It wasn't easy to watch, but the Warriors managed to pick up their first win in three weeks - beating the West Tigers in Sydney.

With seven minutes to go, the Warriors led 28-16. But Taniela Tuiaki managed to score two trys to take the score to 28-26 (with the kick to come) but, fortunately for the Warriors, the usually reliable Brett Hodgson missed the conversion giving the [lucky, oh so damn lucky...] Warriors the win.

With Ruben Wiki playing in his 300th NRL game, it was a great way to celebrate the Kiwi legends career.

At times, the Warriors were brilliant (Lance Hohia's try was something special), but they let the Tigers back into the game with some poor defence.

BUT - it's a win, and we'll take it.

The Warriors have the bye next week, so the win puts us only two points out of the top eight. The bye will also give Steve Price and Brent Tate a good rest, after what will no doubt be an epic Origin decider this Wednesday.

The road to the finals isn't going to be easy for the Warriors, with six of their last nine against top eight sides, and needing to win 7/9. But they only need to look at last year to know that anything is possible...

We want to congratulate Wiki on his 300th game, which many people didn't think he'd get too after he was dropped earlier in the year - well done, Wiki.

Here are the other results from the weekend.

Broncos 12 - 12 Panthers
Roosters 24 - 14 Bulldogs
Titans 22 - 26 Dragons
Sea Eagles 28 - 12 Knights
Cowboys 28 - 29 Rabbitohs
Eels 24 - 22 Storm
Raiders vs Sharks (Monday night)

Shane "The Mountain Warrior" Cameron continued his rise in the Heavyweight division on Saturday night, after he scored a TKO against American Kevin "Big Dog" Monty in the fifth round.

Cameron came out the aggressor, and was scoring plenty of body shots on Monty. By the fifth round, Cameron was ready to explode...

Monty was throwing plenty of left jabs, but offered very little with his right, which allowed Cameron to control the fight at his own pace.

It was a smart fight by Cameron, working the body before unleashing some devastating combinations in the fifth round, which ultimately led to the ref stopping the fight.

It was definitely one of the best performances we've seen from Cameron, and perhaps the best news was - he didn't get cut! Although to be fair, Monty didn't really throw enough punches to open him up...

So where to next for the Mountain Warrior?

It's time he got an opportunity to fight a few of the top Heavyweights from around the world, as this is the only way we'll know if he has the skills to fight for the top prize. Although highly unlikely, we'd love to see him step in to the ring against fellow kiwi David Tua.

Now that would be a great fight...

But for now, Cameron will continue to fight (and knock out) whoever they throw in front of him. And if he continues to win, it'll only be a matter of time before he gets a shot at the Heavyweight title.

Go you good thing.

Graham Henry has announced the return of Chris Masoe to the All Blacks squad, replacing the injured Richie McCaw for the upcoming Tri Nations.

Masoe has been playing club rugby since missing out on the All Blacks, but has been selected ahead of rookies Liam Messam and Tanerau Latimer - both of whom have been playing for the New Zealand Maori's.

Henry has selected Masoe because of his experience at Test level, and felt that it wasn't the right time to bring in any more rookies - especially against the Springboks.

"Chris's experience against South Africa and knowledge of our systems mean he's the right choice." - Henry

The other addition to the squad is lock Kevin O'Neill, who will cover Ali Williams if he cannot take the field on Saturday. However, Henry is confident that Ali will be fit and ready to play in his 50th Test.

With Brad Thorn and Anthony Boric both available, it's hard to see O'Neill playing this weekend.

Strange thing about O'Neill's selection - Henry said he didn't think the time was right to bring in anymore rookies. Yet O'Neill gets the nod ahead of Jason Eaton and Ross Filipo, both of whom have played for the All Blacks, and have far more experience than O'Neill.

Yeah - we can't figure that one out either...

It seems as though Eaton has fallen out of favour with Henry, which is unfortunate as New Zealand needs all the locks it can get right now. Jason Eaton should be in the All Black's, and should have been since the beginning of their campaign.

While McCaw is a huge loss, the All Black's showed against England that they can perform around the ruck without him. We believe the loose forwards should be So'oialo at No. 8, Thomson at blindside, Masoe at openside and Kaino on the bench.

The Springboks are a very physical side, and the All Blacks will need to be at the top of their game if they are to out-muscle them in the forwards. The All Black's best weapon is their speed, which Thomson and Masoe will be able to utilise around the field. Whatever happens this Saturday, the one thing we know for sure is that it will be the All Black's toughest Test so far this year.

Don't miss it.

Saying that supporting the Black Caps is like riding a roller-coaster would be a huge understatement. It's actually more like riding an out-of-control rocket.

Sure, they can come alarmingly close to crashing down to earth - but they head for the stars at times, too.

And to the stars they went last night, with their 3-1 ODI series victory over England. Heading into game two of the ODI leg, it would be another understatement to say that New Zealand were on the back foot. They got a whipping in the Test series, were soundly beaten in the 20/20, and then got absolutely hammered in the first One Dayer.

Momentum was with England and, whilst New Zealand were always a chance, the series was there for the taking.

But this is where New Zealand are comfortable - down-and-out, complete underdogs given no chance of victory. And woe-betide the team that underestimates them in that situation.

Which, of course, is exactly what England did. And woe did betide them.

The rain disrupted much of the flow of Game Two but, whilst the game was still well up in the air, New Zealand stole back a lot of the momentum England had amassed during the rest of the tour. We weren't in the majority camp that decided New Zealand would have won given one more over of play, but we do agree that New Zealand were well in it. And that's more than we could say for the 20/20 and first ODI - momentum had definitely swung back towards being even.

Game Three, and New Zealand surprised us. Given the time differences between England and New Zealand, live coverage starts here in New Zealand at about 9:30pm. So, when the lights go off here in the Attic, the games are generally one innings old.

So when the Attic wrapped things up in the 3rd ODI, New Zealand had been bowled out for 182 and the momentum we had wrestled back looked to be gone. Come the morning news, however, and we were wrong - New Zealand (via young Southee) had bowled England out for 160, and had levelled the series 1-1.

Game Four was almost ruined by controversy, with Grant Elliot being (in our humble opinion) ridiculously given out after being injured in a mid-pitch collision with Ryan Sidebottom. Collingwood was given every chance to offer Elliot his wicket back, and chose not to.

Who knows? Maybe justice will come back to haunt him, and he'll get suspended for 4 games due to a pathetically slow over rate. Ha ha.

So Collingwood went, and Game Five came - with Pietersen at the helm. New Zealand scored 266, which was solid but not stunning. England should have backed themselves to chase it, but they didn't even get close. Starts from Bell, Cook and Bopara weren't cashed in on, and Shah couldn't quite turn his solid innings into an excellent one. Skipper Pietersen managed only 6, and in doing so lost Ian Botham a considerable sum of money. We're not actually sure how much he lost - in fact, he may not have lost anything at all. But he might have.

You didn't really think he'd top score with that added pressure did you, Beefy?

England fell for 215, and New Zealand finished their tour with a comfortable 51-run win, and the ODI series trophy.

What an amazing, underdog-style turnaround victory for New Zealand.

But in such a typical manner. At the end of the Test Series, we said that an ODI series victory would not be enough - and we stand by that. We're done with winning One Dayer's, but not being able to transfer those skills to Tests. We're done with the excuse of lacking 'experience' levels. And we're done with finishing the series on a high, but looking back at the Test's with red faces.

What should have happened in this series? Well, the Black Caps should have capitalised on the strong positions they constantly gained in the Tests, and should have won that leg of the tour. They should have won the 20/20, too.

Had they done that, England would have been demolished in the One Dayers, and New Zealand would be flying home with a complete series victory - something that's far to foreign to New Zealand Cricket historians and record keepers.

We love the Black Caps, and we love winning from an underdog position. But New Zealand are not underdogs anymore, and we shouldn't be treated as such. We should be seen as the third or fourth best side in the world, and if we're beaten by teams below that ranking - well, then we've failed. New Zealand's Test ranking has to come up to where they sit on the ODI table - or at least close to that. 7th is well below par, and for a team that consistently has the goods for 50 overs...

It's time for a new coach. There's no other explanation, and we believe that until Bracewell goes, this one-sided, unbalanced trend will continue.

Damn good turn-around though, lads. Damn good.

So -the All Blacks Assistant Coach, Steve Hansen, is contemplating stepping down - with his eyes fixed on the vacant Crusaders job, which is still up for grabs.

Hansen has experience coaching in Canterbury, leading them to two NPC championships in 1997 and 2001, before heading to Wales to coach their national side in 2002 and 2003.

After coaching Wales in the 2003 World Cup, Hansen joined Graham Henry and Wayne Smith as an Assistant Coach of the All Blacks. Now, though, it seems that he has aspirations to coach the All Blacks after the 2011 World Cup.

