B20 SPORT Saturday, July 30, 2011 THE PRESS, Christchurch RUGBY All bets are off in leadup to World Cup e’ve got to get attendances. New Zealand Crusaders contingent and It’s all very well saying the ready if required to cover for February 22 earthquake. Old Boys tutored by ex-All over this Tony rugby fans are notoriously overworked Auckland openside flanker and No 8 Dan Carter at the World Cup Other clubs in other Blacks Aaron Mauger and obsession with fickle for being just that – fans captain Keven Mealamu. positions are interchangeable business end. Twenty suburbs have also had their Reuben Thorne in the Wplaying the best Smith of New Zealand first, and Australia coach Robbie and ‘‘it’s only a number on the minutes here and there when ranks reduced as a result of semifinals today. team every week. rugby second. Witness just Deans doesn’t have that back’’. But at some stage, he the game’s done and dusted the quakes – among them the Aranui have to tackle arch It’s a relic from the days how many sold their tickets to luxury, simply because the has to give someone a full hardly cuts the mustard. Linwood rugby union and rivals and near neighbours when the All Blacks played The Bald Facts the 2007 RWC final and went Wallabies don’t have the game in the No 7 jersey in rugby league clubs, the Celebration in the rugby three to five tests a season and tiki-touring in France after depth of their Sanzar cousins. case Richie McCaw’s foot East is Best? Woolston Technical football league playoffs to stay alive fielded midweek teams on the All Blacks’ exit in the But, generally speaking, injury flares up in the World team and Sumner rugby. for a shot at the semifinal. But tours. through the bars of their quarterfinals. expecting Tri-Nations coaches Cup playoffs. Tonight would If there’s any justice at Ferrymead Bays are based there would be no more fitting That’s why it took Colin cages? All Blacks assistant-coach to be too transparent in World have been the perfect grassroots sports level then in Redcliffs near a now- winner in these tumultuous Meads 14 years to play 55 We can’t really squeal that Steve Hansen has made it his Cup year, would be like opportunity to give Adam Ferrymead Bays will win the demolished supermarket. times than the Eagles who tests. If the Pinetree was in the Tri-Nations tournament is mantra to mumble that the expecting a poker player to Thomson that opportunity – Mainland premier league Houses still teeter on the cliffs have been sporting cuckoos his prime now, he’d have being undermined. The All only thing that counts this prematurely reveal his hand. and if he didn’t prove up to it football title, New Brighton above and near their Barnett this year – forced to play retired with around 150 caps Blacks took a group into the year is the Rugby World Cup. Graham Henry is being a to draft in a specialist such as will take out the Metro rugby Park home ground. Coach every game away in the other under his belt. 2007 series who were He’s worn a groove in that tad disingenuous over his Matt Todd, a Braid brother or championship and the Aranui Mick Braithwaite’s men seem team’s nest after they lost No-one wants to see test seriously under-done after particular track already and cryptic selections in the a bolter in Southland’s John Eagles will sting the Halswell best placed of the eastern their Wainoni Park caps given away. But all bets taking a sabbatical for the the galling thing is – he’s backrow. He is still pretty Hardie Hornets to become Canter- organisations to emerge homeground to layers of are off in World Cup year. first half of the Super 14 right. prickly about the ‘‘rotation’’ Likewise at No 10. Colin bury rugby league victorious. liquefaction. Does it matter that the campaign. If Peter de Villiers wants to word judging by his snappy Slade did well in his first test champions. Why? Because The odds are longer for And Kaiapoi hardly needs Springboks have 21 players Whether or not the Boks hold back his top talent, let aside to a scribe who used the start there last week but he they’re based in eastern New Brighton, the proud mob any extra motivation to retain recovering in Rustenburg are foxing should have little him. The All Blacks are ‘r’ word before last week’s Fiji needs to be tried there under Christchurch, which bore the from Rawhiti Domain, who their North Canterbury rugby being force-fed biltong impact on Tri-Nations resting key members of their test in Dunedin. Tri-Nations pressure so he’s brunt of the catastrophic are up against High School title. TEAMS CANTERBURY Penney injects experience ■ 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Tony Smith with Maitland at fullback for Canterbury this season, has Manawatu are Canter- Patrick Osborne, 10 