Rugby world cup 2011

[Aussiegunner]

Does the World Cup need the All Blacks? Everyone is replaceable - IRB
By Christopher Chang
8:42 AM Tuesday Oct 4, 2011
IRB chief executive Mike Miller has hit back at NZRU boss Steve Tew's threat to pull the All Black's out of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, saying "everyone is replaceable."

Tew revealed last week that the NZRU is set to take a $13.2m hit from the current tournament, which could jeopardise their place at the next World Cup. But when asked on Radio Sport this morning whether the tournament needed New Zealand, Miller responded:

"Does the World Cup need the All Blacks? It would be good for the All Blacks to be there."

When pressed again, Miller said: "Everyone is replaceable."

He said the timing of Tew's comments was "not brilliant" and that the NZRU boss should be aware of the governing body's financial situation.

"He's on the IRB Council, he's been involved in all of the decisions that we've made for the last five or six years, so he knows what's going on. It's the IRB Council that decides where the money goes," Miller said.

"Of course he doesn't talk about the $12m that the NZRU gets from the IRB over the four-year cycle.

We know what the issues are, which is why we had a conference on the Economics of the Game earlier this year, which Steve Tew was at.

"The conference said after Rugby World Cup, we'd look at the outcomes and whether we'd need to change the model on the commercial rules, the distribution of funds, and on the timing of the World Cup."

Tew suggested last week that soccer's Fifa World Cup had much more lenient commercial rules, but Miller rejected the idea that All Blacks sponsors that were not associated with the Rugby World Cup couldn't capitalise on the event.

"Have a walk around Auckland if you think that the All Blacks' sponsors aren't still being able to be involved with the All Blacks."

Miller pointed out the money the IRB makes gets distributed to all of the unions, including New Zealand.

"Why did they choose to truncate the Tri-Nations? They didn't have to do that, they could have found another solution. That's not the IRB's doing, that's what they decided to do. They lost money because of that.

"I have huge sympathy for everyone. It's a very tough economic situation at the moment, all of the unions are suffering. We are looking at the issues, we are working with the New Zealand Union, the Australian Union and everyone else and they ultimately will decide whether they get exactly what they want - it depends on whether they can persuade the other council members."

The IRB has also come under heavy criticism during the Rugby World Cup over the scheduling of matches and fining Samoa for an inappropriate mouth guard. Miller defended the IRB's treatment of second-tier teams.

"We don't care about the minnows? If that was the case why have we invested tens of millions of dollars over the past five or six years in order to try and make them more competitive? Why did we open up and pay for a high performance centre in Samoa? Why do we pay for the Pacific Rugby Cup, the Pacific Nations Cup, why do we give them coaches, trainers, why do we provide them with gyms with analysis tools?"

He said it is very difficult to create a schedule which is equal for everyone when there are uneven pools of five.

"The tens of millions of dollars that we invest in the so-called minnows comes from Rugby World Cup, from broadcasters who want to have the big games at the weekends. It's better than it was last time and we'll make it better next time.

"There's a simple answer. You can reduce it to 16 teams, then you'll have a more even schedule. But we wouldn't want to do that."
By Christopher Chang | Email Christopher

Does the World Cup need the All Blacks? Everyone is replaceable - IRB - Rugby World Cup - NZ Herald News

[crooks]

Well done to Wales and France on a couple of excellent wins. Have to say from an Irish perspective I'm very dissapointed, it was a funny auld game - Ireland took a majority of the posession, spent twice as much time in the Welsh 22 as vice versa and dictated the tempo for large parts of the game....but just didn't take the chances, though efficient Welsh defending helped. I think they lost it looking back in two moments, in the first half not clawing ahead when they were dominant towards the middle and end, and after conceeding the soft second try in the second half having pulled level. Couple in some shoddy mistakes and O'Brien did his best at running but the Welsh had a gameplan that worked and took the points when they had the ball. The team themselves did us proud, pride in our jersey and tradition, the jersey of Jackie Kyle and Willie John McBride is win, lose or draw what the fans want to see and they had it today and all through this tournie. They'll deservedly get a heros welcome in Dublin, Cork and Belfast.

I also feel somewhat sorry for England but were France up for it or what? They outplayed England all over the field and in truth the match looked (bar a miracle) finished at half-time. England actually battled back well and definitely won the second half but just couldn't do enough to overcome the cushion. Biggest thing that amazed me was the ridiculous amount of knock-ons from both teams but especially England, a ton of unforced errors that cost dearly in the end. On a decent day I think they would have the measure of France but world cup rugby is funny that way.

It'll actually be a great semi-final imo, both play the fastest rugby of the NH teams and I can just imagine the SH press going into overdrive about the demise or the traditional northern model as represented by England and Ireland or some other faux sagely dung. In any case looking forward to the other quarters as well, it's not quite clear who's going to win yet, though smart money still marginally says NZ.