With so many of our top coaches now working overseas, Hansen sees the opportunity of coaching the All Blacks beyond 2011 as a very real possibility.

Coaching the Crusaders would be a great opportunity for Hansen to develop his own coaching skills, and really - what better place to do it than with the seven-time champs?

Todd Blackadder has been rumoured to be in the running for an Assistant job under Hansen, as has Aussie Maclean. Blackadder would make a great deputy, as he has strong ties to the region and would help some of the die-hard Robbie Deans fans accept the idea of Hansen coaching in Canterbury (Hansen's links to Henry may well make him unpopular down south...).

Blackadder has also been linked with Mark Hammet, who Deans believed should be the next Crusaders coach - but we think it would be better for him to join Hansen's team, as Hammet's coaching credentials are limited.

While Hansen has not officially put his hand up, the chances of him leaving the All Blacks environment are high. If he is successful in his bid, he may leave the All Blacks after the Tri Nations to concentrate on the Crusaders role, missing the end of year tour to the Northern Hemisphere.

Of course, Hansen would love to keep his role with the All Blacks, too - but you can't have your cake and eat it, can you?

For the past three weeks, we've watched the All Blacks play under some very average refereeing (more so the English and Welsh refs than the South African...), and it's raised the question over whether or not the video ref should have more say.

And it doesn't just happen in rugby - it happens in every sport.

So with all the technology available, why shouldn't the video ref be able to reverse wrong calls?

We understand that ref's are human, and are therefore prone to error from time to time - but so often those errors affect the outcome of a match.

In a case where the ref has made the wrong decision, should the video ref be able to make a call before any action is taken? After all, they have the advantage of seeing replays that the ref does not.

This year in the NRL, the ref's have been allowed to go upstairs to check on whether a ball has been knocked on or stripped - and it has been extremely effective in making sure the right call is made.

And in cricket, the third umpire has a major role in making sure the right call is made - in relation to run-outs and stumpings, as well as checking on whether catches have been grounded.

And the system (as much as it is allowed to) works.

So why then do we have to suffer poor refereeing in rugby? Especially when the ref has two touch judges (or 'assistant referees') to help him - if they can't get it right, the video ref should be allowed to step in and make sure the correct call is made.

We don't think the ref should check on all his calls - that would be ridiculous - but rather, if a penalty is given that shouldn't be (and the touchy's miss it), then the video ref should step in and say, "Hey - you got it wrong, here's what happened".

We certainly think Richie McCaw would appreciate it...

A lot of people think it will slow the game down too much, but it doesn't take much for a video ref to tell the on-field ref that he got it wrong, especially as they're wired up together.

We understand that refereeing isn't easy, especially at the highest level - but we can't stand seeing the ref make constant errors that effect the game.

It's not a case of it happening once in a blue moon - it's happening on a regular basis, and it's time to make a change.

If the technology is there, use it!

There's only one more week until the Origin decider, and after Queensland demolished NSW in Game Two it's no surprise that they've named an unchanged lineup for Game Three.

Cameron Smith will once again captain the side in Darren Lockyer's absence.

Queensland head into the decider as heavy favourites, but it won't be easy for them - especially playing at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, which has not been a happy hunting ground for them.

Still, after the 30-0 thrashing of NSW in Game Two they'll be confident they can pull off a win in enemy territory.

Here's how they line up:

1. Karmichael Hunt
2. Israel Falou
3. Brent Tate
4. Greg Inglis
5. Darius Boyd
6. Scott Prince
7. Jonathan Thurston
8. Petro Civoniceva
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Steve Price
11. Michael Crocker
12. Ashley Harrison
13. Dallas Johnson

Interchange: Nate Myles, Ben Hannant, Billy Slater, Sam Thaiday.


NSW will be without several key playmakers, with Peter Wallace, Greg Bird and Mark Gasnier all out with injuries. All three were inspirational in Game One, leading NSW to an 18-10 victory. They are massive losses heading into the decider...

Craig Bellamy has decided to go with Roosters halves Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pierce, who will make his debut. Anasta has played Origin footy before, and will be looking to take his recent good form into the do or die match.

At only 19, Pierce has developed into a solid halfback, and has been a key player for the Roosters this year. He has a great kicking game, which NSW will need if they're to put Queensland under any sort of pressure. It's a huge gamble by the NSW selectors, but the youngster certainly has the goods to step up to the big time.

The other debutant for NSW is Joel Monaghan, who replaces Gasnier at center. Monaghan has been knocking on the Origin door for a few years now, and finally gets his chance with Gasnier's injury. They're massive boots to fill, especially as he'll find himself marking Greg Inglis - and he was devastating in Game Two.

Both Jarryd Hayne and Ben Cross come back into the team after missing Game Two, which means Steve Simpson and Steve Turner (thank goodness...) drop out of the team. Turner had a shocker on debut, and really didn't deserve another shot. Simpson makes way for Cross, who will bolster the front row.

Here's how NSW will look:

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jarryd hayne
3. Joel Monaghan
4. Matt Cooper
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Braith Anasta
7. Mitchell Pierce
8. Willie Mason
9. Danny Buderus (c)
10. Brent White
11. Ryan Hoffman
12. Craig Fitzgibbon
13. Paul Gallen

Interchange: Ben Cross, Kurt Gidley, Anthony Tupou, Anthony Laffranchi

NSW are going to have to step up if they are to pose any threat to the rampant Queenslanders, but in all reality it's hard to see Queensland dropping Game Three - even if it is in Sydney.

Whatever happens, it should be a great finish to what has been a fantastic Origin series.

We're not at all biased, but - Go The Blues!

The Attic team would like to offer their sincere condolences to Glenn McGrath and his family, following the death of his wife, Jane.

Jane passed away at the age of 42, after a long battle with cancer. Jane leaves behind Glenn and their two children, James and Holly.

Jane was a strong advocate in the fight against breast cancer and, along with Glenn, established the McGrath Foundation to help raise money for the fight.

The Australian cricket team will honor Jane by wearing pink ribbons, which represents the McGrath Foundation, and using pink handles on their bats, during their one-day International against the West Indies on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting :- "Jane was a wonderful person who fought and maintained dignity during her long-term illness."

"She was a tremendous mother to James and Holly, and shared a very special and deep relationship with Glenn in the time they had together."

She will be dearly missed by the Australian Cricket community...

The NRL have also paid their respects to Jane, by having a minute's silence before yesterday's games. They also raised around 21 thousand dollars for the McGrath Foundation.

We offer Glenn and his family our deepest sympathy, and wish them all the best in the future.

Jane McGrath - 1966-2008

Well, it now definitely looks as though the All Black's will be without Richie for at least the first four games of the Tri Nations, leaving a huge gap in their loose forwards.

Rodney So'oialo will captain the side in his absence - but the biggest concern is over who will take his place.

Potentially, So'oialo could move back to the flanks with Jerome Kaino returning to number 8, but So'oialo is not a specialist open side - and that could leave us very vulnerable.

If Graham Henry looks to bring in a specialist, his options are limited - Daniel Braid suffered an injury while playing for the New Zealand Maori side, and Chris Masoe (whilst having experience at Test level) has been limited to club rugby for the past few weeks. He may not be conditioned to the step up.

In our minds, Liam Messam should be brought in. While he is relatively inexperienced, he definitely has some great skills. We thought he was unlucky to miss out when the squad was named, but this could be the opening he needs...

Henry will also be looking to bring in someone to cover Ali Williams, who looks set to miss the first Test against South Africa. His options are Jason Eaton (playing well for the Maori's...), Tom Donnelly, and Ross Filipo.

We think Eaton is the man for the job, having experience, and the ability to cover in the loose forwards.

We hope McCaw can recover quickly...he's one of our greatest assets, and will be sorely missed around the ruck.

But, it is a good chance for the other loosey's to step up and show our depth...go to it, lads.

The All Blacks have moved to 3-0 for the year, as they once again demolished the English defence on their way to a convincing 44-12 win.

It was a much stronger effort than the week before, and while there are still a few things to work on, they're at least moving in the right direction with the Tri Nations opener only two weeks away.

But the win didn't come without a heavy price. Both Richie McCaw and Ali Williams left the field early in the first half, both with what appear to be ankle injuries. The full extent is not known yet (we'll update you as soon as we find out), but they early prognosis is that Richie may miss 6 weeks - which is terrible news for the All Blacks.

The All Blacks continued to improve their attacking game, and made the English backs pay for some weak defence for the second week running.

Richard Kahui had an outstanding debut, both on attack and on defence, and scored the game's opening try. It really was a great effort from Kahui, and now puts a lot of pressure on Conrad Smith for the center position - although we expect to see Smith back in the #13 jersey for South Africa Test.

Still, nothing like a bit of healthy competition...

