Crusaders v the Herald
A rhinitis-ridden Week That Was and Weekend That Will Be wrapped into one
Does Super Rugby have any chance of becoming part of the national conversation when its leaders tell people to shush up?
When discussing the woeful results of the most successful team in Super Rugby history, Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge seemed personally affronted that some would discuss the future of coach Rob Penney, telling NewstalkZB:
“I don’t mind it from fans, because they are emotionally invested in it. Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision.
“But from commentators, I think it’s childish, frankly.”
Everything about that statement is just so rugby. Strip out any context around it and present that as a quote delivered by a generic administrator in New Zealand, and you don’t even have to guess what sport it came from.
First there’s the bit where Big Col pretends to ‘get’ the fans and their emotional investment (don’t forget financial too, as they are the ones buying Sky subs and replica jerseys), while appearing to suggest that makes them incapable of using “logic” or “evidence”.
Then there’s the bit where you confront the real enemy, the “commentators”, knowing full well you’re on safe ground pandering to a broader anti-media sentiment.
Although not naming names, Mansbridge’s ire seems to have been sparked by questioning of whether the defending champions got their post-Razor appointment right given they’re now 1-7, and whether they’d consider a mid-season change.
What Mansbridge got right was his decision to back his man. If nothing else, after just eight games and a horrendous injury count, Penney deserves that from his boss, but there was nothing to stop Mansbridge giving his support to the embattled coach while utilising a bit of humility; by acknowledging that of course there will be hard and at times uncomfortable questions asked.
It’s led to a bit of a stramash between Mansbridge and NZ Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul. I agreed with some but not all of Paul’s sentiment, as he hit back at Mansbridge’s snark.
This is professional sport – the ultimate results-based business – and when a team that has won seven successive1 championships finds itself rooted to the bottom of the table and being torn apart by the Western Force, it’s hardly a wild conspiracy theory or juvenile response to question whether the head coach is doing a good job.
I was less in alignment with this paragraph:
This need to invalidate the media is a bigger problem than it may appear as Super Rugby needs authentic coverage by the fourth estate to put the fan at the centre of the game.
To be brutally honest, that ship has long since sailed. The hollowing out of sports departments and sports journalism means that few people, and none under the age of 45, would look to the fourth estate to put them at the heart of the game. That’s why Mansbridge knows he’s on safe ground having a pop; he’s in the ring throwing jabs at a perceived enemy who just happens to be wearing a blindfold.
It’s up to the sport itself to put the fan at the heart of the game and rugby has shown itself to be too inward looking to do so.
To use Mansbridge’s own words, when it comes to organising and promoting Super Rugby Sanzaar does not “think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision”.
Without being childish, the best thing the Crusaders could for their coach is to win tonight’s match by 50. Stay tuned.
Crusaders v Rebels, Christchurch, tonight 7.05pm, SS1
If you lose to the Titans at home in 2024, you’re in danger of not being taken seriously.
“They are not playing the way they want to play right now – that is pretty obvious. There is no hiding that; the boys aren’t hiding that, I’m not hiding it. Individual moments are killing us at the moment.”
I made the trek out to Mt Smart and it was a weird afternoon. After 10 minutes I was contemplating a scenario where we might leave early with the warriors 40-6 up to beat congestion. After 50 minutes I was again thinking we could leave early, this time in my head it was the Titans up 39-12.
As it turned out it was a bit of a thriller, and a pacified Anzac Day crowd finally came to the party midway through the second half, before we all left disappointed at the final whistle.
For the second week in a row, the Warriors made a hot start and then stunk out the joint for a protracted period.
At 12-0 up, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak made a horrible decision on defence in a non-threatening part of the field and it was as if the entire team suddenly got the heebie-jeebies.
But perhaps the most disappointing period of play came after they got back to 24-27 and had back-to-back sets on the Titans’ line. Rather than putting the reeling Titans to the sword they ran a collection of plays that were either dull or mistimed.
It’s not quite time to panic. They’re a much better team than this but strength on paper is going to be no help over the next month - there is a realistic scenario that has the Warriors in the bottom four by the time the Dolphins visit this time next month.
That would be the time to panic.
It’s not an amazing list of fixtures this weekend, but the Panthers’ visit to Townsville holds some interest.
North Queensland v Penrith, Townsville, tomorrow 9.35pm, SS4
Can’t say I saw this result coming, with the Black Caps in name only leading a near full-strength Pakistan team 2-1 away from home.
Even without the compulsory qualifier that states that every story in this format must be accompanied by a “the fickle nature of T20 cricket”, this looked to be a New Zealand team picked with the aim of getting a largely experimental and inexperienced side some game time in subcontinent conditions.
It was so low-key that at least two non-IPL, non-injured players declined the opportunity, so with that in mind, if they could nick a game off the back of a brilliant individual performance, then the tour would have been deemed worthwhile.
After a rain out in game one and an embarrassing performance in the second, it shaped to be a series where you put a twist on the philosophical question: “If a T20I series happens and nobody sees it, did it actually happen at all?”