Tyler Johnny McNicholl and Willi been released to concentrate bury’s first cross-conference Bleyendaal, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Canterbury coach Rob Heinz back at halfback for on his club coaching duties opponents in the new national Nasi Manu, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Penney has bolstered the red- Mark Swanepoel. with High School Old Boys tournament format. The George Whitelock (captain), and-black ranks with an Penney said experience who play in the Metro Turbos are second in the 5 Ash Parker, 4 Luke injection of experience for was a factor in all selections. division one semifinals today. championship with two wins Romano, 3 Andrew today’s must-win match ‘‘Put aside Telusa [Veainu], With 11 players on All from three games while Olorenshaw, 2 Steve against Manawatu. who’s had one season with us, Blacks duty, Canterbury have Canterbury have slipped to Fualau, 1 Paea Fa’anunu. Crusaders regulars George and Robbie Fruean, who’s had to put out players ‘‘with fourth in the premiership Substitutes: Ben Funnell, Whitelock, Matt Todd, Ryan been around a bit longer but little experience surrounded after the Southland and Nepo Laulala, Dominic Bird, Crotty and Sean Maitland is still only young himself, by people with little experi- Wellington losses. Brendon O’Connor, Mark return after missing the mid- and the other guys [in the ence’’ and the learning curve Penney has plenty of Swanepoel, Takerei Norton, week loss to Wellington and backline against Wellington] has been steep. respect for Manawatu, Robbie Flynn, Sam Cottam. Samoan international Steve collectively had nine caps.’’ But while Penney and co- coached by former New Fualau has his first outing at Paul Ngauamo, coach Tabai Matson have Zealand under-20 head coach MANAWATU hooker this season. Canterbury’s starting hooker gone for more seasoned Dave Rennie. ■ 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Whitelock, Todd and Mait- in the first three ITM Cup performers today, they feel ‘‘Every year, they are a Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 13 land were part of the ill-fated rounds, is not in today’s their tyros will benefit for this tenacious, tough side that Lewis Marshall, 12 Johnny Ranfurly Shield defeat to squad with Fualau in the No 2 season’s exposure. ‘‘They are gives you everything . We Leota, 11 Junior Tomasi Southland a week ago but jersey and Ben Funnell on the intelligent and they are got out of jail against them Cama, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 were rested for the clash in bench. talented and they will be last year and I think they beat Aaron Smith, 8 James the capital after onerous ‘‘Again, that’s an experi- better for it in the long run.’’ us the year before.’’ Oliver, 7 Doug Tietjens, 6 Super Rugby seasons. ence thing,’’ Penney He said the Wellington Penney is mindful Mana- Nick Crosswell (captain), 5 ‘‘Hopefully, they are ready explained. ‘‘Steve Fualau has game had exposed some areas watu – captained by Michael FitzGerald, 4 Reece to go [today],’’ Penney said. been with us for four years where the coaches are hopeful Highlanders loose forward Robinson, 3 David Te ‘‘It’s good to have them back now and he’s been part of a of some improvement today, Nick Crosswell – have two Moana, 2 Rob Foreman, 1 in the mix.’’ couple of special finals.’’ ‘‘particularly our decision- handy halves in Aaron Smith Grant Polson. Substitutes: Crotty will take over at Former All Blacks captain making around our kicking and Aaron Cruden, who ‘‘can 16 Bryn Templeman, 17 second five-eighth from Tom Reuben Thorne, who has gone and our execution of that rip anyone up’’ if they are Jared Brock, 18 Fraser Taylor, who has a calf strain off the bench twice for aspect’’. allowed time and space. Stone, 19 Hamish Gosling, 20 Karl Bryson, 21 Dan Kelly, 22 Casey Stone, 23 Ma’afu Fia. ■ Kickoff: Rugby Park, 2.35pm. ■ Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia). Driving force: Canterbury prop Andrew Olorenshaw will bring vital front-row experience against Manawatu in their Christchurch clash today. Photo: CARYS MONTEATH ‘Ox’ calls for 80-minute effort Tony Smith row, although he was mainly Canterbury’s season is experience [at age-group level, a backup before Peter maintaining their good starts including finals]. Prop Andrew Olorenshaw – Borlase’s departure to Irish until the end. ‘‘But our combinations are one of the ‘‘old’’ hands in the club Munster. ‘‘We were obviously disap- still coming together, and the Canterbury pack – is calling Ox, as he’s affectionately pointed to lose the [Ranfurly] pace of the game is a little for an 80-minute performance known to his team-mates, has Shield in a pretty tough, higher [at ITM Cup level].