Sports & Stuff
New Zealand sports really have had a wake up call in the last two weeks. With the two Super 14 teams being knocked out by the Sharks and the Bulls in South Africa last weekend. The Silver Ferns being hammered by the Poms and the Ozzies. Black Magic being beaten by the Spanish. Thats just in the last two weeks let alone the last couple of days. But as we look forward to the two next major sporting events this country is involved in, I'm wondering where the silver lining is for the Ferns and the All Blacks going into this years World Champs and World Cup.
While people squabble over where these events are held and who can market what and where and when, I look at the squads and wonder where the real development is being made. I've been taking a long hard look at how the Waikato develops its basketball players and have to wonder...is it really being done? Take one age group girls basketball squad. All but maybe three players on that roster come from one school in the city of Hamilton while the others come from minor towns around. Its not representative of the players able to compete at that level.
I'm wondering if its time for Irene Van Dyke as good as she is to shoot her last and being to mentor new shooters in the Ferns camp. Maria Tutaia is seemingly coming along as a shooter in the Ferns camp. There is also Jodi Te Huna who is listed as a Goal Shoot or Goal Attack. But on the current roster, thats it other than Van Dyke. Who is coming through? I think this is a timely wake up call for the Ferns. The hosts of TV 1's coverage were left with some mud on their faces as they said and I will almost quote prior to the England game Monday morning, "This is one that we will easily win" and it was almost said as a side note.
As for the All Blacks. I'm picking that they will make the semi-finals and it will all end there. While I believe in Henry's re-conditioning programme, I think it was a mistake for most of those Held Blacks to rejoin the Super 14 teams as and when they did. You spend that much time forming a cohesive playing unit, then suddenly, the ego's return, then you have to make them ease back into the side. They spent weeks training, working as they did for an All Black method of playing. National pride over franchise pride. Its a different mentality walking out there with a Hurricane, Chief or Crusader logo as it is the Silver Fern on the Black Jersey.
So after spending as much time as they did training for a national representation...their team mates in the Super 14 had been playing, focused on their game, for their team, then suddenly, bang, others arrived with broader visions. I'm concerned that the All Blacks are not going to have the fortitude...the world cup or the Champs will not be ours this year. As for the America's cup...the jury is still out.
Sorry to say...cross my black to the bone heart.
While people squabble over where these events are held and who can market what and where and when, I look at the squads and wonder where the real development is being made. I've been taking a long hard look at how the Waikato develops its basketball players and have to wonder...is it really being done? Take one age group girls basketball squad. All but maybe three players on that roster come from one school in the city of Hamilton while the others come from minor towns around. Its not representative of the players able to compete at that level.
I'm wondering if its time for Irene Van Dyke as good as she is to shoot her last and being to mentor new shooters in the Ferns camp. Maria Tutaia is seemingly coming along as a shooter in the Ferns camp. There is also Jodi Te Huna who is listed as a Goal Shoot or Goal Attack. But on the current roster, thats it other than Van Dyke. Who is coming through? I think this is a timely wake up call for the Ferns. The hosts of TV 1's coverage were left with some mud on their faces as they said and I will almost quote prior to the England game Monday morning, "This is one that we will easily win" and it was almost said as a side note.
As for the All Blacks. I'm picking that they will make the semi-finals and it will all end there. While I believe in Henry's re-conditioning programme, I think it was a mistake for most of those Held Blacks to rejoin the Super 14 teams as and when they did. You spend that much time forming a cohesive playing unit, then suddenly, the ego's return, then you have to make them ease back into the side. They spent weeks training, working as they did for an All Black method of playing. National pride over franchise pride. Its a different mentality walking out there with a Hurricane, Chief or Crusader logo as it is the Silver Fern on the Black Jersey.
So after spending as much time as they did training for a national representation...their team mates in the Super 14 had been playing, focused on their game, for their team, then suddenly, bang, others arrived with broader visions. I'm concerned that the All Blacks are not going to have the fortitude...the world cup or the Champs will not be ours this year. As for the America's cup...the jury is still out.
Sorry to say...cross my black to the bone heart.
posted by Wiremu Bayliss at
5:05 pm
0 Comments
