We value your privacy

We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device for personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, and audience insights, as well as to develop and improve products.

With your permission we and our partners may use precise geolocation. You may click to consent to our and our partners’ processing as described above. Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

More Options

Mon 22 Aug 2016 | 06:04
Phil Kearns has some interesting theories about All Blacks success

12
Comments

Never one to shy away from giving his opinion on New Zealand rugby, former Wallaby Phil Kearns was once again at his bomb-throwing best during Saturday night's Rugby Championship and Bledisloe match.

In a couple of hilarious and perhaps, somewhat biased exchanges, former Wallabies skipper Kearns first sizes up the opposition's chances at scrum time.

In particular, Kearns targeted All Black prop Wyatt Crockett with a glancing blow for being "one of the most penalized props in world rugby." 

If that wasn't enough, he later dropped a shocker about how superior speed and ability led the entire All Blacks squad to be deceptively offside "en masse", almost every time the Wallabies had the ball.

Thankfully, Rod Kafer was there to provide a gentle rebuke and things went on as normal.

It was good for a quick laugh and a momentary distraction as the All Blacks cruised to a punishing 42-8 victory away from home, in Sydney.

View highlights from the match here

credit: observatoirebéarnais/sanzaar

Posted By: davidharper

12 Comments

  • guy
    3:12 PM 25/08/2016

    That's an interesting stat. By the time Read got sent of (74th minute or so), they showed last 10 penalties. Since the 24th minute, NZ were penalized 8 times and Australia only twice. It gave me the impression NZ were penalized considerably more. My bad.

  • breakaway
    11:41 AM 25/08/2016

    There was only one penalty difference (9 to 8) and a free kick each way, so it wasn't a highly penalised game. The SA/Arg match had 22 penalties and 2 frees. If I remember NZ was pinged a couple of times for offside in the first half and adjusted. But they were still quick and in the face of a national side that seems to have lost what was a deservedly celebrated ability to penetrate even the best defences. I was pleased to see NZ play well to win, but I've always admired Australia's approach to back-play and at the moment it's all a bit of a worry.

  • drg
    10:29 AM 25/08/2016

    Reading and comprehension isn't a strong point then guest?

  • guy
    9:57 AM 25/08/2016

    The funny thing is the suggestion that one All Black prop is the most heavily penalized. In my opinion that means he might be cheating (of just bad at his job) but quite obviously he is not getting away with it, hence the penalties.

    If I remember the stats during the game correctly, the AB's were considerably more penalized this game. It even resulted in a yellow card for repeated infringements. So they might have crossed the boundaries more than the Wallabies in this game but they certainly were not getting away with it. In my opinion it's just a sign of greater desire to win than your opposition.

  • breakaway
    5:28 AM 25/08/2016

    After a couple of looks I was thinking you might have posted the wrong clip, RD. I couldn't find the "hilarious" bit. Although I guess it's sort of amusing to hear Kearns once again flailing away at the opposition with the wet noodle that he tries to pass off as cutting analysis.
    I don't have the stats in front of me but I'm going to take a leap in the dark here and suggest that more than one or two Oz props of recent times would feature in that "most penalised" category. I wonder if Dr Phil has ever singled them out as such at the 1 minute mark of a Wallaby test.
    In fact you're right RD. It's vintage Kearnsie, comedy gold.

  • 10stonenumber10
    6:29 PM 24/08/2016

    We are saying it as a positive. It is too quick to tell whether it is legal or not... perfect execution. They play faster, smarter, stronger rugby, and that includes boundary pushing. Grey areas have to be won too.

    If you don't take an extra yard when the ref isn't looking, quite frankly you have no place in a rugby team.

  • 10stonenumber10
    3:18 PM 24/08/2016

    You cannot deny the power of mystique. The aura around the All Blacks is All Consuming. Even the non rugby neutrals know about it.

  • drg
    11:40 PM 23/08/2016

    Well it is and it isn't "old", especially when it's true. As mentioned, it's not saying it's a bad thing, every prop has their 'techniques', however unlike a prop, NZ adjusts quickly to the referee.

    However, that being said, the reason it IS old, is that it is not the only reason that NZ are killer. As you quite rightly said, they play a 'standard' game that is much superior to most other nations, couple that with the fact that rugby is like another meal in the day to most kiwis, throw in a dabble of the dark arts as well as a mix of high standards to upkeep, some great coaches and you have yourself a team that is second to none.

  • 8:32 PM 23/08/2016

    I hate to say it but he's right but that's not the ABs fault it's the refs. Guarantee if they start getting whistled they'll adjust, that's what great teams do. But if they get a ref like joubert, who always gives the favorite not the benefit of the doubt but in fact no concern about doubt. It leads to boring games with no contest. Happens in all sports but I'd argue the ref is most important in rugby where there laws to be interpreted rather than rules to be applied

  • 10stonenumber10
    2:07 PM 23/08/2016

    NZ rugby is 3D. Possibly 4D with the amount of time they seem to have on the ball. The whole "offside" thing is as old as "1 dimensional" England.

    It all filters down from the top. We view almost every NZ team as extraordinary, but down there, that is the benchmark for normal. Look at F1. Anyone can roast a hot lap and get pole, but with a full grid things are very different. 0.1 seconds off the pace per section over a race can add up to 10-20 seconds by the finishing flag. Blink and you miss, rugby is no different.

  • drg
    12:30 PM 23/08/2016

    Yeh, tbh, I don't know why a low of kiwi fans get so uppity when offside is mentioned... it's rarely mentioned in a "I hate kiwis" manner... it's more done in a "is the referee blind?" manner...

    Rugby has become so similar between teams... very large players from 1-8, then a further large players from 9-15, all fast, all strong... the game really is won or lost in the darker areas of the game, so if NZ can 'get away' with being offside, then credit to them, they've done their homework and they know the limits....

  • 10stonenumber10
    11:26 AM 23/08/2016

    Even if they are offside... that's the point. Legal or not, that is why they are the best XXIII in the world.

Related Articles