Snedden might kiss some Samoan shoes

Whatever the concerns the NZRU may have about their prospects in the upcoming RWC, it's probably nothing compared to RWC CEO, Martin Snedden, and his colleagues who have been quietly praying that their targets for ticket sales would recover amidst the aftershocks of Canterbury and the ongoing tremors of a worldwide recession amongst the sporting public. The sale of the millionth ticket of a 1.6 million total was recently lauded as a milestone, eight weeks out from the start of the tournament.

Two weeks ago, a somewhat rugby-weary (wary?) New Zealand population was again exhorted to come out and support the stadium of four million and snap up tickets in the most recent ballot. Around the world, more rugby fans were encouraged to consider raiding their piggy banks and visit New Zealand to support their team in September and October.

Or maybe that should just be September.

A rugby world cup held in the home of the world's acknowledged No 1 team has its attractions - who wouldn't want to see the famed all in black team playing with pomp, surrounded by their fanatical supporters at their famous Eden Park citadel?

On the other hand, who wants to travel to a country where the SANZAR superpowers are lining up to decide which of their teams takes home the Webb Ellis, and which of the rest would serve as useful cannon fodder along the way, with an occasional grudging nod to the Poms or Frogs as possible fellow travellers?

By the time October rolls around, goes the accepted wisdom, it'll be the Big 5 rugby nations (the Smug 5) fitting their comfortable arses into their regular plush seats for the finals stage of the Cup.

Up to last Saturday, it was all looking a bit predictable, and even for NH-based fans who'd be watching at home, getting up at 6am in some cases to watch their team being overrun - again - wasn't the most enticing prospect.

Better to watch the edited highlights over a cup of tea before switching on a re-run of the Beverly Hillbillies and fantasise about that nice blond pig-tailed girl, Elly May Clampett, rather than suffer nightmares of the less appealing, dreadlocked Ma'a Nonu.

And then Saturday night arrived in Sydney.

And Manu Samoa decided to tear up the script, led by demon-in-chief, Alesana Tuilagi.

Tuilagi tore it up with a scorching 70 metre run, scoring and roaring his delight at a stunned Australian crowd. And then he ran into a few Wallaby hides. And kept going. And ran over a few more of them. And his Samoan team mates followed suit with three more tries. Mayhem and celebrations followed 80 minutes later.

24 hours later, and the Samoan PM was saying that they could win the Rugby World Cup. No-one begrudged him. Everyone was smiling at their success (except for a few thousand woebegone Wallaby fans), and at the opportunity for other nations to believe: we could do that too. The world number 2 became the world number 3 overnight. Heads and hopes were raised a little higher and the prospect of a more open and more competitive RWC begins to look more likely on the cards.

Who says Samoa, Ireland, Italy or Scotland, Wales or Fiji mightn't travel a little further? What price an equally big upset for another of the Smug 5? And maybe, just maybe, a few more thousand reluctant fans might make the journey to the land of the long white cloud - travelling in hope and some righteous Samoan-forged expectation.

Thanks to Manu Samoa, the Rugby World Cup looks a little more interesting.

And somewhere in a small Wellington office, maybe Martin Snedden is starting to feel a little more hopeful and breathe a little easier - those tickets might just sell out yet.

Nice article, but I really don't read too much into the Samoa result I'm afraid. Australia tried out a lot of second teamers, and they have on occasion been caught before by weaker countries doing this. It will probably focus them a bit more for the actual World Cup, so in that case it will actually help them. The world cup will be like every other one, weaker teams will get smashed, a few will go down fighting braveley and we will have one or two shock results.

The Aussies may have been under strength and slightly arrogant in the opening exchanges but I'm not sure where they'll a ref who is willing to be that kind to them at the breakdown again. The supposed slap down that led to the scrums, deserved Samoa yellow card and first Aussies try wasn't so much farcical as imaginary. On another day with a ref showing a bit of favour the other way and that scoreline could have been a whole lot worse. The Aussies scrum and lineout were on top but only against a Samoa team famed for their useless set piece ability, in all open aspects of play they were hammered. The Oz set piece on that display will be dismantled by most other teams in the Rugby top 6 or 7.

Worrying times for the Aussies and if the Irish and the French decide to turn up who knows what suprises may occur at the RWC.

Alyn, the point is that since the Samoa result, Samoa vs South Africa has sold out and Samoa vs Wales and Samoa vs Fiji are going very quickly as well;

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3893_7046991,00.html

The impact this result has had on the perception of their chances has been huge, and unfortunately for the other teams in their group it now looks like they'll enjoy a large degree of 'home support'.

I was interested to see that the hosting organisation was making a distinction between "sold out" and "reached allocation". Presumably there will be extra capacity for "sold out" games made available at some later point...seems like a bizarre idea to me.

It's good to see such a well-written article on 606v2!

luckless_pedestrian wrote:It's good to see such a well-written article on 606v2!

Seconded, excellent article

who wouldn't want to see the famed all in black team playing with pomp, surrounded by their fanatical supporters at the Eden Park citadel?

Yeah, but why go all the way to NZ to watch England play?

Because that's where the world cup is being held? Didn't really think that one through GG, did you?

Champions Leinster begin the defence of their title with an away trip to Top 14 side Montpellier. That fixture will be played at the Stade de la Mosson.

Notch wrote:Alyn, the point is that since the Samoa result, Samoa vs South Africa has sold out and Samoa vs Wales and Samoa vs Fiji are going very quickly as well;

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3893_7046991,00.html

The impact this result has had on the perception of their chances has been huge, and unfortunately for the other teams in their group it now looks like they'll enjoy a large degree of 'home support'.

Correct. The response to the victory - however much it may be viewed as a once-off - has been superb. If Samoa were to beat Wales and end up in a quarter-final in a re-match against Australia, the interest would be massive in New Zealand with a lot of home support for the Samoans.

For most of the PI teams, playing in NZ is pretty much a home game.
AB's vs Samoa in Auckland - 50/50 supporters.