TRI NATIONS..SI COMINCIA!!

[teodoro]

Oggi,Graham Henry ha diramato la lista dei convocati per il Tri Nations...esclusioni pesanti e ritorni insaspettati...


Thorne in; Flavell out
Tuesday June 27 2006
Henry in a loose forward culling
All Black coach Graham Henry recalled Crusaders test veteran Reuben Thorne as a blindside flank when he announced the All Blacks squad for the expanded Tri-Nations tournament. Blues utility Troy Flavell is among a host of loose forwards who were culled.




Back in black: Reuben Thorne

"We have left out some very capable players," Henry said at the announcement of the 30-man squad on Tuesday.

"The competition is strong in many positions, which is good for the All Blacks and good for New Zealand rugby."

Henry said Thorne got the call because of his superior form this year.

"Reuben is a proven performer. We have looked at other candidates in the last three Tests, none of whom have played to Reuben's form in the Super 14. Hopefully, there is a glimpse of the future in those selections but, for now, Reuben's form is the benchmark."

Players not considered for selection due to injury were Nick Evans, Sione Lauaki, Angus Macdonald, James Ryan, Sitiveni Sivivatu, and Conrad Smith.

Henry also revealed that Flavell is expected to see a surgeon in the near future to re-examine a tear to his pectoral muscle that the lock/flanker has carried through the first part of the international season.

While the absence of Flavell can be related to his injury to some extend, the inclusion of Thorne remains a major surprise.

Thorne's recall comes almost three years after his last cap and also comes a month after he withdrew from the Junior All Blacks, whom he had been picked to captain, for "recovery and reconditioning".

The 31-year-old Thorne played the last of his 41 Tests, and his 22nd as captain, when New Zealand prevailed in the third place playoff against France at the 2003 World Cup.

His last appearance in an All Blacks jersey was against the Barbarians at Twickenham a year later.

Henry said Thorne's reaction when told the news was akin to that of a debutant.

"It was like the first cap, by the sound of it. He was jumping out his skin."

Thorne beat off the challenges of players like Flavell (also a utility lock/flank who played on the blindside), Jerome Kaino and Craig Newby, who miss out after having appeared in the two-Test series against Ireland.

Kaino, who suffered a shoulder injury with the Blues during the Super 14, has been told he needs to play more games to get match sharp, while Newby had been told to work on his explosiveness, speed and power.

Flavell's omission means South African-born lock Greg Rawlinson has been retained.

The selectors named three scrum-halves and three hookers to provide extra cover in those positions, a policy Henry said the All Blacks would adopt at next year's World Cup.

With the squad being reduced from the 39 players used against Ireland and Argentina, just one specialist No.8 has been named in Rodney So'oialo, leaving no room for Mose Tuiali'i.

Chris Masoe will cover all three loose forward positions.

In the backs, the most notable absentees are in midfield, with no place for centre Casey Laulala and second five-eighth (No.12) Sam Tuitupou.

The players are due to gather in Wellington on Thursday for a three-hour meeting to set out the objectives for the first part of the Tri-Nations.

The players will disband that same day, before assembling in Christchurch on Sunday to prepare for the clash with the Wallabies at Jade Stadium the following Saturday.


All Black squad: Dan Carter (Canterbury), Jerry Collins (Wellington), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Jason Eaton (Taranaki), Rico Gear (Tasman), Scott Hamilton (Canterbury), Carl Hayman (Otago), Andrew Hore (Taranaki), Doug Howlett (Auckland), Chris Jack (Tasman), Byron Kelleher (Waikato), Luke McAlister (North Harbour), Richie McCaw (Canterbury), (captain), Leon MacDonald (Canterbury), Chris Masoe (Wellington), Aaron Mauger (Canterbury), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Mils Muliaina (Waikato), Ma'a Nonu (Wellington), Anton Oliver (Otago), Greg Rawlinson (North Harbour), Joe Rokocoko (Auckland), Greg Somerville (Canterbury), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington), Reuben Thorne (Canterbury), Neemia Tialata (Wellington), Isaia Toeava (Auckland), Piri Weepu (Wellington), Ali Williams (Auckland), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).

[teodoro]

Il Sudafrica doveva annunciare la propria lista di nomi già ieri,ma ciò è stata posticipato..

Bok selectors still 'undecided'
Monday June 26 2006
'Defeat a huge psychological knock'
South Africa's defeat against France at Newlands at the weekend has done a lot more than just give the Springboks and their team management a huge psychological blow. It has seemingly caused confusion in the selection ranks.




Blond Boks: SA stars Percy Montgomery and Wynand Olivier

The announcement of South Africa's Tri-Nations squad has been delayed for the second time in 48 hours.

