Jersey-front advertising was previously prohibited entirely at the World Cup, with the Wallabies blaming the restrictive rules when dumped by chief sponsor Vodafone following the 2003 tournament.
Advertisement
“At the time, I had a contract to play for the Chiefs and I did not think playing for the All Blacks was ever going to be a possibility”.
But McCaw warns: “We have certainly got some good men here, but that doesn’t guarantee anything, it gives you a start, that’s all”.
There will be no sightings of a shirtless Sonny Bill Williams after training at the Rugby World Cup – unless you have a seat on the team bus.
“We have shown by beating South Africa and Australia [in 2014] that we are developing and I continue to hope we keep making history”, Hourcade said.
Can they do it?
Ireland’s three warm-up games, against Wales, Scotland and England returned two wins and a defeat at Twickenham, during which their performances have simply not matched those which won them the last two Six Nations tournaments and a glorious win over the Springboks at the end of last year. He will miss the All Blacks’ first game of the tournament against Argentina due to his injury but the fact he is even going has been described as a miracle. “They would have learnt something”. If we come here with that attitude of let’s see what happens we will go home early.
Having not performed a match in a month since their convincing 41-13 win towards Australia in Auckland, Foster admitted the squad have been champing on the bit.
There is one immutable requirement: you will not win the World Cup with a bad coach.
The All Blacks have flair and firepower to burn in the backline.
Despite his own expectations, Hourcade has instilled in his players a belief that they can succeed. But there are other pitfalls that might not be obvious, such as the burden of favouritism, too many egos, over-confidence, wrong tactics… and Dwyer did a brilliant job.
Will an easier pool hurt them?
As for Argentina, Foster said: “Clearly they are considered one of the favourites to go through from this pool”.
“Look at the other teams and the quality players out there. If you go out not respecting your opponent, that’s when you trip up”. But it doesn’t work. The physicality and pace the opposition plays at becomes a step up too.
Youth and experience. They’re important. That Australian side were the most fabulously talented group of players, featuring some of the best players of all time.
What type of game will they play?
I’d settle for that, and for getting my prediction all wrong! For most of the past four years their most obvious plan has been to try to create gaps through using the short ball from the first receiver, normally a forward, to a forward runner. They have the players to play an expansive game, while also possessing a pack that can excel in a tight scrap. Dan Carter has been there and done that but has not been as consistent in recent times, Colin Slade can blow hot and cold, while Beauden Barrett has not convinced since returning from injury. Everyone’s got an ego and you enjoy people saying nice things, but you can’t come off the ground or anything like that.
The proof of rugby’s golden future may be that the United States considered bidding for the 2023 World Cup for which expressions of interest had to be entered by July. One of the reasons for that was up to 2007 we changed the coach after every one.
Advertisement
The most obvious thing to point to is that it is hard to maintain a period of dominance over five years.
