It was the Kiwis first ever World Cup win; they had never won a Cup game against Australia. Just a year ago the Kangaroos gave the Kiwis a 58-0 hiding and the Kiwis were swept 3-0 in a series against Great Britain.
It was fitting way to commemorate the centennial of the introduction of rugby league into Australia by a squad of Kiwis tagged the All Golds in 1908.
This was one weekend when rugby league didn't have to play second fiddle in New Zealand winter sports, with the Kiwis World Cup win overshadowing the All Blacks 29-9 win against the Welsh in the rugby test at Cardiff. The All Blacks are now one game short of a Grand Slam of their tour of the UK and Ireland, heading to London to take on England that got its face rubbed in the mud by South Africa's Springboks over the weekend, 6-42.
Incidentally, both the Kangaroos and the Welsh had the audacity to try to stare down the Kiwis and All Blacks during the haka in their respective games. For that act of challenging mana, both opponents got their clocks cleaned during the game. Here's the Welsh attempt at the stare down - unfortunately cut short clip. The ref had to speak to both captains to get the game started. Boys in short pants and all that...
For a respectful clash of hakas & a close game that followed see the Munster v All Blacks haka from last week's midweek game. The Munster side, a club team in Ireland winner of the European Cup, made up mainly of imports was led by 4 New Zealanders in the side laying down a challenge to the All Blacks. Seems to have stirred up a bit of controversy on YouTube with over 500 comments already...
And in other sports news - in the small print - the hapless New Zealand cricket team, the Black Caps, crumpled - or crumbled - due to a brittle batting line up that has been unable to support fine bowling spells by its bowlers who kept Australia to totals of 214 and 268 in the first test in Brisbane. To be fair, the Caps have a relatively inexperienced batting line up that is going to take some time to get battle-hardened enough to play well against the likes of Australia. Nonetheless, Australia was weakened by retirements and recent poor performances in India.
2 comments:
Just FYI - the Munster squad, and team on the night v the AB's, is NOT made up mainly of imports. There are 6 'imports' in the current Munster squad and 2 of those -Warwick & Manning - have Irish residency.
Thanks for the fact-checking. 40 percent imported-content it is.
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