Dan Carter continued his fine form, and was a real handful on attack. What is often overlooked with Carter, though, is his defence - which is absolutely fantastic for a first five. He's everywhere, and makes tackles all over the field. And, he's not afraid to mix it with some of the bigger forwards.

He scored a try (through some terrible defence, admittedly) and finished the night with 22 points - and a perfect 7/7 with the boot.

The other notable mention goes to Adam Thomson, who made a big impact around the ruck, especially with McCaw off injured. Thomson got himself involved wherever he could, and was unlucky not to be awarded a try late in the game - he's has been a great find for the All Blacks.

Brad Thorn had another great night, and was outstanding in the lineouts - which were greatly improved on from last week. That's good news heading into the games against the Springboks, who are lineout masters.

Anthony Boric also got some game time with Williams leaving the field, which will do his confidence the world of good.

England had their moments, but were ultimately let down by poor defence and discipline in the rucks. For the second week running Mike Tindall found himself in the sin bin, which cost his team a try late in the second half.

Their only standout player (to us, anyway...) was half back Danny Care, who should some real pace around the field - especially his quick taps, which kept the All Blacks back peddling.

In the end New Zealand ran away with game, and showed a much better performance from last week.

South Africa will almost certainly provide a much tougher opponent in two weeks, though, so there'll be no relaxing yet.

Hopefully Williams (and McCaw, but that's sounding extremely unlikely...) will get over his injury in quick time, because he'll be sorely missed if he can't take the field.

Game Summary:

All Blacks 44
(Kahui, Carter, Nonu, Luaki, Cowan - trys)
(Carter (3 pen, 4 con), Donald (1 con)).
England 12
(Care, Varndell - trys)
(Barkley (1 con)).

New Zealand got smashed in the first One Day International against England, and were robbed through pathetic old-school regulations in the second.

But so what?

It's a 5-match series, and New Zealand are down 1-0 with 3 to play. In a situation like that, what would Australia be saying?

If you think they'd be talking about being robbed, you're wrong. They'd move on very quickly. Given 3 games left, they'd be focusing on winning the series - and probably would win. They'd be looking forward, not back.

New Zealand cricket have an attitude problem, and we're sure it stems from Bracewell. We've said it time and again, but we have some spectacularly talented players in this current Black Caps side, and the team as a whole has serious potential. We should not have to complain about being robbed - we should be winning anyway.

England's One Day side is, after years of complete 'averageness', starting to perform again. But New Zealand is 3rd in the world at ODI's - and for good reason. They should not be losing to this England side, and should not have to moan when they 'come close'

Which, of course, is rubbish anyway. Close? Needing 7 off 1 over in gloomy, damp conditions? Close? Being a single wicket, potentially 1 ball, away from losing? We'd hardly call that close. What we'd call that is balanced - it could have gone either way.

Sure, New Zealand had a good chance of winning the match. But so did England - where were their complaints of not going 2-up in the series?

Strauss has been called in to cover the struggling Cook, and will be rubbing his hands together having clocked up some serious runs against this New Zealand side - first in New Zealand, and he now continues that in this series in England. Sidebottom is still struggling, and may well miss his second game in a row.

Oram is out again for New Zealand - a huge blow to the balance of the side, and yet another missed match for the big all rounder. You're a fantastic player, Jake, but you're not much use to us in the changing sheds...

Mark Gillespie will replace Mason, who will probably be relieved to not have to bowl against young Luke Wright again. Gillespie has always been an interesting prospect for New Zealand - he can be terribly, terribly wayward, but he has an extra yard of pace than the other New Zealand bowlers, and offers a different dimension to the attack.

And he'll need it, too - Bristol is an historically high scoring ground, and if Wright can get away at the top of the order...New Zealand had better hold their breath. The bowling in this series has been average at best, and if England's openers can lay the platform for guys like Pietersen, Bopara, Shah, Mascarenhas and Broad...

McCullum, though, always keeps New Zealand in it. He batted well in the last game, and is the biggest threat to England's chances of taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

So, sports fans - who's going to take this out? In the past, we'd have backed New Zealand 100%. The lack-lustre performances with both bat and ball in recent times, though, have got us wondering - how much will our rankings drop between now and when Bracewell leaves?

Come on, New Zealand - please prove us wrong.

It's been along time coming for Celtics supporters. 22 years, in fact.

But as of Wednesday, the Boston Celtics are the NBA Champions - and boy, did they win it in style.

With the series at 3-2 to Boston, there was no way they were going to let the Lakers take it to game seven. And, with the home crowd behind them, they never let the Lakers into the game.

This was always going to be their night, and by the end of the game the 131-92 scoreline showed just how much the NBA Championship meant to them.

Not since 1986 have the Celtics won the Title, and for guys like Paul Peirce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen it was important to stamp their own names into Celtics history - and the 4-2 series win does just that.

Garnett and Allen finished the game with 26 points each, while Pierce finished with 17 points and the MVP award for the Championship series.

The Lakers were unable to fire as the Celtics defence shut them down all over the court. Kobe Bryant top scored for LA with 22 points, but amazingly he only managed to hit 7/22 shots. For the NBA's MVP, thats a bad night at the office.

With the success of the Boston Red Socks and the New England Patriots over the past few years, Celtics fans can finally add their NBA team to the list of winners.

Celtic pride has, at long last, returned.

It was only recently that we said that Graham Henry appeared to be moving on from his rotation system, and after selecting the same team (with the exception of one forced change) for the first two Tests, it appeared to be true.

But, much to our dismay, Henry has come out and made four changes for the second Test against the English this weekend. There goes the 'no rotation' theory.

The most perplexing change sees Conrad Smith dropped for debutant Richard Kahui in the centers. Smith's combination with Nonu in the midfield has been fantastic in the opening two Tests, which has been a huge relief after all of the concerns over the midfield at the start of the year.

Why change it, Henry? Why?

We don't have a problem with Kahui getting game time, but his time should come off the bench. He certainly has the talent to play at the highest level, but Smith and Nonu need as much time together before the Tri Nations. Two Tests? Not enough.

Smith must be wondering what he has to do to cement his place in the team. He has been one of the standout players so far, and then to get dropped...

It just doesn't make sense to us. Tired after two Tests? We think not.

We have all heard Henry say he wants depth at the highest level, but when you have systems in place that are working well - don't change them, Henry! Change the things that aren't working.

Now, Nonu has to develop a new combination with Kahui, while Smith gets to watch from the sidelines. Crazy, crazy, crazy...

The other changes - Adam Thomson is in for Jerome Kaino, Rudi Wolf will make his debut in place of Anthony Tuitavake, and Leon MacDonald replaces Mils Muliaina at fullback.

Kaino had a strong game against England, and must be in the same frame of mind as Smith as to his replacement. Thomson is the kind of player that won't let you down but, just like Kahui, we feel he should be playing from the bench at the moment.

Tuitavake was relatively quiet in the first two Tests, but his defence was brilliant against England. Like the other players, he needs time to find his feet at Test level - especially heading into the Tri Nations.

Unfortunately, Henry has decided he needs a rest...of course.

We don't believe any of these players will do a bad job - we just feel it's time to start playing the best team every week.

The time will come for these young players to get their opportunity, simply due to the nature of International Rugby. There will always be injuries and drops in form, and this is the time to bring in replacements - not when guys are in good form. In Smith's case, the best form of his career...

Still, it's early days yet, and hopefully Henry will stick with his best side for the Tri Nations. We're not holding our breath, but only time will tell.

Ahhh, the Warriors.

For a team with so much potential, they just can't seem to put together any sort of consistency. After 13 rounds, they're sitting in 14th - only the Cowboys and Rabbitohs are below them on the table.

It's not good enough for a team that finished fourth last year...

With only five wins so far this season, it's time for their players to step up - and if they can't, then the club bosses need to start thinking about letting some of them go. Too many of them are playing well below what they're capable of - we know they can outplay any side when they're on fire. Why else would we keep loyally following the Warriors?

It would be easy to make excuses - we lost Wade McKinnon before the season started, and Steve Price has missed a lot of the season through injury. But, at the end of the day, we have a lot of talent at the club, and not enough senior players are taking the lead.

Michael Luck, Brent Tate, Ian Henderson and Simon Mannering seem to be the only ones who are giving it everything week-in week-out, and four players just cannot carry the whole team.

Guys like Grant Rovelli, Sam Rapira, Epalahame Luaki, Patrick Ah Van and Michael Crockett all need to start stepping up. They've been at the club long enough now, and they need to start showing us something better. If these youngsters can't perform every week, there are plenty of other players who would love to play in the top grade - and it's time they got their chance.

It's time the club started putting pressure on these players to perform. If someone is not consistent at the top level, then they need to find someone who will be - simple, really. It's not rocket science - there are plenty of players in the NRL who are available, and more and more of them are looking at the Warriors as a potential club to sign with.