Yet here we are with one to play and New Zealand can’t lose the series.
Game three was won with starring roles from Ish Sodhi (2-25) and Pakistan specialist Mark Chapman (87* from 42), so possibly not a lot learnt, but this morning’s four-wicket victory was a really good team performance, with some highly promising contributions from the likes of Tim Robinson and Will O’Rourke.
I haven’t seen a whole lot of Robinson (51), but was impressed by his willingness to open up the offside, which in terms of his all-format potential, probably gives him a higher ceiling than Finn Allen, the most convenient reference point. At this early point in their careers, however, neither has shown much red-ball aptitude.
O’Rourke was very good, too. There’s a selfish part of me that wishes he wasn’t playing T20I cricket just yet, but if he’s looking at Kyle Jamieson and wondering how long his earning window will remain open, then who would begrudge him that.
Mostly, though, I was interested in this comment from Pete: “Great win. With lots of players injured, with the IPL, and playing county cricket this shows the great depth in NZ cricket. It is time to move on from the likes of Southee, Boult, and Williamson. They’ve been great servants but shouldn’t be picked for the WorldT20.”
It’s an interesting point, though perhaps moot. It was pointed out to me that one of the reasons players turned down the chance to play for New Zealand was that it was transparently communicated to them that even if they played a starring role in Pakistan, they would not be playing at the World T20, which indicates the squad is set in stone.
You imagine Pete is summarising the feelings of many. The explosion of scoring in the IPL (where the New Zealanders are either scuffling or watching), seems to have made top-order batters incapable of cruising along in 140-150 strike rate range redundant. Right now, 120-130 does not cut it. If the trend extends to all T20 cricket - and where the IPL goes, the rest tend to follow - then New Zealand cannot afford to play with both Devon Conway and Kane Williamson in the top three.
BUT… Guyana and Trinidad are not Bengaluru and Delhi. Conditions can get a bit sticky and slow. I’d be shocked if any of the players Pete mentioned, who include the highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket and one of the most sought-after new-ball bowlers on the franchise scene, don’t play a big part in the upcoming tournament.
Pakistan v NZ, Lahore, Sunday 2.30am, YouTube
Two fitba games to savour over the weekend. A North London derby that could have massive ramifications for a Premier League that is now a two-horse race, and while finishing the regular season top of the ladder is not in the Phoenix’s hands, they will help their cause by winning their final game.
This piece intrigued me. In these days of detailed data analysis, which tends to be cold and unyielding, there is still room for extrinsic motivation delivered by chips upon shoulders.
Unbeknown to him, Lachlan Raeside, who runs the Coast Watch Football YouTube channel and podcast, has been inside the Phoenix inner sanctum on their unlikely title push.
Why?
Because Raeside caught coach Giancarlo Italiano’s eye as one of many who tipped his Wellington side to finish last.
“It’s a constant reminder of what people think of us," he said. “A little reminder every day of how people quickly forget how good our players are.
“They want to prove a lot of people wrong, all the people that tipped us to be last, and show them what we’re made of.”
Wellington v Macarthur, Wellington, tomorrow 7.05pm, SS2
Tottenham v Arsenal, Tottenham, Monday 1am, SS EPL
A cheating scandal in IndyCars has added some fresh chilli to a saucy start for IndyCars, which is now being led by the evergreen Scott Dixon. Another Kiwi, Scott McLaughlin, was one of the drivers penalised because they used push-to-pass (essentially a horsepower boost deployed by a button on the steering wheel) at a time when it was meant to be disabled. McLaughlin said he accepted the penalty, but never used it to gain an unfair advantage over another driver.
Alabama GP, Birmingham, Monday 5am
There is also the NBA and NHL playoffs to feast upon, and the ANZ Premiership is up and kind of rolling.
There is also a whole bunch of correspondence I need to catch up on over the weekend. Apologies for the tardy replies and the late arrival of this newsletter but The Bounce has been in an antihistamine fog over the past couple of days.
Finally, the Jackson Topine v the Bulldogs story is wild. Just as fascinating for me, however, has been the reaction to the lawsuit, with the court of former player opinion coming down heavily on the Bulldogs side.
Topine was forced to wrestle every player in the Bulldogs squad after arriving for training late. He clearly felt belittled by the exercise, especially when the trainer evidently refused to let any player show him any mercy, and that his health and safety was compromised. If this is indeed standard behaviour from NRL trainers, it’s perhaps not drawing too long a bow to understand why so many players don’t feel the normal laws of society apply to them when they’re out and about.
Not successive. As much as it might have been derided as a competition, Super Rugby Trans-Tasman happened in 2021 and the Crusaders did not win it.
I'm so thankful for the footnote. I've been actively pointing this out ever since the 'seven in a row' line started being trotted out. No matter the comp, the Crusaders entered it and didn't win it so the 7 weren't consecutive.
The winner gets to write history. They also get a much easier ride from their stakeholders. Thing is, Crusaders, that was 2023.