David EdwardsTri Nations Now In the Hands Of the Visitors
November 5th 2006 11:31
This is how tournaments become interesting, it not the fact of one side dominating competition, or how the two sides strive to become opponents for the cup. What makes an competition exciting is how one simple twist can change it for everyone.
We are seeing an prime example of this in the rugby league Tri Nations tournament. Not only have Australia really set the tone of how to play the game this year, but after the whole ‘granny-gate’ incident and the match over the weekend it is seriously heating up for an exciting race to the final.
For you fans who have unable to grab a newspaper over the weekend, the excitement boiled over on Saturday night when Great Britain were able to upset the dominating Kangaroos and grab victory 23-12. Not only is it only trhe seventh time that the Lions have been able to upset the Kangaroos in the past 35 meetings, but it also means that the Kiwis now have a battle next match.
As a result of the whole Nathan Fien saga, New Zealand were waiting on tenterhooks on how this match was going to pan out. Their whole chance to staying in contention after losing their two points now rested on this. If Australia won, it was going to be victory for all type of competition. Now the Kiwis have an even bigger fight on their hands.
The problem that New Zealand face is that now not only do they have to win against Great Britain in potentially their final game of the season (a point that seems to be the truth with every passing day), but now they have the scary prospect of losing on simply points difference in the chase for the final spot in the competition.
If Australia were able to take the win on Saturday, something that most if not all people were expecting, then it would have resulted in whoever won the next match against New Zealand and Great Britain would automatically be in the final. Now with this new upset throwing the spanner into the works, it now becomes a game of chess, more strategy than brute force.
It seems that the balance of power has twisted to how Great Britain perform. They now have two chances to really take the final spot without actually winning. If the Lions are able to just stay close points wise in both their final games it seems that nothing that the Kiwis can do to stop them from being eliminated from the competition.
But where does that leave Australia? Well other than licking our wounds after the humiliating defeat to the hands of the motherland, it seems that we might actually have a little bit of a fight on our hands. Not only have we let Great Britain get a taste of victory, but now we have to stave them off in our last game before the finals.
Make no guarantees, this is still up for anyone. If the Kiwis dominate in their next game, and the Lions can not keep up with a Kangaroos squad looking for revenge, then it’s the ANZAC test all over again. If Great Britain defeat New Zealand, or stay close to us in the last game before the final, then it will be the rugby’s equivalent of the Ashes.
Just be sure of this, there are a great few games before us. Get prepared all rugby league fans.
Until next time, sports minds.
We are seeing an prime example of this in the rugby league Tri Nations tournament. Not only have Australia really set the tone of how to play the game this year, but after the whole ‘granny-gate’ incident and the match over the weekend it is seriously heating up for an exciting race to the final.
For you fans who have unable to grab a newspaper over the weekend, the excitement boiled over on Saturday night when Great Britain were able to upset the dominating Kangaroos and grab victory 23-12. Not only is it only trhe seventh time that the Lions have been able to upset the Kangaroos in the past 35 meetings, but it also means that the Kiwis now have a battle next match.
As a result of the whole Nathan Fien saga, New Zealand were waiting on tenterhooks on how this match was going to pan out. Their whole chance to staying in contention after losing their two points now rested on this. If Australia won, it was going to be victory for all type of competition. Now the Kiwis have an even bigger fight on their hands.
The problem that New Zealand face is that now not only do they have to win against Great Britain in potentially their final game of the season (a point that seems to be the truth with every passing day), but now they have the scary prospect of losing on simply points difference in the chase for the final spot in the competition.
If Australia were able to take the win on Saturday, something that most if not all people were expecting, then it would have resulted in whoever won the next match against New Zealand and Great Britain would automatically be in the final. Now with this new upset throwing the spanner into the works, it now becomes a game of chess, more strategy than brute force.
It seems that the balance of power has twisted to how Great Britain perform. They now have two chances to really take the final spot without actually winning. If the Lions are able to just stay close points wise in both their final games it seems that nothing that the Kiwis can do to stop them from being eliminated from the competition.
But where does that leave Australia? Well other than licking our wounds after the humiliating defeat to the hands of the motherland, it seems that we might actually have a little bit of a fight on our hands. Not only have we let Great Britain get a taste of victory, but now we have to stave them off in our last game before the finals.
Make no guarantees, this is still up for anyone. If the Kiwis dominate in their next game, and the Lions can not keep up with a Kangaroos squad looking for revenge, then it’s the ANZAC test all over again. If Great Britain defeat New Zealand, or stay close to us in the last game before the final, then it will be the rugby’s equivalent of the Ashes.
Just be sure of this, there are a great few games before us. Get prepared all rugby league fans.
Until next time, sports minds.
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