Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Rugby Grand Slam still matters for McCaw
AFP - Friday, November 28
LONDON (AFP) - - In an era where winning the World Cup is everything, the fact the All Blacks go into Saturday's match against England here at Twickenham on the verge of a grand slam may not seem like a big deal.
But don't tell that to New Zealand captain Richie McCaw.
Fans in the rugby-mad nation have had to endure one World Cup disappointment after another since the All Blacks won the inaugural edition on home soil back in 1987.
What has made the losses harder to bear for New Zealand supporters is that their side has frequently been the sport's dominant force between World Cups.
That's certainly been the case this year.
New Zealand, ranked number one in the world, won the Tri-Nations and this month have enjoyed a triumphal progress through the British Isles.
Scotland, Ireland and Wales have all been defeated without the All Blacks conceding a try and a win this weekend would give New Zealand their second grand slam in three years and third overall.
McCaw, arguably the world's best openside flanker, believes such achievements have value and shouldn't be disregarded simply because they don't come attached to a World Cup win.
"You have to be able to gain lasting fulfilment without winning the World Cup," said the captain of the All Black side defeated by France in the quarter-finals of last year's tournament.
"It would be awful to have finished your career having achieved some of the things we have, even up to now, and not feel like you've done good."
New Zealand, who welcome back fit-again centre Conrad Smith from a groin injury in the only change to the team that beat Wales 29-9 in Cardiff, are widely expected to make short work of a callow-looking England side.
While New Zealand were seeing off Wales, England were slumping to a record-breaking 42-6 home defeat to world champions South Africa.
Such is the seeming disparity between the two sides that England fans could be forgiven for thinking their side's best bet is to follow Wales's lead in staring down the haka but take it a step further by refusing to budge so the game can't start.
McCaw, whose side features star outside-half Dan Carter, unsuprisingly doesn't see it that way.
"They'll be hurting. We're expecting them to throw everything into it and they will be desperate."
England manager Martin Johnson has made three changes to his team, notably at stand-off where Toby Flood replaces the out-of-touch Danny Cipriani.
In the pack lineout specialist Nick Kennedy returns in place of Tom Palmer and openside flanker Michael Lipman replaces Tom Rees.
England enjoyed plenty of possession against the Springboks but never looked like having either the power or the guile to score a try.
It will be Flood's job to provide the creative spark although he could do with the likes of New Zealand-born centre Riki Flutey, helping him out.
An England win would see them into fourth in the world rankings and mean they avoided being in the same pool as Australia, South Africa and New Zealand when the draw for the 2011 World Cup takes place here Monday.
But for that to happen they need a much improved forward display, especially at the breakdown, an area where they were found wanting against both the Springboks and in the preceding 28-14 loss to Australia.
"The players are hurting," said England scrum coach Graham Rowntree.
"But then we have to build them back up again. We have to instil that confidence in them."
Saturday will see the teams competing for the Hillary Shield for the first time, named in honour of New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man, together with Sherpa Tenzing, to climb Mount Everest in 1953.
If England, who've lost their last six games against the All Blacks, need inspiration about overcoming seemingly impossible odds they could do worse than draw strength from Hillary's example.
But England attack coach Brian Smith was in bullish mood. "New Zealand, there's not a magical mystery about them. They put their trousers on one leg at a time like we do. They are beatable."
Smith, however, is an Australian.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Complacency about HIV 'more deadly' than disease itself: IFRCAFP - 57 minutes ago
Inter-Korean railway, tours to halt as ties worsenAFP - 1 hour 12 minutes ago
Three sentenced to death for Beijing taxi murder spree: reportAFP - 1 hour 16 minutes ago
RPT-GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks up as bargains sought; oil slipsReuters - 1 hour 44 minutes ago
Japan announces end of air mission in IraqAP - 1 hour 45 minutes ago
Enlarge Photo
Rugby Grand Slam still matters for McCaw
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
US clears Bank of America deal for Merrill Lynch
US president's mother 'doing very well' in hospital: Laura Bush
Love handles increase death risk: study
Obama vows 'help is on the way' for the economy
Michael Jackson strikes 'amicable' deal with Arab sheikh
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular