Oval Office December 2008

Defence key to Kiwi slam

By Grant Batty

By the time you read this article one predicts that the All Blacks will have completed their third Grand Slam of the Home Unions. Having already claimed the scalps of Scotland, Ireland and Wales one suspects that England will also fall to the Kiwi sword.

Interestingly the All Blacks try line has not been crossed by their first three international opponents on this tour.

History also repeats with the All Blacks encounter against the steel hearted Munster men. Once again Munster almost win, as they have done so often before, only to be denied again by the smallest of margins.

But across the water the Wallabies, who had played out of their skin against England a week before, were like snails in France. Success often hangs off the back of lady luck and the Wallabies surely had their fair share of it when they accepted an18-13 scoreline victory against the French in Paris.

In a kicking display that would be found unacceptable at schoolboy level the French five-eighth David Skrela gifted a victory to the team from Down Under. Aussie coach Robbie Deans claimed the victory was deserved, many onlookers would not be so sure.

If an award is to be made to the player who epitomises the qualities of “absolute commitment to the team cause” let it be awarded immediately to Sebastien Chabal, the long-haired French lock. His commitment is total and as a consequence he is a pleasure to watch and he clearly has the respect of not only his own team mates but of those who oppose him. One cannot seek or be granted a greater honour.

Johnson might need somewhere to hide

English man mountain manager, Martin Johnson will be looking for some big hills to reside in if the All Blacks embarrass the Rose of England as the South Africans did at Twickenham with their 42-6 record drubbing.

Should the All Blacks win by a big margin one suspects that a guillotine may be imported from across the channel to help with some multiple head lopping that will occur within the English camp, perhaps at both a management and player level. Oh how the blood may run through the streets of London!

The English pack was ransacked and the backs preferred to tag their opponents rather than actually tackle them!

Big job ahead for big Martin but given his contribution and standing in the English and international rugby communities you’ve got to hope he can muster the troops and make a fist of restoring English pride!