Apologies on behalf of this plank

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/best-of-sport-analysis/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502180&objectid=10745155

Jeepers you'd think some people would learn wouldn't you? Much like NZ's and Ireland's best mate Stephen Jones (whom this guy is the equivalent of), some people have to ruin it for everyone else. So apologies-Hope you blokes know the Kiwi guys on here are a better representation!

Was just wondering if English supporters would rather have a beer with this guy instead of Ghosty lol.

I like Chris Rattue, he is confident, and if you don't get too sensitive about what he is saying, then you can live through it.

I personally think he is just saying out loud what many people believe anyway.

Nothing wrong with that, the only problem is when you are that confident with your statements, they can seriously bite you in the backside if you are wrong.

Can't help but think he's right though...

Whats up DisneyChilli, he's right isn't he?

To be fair to the bloke he is probably right. As long as he's ready to fall on his sword if he gets it wrong then that's fine with me.

Can anyone else really see anyone else winning the world cup?

beshocked wrote:To be fair to the bloke he is probably right. As long as he's ready to fall on his sword if he gets it wrong then that's fine with me.

Can anyone else really see anyone else winning the world cup?

Well, according to PDV he has a secret plan, everything is going according to that plan, he only has one issue with this plan though.

He put hid it somewhere and hopes to find it before they get on the plane to NZ.

Never been a fan of tempting fate.Carter gets crocked in 1st game......?????

Everyone's entitled to an opinion though, right? Only thing is Rattue puts it across quite bluntly.

I think we'll win it this time - there, I said it. If it has suddenly become a crime to back your country then arrest me now. Let it be known though that I am aware that an upset could occur and the job will not be as easy as ratatouille is suggesting.

As bad as SA are playing now, they could spring a win if they really want to. Aus still have no fear but are too green I think. Eng are an outside chance but they are stuck in a creative rut. France, well whatever happens in the pool they can only meet us again in the final by which stage I would have thought someone else will have done the job on them. Ireland, if they play anything like they did against England would beat everyone but can they replicate it? Outside of that (sorry Wales) there isn't much hope

No he exaggerates IMO. Test rugby's a game of inches. Sure the results are great and I wouldn't trade places with any other team leading into it, but a lot of those games were tight and could've gone either way. Same with the overall record-a lot of come from behinds and nailbiters that belie the choking theory. Plus other teams have more room for improvement at the mo and their peaks and troughs are higher-so we could very well get tipped up.

Though I will admit I read his article on the Welsh being second-rate after a couple of pieces on Wales Online and I had a great chuckle. He's closer to the truth than Jones who often just writes plain fallacy but think he's too smug at the moment and as Biltong said could well end up getting bitten on the bum in a few weeks.

Taffineastbourne wrote:Never been a fan of tempting fate.Carter gets crocked in 1st game......?????

I'd back Slade with all that experience around him to do the job. Do not for a second underestimate the influence Conrad smith has on this backline

beshocked wrote:Can anyone else really see anyone else winning the world cup?

Not when I'm sober I can't

I can see Aussie winning it and I've said it for a couple of years now. Though I thought they would have become more consistent by now which gives me comfort as I'm sucking my thumb in the foetal position...

They were a better side in 99 and 07 (as in in comparison to their rivals) and they didn't win it then so why are they nailed on again this time.

Of course they are favourites but pressure is a strange beast, some players/teams thrive on it.. some crumble.

If they go behind in any of their matches I'm sure their players/coaches will have a little voice in the back of their head saying... 'not again'.

The man has always been a muppet and I stopped reading his articles ages ago! I replied a few times to him but oddly he never publishes them.

All I will say is, no one gave Wales a chance in the 7's World Cup, or Greece in the wendyball Euro champions.

It's a funny old game:)

beshocked wrote:To be fair to the bloke he is probably right. As long as he's ready to fall on his sword if he gets it wrong then that's fine with me.

Can anyone else really see anyone else winning the world cup?

Well strangely enough, dispite the stutter stop go so far, I still back the Wallabies to win the cup. then again, I am biased but I still think we can do it.

The team is gelling well at the mo, hopefully getting all its mistakes out before the knockout stages, and I also had the vision too that the Wallabies will lift the cup.

OZT you could well beat the ABs if you reach the final but you would have to potentially take down England or France which wouldn't be easy.

Still NZ are red hot favourites. The complete package.

NZ's home advantage is a massive boost for them. They won their only WC in New Zealand of course.

OzT

So does PDV..... 90% certain!

FA I don't think they were in 99. We got thumped by 20 points in Aussie and IMO the winner of France NZ was merely to see who got dorked by Aussie in the final.

