The NZ Herald has published its Team of the Tournament.
Category Archives: RWC 2011
What A Player.
The Mole’s not big on putting numbers beside players’ names to signify how well they performed. Continue reading
Report Card: The Wallabies
Australia – the third best team in the world! Continue reading
Report Card: The Springboks
The Mole fancied this Boks team, long on experience and short on expectations, to make a big dent in the tournament, lining up against their age-old rival New Zealnd in the semis to give them a big fright. Continue reading
You Don’t Notice the Good Ones
Who’s Nicola Alesbrook? She’s the IRB’s RWC Tournament Manager.
Bastille Day Never falls in October
France triumphed over the All Blacks in Eden Park, Auckland by 19-24 for their first ever victory in New Zealand. Although they had played fixtures since 1906, France had never conquered the All Blacks on their turf until this auspicious day. Games against the All Blacks and South Africa were always referred to by French commentators as Fiasco aux Antipodes. Continue reading
Report Card: Back Three
Tommy Bowe: Could have put a nail in Australia’s coffin with a flourish if he hadn’t missed the summer through injury as he looked to tie up in the last few yards. Or he could have put in a cross kick. Bowe caused the Welsh a bit of trouble and was denied two tries against the Italians by dodgy refereeing decisions. Continue reading
Report Card: Centres
Gordon D’Arcy: Fell asleep on the blindside of a ruck and created an uphill struggle. Nuff said. D’Arce rolled back the years against the Italians but that’s not a cast iron midfield. Continue reading
Report Card: Half Back
Conor Murray: It seemed that Murray made the plane only because Tomas O’Leary had one howler too many against France and three scrum halves were needed in the party. Once selected, he continued his meteoric rise and became first choice scrum half before the end of the tour. At times against the Welsh, he seemed a bit off the pace, no doubt a consequence of exposure to a higher pace of game than he was used to. Murray offered a physical presence with a well rounded skill set and was a definite plus from the tournament. Continue reading
Red Cards
Kobus Wiese, ex-Springbok man-mountain, commentator and World Cup-winner, had an interesting take on Sam Warburton’s red card in the Welsh loss to France. Continue reading







