Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Canterbury too good in classic Ranfurley Shield tussle with Southland
The Southland Stags have hung onto the famous log of wood since claiming it from Canterbury a year ago, and despite showing incredible form this season and fighting all the way, struggled to hang onto it as the bigger union wretched it from their grasp.
At halftime the gap was just three points, but Colin Slade came to the party as he scored a try and amassed 21 points in total. "You know the boys really dug deep and put on a fantastic performance, and its something the whole community can be proud of, and it's a fantastic turnout," sad Slade of the team performance.
Williams on the other hand did what hes done all season as he showed touches of genuine class throughout the game, including setting up the first try for Telusa Veainu, playing a part in the Slade trys build up, and then making a 50m break which featured a massive hand off on a would-be Stag tackler.
"I think we had the overlap and the bloke in front of me was drifting pretty hard. It was probably just instinct, you know," Williams said.
"I don't have a really big boot on me, so I thought I would just tuck it and have a crack. It was another first and something I will look back upon with fond memories because we are taking that shield back home, brother." The All Blacks touring squad will get picked on Sunday. Expect his name to be on that list.
For Southland, heartbreak, but they had lived on the edge in recent times, only conceding three tries in their last six matches but also managing to score very few. The results were close, and with Canterbury coming into the match with the better pedigree and a few experienced All Blacks, they were always going to be the favourites.
"It had to come to an end some day, and I'm pretty devastated today," said an emotional Jamie MacKintosh, Southland captain. There was a nice touch afterwards as he handed over the shield.
"But at the end of the day these memories are going to stick with me till I die."
Time: 06:24
Posted at 4:11 pm | 68 comments
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Viewing 68 comments
Berliner October 12, 2010 3:50 pm

I think he should get his chance to play for the All Blacks!
Can anybody tell me who Canterburys N10 is?
Looks not bad either!
Thomas October 12, 2010 4:02 pm

PineTree October 12, 2010 4:03 pm

Maximus October 12, 2010 4:06 pm

@Berliner
Crusaders 10: Colin Slade. I don't know much about him though.
Von October 12, 2010 4:41 pm

Having said that, I'm a fan of both Nonu and Smith too and they seem to have developed a highly effective partnership in the ABs midfield. I've seen Sonny Bull look good at both 12 and 13, so who - if either of them - should make way?? A very nice problem for Graham Henry and gang to have to ponder anyway.
cheyanqui October 12, 2010 4:47 pm

If so, great stuff.
Von October 12, 2010 4:51 pm

I forgot to mention his offloading, which is among the most accomplished I have seen.
Von October 12, 2010 5:02 pm

Have a look at these other great examples of players "putting the rubbish out" (this link and the related posts below it):
http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/08/robbie-frueans-slingshot-tackle-against.html
Rowan DeBues October 12, 2010 5:02 pm

I think an argument could be made about Williams being better than Smith, or Nonu but when those two play together they become greater than the sum of their parts (in my opinion).
Having said all that, what a handoff!!!
GMC October 12, 2010 5:03 pm

I don't think he's the finished product yet, but he's the closest to the 'Lomu' factor that the sport has had in a while. You see how the kids line up for autographs and the media clamours for interviews and photos etc. I expect him to be a huge factor next year, albeit off the bench.
Anonymous October 12, 2010 5:31 pm

Anonymous October 12, 2010 6:15 pm

Josh October 12, 2010 6:42 pm

Anonymous October 12, 2010 7:30 pm

Awesome game, awesome occasion. Can't wait till any other team manages to nick it off Canterbury.
Anonymous October 12, 2010 9:41 pm

Anonymous October 12, 2010 9:44 pm

Josh October 12, 2010 10:33 pm

Anonymous October 13, 2010 1:52 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 1:57 am

Bill October 13, 2010 2:25 am

Tht's why he was a forward in rugby league, not a back.
But he is incredibly strong, big, great offload, capable of massive defense and very strong runs (sheds tacklers).
He's a natural centre in union, where pace isn't the fundamental thig.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 2:32 am

Nah October 13, 2010 2:50 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 3:01 am

shaz13 October 13, 2010 3:23 am

granite October 13, 2010 3:25 am

I'd like to see SBW in the super 15 or with the ABs, just to see if he can keep making these line breaks and fend offs in the highest level of the game. I suspect they won't come as easily, though that may be an opportunity for him to show how talented he is. Having only seen him in highlights, I'm wondering how deep he goes as a player.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 3:37 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 4:11 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bill_Williams
or are you just taking the mickey?
Anonymous October 13, 2010 4:13 am

Bill October 13, 2010 4:40 am

He was not considered a giant in league, he was considered to have amazing strength. There are much bigger players, but they weren't considered to have the same physique.
Lock in league operates like a bigger stronger version of a fly-half or five-eight. He was a ball player, they utilised his offloading ability.
As a lock he would set up alot of tries by getting passes to other players.
He wasn't considered fast enough to be a centre and was a little bit bigger than most centres (just as he is a little bit bigger than most centres in union), but not big enough to play as a second rower or front rower in league.
He is almost 110kg and about 6' 2", which is bigger than alot of the wingers and centres in union.
He is playing centre in union because it requires power players these days, like Mortlock or Nonu.
He could just as easily play flanker.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 4:44 am

Bill October 13, 2010 4:49 am

Seriously though what are you trying to say that he's small?
Because he clearly isn't.
That league has only small players? Cuz he's smaller than most second rowers or front rowers in league.
Max October 13, 2010 6:01 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 6:20 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 6:48 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 7:16 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 7:41 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 8:56 am

