THE SHIRT the ravings of a senile old fart

Back in the age of the Dinosaurs[almost]30 men crawled out of the primeval Swamp.The year 1905 the NZ touring side toured Europe
In the first match they played the English County Champions Devon they won 55-4.in a Sunday newspaper it was misprinted as 5-4
on correction so many tries had been scored the headline was "ALL BACKS" this later became "ALL BLACKS" after the strip.THAT was
the start of a legend,a BRAND NAME and one of the greatest Honours in rugby union the All Black shirt.Over the years many great
players through politics or other had only a few caps George Nepia,J.B.Smith,F.R.Allen to name three.THAT shirt was the dream of many
NZ children as a dream,one Billy Cobden played in the first test versus the Boks in 1937 was injured and had to leave the field.Despite
this the All Blacks won they lost the series 2-1.
Cobden came back on the field to con gratulate his team mates,a Selector saw him "Good God the man can walk,he`ll never play for us
again",He did`nt he was never picked again he died fiighting Rommell with the 8th Army in WW2.
Many players made great personal and financial sacrifices to wear that Shirt to tour or play,THIS of course applied to all countries and
applies to ALL international sides .But most of my comments apply to the All Blacks during the days of tours there was a distinction at
least by me of a Test player,or one who played versus club or Provincial sides both were technically All Blacks but even some well
known Names did`nt make the test side.Kevin Barry a versatile player Lock/Loose forward made several tours in the 1960s he was a
third generation All Black.
Average tenure was about six years at best,and the contest was fierce for it,once capped you did`nt release lightly,for example in the period
1959-66,Mac Herewini,Ross Brown,Adrian Clarke,[no relation to Don or Ian],Bruce Watt, Steve Nesbit,Neil Wolfe,P.H/Murdoch.Earl Kirton.and
Wayne Cottrell.Pat Walsh too played 5/8 few had more than a handful of starts.
The away strip was most of the time White shirt,and Black shorts NOT just designed to get up England Fans noses.
Some players under the then resident qualifications played for several countries Des Connor,Wallabies [12]All Blacks[12] Jamie Salmon All Blacks
Then England,Michael Jones [Samoa] some even played League for another Country [Brad Thorn].the first to make two tours of Europe
10 years apart Ian Clarke brother of Legend Don.
Over the years with the coming of substituition and the 22 man tactical game the value of shirt has been lessened,THAT of course does not
lessen the honour for the players concerned.
BUT for me and my old fashioned code of ethics there are things you DON`t do it has nothing to do withthe players,you Don`t bring a player on with 2 minutes to go
so he can get a shirt rather than earn it.Simon Mannix.
You Don`t field deliberately weak sides,throw or target matches ,or series of games to hopefully win a bigger won.THAT is DISREPCTFUL to ALL who have gone before
Today I feel like unleashing this venom,I fully understand the reasoning by the coaches,the ends justifying the means but to me it just STINKS.

you didnt mention New Zealand origonally played in Navy Blue NOT Black!
They only changed to black to accomodate Scotland as they could only afford 1 set of kit for the tour, and no other country used black.

THANK YOU,Alyn Davies did`nt mention it because I was not aware of it
i`m always glad to increase my knowledge.

And dont forget Alan its Henry that is making these decisions to field a so called weakened team.
A man who has coached the same team to more test wins, more bledisloe cups, more 3Ns with 5 from 7, more grand slams than any of his predecessors back to 1905.

A man that had the second highest % of wins of all coaches other than the 100% record of the great Fred Allen whose tenure did not have to deal with things such as wcups and 3Ns.

So I certainly hope this indication of a lack of respect isnt aimed at Henry, because of all people, he holds the value of the ab jersey, the tradition that it stands for in the absolute highest regard and certainly I for one reject that notion.

So assuming this isnt directed at Henry, then who is responsible for all this disrespect? The players, the fans? Because I dont see anyone complaining. As a whole we have faith in our coach and our team to do what is right and when they don't they generally dont last long.

Tough decisions require tough people at the top. And in the history of ab rugby, Id suggest there is none tougher than Henry.

It might stink Alan but sometimes we just have to just suck it in and trust those we have put our faith in because to do otherwise would also be showing disrespect to those currently there rather than those we hold so dearly in the past.

You and he are very similar in age so will have seen the events of the past at similar ages. Heres the latest on the his thinkings and although not a lot of detail it does reflect his inner thinkings and most of all his respect for the All Black tradition. As far as I'm concerned, one of few left.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/5441391/Great-Redeemer-Henry-seeking-redemption

And I know it isnt a rant on Henry himself, but it may as well be, because currently the buck stops at him.

