Republicans have to - but won't - nominate Governor Jon Huntsman

As Governor of the state of Utah, he received Soviet-like levels of support. He has served his country in diplomatic posts under four presidents. He has an economic plan endorsed by the Wall Street Journal.

His personal life appeals directly to the hearts of Middle America. He has seven children, of whom two are adopted and another two are in the US Naval Academy.

He is a fan of alternative rock, and played an impromptu version of Johnny B. Goode while appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman.

His style of choice is cowboy boots, denim jeans and a flak jacket embroidered with the Star Spangled Banner.

And yet Jon Huntsman struggles along towards the bottom of the race to be the Republican presidential nominee, with even the best national polls putting him at just four per cent.

For observers outside of the Republican Party, this comes across as something of a mystery, especially when considering the merits – or otherwise – of his opponents. Huntsman would appear to be vastly more presidential than Newt Gingrich, the philandering former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He surely overshadows Ron Paul, the libertarian who has huge support from the online generation but who has failed to explain how racist and homophobic newsletters came to be printed in his name.

And that is before we even consider the remainder of the field: religious hardliner Rick Santorum, who is now polling second nationally; Rick Perry, who failed to remember during a televised debate which government departments he had vowed to cut (the Department of Energy, Rick. Come on, there were only three!); and Michele Bachmann, who told supporters God was going to bring her victory in Iowa – and who, after finishing sixth, has now pulled out of the race.

Alongside Huntsman, only Mitt Romney, the clear frontrunner in the Republican race but also, arguably, the least inspiring of all candidates, looks even vaguely statesmanlike. So why has Huntsman been unable to exploit a shambolic GOP field to take the fight to an embattled President Obama?

Perhaps an unfortunate paradox of the 11 month-long candidate selection process is the more level-headed candidates gain less attention. The media would much rather follow a sharp-tongued Gingrich, a gaffe-prone Perry or an ultraconservative Santorum than a sensible bloke.

So Huntsman has been ignored by the nation’s media. This denial of the oxygen of publicity and what would be the resulting name recognition has in turn given the media an excuse not to focus on the rank outsider.

Huntsman did not even campaign in Iowa, which held its non-binding caucus last Tuesday, focusing instead almost exclusively on the small New England state of New Hampshire, which traditionally holds the ‘first in the nation’ primary vote.

New England is not fertile Republican territory. On just one occasion since 1988 has one of its six states voted for a GOP candidate for president, when New Hampshire chose George W. Bush in 2000.

Registered independent voters are permitted to vote in the Republican Party’s New Hampshire primary, meaning the winner of the contest tends to represent the moderate wing of the party. John McCain, whose politics are hardly revered on the right wing of the GOP, secured a win in the last two New Hampshire primaries.

This time, the Granite State looks almost certain to opt for Mitt Romney. The frontrunner has a number of advantages. He was formerly Governor of neighbouring Massachusetts, which he governed relatively liberally. He has also secured the endorsement of McCain.

Crucially, Romney also has momentum after winning on unnatural territory (like Huntsman, Romney is a Mormon) in the evangelical heartland of Iowa last week, albeit by the slimmest of margins.

Huntsman must hope for a strong second-place finish in New Hampshire if his grassroots campaign is not to be trampled by the establishment power and Wall Street backing Romney boasts. Huntsman has made over 150 public appearances in New Hampshire, but with the exception of former Pennsylvania Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, he has not received any high-profile endorsements from another political figure.

Huntsman did receive a boost last night (Thursday) when he received the backing of New England’s biggest newspaper, the Boston Globe, ahead of local boy Romney. That endorsement, as well as a pair of televised debates this weekend, and a media now focused on New Hampshire rather than Iowa, should help to nudge his numbers upwards.

The problem for the Utahan is he needs more than just a nudge. The Real Clear Politics poll average sees him sitting in fourth position in New Hampshire, albeit within the margin of error of both Newt Gingrich below him, and Rick Santorum, who has surged since his Iowa near-win, in third. Ron Paul is polling around one vote in five, with Romney well clear on 40 per cent.

Those numbers must be disheartening for Huntsman as he continues with his ‘handshake-by-handshake’ quest for attention. Before the campaign he would hardly have been familiar with such numbers. He was first elected Governor of Utah in 2004, and proved so popular that, four years later, when Republicans candidates struggled nationwide at the end of the Bush presidency, Huntsman romped to re-election by securing 78 per cent of the votes.

His record in Utah’s Governor’s Mansion is highly regarded, and he continues to boast his state headed the nation in job creation during his tenure while emphasising the marked contrast with Romney, whose Massachusetts ranked 47th. In the words of the Boston Globe:

With a strong record as governor of Utah and US ambassador to China, arguably the most important overseas diplomatic post, Huntsman’s credentials match those of anyone in the field. He would be the best candidate to seize this moment in GOP history, and the best-prepared to be president.

But Huntsman’s appeal to Democrats and independents is also what many in the Grand Old Party might take issue with. He accepts the concept of global warming, favours civil unions (though not same-sex marriage) and rejects creationism.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, he has downplayed that during recent weeks as he seeks to appeal to the conservative base. In the current economic climate, his proven record of fiscal conservatism, however, should be enough to appease the more pragmatic members of the right wing.

He has felt the need to take to promoting himself as the “consistent conservative” of the race, pointing to his tax-cutting, job-creating, growth-promoting record in Utah. With Romney and Paul battling out for much of the independent voting bloc, Huntsman has attempted to change tack – understandable, but surely too little, too late.

In a general election, it is not difficult to envisage him winning Rockefeller-esque support, as he did in Utah, from those who might be dubbed “Huntsman Democrats” by political scientists – but without GOP support, he will never be in a position to achieve that on a national level.

He has shown he is willing to be bipartisan, by accepting President Obama’s offer of the post of ambassador to China (Huntsman speaks fluent Mandarin). That appointment also clearly indicates the President respects his potential rival’s abilities as a diplomat. Meanwhile, Huntsman’s record at the helm in Utah has demonstrated he isn’t bad at the politics lark, either.

It is madness the most electable of all Republicans has been, by and large, ignored by the media, the public and his own party.

But if he falls short in New Hampshire and pulls out of the contest, America would be wise to start preparing for Huntsman 2016.

Speed tragedy and Shane’s retirement shows professional sport still has a heart

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.