Exodus

Ok so its already Saturday afternoon and yet again I have failed to write my blog entry before this weekend’s super 14 games kicked off. It would seem as this year gathers impetus so does our workload and between motherhood and being a student I am finding it more and more difficult to find the time sit down and write purely for my enjoyment. I love learning how to write in the disciplined nature of journalism but I also crave the freedom blog writing offers - it certainly feels liberating to shake off the academic mantel and just spiel. All too often, however, I feel I am playing catch up trying to find the time to write an entry before the weekend starts and then before I know it’s Friday and the7.35pm kick off is almost upon us. So my humblest of apologies for the delay in posts but I am sure that you will all understand.

This week Nick Evans announced that he has signed with the English rugby side, Harlequins and will be leaving at the end of this year’s NPC season. Yet another rugby player selling his soul to the British for cash and so continues the mass exodus of our country’s players. The modern day equivalent of British colonisation within New Zealand. Nah :), but in all seriousness - good on him, he has made the decision knowing that Dan Carter could also be leaving at the end of this year, and has been clear to say that in all likelihood he will not be back to play for the All Blacks in 2011. I respect that and if Evans feels that is he is coming to what I call his years of ’rugby maturity’ and wants to secure financial stability then his future definitely lies overseas where the physical demands on him will be less. I can only wish him all the best because in all reality there is a very good chance that even if Evans did stay and Carter left Evans may still not be the All Black first five at the next world cup, or for that matter he may even fail to still be in the All Blacks. As Rugby becomes a more credible career choice there are so many young and promising players coming through and many of them are fitter and more eager to prove themselves than the latest fringe players or sometimes even the incumbents. And any young player with a viable chance of making the All Black will not be going anywhere, not for a very long time.

And for Evans and many other older players it is also the fact that injuries have taken their toll and while the mind will always be willing it is feared that the bodies would slowly start to crumble beneath the intense pressure of southern hemisphere rugby.

However, even though Evans is going overseas it does not necessarily endow the media’s obvious assumptions, especially those concerning Carter, with any more credibility than was already deserved (and that is nothing), nor does it exonerate the media for perpetuating these assumptions as the inevitable. It merely suggests that an All Black’s career needn’t be over as soon as he knows that his body will no longer take the strain of what is now a very intense competition.

And anyway I believe that Evan’s admittance to his British contract signings could be an indication that Carter may very well hope to stay here in NZ. I mean Carter has not made a decision and that has been clear with his refusal to comment on where his future might lay. Money is a tempting thing, and especially the large amounts that Toulon is offering Carter. And only God and Carter will know just how many more offers there are but I seriously pray that Carter will know that he has yet to reach his greatest moment and that in order to fulfil the promise that his talent alludes to he needs to stay in this country and be the best of the best.

Because we are not only one of the best but a leader in the sport. And it is simply because we have so many players that are so good at what they do. They play with such a raw excitement factor and a level of skill and mental understanding that drives others to be better and more exciting themselves. In recent years our players and coaches' innovation have seen the New Zealand style dictate how many other countries see the game. And even though the French are proponents of the expansive game and it was them that ended our world cup dream last year, they are still a rung or two behind the All Blacks. And so the French media claiming that Carter has a verbal agreement with Toulon may not be telling the full story. It is my guess that Carter has made the condition that Toulon would need to make it into the French top 14 competition before he would even consider seriously looking at the offer. I am willing to put it out there and state that I fully expect to see Carter in the number ten jersey next year, the year after and leading in to the world cup.

But back to the real world...

So now this week is where things get interesting, only one more week of round robin games and we are into the finals of the Super 14 and it is certainly possible for any of several teams to make the top four teams. Money has to be on the Crusaders to take out the competition for a seventh time but as yet no team, including the Crusaders, has stood up and declared themselves as the outright team to beat. The Hurricanes made a good push for the finals after almost annihilating John Mitchell’s Force team in Wellington last night. And if the Chiefs can win convincingly over the Lions, and they have every chance of doing so and hopefully with a bonus point, then they have a good possibility of going all the way. Especially if the Waratahs can get one over the Stormers in Cape town tomorrow morning. Which will set up a very interesting week next weekend for the Blues (providing they can win against the Highlanders with a bonus point) and the Hurricanes. If any team can do a Houdini though and conjure themselves into the top four for the semi finals then it is the Blues. I am a Hurricanes fan myself, but I must say that more than likely the game will see the Blues the victors on Eden park next Friday night.

It will also give the All Black’s selectors a look at what has been the most dominant front row of the competition and the player that is meant to be the solution for the loss of Carl Hayman. Interesting times!