Next week I believe he has done the right thing. He has set a challenge for the team and if theres one thing AB's love its taking on new challenges, new ideas. Always have, always will.

Plus after last nights match I think we have a better than even chance of winning it.

Taylorman this HAS nothing to do with Graham Henry,and for your general information he is far from the only winning All Blacks coach.
IT is a general observation of the practice of ALL sides almost since the professional era began.
I cannot reel of details like I have here on other sides actions,because although my genaral Rugby knowledge is good.My field of expertise is
New Zealand Rugby in general and All Blacks in particular.
Because it has become common practice,I don`t have to like it,to the best of my#knowledge this is first time a deliberately weakened side has been fielded unless injuries have occurred to cause say in 2009 for example.
BUT,he did hide All Blacks from Super 14 before 2007 RWC and before the Boks hid theres,All Blacks went in underprepared.
He did`nt win the RWC and was the ONLY one to be Re-appointed,had DEANs not been associated with 2003 failure.
Then he may very well have been the All Blacks coach now,I don`t think Ted is a poor coach far from it,nor do I blame him for following the trend the pressure on him is colossal to the Media to lose a home RWC is unthinkable.
You have your opinion,I respect it my code ofethics is different,you put out your STRONGEST possible side EVERY MATCH oif you are an ALL BLACK that is my view.
The TEAM is stronger than the INDVIDUAL not matter how good he is,my faith in NZ rugby goes back nearly 6 decades.Tremain was replaced by Kirkpatrick,then whoever by Jones,who was replaced by Kron feld,who was replaced by Holah,who was replaced by Mc CAW who was replaced by Todd?
The ALL BLACKS will adjust they did`nt get to be worlds most successful team by hiding players.
IF the All Blacks win the 3Ns all be happy,IF they win the RWC I`ll be happy although I don`t care for them.
BUT if because they fielded weakened sides they LOSE the 3Ns and the RWC I will be VERY ANGRY indeed.
That has nothing to do with ANY Coach but you EARN a cap not just have it given to you otherwise what`s the point.
I don`t write this to offend people it comes from the heart,hence my title thread.

All good, your entitled to your opinion though youre probably the only one with it.

But to my mind that is not All Black support, because the inferences you are making on the 3N and selection's as a whole, is an attack on the very people responsible for putting the players on the field, including Henry, and the NZ people responsible for putting him there.

AB's are about progress Alan, not stagnating in the past and relying on single line thinking like 'Always put your best team on the field'.
Its rubbish in terms of modern thinking and the Ab's dont do rubbish. They lead the way.

So in the end its your choice to catch up or stay where you are. But dont call it AB support please...

But as you say...each to their own...

We all support in our own way.PLEASE never get to the stage where you say.We can lose any number of matches for 4 years as long as we win the RWC.
THAT way of thinking is for sides that DON`t have the ALL BLACKS record.
IF you adopt it YOU will be among the also rans,and that is NOTHING to being trapped in the past.
I see it with others sides all around me,and I am very MUCH an AB supporter whether you agree with my opinion or not.

Also AB s don`t do rubbish,thats not modern thinking its just following the leader and gambling on a result.

AB's are not following the leader. Henry was always going to leave the players at home. Thats why he never came out and said anything of pdv while you, me and seemingly the rest of the rugby fraternity were moaning about it.

He said he had decided on his plans before the Fiji match. So how is he following. It appears to be 2 coaches doing whats best for their teams.

And I dont recall him saying anything anything about throwing a test. Losing is not in Henrys or the AB's vocabulary.

But it also depends what you call support. If you can sit there and support the AB's yet at the same time rubbish completely the goals the team has (ie the world cup), the selection the team makes, how is that translated as support. Perhaps its some obscure ideal you support.

This is the best team we can muster given the circs. Its clear he wants the World cup to be part of the AB legacy as at the moment it isnt.

I don't understand how you can support a team but not its very goals...very odd to me...

It's more a case of 'Don't hate the player, hate the game'.

I definitely see Alan's point and I'd like to see a reduction in Tests if quality is compromised. Would like them to only involve the best players-possibly can the 3N in WC years.

This is the situation at present though and I like what Henry is doing. Better take the risk now instead of a bigger risk at the WC. Besides I quite fancy the team to do a job next week. Like 2002 when we sent a second-string NZ side to Europe I backed them to do the business-and they only came up short to the best England side ever when Ben Blair got tackled into touch.

Every Test is important, and I'm sure Henry agrees as there is enough class there to beat SA in their own backyard. I still wouldn't change our test win % for anything-NZ is probably the winningest sports team in the world. Yup the King Kong sized gorilla on our backs is still screaming as us, but that means there's only one statistic/competition that NZ has to improve on.