The club also needs to start thinking about signing some experienced players to replace the likes of Ruben Wiki and Wairangi Koopu, who are both leaving at the end of the season. The money these two free up will allow the club to shop around and get some solid players - not just rookies.

Grant Rovelli should be nervous about his future at the Warriors. His efforts this year have not been consistent enough for the level required in the NRL - he has the potential, but just seems to lack that killer instinct that great halves have and need.

Watch out for Issac Johns - he's showcasing a lot of skills in the under 20's competition, and is one to watch in the next couple of years. The under 20's is unearthing a heap of future stars who would just love the chance to play in the first grade, and some of the senior guys should be watching their backs.

It's not quite time to hit the panic button, but it's certainly getting close. There is more than enough talent at the Warriors to be a serious threat, but at the moment things just aren't going to plan...

We still believe they can salvage something out of their season, but with only thirteen weeks left they have to start now. If they can just find some consistency (and we don't mean consistently losing - they've already shown that doesn't really work...) they could make a push for the top eight.

So before you lose hope in the Warriors, just remember last year.

At the end of 2007, New Zealand saw many of our top All Blacks leave our shores to play for big money in the European competitions.

Carl Hayman, Chris Jack, Luke McCallister, Aaron Mauger and, most recently, Jerry Collins (although he hasn't officially signed with a club) have all decided to take money over the All Black jersey. It's a worrying trend for New Zealand rugby fans, and with the NZRU being unable to match the money on offer in Europe and Japan, it's a major concern that needs to be sorted - quickly.

And they may have found the answer - in what's being called, the 'Sabbatical Clause'.

The Sabbatical Clause gives players the option to earn money overseas during the Super 14 competition, and is a small price to pay to keep our best players in the black jersey for as long as possible.

Both Dan Carter and Richie McCaw have both just resigned with the NZRU until the end of 2011, which is fantastic news for the All Blacks. They will both be allowed to go overseas to play when not playing for the All Blacks, which means they can earn big money while still staying loyal to New Zealand.

And what club wouldn't want them - even on a short term deal? Most European clubs wouldn't think twice about offering them big money, even if it's only to play for five or six months.

It's a great move by the NZRU, and it will hopefully keep our top players in New Zealand for longer. Already, players like Rodney So'oialo, Sitivini Sivivatu, Ali Williams, Kevin Mealamu, Mils Muliaina and Tony Woodcock have expressed a keen interest to sign on until the end of 2011, just as Carter and McCaw have.

Dan and Richie have shown that even in the age of professionalism, there is still room for loyalty - and they're clearly inspiring their team mates to think the same way.

The NZRU should be doing everything they can to keep these players in New Zealand, and the Sabbatical Clause is the best way to offer them the best of both worlds.

With our top players showing commitment to the All Blacks, the next generation will look a lot closer at staying in New Zealand. The Sabbatical should really be seen as a reward for our best players, and to those who have shown a commitment to the black jersey.

While it's unrealistic to think we can stop the player exodus in it's tracks, by rewarding our best players we may just reduce the flow. We commend the NZRU for the work they've done to keep Carter and McCaw - they might not always make the best choices, but in this case they really, really have.

Now, NZRU - make sure you damn well keep hold of the rest of them...

After the All Black's had to grind out a tough win against the Irish in atrocious playing conditions, it was great to see them fire a few shots against the English on Saturday night. While the performance was by no means perfect (they pretty much went to sleep in the last twenty minutes...) it's a good confidence booster for the team as they look towards the Tri Nations next month.

England came out firing on all cylinders, and looked to out muscle the All Black forwards - which they actually did for the first ten minutes. But after that initial burst, the momentum began to swing in New Zealand's favour, and they punished some poor English defence and discipline.

The All Black backline was outstanding on attack, and made the English defence look average - at best. Ma'a Nonu was on top of his game against the weak defence, and his distributing skills showed us that he's developing into a very good second-five. In the past, he'd have tried to do everything himself - but he showed us on Saturday that he's working hard on his game. His combination with Conrad Smith is strong, and they are looking like our best midfield pair.

Conrad Smith, Sitivini Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina and Dan Carter all scored for the All Blacks, while Carter had a great night with the boot, kicking 7/7.

Topsy Ojo scored England's two tries, both of which were opportunistic (but well taken, nonetheless...). Speaking of Topsy Ojo - have you voted on his name, yet?

The All Black forwards were not at their best, and really struggled in the lineouts - both Andrew Hore and Kevin Mealamu have some work to do on their throwing skills. The English were far from their best, too, giving away a lot of penalties in the ruck, and Andy Sheridan was sin-binned late in the first half.

Anthony Boric and Stephen Donald both made their debuts off the bench, but didn't really get the time to show us much. Sione Luaki didn't have the best night when he came on - his ball carrying was poor, and he made some pretty basic errors in the short time he was on the field.

The ref was average (again...) and made some bizarre calls against both sides. Why can't the Northern hemisphere ref's call open-style games? We'd rather see Stu Dickinson ref than another Brit - what does that tell you?

It was a good 60 minute performance by the All Blacks, but they'll need to work hard on staying in the game for the full 80 - especially when it comes to Australia and South Africa, who you can't afford to go to sleep against, even for a minute.

If they'd stayed awake for this game...well, the The All Black's could have put fifty points on the English.

In the end, the 37-20 score line was impressive, but we'll be expecting to see a better, complete 80 minute performance in Christchurch on Saturday night.

New Zealand Cricket - what is going on?

Ranked at #3 in the world in One Day Internationals, there is just no excuse for the shocking display we've seen from them in the past few weeks. We're sitting here in the Attic shaking our heads, desperately trying to figure out where things have gone wrong - and why...

The series against England started so promisingly for the Black Caps. Yes, the first game was rain affected - but that hasn't stopped New Zealand losing in the past. We actually held on for a solid draw in that First Test, and deservedly headed into the second match level-pegging with England.

In the First Test, New Zealand scored 546 runs in total, and lost 16 wickets. Not only is the total number across both innings respectable, but it's consistent.

They scored 277 in the first innings (not great, but you can work with it...), and were 269/6 in the second. With Vettori and Flynn at the crease, New Zealand were looking likely to exceed 600 runs in the match. Nothing to knock your socks off, but from a New Zealand Cricket fan's perspective - well, you wouldn't complain, put it that way.

And then...well, it would be unfair to say that the wheels fell off the Black Cap's wagon. To be accurate, we really need to describe what happened in terms of numbers - that is, the number of splinters left after the wagon exploded in a spectacular cloud of smoke, dust and fire. And low scores. And low wicket hauls. And dropped catches. The numbers, to be frank, are just scary.

The Second Test started extremely well for New Zealand. A first innings total of 381 was more than solid, and Taylor's 154 not out was absolutely stunning. There were positives in the opening department, too, with How putting a smile on our faces for the first time since Mark Richardson (a.k.a The Wall a.k.a Defense, Defense a.k.a Pretty Boring, Really, But Damn Solid) retired.

The bowling started well, too. Vettori lead from the front taking a five-for, and England were bundled out for a paltry 202 - 179 runs behind New Zealand, and the prospect of an in-form Vettori on a crumbling pitch.

We've mentioned the exploding-wagon-thing - there really is no other way to describe it, and this was the turning point of the series. New Zealand relinquished control, lay down on the ground, and let England get stuck in to them.

England, after being bowled out for 202, summoned the mental toughness to come out and bowl with excellent discipline and control - and bundled New Zealand out for 114.

114.

114.

It doesn't matter how many times we say it here in the Attic - we just can't get our head around it. That one score, and the whole series went. How top-scored with 29 - what more can we say?

England still needed 292 to win, and the media had New Zealand placed as favourites. We even thought New Zealand would do it. But we forgot one small detail - that mental toughness England had earlier displayed? Well, apparently New Zealand have none of it. They had runs to defend, a bowler-friendly pitch (despite the heavy roller) to do it on...and yet they managed just 4 wickets.

Danny - what happened?? 1/111 just isn't good enough - and from the captain, no less.

Strauss batted himself into imperious form, and Pietersen, Bell and Collingwood all had valuable knocks. Chasing 294 in the fourth innings of a game, and doing it with ease - there aren't too many better ways of re-instilling confidence in a shaky batting lineup.

And re-instill it did. Test Three, and England strolled out and scored 364 - Pietersen helping himself to a hundred, and Ambrose and Broad scoring half centuries. O'Brien bowled well to take 4 wickets, but the early pressure the New Zealand bowlers applied was let go - England's middle-lower order adding 166 valuable runs, demoralising New Zealand even further.

And their fans. Don't forget us.