And what’s more is the first test is now less than month away and well following last year’s world cup debacle and Graham Henry’s subsequent re-appointment several positions within the All Black team are well and truly up for grabs:
Props and hooker: The Blues front row have gone well this year and I definitely expect to see Tony Woodcock in the line up, despite the fact that the Aussies claim “he is a myth”. And if John Afoa can have a solid game against the man who is meant to be our new anchor, Neemia Tialata (heres hoping the judiciary doesn’t ruin the party though) next week then he could have a chance of getting the reserve propping duties. However in order to do that he would need to nudge out the ever constant Greg Sommerville. At hooker it would seem Hore is determined to step up and prove that he deserved to play at the world cup instead of the consistent Mealamu. Both men, I think, should deserve a black jersey in June perhaps pushing out Corey Flynn and the unfortunate Tom Willis.
Locks: A couple of years ago it was a case of whether Ali Williams had the necessary nouse and acumen to ever be the senior lock, but now he is simply going from strength to strength and it shall be an interesting battle between him and the big burly South African enforcer, Barkies Botha. The real question is - who are the selectors going to team up with Willliams? I am hoping for a bit of bolter in the chiefs lock, Toby Lynn but many others are pushing for the bruising Brad Thorn. The thing is though Thorn is simply another Reuben Thorne, while he is strong in the tight he is not seen running the ball often enough for me and with that bulk you would still want to maintain mobility and athletic ability and if Ted and the rest of the selectors insist on carrying on with Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo then they will need a lock that is both traditional and a runner of the ball. I think that Lynn could offer this.
It is also interesting to note that Jason Eaton may be a little like Solomon and might have lost his strength with his hair as he has failed to show the form that saw him a world cup definite before injuring his knee in last year's Super 14. Against the Force it seemed to me that Eaton was invisible and the young Jeremy Thrush easily outshone. Personally I think that he may have played himself out of the other starting lock position and he will need a superb game next week and then again in the finals to even have a chance. The Engineer, however, thinks that he is stepping into a more senior role for the Hurricanes and perhaps he may doing a lot more tight stuff but in my opinion he is playing Super 14 and the step up to test level will be a giant one this year, and if he is failing to shine in Super 14 then perhaps he will struggle to do so for the All Blacks. And being an All Black means that you must shine when it is the big time, that is why they get huge offers from oversea's clubs. Also a notable mention would have to be Ross Filipo of the Crusaders - strong, consistent and always solid - and although I do not think that he will make it I wouldn't rule him out completely, nor would I necessarily rule out Troy Flavell.
Blindside and No. 8: Jerry Collins is another All Black incumbent at the centre of contract rumours and he is being his ever non-communicative self and neither answering nor denying the media claims that he is wanting out of his NZRFU contract early. After reading a New Zealand Rugby Magazine article on Collins a year or two ago I understand that he is a man of his word, however after being tagged with the bad boy image and the disappoint of losing two world cups there is a possibility that Collins may be considering offers from foreign rugby clubs. Somehow I think the chance to prove that he is in fact the best will be a huge driving force behind his eventual decision. But perhaps the selectors may think that Jerry is old news and go with the youth which means it could well be that Keiran Reid may have a look in, especially seen as though he is the rookie of the year despite the fact that the Engineer thinks that he just isn’t ‘animal’ enough to be an All Black. Personally I would like to see Liam Messam get a chance.
Number eight is a strange old position and even though Rodney So’oialo has been there for a few seasons now he has never managed to cement himself, so it might be time to look around for fresh talent. Chris Masoe proved that he could not adapt to the important role and the technical part of the position was beyond Sione Lauaki so maybe Mosese Tuali’i shoud be given a shot but definitely keep an eye on Victor Vito for the future.
Halfback: It would seem that Piri Weepu is pissed about being dropped last year just before the world cup (no great suprise though is it?)and has a point to prove. Last night Weepu proved that he was a class act, outplaying even the rather impressive Matt 'five million dollar' Giteau of the Force. He shall be a definite provided Ted can admit he was wrong last year and took the wrong halfback. The other All Black halfback will be of course be Andy Ellis. I am rather disappointed but Brendon Leonard showed this season that he isn't of the same calibre as Weepu and Ellis even before he was injured. Another option is always the Highlanders halfback, Jimmy Cowan. And lets not forget the rumours that Justin Marshall may have said that he would like to return to play for the All Blacks - talk about a twilight zone, the young promising players leaving and being replaced by has-beens. I should think that it is just a bit of a laugh, because unfortunately NZ rugby has moved on and I should think that there is no longer a need for Marshall. ANd that there highlights the danger of going overseas, just because you think you can go overseas and return at a 'better time' does not mean that NZ rugby and player will not develope and evolve faster than you.
Next week I will have a run down of the backline positions up for grabs and the potential candidates. Until then, c'mon on the Chiefs!!!