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The Rugby World Cup – Bringing the "A" games with Shaggy – New Zealand v Tonga, 9th September 2011
Yes!, it's almost here – the very first game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and here is my first blog previewing the games of pool A.
I admit to having a personal interest in how Canada and New Zealand perform, but I hope to cover all of the teams in this pool fairly, and preview all of the games through the pool stages, and follow the qualifyers through the knock out stages as well.
As far as opening games go, this match should get the tournament off to the successful start that the organisers are hoping for, both teams play a physical, run the ball style of rugby, and, both teams can expect great crowd support, with the All Blacks playing at "fortress Eden Park", and the Tongans gain support from the large Tongan community that lives in the Auckland area.
The tone will be set right from the time that the All Blacks challenge the Tongans with the Haka, and the Tongans reciprocate with the SipiTau, the game should be set for a bruising encounter if past performances between the two sides are anything to go by.
The last time the sides met at the RWC was in 2003, where the All Blacks ran were the winners, 91 -7, and, while this margin was high and the Tongans failed to win a game in that particular tournament, it should be noted that the Tongan side has been vastly improving over the years.
They won two matches at the 2007 tournament, and pushed South Africa (the eventual tournament winners), losing the match 25-30.
Coming into this year's tournament, both sides have had issues to overcome.
New Zealand are coming of a two game losing streak in the final two games of the Tri Nations tournament, and have had two significant injuries occur to their loose forwards, with New Zealand's
Stuff website(http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...retain-fitness) reporting that first choice number 8, Keiran Read, out for the first few weeks of the tournament, with a high ankle sprain, and likely bench cover for the loose forwards, Adam Thomson, to miss this match with a hyper extension of the elbow, both incurred in the final Tri Nations match against Australia.
The All Blacks also selected injured lock, Antony Boric in the 30 man squad. He has returned from a mid-foot sprain incurred in the Super15 tournament, and, according to his personal diary on the All Blacks official website Allblacks.com (http://www.allblacks.com/news/17277/...-Anthony-Boric), has had 40 minutes of first class rugby with his ITM cup side, North Harbour.
Accounting for these injuries, and the recent losses, I'd expect the All Black side selected to be close to full strength, as they need to get back to a winning way, and get rid of any rustiness in their playing combinations. I'd expect Boric to get half a game, either starting or off the bench, maybe, Sonny-Bill Williams starting in the 12 jersey, due to lack of game time, perhaps Zac Guildford being given another chance on the left wing, and Israel Dagg starting at full back.
Fifth choice loose forward, Victor Vito should start at number 8, due to the injuries.
Tonga's disruptions have occurred mainly off the field with allegations of political interference in the selection of the Tongan Rugby Union chairman, with the Stuff website reporting that Bob Tuckey, who held the position until recently, suddenly resigning, and that the IRB were threatening sanctions(http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/r...l-interference).
This also seems to have spilt over into the selection of the squad, with no room for ex-captain, and openside flanker, Nili Latu, and fellow loose forward Hale T Pole, although Latu's exclusion is explained as not having played enough games for Tonga pre-tournament in this newzealandrugby.net article (http://newzealandrugby.net/tonga-rug...uad-announced/).
Despite all of the off field distractions, Tonga have named a very strong squad, with a good mix of New Zealand and European based players. The rugby world cup site has a full list of the squad here (http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/ne...d=2044909.html), but it's hard to predict who will be playing in this match, aside from possibly captain and flanker, Finau Maka, as various nations tend to play the second string side against the All blacks in pool play, and the Tongans have a must win match against Canada, just four days after this match.
No matter who is selected for the match, the Tongan's boast big forwards and fast, exciting backs, all of whom, tackle hard, and don't shy away from the contact.
My prediction is that New Zealand will win easily, but not by the large margins that they have done in previous Rugby World Cups.
Blog By Shaggy