The squad was originally scheduled to be announced at Newlands last Saturday, after the Boks' encounter with the French. It was postponed till Monday.

But on Monday it was confirmed that the announcement had been delayed again - until later in the week. Only this time there is no fixed date.

An announcement will be made later.

It appears that the selectors cannot decide if they should bring in some new blood now (as selection chief Peter Jooste would like to do) or stick with coach Jake White's firm belief in continuity of selection.

White, who acknowledged that the loss to France was a "huge psychological knock" for him and the players, does not want to discard the players that served under him during the 13-match unbeaten home run - from June 2004 till last Saturday.

"There's no doubt in my mind about the importance of continuity of selection," White said.

"The players who normally play for me would never have given up a 23-11 lead. It's sad that we lost our undefeated home record."

But with the unbeaten home run having come to an end, there is a strong feeling that the time for change is near.

Jooste made no secret of the fact that the Tri-Nations squad could include a few surprises.

"We are looking at some of the guys who played in the Under-21 World Championship in France, who we think can do the job in the senior side," said Jooste.

"With an eye on the 2007 Rugby World Cup, we think it would be good to blood a few youngsters who we see as players for the future. They will also be able to add depth and flair to the squad."

White, however, still remains upbeat ahead of the Tri-Nations.

Despite the loss to France he does not feel there is a need for panic.

"What happens in Test matches before the Tri-Nations has seldom, if ever, had any influence on the outcome. We have no illusions about what is waiting for us in Australia and New Zealand, but nothing that happens before the time will play any role," the Bok coach said.

The Tri-Nations tournament gets underway at the Jade Stadium in Christchurch on July 8, when the All Blacks face the Wallabies.

A week later the Springboks open their Tri-Nations campaign when they face the Wallabies in Brisbane, followed by the first Boks versus All Blacks Test in Wellington.

On July 29 it is Australia versus New Zealand in Brisbane, followed by Australia versus South Africa in Sydney and New Zealand versus Australia in Auckland.

Then the action shifts to South African soil, where the Boks hosts the All Blacks on successive Saturdays - in Pretoria on August 26 and in Rustenburg a week later. The final match is between the Boks and Wallabies in Johannesburg on September 9.

* Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that star wing Bryan Habana will be sidelined with a rib injury for between four to six weeks, ruling him out of the Boks' away leg of the Tri-Nations.

Habana sustained the injury in the Springboks' 36-26 loss against France at Newlands at the weekend. He is the third South African backline player to sustain a rib injury in two weeks, after Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie suffered the same fate before the second Scotland and French Tests, respectively.

Coach White has also been without other star players like Schalk Burger, Bakkies Botha and Gurthro Steenkamp, while it has been reported that he may even decide to rest lock Victor Matfield during the away leg of the Tri-Nations.

[teodoro]

quindi avanti ragazzi,chi sa qualcosa sul Tri Nations lo aggiunga nel post,più si sa meglio è!

[teodoro]

Special meeting for All Blacks
27/06/2006
Sportal.co.nz


Graham Henry - NZRU
The All Blacks will assemble for a special meeting in Wellington on Thursday in order to lay foundations for the forthcoming Philips Tri Nations series.

The squad was originally intended to meet in Christchurch on Sunday but team management are concerned that the side is behind Australia in its preparation.

After the Argentine Test in Buenos Aires at the weekend, coach Graham Henry said there was 'a lot to do' before the Tri Nations starts next week, and the special meeting is part of that process.

Henry said it was not normal to get together so far out from a Test.

But it would be a brief three-hour meeting in Wellington.

"It's just to set some foundations and to get the squad together before we start that week [on Sunday] and give them some objectives for that first game. I think that is important because they haven't been together as a group this year in a rugby sense.

"The meeting will be long enough to set the objectives before we get together on Sunday," he said.

Henry said that while the two squads approach to the early internationals had produced three wins and had resulted in freshened players, there are still concerns ahead.

"We weren't that happy with the quality of rugby that we produced," he said.

"There were difficult conditions in two of the three Test matches which was frustrating. It poured in Auckland and we had similar conditions in Buenos Aires so it wasn't easy to put a game together.

"But there are little things that we are not doing well and we need to work on them."

The All Blacks are still a long way from achieving the type of game they want to play.

The opening Tri Nations Test in Christchurch on Saturday next week is shaping as a huge contest, Henry said.

"I think Australia have improved immensely from last year, they had probably a little bit of an embarrassing year last year and they're really showing some steel.

"They've always had good backs so they can finish, so it's something to look forward to as a rugby team and I'm sure our guys are looking forward to it.

