Preview - Wales v All Blacks
Media idiocy sours intriguing clash
It hasn't been the most distinguished week in either the Welsh or the New Zealand rugby press this week, a crying shame too, for the build-up to what might be New Zealand's toughest task of the 2006 November series has focussed on entirely the wrong things.
The right subjects have been there for all to pick at. Sonny Parker's recall, for example. Dan Carter's Wilkinson-esque quest for total satisfaction at his own performance. Duncan Jones's thoughts on having to square up to the best prop in world rugby. The clash between Martyn Williams and Richie McCaw, two of the most efficient ruck moles in the business.
Instead? 'Cheats' cry the Welsh, jumping on the bandwagon with the English and French. Protests will abound at this accusation, but the headlines have been there for all to see. The word 'honest' in the headline does not detract from the ugliness of the word 'cheat' either.
From New Zealand? Affrontery - a natural reflex for a proud rugby nation sporting the best team in the world - but followed up by a column in a New Zealand newspaper full of such self-gratifying, graceless, depthless, and above all, pointless, bile, that many neutrals I have spoken to over the past couple of days have switched allegiance from taking these All Blacks as their 'second' team just on the basis of it.
From the Welsh? Affrontery adorning the front page of the national newspaper, calling upon the people to rally against those who dare to come to Wales in the name of such a slight.
It is a shame that the 'sell sell sell' culture which fires the media so appears now to be affecting rugby's journalists. These November Tests have produced so much to talk about, and so much that is positive or at least objective to the future of the fledgling professional game. Few more than this one.
But what we see more and more is the hyperbole of the moment (Lewsey's tackle was bloody good, but hardly the 'tackle of the century'), the tendency to bait just for the sake of creating a storm, and then the witch-hunt within that storm. Anybody spy a similarity between this sort of thing and the usual polemic served up by the soccer press? Thought we were proud of being above all that...
The most sensible words of all this week came from Steve Hansen and Graham Henry, who retorted to a reporter asking about the 'cheat' claims by saying simply: "We've heard these questions before, they are not good reporting. It's boring," and following it up by berating the habit of scrutinising the referee before an important match. Hallelujah to that. Let's talk about the rugby at last.
There will be plenty of it on show come Saturday evening. The Wales team that welcomes the All Blacks once again - it is still 53 years since the Dragons' fire was last too hot for the tourists to bear - is a team that is growing in confidence after a year wasted to injury.
There are possibilities in many positions for the Welsh. Mark Jones on the wing has a frightening turn of pace given half a yard. Tom Shanklin and Sonny Parker are an uncompromising centre pairing who slip off few tackles. Ryan Jones will live in New Zealand memories as the standout number eight of the ill-fated Lions tour of 2005. Props Duncan and Adam Jones are leaner, fitter, faster and stronger than they were two years ago, when Wales might have beaten New Zealand had it not been for an appalling mix-up over the stadium clock.
This is no disjointed England team that faces the All Blacks on Saturday, nor is it an overawed and tired French team. It is a Welsh team that has spent the last four weeks together, developing new flesh to suit the regenerating spine of the team that won a Grand Slam in 2005, and desperate to test itself against the best.
But then this is not just the best New Zealand team they are facing. It is a team that has re-defined excellence in the professional era. A team with proven talent and experience in every single position. No weak links, no question of staleness, no possibility of burnout. A team that will be remembered by the teenagers of this generation the world over when they are happily into retirement and bouncing their country's future on their knees.
Only South Africa found a way to beat them, and that through a level of physicality that this Welsh team does not possess. Wales can run a pretty game, but as yet there is not the brutality required to break down the superglue of experience and belligerence that keeps these All Blacks together. It is the defence, as illustrated the last fortnight in Lyon and Paris, that sets this AB team apart from its predecessors.
So just enjoy Saturday's match. New Zealand are far superior to the Welsh in pure rugby quality terms. Home advantage will erode some of that superiority, and tiredness or even 'rust' - some of the starters have not seen much action this tour - may erode it even more. Wales may even push their guests close, as they did two years ago.
But what is sure is that with these two teams in form, and embracing a refreshing attitude to attacking rugby, action and tries will not be in short supply come Saturday, which is what everybody wants to see. A shame it hasn't been built up like that from the start.
Ones to watch:
For Wales: Ryan Jones spent last year on the sidelines, having made a lasting impression on the All Blacks with his power and pace on the Lions tour. Can he reproduce that form to breach the formidable AB back row this time?
For New Zealand: Dan Carter still seeks perfection apparently, and after three flawless games - as far as we are concerned - on this tour, is there another level he can raise his game to that we don't yet know about? Help!
Head-to-head: Duncan Jones v Carl Hayman. Duncan Jones has emerged as a real force for Wales over the past couple of years. No longer does he huff and puff as he did during the 2004 Six Nations, now he is athletic, strong with ball in hand, around the park like a flanker, and a pillar of reliability in the scrum. Time for a test against the world's benchmark prop, to see just how far this one-time Welsh captain has come.
Prediction: New Zealand's defence is just too strong to allow a Welsh victory. New Zealand by sixteen points, but in a high-scoring encounter.
Recent results:
2005: New Zealand won 41-3 in Cardiff
2004: New Zealand won 26-25 in Cardiff
2003: New Zealand won 53-37 in Sydney
2003: New Zealand won 55-3 in Hamilton
2002: New Zealand won 43-17 in Cardiff
1997: New Zealand won 42-7 Wales in London (Wembley Stadium)
1995: New Zealand won 34-9 in Johannesburg
1989: New Zealand won 34-9 in Cardiff
1988: New Zealand won 54-9 in Auckland
1988: New Zealand won 52-3 in Christchurch
1987: New Zealand won 49-6 in Brisbane
1980: New Zealand won 23-3 in Cardiff
The teams:
Wales: 15 Kevin Morgan, 14 Mark Jones, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Sonny Parker, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Stephen Jones (c), 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Jonathan Thomas, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Rhys Thomas, 1 Duncan Jones.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Gethin Jenkins, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Alix Popham, 20 Michael Phillips, 21 James Hook, 22 Gavin Henson.
New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Keith Robinson, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Anton Oliver, 1 Neemia Tialata.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Tony Woodcock, 18 James Ryan, 19 Reuben Thorne, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Nick Evans, 22 Ma'a Nonu.
Date: Saturday, November 25
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 17:00 GMT
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Touch judges: Chris White (England), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
By Danny Stephens