[dave lukins]

^ I thought England didn't deserve anything but what they got. The passing and handling were abysmal and if we had a cup for giving away penalties we would be going home with the World Cup.

[HKDan]

I thought that South Africa outplayed Australia for most of the match, but looks like they are on their way home.

[Bigfella]

I thought that South Africa outplayed Australia for most of the match, but looks like they are on their way home.

Shows that you just have to take your chances. They had the chance to score tries & either couldn't or wouldn't. Despite being on the defensive for most of the game Australia was the only team to score a try. Hard to know what this all means. Either it will be the 'ugly win' Australia needs to propel it to a Cup Victory or proof that we are just not good enough. Hard to say.

Good news is bye bye springboks. Look forward to the usual excuses & whining (must be an umpiring decision they can blame).

[bigross86]

My condolences to all SA Rugby fans. But losing to the Wallabies? Seriously?

[Aussiegunner]

In a game of rugby the team with the best aggregate of skill, guts and fitness will win. Today the Wallabies left a lot of thier demonstrated skill in the locker room but triumphed over a skillful opponent on guts and fitness. Imagine what this team can do next week if they show up on the day with a bag full of skill!

[Bigfella]

In a game of rugby the team with the best aggregate of skill, guts and fitness will win. Today the Wallabies left a lot of thier demonstrated skill in the locker room but triumphed over a skillful opponent on guts and fitness. Imagine what this team can do next week if they show up on the day with a bag full of skill!

The point was made after the game that they really did fail in a good many areas & did a few things wrong yet still managed to win. The only real question is if they will bring their 'A' game against the All Blacks. If they do it will be a serious game. A repeat of this will probably mean a loss - I can't imagine we can shut out the Blacks in quite the same way.

[HKDan]

That wasn't a pretty win for the ABs, impressive Argentinian effort to hold them tryless as long as they did.

[dave lukins]

Missed the rugby as a bottle of whisky refused to leave until early hours.

[dave lukins]

Shows that you just have to take your chances. They had the chance to score tries & either couldn't or wouldn't. Despite being on the defensive for most of the game Australia was the only team to score a try. Hard to know what this all means. Either it will be the 'ugly win' Australia needs to propel it to a Cup Victory or proof that we are just not good enough. Hard to say.

Good news is bye bye springboks. Look forward to the usual excuses & whining (must be an umpiring decision they can blame).

That wasn't a pretty win for the ABs, impressive Argentinian effort to hold them tryless as long as they did.

If you win it can be as ugly as sin. ;)

[crooks]

I thought South Africa were better - there is something to be said for a team that can stick in there but really the Springboks will rue throwing it away. They spend 3/4s of the game in Australian territory and had about a dozen penalties that weren't called (can somebody please explain the concept of "rolling away" to Pocock?). Good win for the ABs too, and Argentina showing the classy outfit that they are.

I think it'll be an NZ-Wales final though both semis should be great games.

[dave lukins]

^ Rolling away is an easy concept unless you have four seventeen stone monsters leaping all over you. :)

[bigross86]

That ref was a disgrace. What's worse? He lost the game for Australia and they bitched about it, but when he won the game for Australia and lost it for SA, the Aussies were silent as the grave

Complaining about the Ireland match

Not saying a word about the South Africa Match

If this ref calls the finals, it'll be almost as big a disgrace as the idiots reffing during the FIFA World Cup last year

[Aussiegunner]

That ref was a disgrace. What's worse? He lost the game for Australia and they bitched about it, but when he won the game for Australia and lost it for SA, the Aussies were silent as the grave

Complaining about the Ireland match

Not saying a word about the South Africa Match

If this ref calls the finals, it'll be almost as big a disgrace as the idiots reffing during the FIFA World Cup last year

That is BS on multiple levels. An article in that splendidly pro-Australian publication, the New Zealand Herald, quoting a few people complaining about the reffing in the Ireland game does not remotely reflect the overwhelming consensus here, that Ireland played well, we played badly and they deserved to win that game. Christ, even the people he quoted congratulated Ireland on the win.

As for the 'silence on the bad reffing' on last nights game, when was the last time you heard a winning team saying "that was unfair, we had the ref onside"? I can't seem to remember such an occasion. In any case, Lawrence made some big stuff ups against Australia too, not the least allowing de Villiers to run out early and stuff up O'Connors conversion attempt without calling a re-kick. Any of his bad decisions might have changed the game either way.

However, the only fact at the end of the game is the scoreboard and that the South Africans failed to convert all that territory and possession and territory into the ONE try that they needed to win. They failed largely because the Wallabies defended with a determination that I haven't seen in a game by ANY team EVER in a game of rugby. They deserve the credit for their wins without the bleatings of the "Monday's experts".