This is a final, where are the crowd?
Scotsdale October 13, 2010 9:29 am

This wasn't a final. And there were over 14 000 there, which isn't bad for a Southland home game.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 10:11 am

Susan Stronger Than October 13, 2010 10:17 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 10:56 am

Anonymous October 13, 2010 11:45 am

Still, I am a bit curious as to what would the result of having both Nonu and SBW at centre would be. Anyone reckons opposing centre pairings would be crushed into rubble?
Anonymous October 13, 2010 12:25 pm

Anonymous October 13, 2010 1:11 pm

2. Robbie Ross (southland 10) is lightning quick so theres no shame being caught by him
3. Slade is the next best 10 weve got in the country so hopefully he goes on the tour
4. nonu and smith are tried and true. i say we take fruen, ranger, SBW and Kahui (if hes still not injured) on the tour as our centres, give them as much time as possible. if they dont work out nonu and smith will step back into the ab's without skipping a beat for the june tests next year.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 1:21 pm

Chris October 13, 2010 1:35 pm

...............
SBW wasn't considered a giant at all.
Also the average height in League and Union is exactly the same.
The only difference is in the weight, as Union allows for players to bulk up more.
Chris October 13, 2010 1:37 pm

.......
Roy Asotasi is 6'0. SBW is 6'3. Hardly a considerably difference
Anonymous October 13, 2010 1:38 pm

So was Marc Andreu and he struggles to get a game for France.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 3:45 pm

2) Will be interesting to see where SBW fits in. The midfield of Nonu/Smith is rock solid, and Kahui, Ranger, Luke McAlister, Robbie Fruean are all options at Henry's disposal next year.
3) For the fall tour, I expect Henry to take SBW, but not Fruean, unless Ranger is hurt. Henry loves Ranger in the bench role, with his ability to cover centre and the wing. It's tough though, Fruean is really coming on, would be an international in nearly any other country.
Josh October 13, 2010 6:39 pm

SBW 110kg vs 80-90kg backs, SBW wins. OMG HE IS A GOD! NUMBER 12 FOR THE ALL BLACKS, BEST PLAYER EVER. WORTH 550,000 NZD A YEAR (Mccaw gets 600,000 a year).
Bill October 13, 2010 11:25 pm

He was probably the best player on the pitch in this game.
Considering he's played about 40 games of pro union in his entire life, he is doing very, very well.
His offloading ability is better than almost anyone in the ITM CUp at the moment.
Just because he is from league, some wierdos hate him.
Why?
What the hell is wrong with you people?
And in regards to his size, he's bigger than the majority of centres and wingers in union.
He's about the same size as the bigger centres, and alot of flankers.
He could play flanker, but it would be a waste since his offloading and running lines are so good.
If I was a kiwi I would just be grateful for him adding such depth to the midfield.
NZ now have many great centres, with SBW as one.
In regards to his pay cheque, do you numbskulls realise that he'll bring value to the NZRU due to his popularity? That he'll probably pay his own way in the end, with the exposure he gets in the media?
In regards to people saying he was no good in France, do you notice now how his offloads are gettin caught and utilised in the ITM Cup, instead of going to ground as they did in the T14? That's because kiwis are the masters of support play, and in the ITM cup they back up, unlike the slow, conservative T14.
Asotasi was not considered a very large front rower, by the way, but very athletic. And he is no longer considered one of the better front rowers in the game, he's been dropped from the national team.
Players in league overall are thinner, don't carry as much bulk on average. It's because they do alot more running and tackling, much much more in a game.
The 130kg front rowers you see in union simpyl could not survive in a league game, they'd be a massive liability.
Anonymous October 13, 2010 11:44 pm

SBW hasn't done anything special, get over it.
Anonymous October 14, 2010 12:12 am

2 many trolls October 14, 2010 12:22 am

2. Robbie Robbinson is quick and usually a fullback so he would always catch a 110 kg midfielder
3. Mckintosh never put a hit on, SBW put a half shoulder in and they both walked away (which game were you idiots watching?)
4. Why are ppl still hating on SBW? Looks like he has proven himself to me.
5. Blah blah blah what's the point
Anonymous October 14, 2010 12:40 am

Anonymous October 14, 2010 1:41 am

I agree! When exactly did Hackintosh put a hit on Sonny? I watched the whole game and saw one little shoulder and no1 hit the deck
Anonymous October 14, 2010 4:28 am

Anarchangel October 14, 2010 5:26 am

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!
*cough*
Sonny Bill Who? This game was about the Shield.
Anonymous October 14, 2010 10:39 am

El Lamo. October 14, 2010 1:16 pm

To that guy, you will read this (because you're a troll), so here goes - you're ugly and your mom dresses you funny :P
That's about as factual as you saying that Sonny Bill was 'owned' and that he's done nothing special yet. It's pathetic. You quite clearly haven't watched the last 4 rounds of ITM Cup rugby. So why not educate yourself before commenting?
Nicko October 14, 2010 10:15 pm

SBW for AB's end of year tour.
Jono October 14, 2010 11:49 pm

The difference is that those passes in NZ are getting caught and are leading to tries.
The fact those passes were going to ground is an inditment on the support play of Toulon, it's a reflection that they don't know how to support a good ball player, a guy who can offload.
Kiwis are the best support runners in the world, and now that SBW has good runners coming off his shoulder, his ability to offload in contact is being rewarded.
NiWiTa October 15, 2010 3:00 pm

SBW is a good player - thanks to the Rugby League offloading skills he developed whilst in the NRL. He also seems to have power and a decent rugby brain and I guess he is going to a be a good asset for NZ....
There I said it - some rugby league players are skillful - now I look forward to the barrage of pathetic anti-league sentiment!















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