Key to a Bledisloe tie-break in slip-up

[travelling_gerry]

Bret Harris | June 22, 2009


Article from: The Australian

WHEN All Blacks replacement halfback Piri Weepu kicked the ball out from a scrum win in French territory after the full-time siren had sounded in Wellington on Saturday, he secured the 14-10 Test win for New Zealand, but handed the Dave Gallagher Trophy to Les Bleus for the first time.

After France's upset five-point win against the All Blacks in Dunedin the previous Saturday, New Zealand had to win by six points to retain the trophy.

With the two-Test series drawn, the points differential decided which country won the silverware.

The All Blacks were under tremendous pressure to avoid a cleansweep in the series and it appeared Weepu decided that winning the Test was all that mattered.
Instead of firing the ball out the backline for one last attacking raid for a try or setting up an attempt at a field goal, Weepu settled for the face-saving win.

But Weepu was unaware of the points differential rule, as indeed were most of the All Blacks. He said he would have played differently if he had known four points would not be enough to secure the trophy and seemed annoyed the All Blacks coaches had kept the players in the dark.

Weepu and the All Blacks players felt stupid after the game.
The French felt they had lost the battle, but won the war.

Certainly, All Blacks coach Graham Henry had focused on winning the Test, while the trophy itself was a secondary consideration.

The All Blacks coaches did not tell the players about the points differential rule because they did not want to place pressure on them.

Henry's attitude is perhaps explained partly by the fact that a mid-term review into his tenure as coach was said to have been deferred to later in the year after the first Test loss to France. He would not risk another Test loss even if it meant losing the trophy.

But if the Bledisloe Cup were at stake, would Henry's approach have been the same?

The Dave Gallagher trophy was named after a famous 1905-06 All Blacks captain who was killed in Belgium in World War I.

The story of Dave Gallagher is important to New Zealanders, but the trophy that bears his name does not command the same aura as the steeped in history Bledisloe Cup, which has been fought over since 1931.

Australians and New Zealanders would rather win the Bledisloe Cup than the Tri-Nations trophy.

But maybe the way the Dave Gallagher Trophy is decided could be used to determine tie-breakers in the Bledisloe Cup.

Most Test series are based on the challenge and defence system under which a team has to take the trophy off the holder.

If the Bledisloe Cup is drawn, the holder retains the silverware.

One of the reasons the Bledisloe Cup reverted from a two-Test to a best-of-three series in 2006 was because of the desire to see a clear winner.

To be fair, the All Blacks have been the clear winners regardless of the format since regaining the Bledisloe Cup under John Mitchell and Robbie Deans in 2003.
The Wallabies are now coached by Deans and they are starting to catch up to the All Blacks again.

But the Bledisloe Cup series is now a four-Test event following the decision to play offshore, money-spinning matches between the All Blacks and Wallabies. The All Blacks won the series 3-1 last year, winning in Auckland and Brisbane as well as in Hong Kong.

It is quite possible that this year's Bledisloe Cup series will be drawn with two matches in New Zealand, one in Australia and another in Tokyo.

With two home Tests, this puts the All Blacks in the box seat to retain the cup.
It would make things much more interesting, not to mention fairer, if the Dave Gallagher-style points differential system was adopted.

This would help to create extra interest in a drawn series and cause the cup to change hands more often. But if the system is changed, could someone please inform the players.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

[jargan83]

But Weepu was unaware of the points differential rule, as indeed were most of the All Blacks. He said he would have played differently if he had known four points would not be enough to secure the trophy and seemed annoyed the All Blacks coaches had kept the players in the dark.

I wonder how many supporters were aware of this as well. I figured that it was the standard drawn series, holder keeps the cup arangement.

I have never been a fan of two test series, espeacially when a series is drawn.

The only plus side of it is that we don't have see Italy again this weekend

[shasta]

The commentators pointed that out during play. I thought Weepu must have forgotten. Now I know different. I was thinking at the time it might be a good rule to introduce for the Bled. But I won't be holding my breath waiting for the NZRU to agree to it. Especially if the ARU suggests it. Maybe if JON comes out bagging the shit out of such a rule in the papers?

[Stone Cold]

The commentators mentioned it before the match...classically funny stuff teasing some of the kiwis at the pub about it...

[Swee_82]

But I won't be holding my breath waiting for the NZRU to agree to it. Especially if the ARU suggests it. Maybe if JON comes out bagging the shit out of such a rule in the papers?

Haha.. I do believe Shasta has cracked the appropriate negotitating technique- Shasta for ARU chair!

[Elf1]

Haha.. I do believe Shasta has cracked the appropriate negotitating technique- Shasta for ARU chair!

I second that

[Burgs]

Imagine how many Kiwis I had to slip into watching at a minesite Stone

Weepu may be blaming others, but as a professional in his line of work you would think and the other players would be aware of what the commentators were very aware of.

[retiredrucker]

I reckon leave the Bledisloe the way it is, do we need some sneaky new way to win it? Lets stick to tradition.

As for Bret's quote;
"To be fair, the All Blacks have been the clear winners regardless of the format since regaining the Bledisloe Cup under John Mitchell and Robbie Deans in 2003.
The Wallabies are now coached by Deans and they are starting to catch up to the All Blacks again. "

I don't see any evidence of this yet, maybe after the TN's this year. There might be evidence of the All Blacks dropping off a bit as opposed to the Wallas catching them.

Either way go Wallabies!

[normie]

Weepu may be blaming others, but as a professional in his line of work you would think and the other players would be aware of what the commentators were very aware of.

Yeah too right! It's not like its going to cause cerebral meltdown, like the Lewis/Duckworth system.

The All Blacks coaches did not tell the players about the points differential rule because they did not want to place pressure on them.

WTH??? too much pressure? What do the coaching staff tell them if they run out of cocoa at half time? Sorry you'll just have to have warm milk with your cookies !!!???? Thats a real pressure situation.