To be fair, when New Zealand walked out to bat, they did do better than their miserable 114 in their previous outing. They blasted 123 in this innings, potentially putting their batting demons to rest. There were plenty of highlights - Redmond grafted out a single, and McCullum was at his blistering best during his 8 minute stay. Flynn got a duck, but he did last 3 balls - and that's better than lasting 2. All of Oram's hard-hitting skills were on display during his 7 runs, walking of with a strike-rate of 26.92, and a job well done. Chris Martin finished not out, but unfortunately couldn't get off the mark. Unusual, but it can't all be positive.

After New Zealand had compiled their 123, Vaughan decided that a lead of 241 was enough to enforce the follow-on. A risk, you say? No, no - not against New Zealand. 232 runs later, New Zealand had lost their 20th wicket, and the match by an innings and 9 runs.

So much for all the work they put in for that 123.

So - 2-nil to England, and a hugely emphatic win to close off the Test series.

We'd like to be positive, and say that there are things New Zealand will have learned from the loss. But we honestly don't think they will. The problem is, there's talent within this Black Caps unit. A heap of it. Jamie How has an excellent career ahead of him, and will fight for his wicket with his life. Ross Taylor is reckless, but showed what he can do when he gets it right, and the middle-lower order batting has always been strong.

And we don't even need to mention McCullum - the best wicket-keeper/batsmen in World Cricket right now.

Vettori is a world-class spinner, and Tim Southee has shown a heap of potential. He has real talent with the ball, and showed (when England were in New Zealand) that he'll fight to the end - even if it has to be with the bat.

But they won't learn, because what they need is application. Daniel Vettori said so himself after the Test Series loss - you need 4 or 5 guys to stand up and perform to win a test, not just 1 or 2 - and that's what has happened. The odd good performance, mixed in with some really, really bad ones, and a complete lack of concentration and determination.

John Bracewell won't be helping. He's stated his intention to leave, and in doing so has forced New Zealand cricket into a holding pattern. He's not doing the job, and yet the team can't move on to bigger and, potentially, better things because, incredibly, he's still there.

Why? Stand down, John. Do The Black Cap's (and all of their fans...) a favour - move on, and let us get on with a new regime. Admit that things haven't gone well, and clear out so that someone else can give it a shot. 3rd in the world at ODI's isn't bad - but at what cost? If anything, New Zealand's performances in Tests are getting worse. With the talent available to New Zealand Cricket, there's no way they should be performing so badly in Tests.

And what of 20/20's? A side that prides themselves on their success in ODI's should surely be able to make the transition to the 20 over game. And yet - 7 losses in a row, the latest one being the 9-wicket (nine...) loss to England. You can't tell us that's not a coaching issue...

So, New Zealand Cricket - where to now? We in the Attic will not be satisfied with an ODI Series win from here - that just will not fly any more. We can accept that there was a period where New Zealand cricket suffered after the loss of some of their big names, but it's not an excuse any more. The players coming in have shown that they're more than capable of performing - the best is just not being drawn from them consistently enough.

We've heard a lot of talk about long re-building periods - and quite frankly, it's rubbish. New Zealand and England are very similar sides on paper right now, and have similar amounts of talent at their disposal. New Zealand have a far better wicketkeeper-batsmen, and a better spinner in Vettori. The batting line-ups are fairly evenly matched, with a slight edge going to England, just for the sake of experience. Having said that, New Zealand bat deeper than England.

So why the complete white-wash? And why the shockingly bad loss in the 20/20, after all the talk of switching to New Zealand's preferred format - the shorter version of the game? Well, it doesn't get much shorter than 20 overs - so why so poor?

So many questions have been raised in the Attic this past week or so, and we keep coming back to the same conclusion - Bracwell must go. NOW.

That, and someone should invent 1-over cricket. As long as the Black Caps continue to sustain their performance for 12 deliveries, they'd be in with a shot.

Anyone who thought a home ground advantage didn't count for much these days should try telling that to the Queensland Origin side.

After a less-than-impressive Game One, Queensland knew they had to step up in front of 52,000 screaming supporters. Or, as Willie Mason called them, "nutbag rednecks".

And step up they did. Wouldn't you, after being called a nutbag?

Queensland came out with such intensity that they never looked like losing. Their defence was unrelenting, and they kept NSW down in their own half. It was a complete turn around from what we saw in Game One. This time, it was NSW who were unable to fire a shot.

It took only 7 minutes before Greg Inglis broke the line to set up Darius Boyd for the first points of the night, and the trend of rookies scoring on debut continues. Jonathan Thurston converted to give the Maroons an early six-nil lead.

The Queensland attack was unstoppable all night, with veterans Steve Price and Petro Civoniceva leading the way up front. Price played a staggering 50 minutes before having a rest - not bad for an old timer.

They laid the platform for Thurston and Scott Prince to attack from...

Boyd scored his second try in the 21st minute after Inglis made another bust out wide. It was only three weeks ago when Mark Gasnier was doing the same thing to Queensland - it's funny how players lift in front of their own fans.

After a string of penalties, the score at half time was 16-0. NSW looked completely shell shocked as the headed into the break, and the second half wasn't going to get any easier for them...

In the 64th minute Ben Hannant wrestled his way across the line for his first try in Origin, Thurston converted, and the score was 24-0. The Queensland crowd were becoming more and more deafening as their side ran away with the game.

A final try to Israel Falou in the 68th minute proved to be the final nail in the NSW coffin. The final score - 30-0 to the rampant Queenslanders.

They had completely dominated the NSW pack in every facet of the game. Inglis was an absolute standout, and received the man of the match award - deservedly so. His battle against Mark Gasnier is worth the price of admission alone...

Brent Tate played a fantastic game and was a tackling machine, making 33 tackles (an incredible amount for a center) and again showing that his rep career is nowhere near over...

NSW looked completely out of sorts against the attack of Queensland. Debutant winger Steve Turner had a shocker of a night - he looked out of his depth on the big stage, and we can't help but feel his selection had a lot to do with Craig Bellamy being his club coach. He would be extremely lucky to retain his position for the deciding game, especially if Jarryd Hayne is available for Game Three. If not, Joel Managhan should be given the wing spot - he has a lot more experience than Turner, and is better on defence.

Peter Wallace and Greg Bird were unable to back up their performance from Game One. They were by no means terrible, but compared to Thurston and Prince they were made to look ordinary. Former coach Phil Gould suggested that a proper five-eight be brought in - someone like Braith Anasta perhaps?

Bird is a much better forward than he is a five-eight - and at this level, under this kind of intensity, you need your best players in the right positions.

The win will give Queensland a lot of confidence going into Game Three - which is back in Sydney, where their record isn't so flash. But if they play like that again...then again, the mystery of the home ground advantage may just swing back to NSW.

So - thoughts on the winner of Origin '08, sports fans??

For the past few years, All Black fans have been subjected to the controversial rotation policy of Graham Henry. It was a rare sight to see the same team play consecutive Tests, and at times it was hard to gauge what Henry was thinking.

Just when a combination seemed to be working, it was changed - leaving the fans (and, no doubt, the players...) wondering just what was going on.

The rotation system didn't work - the World Cup is testament to that.

So, as the All Black's prepare to face-off against England on Saturday, it's great to see the same starting fifteen for the second week in a row. The only change has been forced - John Afoa's knee injury means Greg Somerville replaces him, and Sione Luaki comes onto the bench in place of Adam Thomson.

The conditions in Wellington halted any open play, and forced the All Blacks to play a tight forward game. The backs had limited opportunities in the wet conditions, and were unable to get out of second gear. It's fantastic news that Henry has kept the same combinations, as it will give us a chance to see them progress - rather than see a completely different lineup start from scratch.

And would we have been surprised? Hmmm...

The All Blacks jersey is for the elite of New Zealand rugby, and therefore should go to the best player available - especially against the top tier sides. The time to blood new players is against sides like Samoa, Italy, Tonga and Canada (we're not saying these sides aren't good - we're just saying they're not rated among the best...).

It's early days yet, but it seems as though Henry has moved on from his rotation policy, and is looking to build a top-15 to play week-in week-out. The other lads in the squad should be trying to get a spot on the bench - if their chance to play arises, they'll be able to take full advantage.

England have selected a strong side to face the All Blacks, which is a rare thing these days. We've become accustomed to them sending a 2nd (or even 3rd) rate squad to New Zealand, but it seems this time we're going to get a decent Test Match. The All Blacks won't be able to take this game lightly - if they do, England might just surprise them...

England's side looks like this:

1. Andy Sheridan
2. Lee Mears
3. Matthew Stevens
4. Tom Palmer
5. Steve Borthwick (c)
6. James Haskill
7. Tom Rees
8. Luke Narraway
9. Richard Wigglesworth
10. Charlie Hodgson
11. David Strettle
12. Olly Barkley
13. Mike Tindall
14. Topsy Ojo (we've said this before, but...the best name in sports ever?)
15. Mike Brown

Reserves: David Paice, Tim Payne, Ben Kay, Joe Worsley, Danny Care, Jaime Noon, Matt Tait

What a difference a week makes, eh...

