And I Thought The All Blacks Were Being Rested...


The Warratahs have anounced that Phil Waugh and Rocky Elsom will be rested for Thursday night's pre-season hit out agains the Crusaders in Sydney. It has been reported that the two Wallabies have been sidelined as part of a restricted training agreement with the Australian Coach, knuckles. Well, so much for New Zealand arrogance and devaluing the Super 14 competition...it looks like everyone is doing it. Some are just a little more cunning than the NZRFU (not a difficult task to be sure) and don't come out and anounce what they are doing.

Elsewhere, and contributing to the above debate, 3 All Blacks will be on display as the Hurricanes take on the Brumbies in Canberra. Conrad Smith, Tialata and Nonu will all be playing in the last hit out of the pre-season warm up games..so much for resting the entire squad. The Brumbies are fielding a few of their Wallabies to take on the Canes and it should be a good warm up game for the season.

In a move that will bring smiles to the faces of the ladies who like Super 14, Paul Tito is rumoured to be heading off shore for the remainder of his career. It si rumoured the big orange roughy will be heading to Wales where he will fit right in. He has had a great career, and has contributed much to New Zealand rugby, and Maori rugby in particular. All joking aside, good luck to the big man.

So, all in all the last of the pre-season games will provide us with something to begin to gague the season on. They are traditionally very poor indicators of a team's real standing. It will be all on in a couple of weeks, and hopefully you all have had a few good couple of days warming up with the jibes, insults, and rivalry that this game can bring out in the best of us. I can't wait for kick off, the first game between the Blues and the Crusaders should be a cracker sans All Blacks as it is...the Blues might just have a chance!