An insult to mother rugby

I am a child of the ‘80s and I grew up in a time when life seemed a lot more simple. We didn’t need the latest computer game to feel complete and a millionaire was about as rich as you could get, but now - now NZ has become a land for the money-grubbing and the self-obsessed.

Since when were we so obsessed with money? The average three bedroom house is no longer enough, oh no now we aspire to own huge mansion-like homes decked out in the latest of luxuries that we think are necessities - shiny kitchens, 50 inch plasma screen televisions, refrigerators with ice-dispensers and rumpus rooms.

Life has become more about the material things. And now our rugby players who are still in their 20’s, young men at the peak of their rugby careers, are turning their back on the black jersey and swanning off to Europe to crème the top of a huge pile of money that floods into the game with a scary amount of ease. Since when was a hundred odd thousand per year not enough, I mean for god's sake it used to be that people played rugby for the love of the game not to own a bloody Aston Martin.

I understand that players must set themselves up for life after rugby but to have that level of audacity that allows you to spit on Mother-rugby while you still nuzzle at her breast - well I am simply disgusted. How dare you! She has cradled you, nurtured you, made Gods of you - and you tell her it is not enough. Get over yourselves - our great All blacks came from a time when they played a test match on the Saturday and then they were back on the farm come Monday morning ready for milking.

I am not talking about the players who are unlikely to make the All blacks, or the All Blacks who realise that they are now in their 30s and only have a brief time before their bodies will no longer allow them to play. I am talking about the players who are at their peak and realise that they can go overseas for a brief time earn some serious cash and then think they can just waltz on back to be part of the world cup team. Once again, get over yourselves, you are not that important in the big scheme of things that you cannot be replaced.

But you go, you turn your back on the chance to wear the All black jersey, because do not think that the young wont move to supplant you while you are away. There are hundreds of young talented players just waiting for a chance and if your are conceited enough to allow them to show what they have - then more fool you. And even if you come back just before the next world cup there is no saying that your position will still be open, in fact I count on it not to be. The youth will most likely be faster, fitter, stronger and more hungry to prove themselves. But you leave, put money ahead of the jersey. But just remember even if you return and make it back in the squad do not expect me or any of the other die hard fans to welcome you back with open arms. I am fanatic supporter when it comes to the All Blacks and I will not have the black jersey belittled in such a lame way.

And to those of you calling for the option to allow NZ players who are stationed overseas to be considered for All Blacks, shame on you. Yes we lose players, good players even but it is a price I am willing to pay to keep the value in the jersey and in our unions. How long do you think it will be before our rugby fraternity crumbles if we allow our All blacks to play overseas. There will be nothing to hold our young talent here, no-one to hold up our club teams, our provincial teams, our super 14 teams. It will be the death nail to grass-roots and then eventually to the rest of our rugby.

Game of the week: I know it's already Friday night and the Highlanders have just gone down to the sharks (only just mind you, 19-17) but the game to watch for Kiwis would probably have to be the Blues vs Brumbies tomorrow night at Eden park. It wont be the same spectacle as it has been in past years as the Brumbies are no where near the force they once were but it will still be interesting to see if the Blues can get their campaign back on track against their old foe. Watch for the match up between Stirling Mortlock and Isaia Toeava, the master vs little grasshopper. It should be interesting to see if Toeava has learnt anything since he last tussled with the Aussie superstar. Also watch the front row as Tony Woodcock has copped a lot of flack from his Aussie counterparts, look for him to prove that he is more that a 'myth' against Guy Shepherdson.
The other game to have a look at is between the two Aussie performers, the Force vs the Waratahs in Perth tomorrow night. There will be more than just Super 14 points up for grabs, and bragging rights are an important incentive.

Rule of law: You are only as old as you feel, however there is nothing like the young to make you feel old. No seriously the rule of law this week is a simple one: you cannot pass the ball forward ie a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction of the opposition's try line. Also a deliberate forward pass is cause for a penalty as opposed to a free kick. So the moral of the story is dont try and hurry things a long by taking short cuts as more often than not there will be repercussions to face.