After the triumph of last weeks win over the Knights (IN Australia) the Warriors have once again slumped. Does it get any worse than losing to the Rabbitohs, currently sitting at the bottom of the table?

Just when you think the Warriors have turned a corner, they put on a poor performance (yes, we're holding back...) in a game they should have won - easily. They're a hard team to support at times, these Warriors...we must be suckers for punishment.

They managed to break out to a 14-nil lead early in the first half, only to fall asleep on defense - letting the Bunnies in for some pretty soft tries. They have one of the worst defensive records in the NRL this year, and any side that allows the Rabbitohs to score 35 points has serious problems.

Understatement of the year, maybe?

Funny thing about the Warriors...just when you think they're done for, they manage to pull a great win out of nowhere. Hopefully they can do that against the Sharks this weekend - they'll certainly be happy to have Steve Price and Brent Tate back from Origin duty.

Also looking to return from injury are Michael Witt (we desperately need his goal kicking...) and big Manu Vatuvei. Both their skills will be a huge bonus for the Warriors, and we more than hope they're back for the weekend.

The Rabbitohs easily played their best game of the year (when you've only won two games all year, its not hard to pick the best one...), and with all the off-field dramas they've been going through, it'd be nice to think they can move forward. But if you thought supporting the Warriors was hard...

St.George welcomed Wendell Sailor back into the first grade with a 28-10 win over the 'baby' Broncos on Friday night. Pity, though - his return was cut short when he broke his cheekbone attempting a tackle on David Stagg, and he'll be out of action for at least the next month.

Tough break, Dell. Literally.

It's the Dragons fourth straight win, although they've been extremely fortunate to face the Storm and the Broncos during Origin time. Still - they are showing some good form, and are looking a real threat to the top eight.

It's hard to look past Manly's performance as the game of the weekend, though, giving the Roosters a 42-0 thrashing. Last year they gave them a 56-0 thrashing...

Reckon they like playing the Roosters?

They were unrelenting in their attack, and gave the Roosters no opportunity to fight back. Coach Des Hasler said they were "clinical" - who can argue with him on that one?

The Roosters helped them out, though, missing over 50 tackles - without their Origin stars...well, they were made to look like amateurs.

After a slow start to the season Manly are flying high (ha - get it? birds, flying and all that?), and are becoming a serious contender for the Premiership this year. Teams better start taking notice of the Sea Eagles, we think...

Here's how your teams went over the weekend.

Rabbitohs 35 - 22 Warriors
Dragons 28 - 10 Broncos
Eels 30 - 12 Raiders
Tigers 40 - 16 Cowboys
Knights 22 - 12 Bulldogs
Sea Eagles 42 - 0 Roosters
Sharks 24 - 22 Panthers
Titans 18 - 0 Storm


In Origin news, the Maroons have been dealt a nasty blow with inspirational captain, Darren Lockyer, ruled out of Game Two. He's succumbed to his troublesome knee injury, and is a huge, huge loss for the Maroons, who need to win to keep the series alive.

Lockyer's injury has made way for Titans captain Scott Prince, who many felt was unlucky to miss out on Game One. Prince's form in the NRL has been fantastic of late, but whether or not he can inspire the Queenslander's to victory on Wednesday remains to be seen. He certainly has the skills to cause some trouble for NSW, and it's gonna be one hell of a game...

And, on a final note - what of your support for the Warriors? After their atrocious performance in the weekend, will you keep supporting them? Or are you sick of the constant roller coaster seasons?

We'll be there through thick and thin...are you with us?

Conditions couldn't have been worse for the All Black's opening clash against the Irish on Saturday night - wet, windy and freezing temperatures meant that anyone hoping for an expansive game (yup, that was us...) was in for a disappointing night.

What we got, though, was anything but disappointing, as the All Blacks and Ireland fought it out in the miserable conditions.

As the rain began to fall it became clear that it was going to be a night for the forwards to show their skills, and both packs did just that. The All Blacks were up against a solid Irish pack (7 out of the 8 were part of the Munsters pack that won the Heineken Cup), and it was obvious they had their work cut out for them...

...but they stood up in fantastic fashion, and dominated the forward battle - their pick-and-go was some of the best we've seen in some time. They completely controlled the ruck, and kept the Irish on defence for much of the game.

They also dominated the Irish scrum (Tialata stood up to play his best game in a black jersey), and had the edge in the lineouts too, which was unexpected against the likes of Paul O'Connell and Donnacha O'Callaghan. The All Blacks managed to win 4 against the throw - well done lads, a fine effort.

Richie McCaw was outstanding in defence, leading from the front and causing trouble for the Irish around the ruck. While many have been questioning his captaincy skills lately, his workload on the field is fantastic. And, he's just signed on to stay in New Zealand until the end of 2011 - first Dan Carter, and now Richie...2011 is shaping up quite nicely.

Rodney So'oialo looked at home in the number six jersey, and had an impressive work rate around the field. Jerome Kaino was quiet, although the conditions didn't help his running game. If we get dry conditions in Auckland, we'll be able to see him at full effect...goodie.

Adam Thomson had limited game time off the bench, and was unfairly penalised for collapsing the maul - one of the most stupid laws in rugby? We agree.

The Irish forwards had to work hard on defence all night, and towards the later stages of the game it began to tell.

They were out-shone in the scrum and lineouts by a more determined All Black pack, and when they used the ball...well, they looked good, but as so often happens in Northern Hemisphere rugby, they spent too much time kicking the ball away. Don't get us started...

It's no wonder the Northern team's don't want the new laws brought in - they don't like running the ball! Oops, we started...

To Ireland's credit they played a solid game, and were still in it at 11-11 with about twenty minutes to go. Once Nonu scored, they really did fade away - chasing the All Blacks is never easy, and it's something Ireland have always struggled to do.

If they can build from their loss, though, they might be able to give the Aussies a run for their money. We hope.

The backs never really got going (can't blame them, really, with the weather the way it was), although the two times the All blacks did attack they scored tries. Conrad Smith set up the first of them after a fantastic line break, leading to Sitivini Sivivatu scoring in the corner - it was his 22nd try in 22 Tests. Not bad.

Dan Carter made a break in the second half that led to Ma'a Nonu sliding over for the All Blacks second try of the night. It was a good team try, John Schwalger showing some terrific handling skills to offload a pass to Nonu.

Paddy Wallace scored Ireland's only try of the night, which was really thanks to the All Blacks terrible kickoff work. It let them down a couple of times, and needs to be remedied in the coming weeks.

The second half was dominated by the sound of Chris White's whistle (didn't he just love the sound of it?). He made some simple errors, and turned the second half into a stop start affair - not what you need when the weathers doing a good enough job of that already. Referees at this level should be of a higher standard than what we're seeing - White missed some pretty basic calls, and made others that were, quite simply, wrong. The All Blacks would be better off if they never saw an English ref again...

The sooner the new laws are introduced to Tests, the better. Faster, attacking rugby is better rugby. Try disagreeing with that - we dare you.

Over all, it was a solid start to the All Blacks campaign in 2008. Despite the miserable playing conditions, they ground out a tough win against a solid opponent. They still have plenty to work on for the English Test on Saturday, but as far as wins go - we'll take it.

England have not had the best run since the World Cup (losing to Scotland in the Six Nations?? We needn't say more...) but like so many other sides, they seem to step up against tough opposition. The All Blacks will have to be on top of their game, but if they are, and if their backs can get going...it could be a long night for the Poms, and not nearly long enough for us.

It's been a busy week in the sporting world (as in, the World...) - and this weekend it gets even busier.

The international rugby season is about to kick off in the Southern Hemisphere, the third Test between the Blackcaps and England is on, and the NRL rolls into round 12 - we have a funny feeling that we'll be glued to the couch this weekend.

So before we embark on another weekend of sport, here's some of the latest news from the [big] week that's been.

The Irish will be without their young star, Luke Fitzgerald, for the Test against the All Blacks this Saturday. He has failed to recover from an ankle injury, and will hope that he recovers in time for the Test against Australia next weekend. Paddy Wallace will take his place in the midfield, while Geordan Murphy will come onto the bench.

The match in Wellington is yet to sell out which, we guess, reflects the public's attitude toward the All Blacks. The lads will need to put on a show to get back the support of the public - it's time to move on from the World Cup loss, New Zealand...more on that later...

Trent Barrett is making a return to the NRL after a two year stint playing for Wigan in the Super League, signing a two year deal with the Cronulla Sharks. Barrett states the reason for his return is based on his family's interests - his wife is expecting their third child (and with three kids under the age of four, you can't blame him for wanting to be near his family). It's a great signing for the Sharks, who have recently lost Brett Kimorley to the Bulldogs for next year.