OzT I can see what you're saying but aren't you worried that it's taken this long and still the Aussies are so inconsistent? They've been more up and down than any Wallaby team I can recall.

disneychilly

Yeah but you thumped them by 20 in NZ a few weeks before so they weren't inferior to Aus. Perhaps not as dominant as in 07 I take your point.... no one was even close then... at least now you could say if team x plays their best... they have a chance.

Also thought the 07 team had more balance... McAllistair was an awesome player back in 07 and gave your team options.

Shame as he ruined his career by choosing to come and play for a non HC playing side in Europe... he literally played Air NZ Cup/Currie Cup rugby for 2 years.

fa, what's PDV 99% sure of?? that the Wallabies wil win it?? LOL!

No, I worry about England as the only side in the RWC. I know the boks beat us in 95 and the French in the 1st one, but other than that we've done good, and against the kiwis, even if Gregan not in the side any more, I think we may have the upper hand in the RWC. Other games for sure the ABs usually beats us, but the RWC they haven't yet.

Not at all concerned the Wallabies still stuttering, except for the period 99-2001 they nevre have been a dominant side in world rugby, but the vision I had does point to the green and golds lifting the cup up for the 3rd time, and biltong, that's the Wallabies green and gold.. sorry mate! LOL!!



And yes, NZ hot favoriates in bookies, and I think boks and England are before us, but faith is unshakable, specially when you've been supporting the Wallabies over last 8 years when every side and their granny would shunt us all over the park, and still been cheering them on every game and even at 15 points down 10 minutes to go saying to your mates that's not too bad, just 2 converted try and a drop goal...

fa0019 wrote:They were a better side in 99 and 07 (as in in comparison to their rivals) and they didn't win it then so why are they nailed on again this time.

They definitely weren't this far ahead of their rivals in 99 and 07.

Australia I think were favourites in 1999 and a lot of people were tipping France in 2007. Even Ireland were tipped as potential dark horses.

In 1995 NZ looked unbeatable so perhaps there is some hope but right now NZ look miles better than their nearest rivals. I think Australia could challenge their dominance in a few seasons but I think NZ are too strong right now.

South Africa, France, Argentina and arguably Ireland too have all gone backwards since 2007 and whilst England and Australia have improved they still have glaryingly obvious inadequacies in their sides just waiting to be exposed.

By comparision NZ seem to be the complete package so it's hard to see how any of the other sides can beat them if they perform anywhere near their best.

Disneychilly
i have known Rats for many years, and I can assure you Disney that if you ever met the guy ,and socialised with him you must definitely would not be calling him a plank,He is real funny barstid,and alsways good to spend time with, no one can ever accuse rats of not having the balls to say what he thinks or believes, completely different to Stephen Jones whose sole purpose is to antagonise anyone outside his readership.
Welsh 369
I have often read how you avidly go a long to Okara Park in support of the Cambridge Blues, you may also be interested to know that Rats has always been supportive of North Auckland, and especially in his early days when he started off on the "desk" at the Northern Advocate.

Don't underestimate the aussies.

They learn't something valuable last weekend, how to grind a win.


when was the last time you saw an Ozzie team grind out a win?

biltongbek wrote:
when was the last time you saw an Ozzie team grind out a win?

No, but often seen them race to a lead and then lose the game.

Optimistic as I am I do know there's a lot needs to be fixed in the Wallabies though, whereas biltong your side already have the players (proven) and just a matter of mind set fixing, with the Wallabies it's not just mind set but we just do not have the major players in the park, a few flashy backs makes not a RWC winning side.

Off topic, by far the funniest bit in that article is the golf piece at the bottom; "Who the heck are those golfers on the PGA leaderboard? The latest major, being played in Georgia, has turned into a battle of the no-names. The good news is that Kiwi Steve Williams is just five shots off the pace, in a tie for eighth, and well placed to add to his impressive list of major victories. Williams is partnered by the Australian Adam Scott."

I have no problem with NZ winning and its hard to see past them but these articles which are pretty dismissive and condescending to other countries do encourage my masochistic streak in wishing NZ somehow get beaten - if even to witness an unprecedented display of collective hair-pulling and gnashing of teeth by our Kiwi friends.

Laurie I just think it's stupid to tempt fate like that. I don't know him personally, just on what he does professionally as I read some of his articles. Hell I love the band Tool and when I met them the singer Maynard was a bit of an aloof knob, but I like them for their music not them as people because I don't know them. It's a professional insult too not a personal insult. Stephen Jones may be a great guy away from his field of work (I'm not calling it expertise lol). He's bold no doubt but I think he antagonises people too. TBH that's what journos do-it gets the papers read.

Disney chilly
Rats has been a journo for nearly 30 years, he is more than aware that its an occupation which attracts arguement to things he writes especially in the field of sports. He gets his fair share of mail telling himhow wrong he is daily, and thats what happens when you write opinion.
I still see a lot of difference in What Stephen jones writes and what Chris writes.