"We're pleased with the three wins we have achieved, it is just that the process we are going through to achieve those results is not as good as it should be. So we've got no excuses about personnel, it's just the implications of what we are trying to do on the track that's not as good as it should be," he said.

[lido-rugby]

per chi non parla inglese?

[teodoro]

in pratica il sudafrica doveva annunciare la propria lista di convocati già ieri,ma èstata piu volte posticipata questa cosa perchè gli allenatori sono molto indecisi su chi convocare,sia a causa delle brutte prestazioni offerte sia a causa degli infortuni...si sta pensando ad inserire nella rosa giocatori che hanno appena finito il mondiale under 21,come la terza linea Spies,il centro Berritt, il tallonatore e capitano Ralepelle e l'estremo-ala Pietersen..
x quanto riguarda gli Abs si incontreranno a Wellington(mi sembra) per fare un briefing di circa 3 ore,dove verranno esposti gli obiettivi e servirà al gruppo per stare insieme e approfondire le loro conoscenze...
piccolo riassuntino con qualche mia aggiunta!

[leo_caviola]

Dal 1996 al 2005 ogni squadra affrontava le altre due nazioni in quattro incontri, due in casa e due nelle rispettive trasferte per un totale di sei partite a torneo. Dal 2006 invece, cercando una formula che potesse assegnare con un terzo match di spareggio i vari sotto-trofei in palio (Bledisloe Cup, Mandela Plate), si è adottata una formula con 6 partite per ciascuna nazionale. A turno una squadra affronta alternandosi negli anni pari e dispari o una volta o due volte in casa una avversaria per poi con la stessa andare in trasferta o due o una volta sola.


Queste le date


08-7 Christchurch
NZL - AUS = 00-00

15-7 Brisbane
AUS - RSA = 00-00

22-7 Wellington
NZL - RSA = 00-00

29-7 Brisbane
AUS - NZL = 00-00

05-8 Sydney
AUS - RSA = 00-00

18-8 Auckland
NZL - AUS = 00-00

26-8 _ _ _
RSA - NZL = 00-00

02-9 _ _ _
RSA - NZL = 00-00

09-9 _ _ _
RSA - AUS = 00-00

[teodoro]

hanno aggiunto una partita anche per fare una maggiore preparazione al mondiale dell'anno prossimo..mi ca stupidi!!non vedo l'ora che inizi!!

[Turch]

Hanno aggiunto un partita per fare soldi, mica per altro

[teodoro]

Il SA finalmente ha divulgato le proprie convocazioni..ciò che si diceva è stato rispettato,ovvero 3 under 21,Ralepelle,Spies e Pietersen,sono stati inseriti nella squadra seniores,insieme ad Akona Ndungane
per leggere l'articolo andate qui http://www.planetrugby.com/News/story_52154.shtml

[teodoro]

ora aspettiamo l'australia..non si sa ancora quando Connolly farà le convocazioni

[aladestra]

Il torneo del 3Nations mi piace, ma non mi piace il calendario.
Considerate le distanze oceaniche che separano il SudAfrica dall'Australia e dalla Nuova Zelanda, mi aspettavo un calendario diverso.

Saluti.

[aladestra]

Io avrei fatto così:

08/07/2006 Christchurch
NZL - AUS

15/07/2006 Wellington
NZL - RSA

22/07/2006 Auckland
NZL - AUS

05/08/2006 Brisbane
AUS - NZL

12/08/2006 Sydney
AUS - RSA

19/08/2006 Brisbane
AUS - RSA

02/09/2006
RSA - NZL

09/09/2006
RSA - AUS

16/09/2006
RSA - NZL

In questo modo si evitano gli spostamenti tra i tre paesi coinvolti.
Ogni squadra rimane nel suo paese ed ospita le altre, che non devono fare molti sacrifici negli spostamenti.
Nel rugby i tempi di recupero sono dell'ordine di 7/8 giorni esattamente come i problemi del jet lag. Quindi il calendario andava fatto diversamente, giusto per dare modo alle squadre di giocare in perfetta forma e senza la fatica del jet lag od altro.

Ovviamente le differenti date implicano una rideterminazione delle date di altri tornei.

Saluti.

[teodoro]

con le date che dici tu aladestra,ci sarebbero state 2 settimane in più..non poco..anche perchè in mezzo c'è anche l'inizio dell'Npc..comunque non sarebe male come proposta..peccato che nel rugby di oggi tutto è prestabilito e difficilmente cambiabiale

[aladestra]

Con le mie date tengo conto degli spostamenti in aereo, che pesano non poco sulla forma fisica dei giocatori.
Un volo dal SudAfrica in Australia non è uno scherzo.
Certe cose gli organizzatori del torneo dovevano pensarle.
Saluti.