Also signing with the Bulldogs for 2009 is Michael Ennis, who's been playing for the Broncos for the past two seasons. The Bulldogs have been working hard at signing new talent for next season - now, if only they can sort out their drama's with Sonny Bill...

The Detroit Red Wings have won the Stanley Cup after beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 in the best of seven series. The Penguins had a chance to throw Game 6 into overtime, which would have given them a shot at tying up the series. It wasn't meant to be, though, with the puck missing the goal by mere centimeters with only seconds to go...

It's the Red Wings eleventh Stanley Cup victory.

The NBA finals began on Friday when the LA Lakers took on the Boston Celtics, sparking an old rivalry dating back to the 70's and 80's. The only thing missing? Larry Bird and Magic Johnson...

The final score of Game One was 98-88 to the Celtics, and Game Two moves to Los Angeles on Monday.

In tennis news, Dinara Safina will meet Ana Ivanovic in the womens final at the French Open after beating fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. It's been a fairy tail run for Safina, who beat Maria Sharapova earlier in the tournament. Ivanovic beat Jelena Jankovic in an all-Serbian semi to make her way to the final, and by doing so became the number one womens player in tennis.

Think State of Origin One was good?

Game Two's comin' next week, and it's going to be even better.

NSW shocked the rugby league world with an 18-10 upset over the highly favoured Queensland side, but Game Two moves to Suncorp stadium - which is a daunting task for any NSW team. It'll be filled to the brim with screaming Queenslanders, all hoping to see their team bounce back and square up the series 1-1.

Mel Maninga has made four changes to his side from Game One. Most importantly, he's brought back Darren Lockyer (Broncos) and Steve Price (Warriors), who were both injured for Game One. Also making his return to the grand stage is Titans star Ashley Harrison, who replaces Jacob Lillyman (Cowboys) on the bench.

The other new comer is Broncos winger Darius Boyd, making his debut on the wing. His selection is due to the 6 game suspension of Justin Hodges (Broncos), who took an early guilty plea for a dangerous tackle on 'Piggy' Riddell (Eels). New comers have an uncanny ability of scoring on debut in State of Origin - will Boyd continue the trend?

Carl Webb (Cowboys) and PJ Marsh (Broncos) have been dropped for Game Two, while Karmichael Hunt (Broncos) moves onto the bench to make way for Lockyer - who will also captain the side.

Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys) will need to up his game after a very disappointing opener, although having Lockyer back will certainly take some of the pressure off him, and allow him to play his natural game. If these two can get going, the NSW defence will be kept on its toes.

It's do or die for Queensland. If they win, they go to Game Three with a shot at the series. If not, it'll be a dead rubber.

No pressure.

Here's their lineup.

1. Billy Slater (Storm)
2. Greg Inglis (Storm)
3. Brent Tate (Warriors)
4. Israel Folau (Storm)
5. Darius Boyd (Broncos)
6. Darren Lockyer (captain, Broncos)
7. Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys)
8. Petro Civoniceva (Panthers)
9. Cameron Smith (Storm)
10. Steve Price (Warriors)
11. Michael Crocker (Strom)
12. Sam Thaiday (Broncos)
13. Dallas Johnson (Storm)

Interchange: Karmichael Hunt (Broncos), Ben Hannant (Broncos), Ashley Harrison (Titans), Nate Myles (Roosters).

NSW have made two changes to the side that won in Sydney. Steve Simpson and Kurt Gidley (both Knights) have been brought in to replace Ben Cross (broken thumb) and Ben Hornby. Both Simpson and Gidley were unavailable for Game One due to injury, and while both have had limited game time in the NRL coach Craig Bellamy has had no hesitation in selecting them for Game Two.

Gidley makes an excellent interchange player, and will be devastating in the back-end of the second half.

Mark Gasnier (Dragons) has been cleared after the knee issues he's suffered since Game One - good news, we think. Watching him carve up in Game One was something special, and we wouldn't mind a bit more of it...

Jarryd Hayne (Eels) has been charged with a grade-2 dangerous tackle, and is out. Steve Turner (Storm) gets the nod ahead of Joel Monaghan (Raiders), who, to be honest, we'd have preferred.

Why?

The coach of the Blues is from Melbourne. Both wingers are from Melbourne. Enough said.

Otherwise, though, it's the same lineup. They'll need to bring their A game to Suncorp, and it won't be an easy task.

Here's their lineup.

1. Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles)
2. Steve Turner (Storm)
3. Matt Cooper (Dragons)
4. Mark Gasnier (Dragons)
5. Anthony Quinn (Storm)
6. Greg Bird (Sharks)
7. Peter Wallace (Broncos)
8. Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters)
9. Danny Buderous (captain, Knights)
10. Brent White (Storm)
11. Willie Mason (Roosters)
12. Ryan Hoffman (Storm)
13. Paul Gallen (Sharks)

Interchange: Kurt Gidley (Knights), Steve Simpson (Knights), Anthony Tupou (Roosters), Anthony Laffranchi (Titans).

Despite losing the first game, it's hard to look past the Queenslanders as favourites for Game Two. Having Lockyer and Price back in the mix is a huge bonus, and if Lockyer can pull out a performance like the one against the Eels in the weekend, they'll be tough to beat - especially at Suncorp.

But - remember Game One?

Don't write the boys from NSW off just yet...

Robbie Deans has wasted little time in naming his first Australian squad - 30 players, with 6 newcomers.

Much like Graham Henry's team, there's a good mix of old and new, with veteran center Stirling Mortlock named as captain. Australia has seen some of it's greatest players move on from last year, but Deans is the right man to find replacements for the likes of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham - big boots to fill? Oh, yes.

Like the rest of the rugby world, we can't wait for the first Bledisloe Cup match of the year. Deans vs Henry - should be a classic.

Forwards: Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Al Baxter (NSW), Richard Brown (Western Force), Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), Matt Dunning (NSW), Rocky Elsom (NSW), Adam Freier (NSW), Stephen Hoiles (Brumbies), James Horwill (Reds), Stephen Moore (Reds), Dean Mumm (NSW), Wycliff Palu (NSW), Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW), Benn Robinson (NSW), George Smith (Brumbies), Phil Waugh (NSW), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force).

Backs: Luke Burgess (NSW), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Ryan Cross (Western Force), Berrick Barnes (Reds), Sam Cordingley (Reds), Matt Giteau (Western Force), Peter Hynes (Reds), Digby Ioane (Reds), Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), Brett Sheehan (NSW), Cameron Shepard (Western Force), Lote Tuqiri (NSW), Lachie Turner (NSW).

Burgess, Mumm, Turner, Cross, Brown, Hynes and Alexander are the debutants in the squad.

Unavailable due to injury are: Greg Holmes (Reds), Dan Vickerman (NSW), Chris Latham (Reds), Drew Mitchell (Western Force), Hugh McMeniman (Reds) and Scott Staniforth (Western Force).

That's quite the list of talent unavailable for Deans...

It'll be interesting to see what kind of impact Deans will have on the Aussies. There's a huge difference coming from the Crusaders (where he's developed a core group of players into a championship winning team), to Australia, where he'll essentially be starting from scratch.

It's important that no matter what the results are, they allow Deans to continue to develop his own team. We think it'll take a year before we start seeing the real impact of Deans in Australia...

It's been a real shame that the NZRU couldn't find a way to keep Deans in New Zealand. We hope it doesn't (but we're pretty sure it will...) come back to bite us.

Cya soon, Robbie.

The All Blacks begin their 2008 Test season this Saturday, beginning against the Irish in Wellington.

Both teams were announced yesterday, and it really is shaping up to be a great Test. The All Blacks will want to start their season off with a bang, and Ireland will be looking to make history by beating the new-look All Blacks - a draw in 1973 is as close as they've been.

Graham Henry has chosen to go with as many Super 14 combinations as possible, which will (he hopes...) help gel the team together. It's still early days yet, but we think we'll see the coaches play around with a few different combinations - it'll take some time for the players to familiarise themselves with one another.

Crusaders teammates Andy Ellis and Dan Carter (yes folks, he's here 'til 2011), make up the halves, with Hurricanes midfielders Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith playing outside them in the centers.

With Conrad getting the nod at center, Mils Muliaina returns to fullback - forcing Leon MacDonald to the bench. Add Anthony Tuitavake (making his debut) and Sitivini Sivivatu to the backline, and the All Blacks have themselves a very attacking force.

Ireland - and England, for that matter - should be nervous.

The biggest change sees Rodney So'oialo move from his traditional position of number 8 to the blindside, replacing his long-time teammate Jerry Collins. This makes way for Jerome Kaino to return to the All Blacks after missing out on the squad last year, and it seems that the coaches have gone for the old 'smash-em-up-the-middle' approach.