HURLEY_BURLEY wrote:
I have no problem with NZ winning and its hard to see past them but these articles which are pretty dismissive and condescending to other countries do encourage my masochistic streak in wishing NZ somehow get beaten - if even to witness an unprecedented display of collective hair-pulling and gnashing of teeth by our Kiwi friends.

x2, I think all-black supporters do their image no good at all with arrogance like that.

I see difference too trust me! Spose it may sound a bit defensive but SJ is the worst of the lot. Apparently Kiwis and the Irish can't play rugby and SA can't scrummage any more. Read something recent claiming Brad Thorn was limited and too old (this is the guy who loves Simon Shaw), and that there was a lot of mediocrity in the All Blacks. I think he has a point at 9-he did exaggerate it saying none of them would start in an AP game-as I feel none of our 9s are world class, but I reckon there is a fair bit of talent everywhere else.

Of course journos know the par for the course, they'd be way too silly not to and would learn about it at the first day of work!

i think he raises a lot of very good points.

And NZ probably will win the RWC.

Cabbage that's just like last time. Yeah he does have some good points but it's just a bit too inflammatory for me just around the corner of something we've made an art form of stuffing up, no matter what happened before it.

I think that people underestimating Aus and SA are just nuts.
We wasted Aus in the first test last year(yellow cards) followed by a 10 point win followed by a 1 point win followed by a loss.
We were lucky to win the third one.
If the game in Brisbane is close then then its all on.
And how anyone can dismiss a SA team with all the stars on the field with a couple of games together under their belt.
Come game time how many kiwi fans would really be relaxed about the result - come on honestly.
And as for France well.......

Deja vu guys - we've heard it all before haven't we?
" NZ are the best team on the planet blah, blah blah.'........"

I just can't understand why t'hey've only one the WC once......maybe these 'experts' can enlighten me

Surely he has not forgot 2007 rugby world cup.

NZ was so frar ahead of every other team "THEN" and they still lost.

The Rugby World Cup is different to any other tournament. It is different to the 3n, the super15, the Heninkan cup.

This, This is a tournament every TEAM, EVERY PLAYER WANTS, to win.

That is why it is so unpredictable, favourtism goes out of the window.


To be a New Zealander and try too predict that NZ will walk away with it(little gold cup)he could just be putting the jinx on them.

Majestic
I dont understand how that can occur,If New Zealand didnt make the final.
Surely for a team to be far ahead of every other team they would have to be leading in the final..

So the guy came out and predicted the All Blacks will win. I'm not sure what the problem is. That's his opinion. No big deal. I think he is simply saying what a lot of AB supporters are feeling. I wouldn't take that as insulting.

He's a jouno and supposed to be provocative. Can't really disagree within what he's written either.

offload,
your right, its his job.
and it is hard to disagree what he has written.

I was led to believe kiwi's were all humble folk though? Is this guy an Aussie?

boomeranga wrote:I was led to believe kiwi's were all humble folk though? Is this guy an Aussie?

There's always some exceptions to the rule

I take it you are talking about my modesty KRD, and I thank you for the compliment.

Haha. He's bold enough to be an Aussie. Aucklandlaurie knows him so he'd be your best bet on finding out any Ocker heritage.

I think he's exaggerating. We're not a country mile ahead of the rest. It's one thing saying he thinks we will win, as most Kiwis do (that's not arrogance I'd rather be in our position at present than any other team), but miles ahead? Just asking to get bitten on the bum. Especially as teams like France and Oz have massive peaks and troughs that could hurt us if they peak and we dip. He had a good article yesterday though.

Yeah I read Lauries posts about him. Evidently bold <> bad.

I wouldn't worry about it Disney. I only commented because it presented too good an opportunity following the pre-Auckland hissy fits. You can't be held responsible for everyone of your compatriots.

Oh yes he can!!

I'm trying to blow a raspberry at OzT but I can't find the emoticon!

disneychilly wrote:I'm trying to blow a raspberry at OzT but I can't find the emoticon!

(it's :rasp berry: with space removed)

Thank you Kiwireddevil.

Wondering about a team of codswallop writing journos/commentators. Stephen Jones to captain obviously, what about Rattue, Andy Howell, Phil Kearns, any other takers?

Chris Rattue is the poor mans ,Stephen Jones,sometimes his articles are
incisive.He knows his rugby when he can be bothered,to discuss it properly,but goes for the outrageous to shock.
Take it with a pinch of salt,he`s saying what he thinks you want to hear,would you prefer things like.
"Bumbling no hope All Blacks,will choke at RWC AGAIN",it is a point of view equally valid,as the former neither of which is literally true.

Morning folks.

Disneychilly:
Chris rattue is very much 100% Kiwi.

Boomer:
My mum was a staunch 100% Queenslander,Perhaps this explains my humility...........