End of Season Tour Parties Depart for Northern Shores

Both the All Blacks and the Wallabies have now taken off for Europe on their end of season tours to prepare for RWC 2007. The All Blacks have a realtively inexperienced England team to take on, as well as a test against Wales. The highlight of the tour is of course the two tests against the monkey on the back of the All Blacks - France. One takes place on armistice day and it is being suggested that there will be plenty of fire in the bellies of the French as they take the field that day. Let's hope we don't see a repeat of the Shelford incident, but short of that everything should be fine. The French will still be smarting from the embarrasing defeat they suffered at the hands of the All Blacks last season when their front row was shamed into golden oldies no pushing scrums due to 'injuries'. Anyone that watched that game knew that was a complete capitulation and the 'injuries' were bogus. This time it will be different and that loss will serve as a great motivator for the French.

The All Blacks on the other hand are coming off a successful season, retaining the Tri Nations and generally performing well - with the notable excpetion of the line out, and of course some troubling aspects returning to their game that is reminiscent of seasons gone by. Particularly seasons just before, and in the same year as RWC. The lineout remains concern number one, and is a wise move Ryan has returned to the fold of locks that are going on tour, as has Keith Robinson. This should provide more options, and on the eve of leaving there was much talk about the work that had been put into the All Black lineout. I await the improvement, and they will need to be remarkable to ensure that the All Blacks are not taken apart by the Northern Hemisphere teams in this area, many of which excel at lineout time. The return of several key players that were involved in the systematic destruction of the touring Lions lineout in New Zealand in 2006 is a good move.

Also an improvement in the team to be selected to tour by New Zealand is the return of COnrad Smith. Returning from a broken leg (so badly broken that according to Smith the only thing keeping his leg in one piece was his sock) Smith has had a good season for Wellington. It is rumoured that until Lean McDonald is available Smith will slot in at centre and Mills will revert to fullback - for at the least the game against England. One concern is that Smith did not perform so well in the final agains the mighty Waikato Mooloo men. Kahui, the young up and coming centre had the better of him by all reports and yet Smith will slot straight back in. Clearly the slectors must have something in mind, and of course knowing players and being able to slot in to competition at that level is important, however we do want the best. We'll see what happens. There are some good games ahead and you will be able to catch analysis and results here on this blog as and when they happen.

The Wallabies do not seem to be having quite the same start to their tour. They have been at sixes and sevens since Gregan declared himself unavailable for this tour. That absence has seen Matt Giteau, one of the more expensive buys for the Western Force based in Perth, transferred to play at half back. Understandably John Mitchell, head coach at the Force (who knows for how long) is less than impressed with this shifting around of one of their key players. Giteau is not a half back, doesn't want to be a half back, but starting half back he will be. This is a worrying sign for Wallabies fans, any team with this lack of depth is in trouble. Giteau was supposed to be putting pressure on the less than impressive Larkham (in recent times) but now it seems he is the back up boy, and any experience he gets on this tour will not assist at world cup time because he certainly wont be starting at half back then. Georgie Porgie will be returning then, you heard it here first.

Nevertheless, it is good that there will again be some international rugby union gracing our screens again. These games where the colonies take on the 'home unions' are always great affairs and bring out the best (or worst) in both teams and we have cracking games. I can't wait, although of course there is no place for biffo in today's game (yeah, whatever). Bring it on, I am looking forward to the games, biffo and physicality included!