Ali Williams will team up with Brad Thorn in the locking department, and they should be pretty used to that by now. They've been the two standout locks in the Super 14 this year, and they rightly deserve their selections. The fact that they are both veterans now only adds to their worth in the team.

It's a new-look front row, with Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman both in Europe, and Tony Woodcock injured and therefore unavailable for the Irish Test. This means John Afoa and Neemia Tialata will start at prop, while in-form hooker Andre Hore seals his place in the starting 15. They'll have their work cut out for them - the Irish pack has quite a formidable feel.

Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson and Stephen Donald will all make their debuts off the bench, topping off their fantastic Super 14 campaigns - good luck lads!

Here's the line up:

1. John Afoa
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Ali Williams
6. Rodney So'oialo
7. Richie McCaw (c)
8. Jerome Kaino
9. Andy Ellis
10. Dan Carter
11. Anthony Tuitavake
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Sitivini Sivivatu
15. Mils Muliaina

Reserves: John Schwalger, Kevin Mealamu, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Leon MacDonald.

Ireland have also named their starting lineup for the Test on Saturday, including 8 players from the Champion Munster team and Brian O'Driscoll as captain.

Glad Tana isn't there, Brian?

Heres their starting 15:

1. John Hayes
2. Jerry Flannery
3. Marcus Horan
4. Paul O'Connell
5. Donncha O'Callaghan
6.Denis Leamy
7. David Wallace
8. Jaime Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Ronan O'Gara
11. Tommy Bowe
12. Luke Fitzgerald (if he gets over an ankle injury in time)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (c)
14. Shane Horgan
15. Robert Kearney

Reserves: Girvan Dempsey, Paddy Wallace, Peter Stringer, Shane Jennings, Mick O'Driscoll, Tony Buckley, Rory Best.

It may have taken eleven rounds, but the Vodafone Warriors have finally managed to pick up a win in Australia. It has been utterly dreadful viewing for Warriors fans, until Saturday night when they defeated the Newcastle Knights - who went into the game as clear favourites.

The Warriors managed to grind out a tough win, although they seemed hell-bent on giving the Knights every opportunity to win (we used to have hair...).

If it wasn't for Grant Rovelli's intercept in the last few seconds, well...*shudder*. At half time the score was 6-4 in favour of the Knights, showing how much of a tough night it was for both sides.

It was in the second half that the Warriors broke away, and with about twenty minutes to go they led 16-6. And that should have been enough, right?

Wrong - cue, the hair-pulling.

The Warriors went to sleep, and in the space of a few minutes the Knights had levelled up the scores. It wasn't looking good for the Warriors (or our hairdresser), and the game seemed to be heading towards extra time.

With about a minute to go, some good fortune struck the Warriors. They were given a penalty for offside play (the ball bounced off Cooper Vuna's back and into the hands of his team mate - who was in front of him). Step up Patrick Ah Van - not a regular kicker, and with time almost up he slotted it straight down the middle.

Cliched, we know. But that's exactly where it went.

Just when we thought it was all over, and that we'd retain at least some of our hair, the Knights somehow manged to get hold of the ball for one last attack. With the Warriors track record looking the way it does, you couldn't help but think the Knights were going to pull something out of the bag. Or the Warriors were going to put bags on their heads. Or something.

With an overlap out wide the Knights began to spread the ball, and a try seemed imminent...(we watch the Warriors week-in week-out - of course it seemed imminent)...

Rovelli, though, snatched an intercept and gave the Warriors a close, tough-fought win.

Interestingly, it was the second time this year the Warriors have scraped in against the Knights with a last minute intercept.

And we think we're pulling our hair out??

Final score:

Warriors 18
(trys: Michael Crockett, Patrick Ah Van, Ian Henderson; goals: Ah Van 3/4)

Knights 16
(trys: Adam MacDougall, Chris Bailey, James McManus; goals: Wes Naiqama 2/3)

Patrick Ah Van had his best night for the Warriors, only coming into the side at the last minute to replace the injured Lance Hohia. He showed nerves of steel, and converted the match winning penalty - good man! [said in the most unbiased, impartial way possible...].

While the win gets a huge monkey of their backs, the Warriors showed they still have a lot of work to do on their defence and handling. They were their own worst enemies at times on Saturday night, and if they want to make the top eight come finals time, their defence really needs to improve.

Grant Rovelli put in a good performance for a guy who's been under the gun lately, and two well-timed intercepts proved the difference between the two sides. We feel, though, that he needs to find some consistency before he can feel comfortable again - especially as Wiki is leaving at the end of the year, freeing up some extra talent-buying cash for the Warriors.

Ian Henderson continues to impress us. His work rate and strong dummy half runs are just what the Warriors need, and he's proving to be a great replacement for George Gatis.

Steve Price has re-signed with the Warriors for one more year, which will probably be his last in rugby league. It's great to know that he'll see out his last days as a Warrior.

Injured star, Wade Mckinnon, has signed on until 2011. He's stated that he's happy with life in Auckland, which has ultimately influenced his decision. Good - because we'd like you back on the field, Wade.

So, with that elusive win in Australia under their belts, the Warriors will be looking to get their season back on track.

And hopefully for Warriors fans (you've seen them - the people walking around with no hair), a top eight finish will be just around the corner.

With the All Blacks first Test just around the corner, all eyes have been on Graham Henry and the naming of his first squad for the year.

Yesterday, he named the squad to take on the Irish and the English - and, as we've become accustomed to with Mr Henry, there are a few bolter's.

Six new comers have been named in the squad - Anthony Boric (North Harbour), Adam Thomson (Otago), Stephen Donald (Waikato), Richard Kahui (Waikato), Rudi Wolf (North Harbour), and Anthony Tuitavake (North Harbour).

Henry's selections are solid, but we can't help feeling disappointed for the likes of Jason Eaton, Chris Masoe, and Piri Weepu, who all seem to be on the outer with Henry - which is a real shame, because they've all played well in the Super 14. Weepu, especially, must be wondering what he has to do to get back his All Blacks jersey (we've mentioned this before, but we'd start thinking about league Piri - you'd fit in well...).

Adam Thomson and Anthony Boric are the two biggest bolters in the squad. Boric's abilities in the lineout, and his work rate around the field have seen him get the nod ahead of Tom Donnelly (Otago) and Kevin O'Niell (Waikato). He can also cover on the blind side, which makes him a handy addition with Jerry Collins leaving.

Thomson has had a meteoric rise over the last six months. Unwanted by the Highlanders last year, he's fought his way back - and has truly earned his selection. He'll have to fight hard for a start with Jerome Kaino (Auckland), but a bit of healthy competition never hurt.

Rudi Wolf will be looking to make the most of Joe Rokocoko's absence (due to injury), and hopefully stake a claim on the wing for the upcoming Tri-Nations.

Richard Kahui, Stephen Donald, and Anthony Tuitavake have all made their way into the squad after a few consistent seasons in the Super 14 competition. With many of last years squad now overseas, they get the chance to step up to the big time...

...good luck lads.

Those unlucky to miss out are Keiran Reid, Casey Laulala, and Scott Hamilton (all from Canterbury) - it just goes to show that the depth in New Zealand rugby is still there, despite the current player drain.

There are niggling injuries for both Tony Woodcock (North Harbour) and Brendon Leonard (Waikato), and so John Schwalger (Wellington) and Jimmy Cowan (Southland) will join the team in Wellington in case their services are required.

There seems to be a good mix of experience and up-and-comers in the squad, and it's important that they don't start looking towards the Tri-Nations just yet. Ireland and England will provide some good battles, and will give us a glimpse of how the squad is shaping up for Australia and South Africa later in the year.

Here's the full 26-man All Blacks squad:

Props: John Afoa (Auckland), Greg Sommerville (Canterbury), Neemia Tialata (Wellington), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).

Hookers: Andrew Hore (Taranaki), Kevin Mealamu (Auckland).

Locks: Anthony Boric (North Harbour), Brad Thorn (Tasman), Ali Williams (Tasman).

Loose Forwards: Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Sione Luaki (Waikato), Richie McCaw (Captain, Canterbury), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington), Adam Thomson (Otago).

Half-backs: Andy Ellis (Canterbury), Brendon Leonard (Waikato).

First-fives: Daniel Carter (Canterbury), Stephen Donald (Waikato).

Mid-field backs: Conrad Smith (Wellington), Ma'a Nonu (Wellington), Mils Muliaina (Waikato), Richard Kahui (Waikato).

Wingers: Sitivini Sivivatu (Waikato), Rudi Wolf (North Harbour), Anthony Tuitavake (North Harbour).

Fullback: Leon MacDonald (Canterbury).