seven passes (of 15 attempted) for 39 yards, a touchdown and an interception – although did gain 32 yards with his feet. Former positional rival at Washington Rex Grossman, incidentally, put in a very assured performance in the Redskins’ 28-14 win over the New York Giants.
Inevitability of the week:
San Diego’s special teams were abysmal last year, in all probability costing Norv a play-off berth. And so, you could just tell what would happen as Nate Kaeding kicked off the season at Qualcomm Field. With Percy Harvin returning, the resulting kick return touchdown, in hindsight, had more than a whiff of predictability. Kaeding also had to leave the game with an injury sustained in trying to stop Harvin; you could almost hear southern California sighing a collective ‘here we go again’.
Improvisation of the week:
But that Chargers misfortune also saw them land this slightly more coveted award. Punter Mike Scifres could deal with PATs, though not with field goals; it must have been the first time in Philip Rivers’ career that he had had to stay on the field for a 4th-and-20, in the first half, just outside the red zone. The FG would have been 43 yards – too long for Scifres – while the punt was barely worth it. But, at the start of the fourth quarter, Scifres brought his side level with a 40-yarder, the pigskin barely sneaking through the posts – ugly, but effective, and Scifres notched his first career field goal.
Originally published at UKAmericanSportsFans.com
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