We must agree to differ ,it is not in Henry`s vocabalury to deliberately throw a test.
But the NZ Media themselves consider it a gamble,I would have been happier if he had left Read and Owen Franks and Conrad Smith in the squad.
Not thrown all the fringe players/injured back in the same match rather feeding them in off the bench in the last two matches.
Of Course Ted knows better than me,and his aim is the RWC,but I`m not happy taking a risk with the 3Ns.
My stand on RWCs is known,and is not going to change you either win it or you don`t.
So many think being the RWC holder,and THE best team is one and the same I Don`t.
The ALL BLACKS are by the record THE best whether they hold the RWC or not.
That MAY change if it does this year fine,if they lose it ok i`ve been there before.I can live with that as long as they REMAIN the BEST team in the world.
I agree with his aims but I am not happy with the way it is being done,BUT
don`t EVER accuse me of not Supporting theAll Blacks through thick and thin
as i`ve had to eat humble pie in the past many times.

The All Black squad has hardly been weakened, Emack...

Fair enough Alan, you're made of thick stuff alright. You sure you didnt go to school with Henry?

Was trying to break that exterior a little but you held well and good on you. Wouldnt expect anything less of a true Ab supporter anyway

We're on different sides of the same coin thats all.

I for one am excited about next week as a win against the SA top side in the republic speaks volumes for our depth. If we lose, something on the cards regardless of who we take, we'll have things to analyse about both ours and the Bok team and tactics, and will be better for it.

So I reckon this 3N has been run in majestic Henry thinking so far. So far a class act this year again.

By the way, what did you think of last nights game? Im watching the replay and I can't believe this was the best of the no. 2 and 3 teams- both with their A sides on the field.

Errors in almost every department. Couldnt believe I was watching a match between countries of their normal calibre. When it was over I just sat there and said 'what was that'?

Maybe I need others to poit some things out but I thought it was of such poor quality for this level...

Thank you Disney chilly my point precisely,most teams would kill for the All Blacks win stats.After all it is STILL only one RWC difference,my very real worry.
Is that Tony Woodcock is only just out of his moon boot,and will he last the match,Afoa has not impressed at test level,but deserves a chance.
My real concern is that Mealamu has had very little test match experience as captain .This match could be the one to matter with the decisive decision.
the big question is who starts in Brisbane.IF DC and richie are missing then perhaps Todd rates a start plus Crudon on the bench.

Depends who the team to go on is. Ive o problems with Mealamu. He's been Blues captain for years and has deputy'd before. Plus hes from my Otahuhu club- same as the Black panter so hes of good stock.

Tony woodcock, dagg, Toeava, Kahui all players with little play other than ITM this week 2 levels down.

is Todd and Cruden there. Man I mustnt be paying attention...

Let's be fair; the physical demands of rugby, plus the demands of TV executives and Unions who want the maximum exposure and financial intake for the sport, mean its not really possible for a player to play every game going and perform to his highest standard anymore. Fatigue and injuries are the inevitable result of overuse of players...

It's a pragmatic reality that coaches have to pick and choose their battles now, but its disappointing for the fans. The solution may be less games, but I think the professional era has killed that chance off whilst bringing in the superior conditioning has made the big hits and toll the game takes on the body so much greater.

The result is a slow drift towards a squad orientated game, as opposed to one that centres around a first team.

Notch, well said - and unfortunately -true. The pro game has changed the reality of how Rugby is played and managed. Your statement calling it more of a "squad oriented" game is very well put. I don't like seeing the weaker squads any more than anyone else, but that is today's reality. The RWC is the ultimate goal now, and is also today's reality.

Can't fight the onrushing tide. But I would like to push it this way or that way a bit

Reality is that the World cup determines what the coaches do in the 6-8 week period immediately prior to the commencementof the tournament.
This year it so happens that the big three are playing the Tri Nations at this point.These games are still Tests.
not only are the coaches trying to run bigger squads,but they are also trying to give those returning from injury the opportunity to impress.To me this isn't cheapening or diminshing the respect for the jersey.
If the All blacks, Sprinboks or Walllabys played "friendlies" and called them Tests now that would be disrepectful to the jersey.

aucklandlaurie,
When see weaker squads and testing combinations to the degree we see in both the NH and the Tri Nations, they all have the appearance of pre-RWC matches. But, that doesn't cheapen any jersey for me. Its just the reality of having the RWC less than 4 weeks away.

Yes, these are still tests. And the players on the pitch are certainly not going to give less than 100% effort. But any coach worth his salt, and wanting to keep his job, will want to make sure huis squad is in the best position to compete and possibly win the RWC. Can't see any coach allowing his players to play hurt and potentially lose them for the RWC either.