Sports Caps: ABs v Boks Game 2, Where’s Noels? and Athletics Worlds

That 2nd game the Boks did against the AB during the last 20 odd mins was simply Boks Office to retain the Sports Freedom Cup.

Yes, All Blacks may have won the first game last weekend. However, Boks had the two-test series of their life last season all on home turf as part of the yearly mini-tour rotation.

No other team could do that so far in the 2020s game of International Rugby especially when you’ve got the 50/22 attack landing points into touch, etc.

Love how they have exploited a variety of expansive attacking options like an open book that began with Cheslin Kolbe’s undeniable pace on the wide right 14 to Damian Willemse’s UFC-like tackle busts with punching pace on the inside 12.

Can’t forget Mamie Libbok’s kicking game also as the reserve 10 for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu where the Boks ran wild against everyone in an annual bull race.

It’s the one thing Boks kept a great eye of the ABs who were so hesitant by the way of defensive and handling errors before South Africa cashed in their unanswered points with game-winning fireworks.

Looking at the ABs, they lack both the fitness, high balls and 2nd half strategy. Okay, it’s a shame that injuries let them down but unfortunately, still a horror show. Just amateurish at its best for a side who failed to bring up a coherent plan to stop the Boks from playing their running rugby.

The only bright light was Leroy Carter’s debut TRY off the back of his Super Rugby rewards earlier this year with the Chiefs. 

That’s all we can say.

Post-Game Notes

Now what the ABs have to do is keep players fit and sharp as always and not leave themselves half hearted that will lead nowhere. Also, they need to be brave at whatever the Wallabies will offer next weekend at Eden Park in Auckland & the second match after that in reverse.

In spite of their strong 37-year home record, ABs must not let their poor performance from the weekend by giving a free pass to the Aussies. Wallabies are still leading the Rugby Championship by a point or two remember as all hope is not lost just yet for New Zealand to regain SANZAAR’s flagship trophy since 2023. 

But of course it will depend on the other results as long as the ABs win all next two games & see Springboks lose either one of their own.

Other than that, it’s just not the same your usual All Blacks game from their glorious past…except bottling it in 2nd half from 10-7 at the break before they walked away empty handed. 

Final score was All Blacks 10-43 Springboks (plus the retention of the Freedom Cup series at 1-1 after the best of two) from Sky Stadium in Wellington.

Netball: Where is the Ferns decorated coach Dame Noeline Taurua???

Aside from the ABs last 20 mins embarrassing slip-up there, things were also worse with NZ sport by the way of Netball – just days before the Taini Jamison Trophy series v South Africa (Three Tests) is due to start this Sunday.

It was simply sad news to regret and say for those who missed it that Dame Noeline Taurua won’t be courtside as the Silver Ferns head coach at least for this upcoming home series.

This comes after Taurua and Netball New Zealand weren’t happy with the way these high performance structures wanted to go while 1-2 odd players currently within the camp were also dissatisfied with her old-school coaching methods. 

So NNZ had no choice but to bench her out with Yvette McCasuland-Durie taking charge as caretaker coach. This is going to be up for a debate to someone who has led the Central Pulse to 2 x ANZ Premierships but was also second-in-charge to Janine Southby when Janine was in charge of the Ferns back in 2015-2018. It wasn’t a very successful spell including the team’s lowest ebb at 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast and NNZ went on to replace Southby shortly after with Dame Taurua.

Since then the Ferns were 10x successful with Taurua at the helm who was the best coach they can find like the 2019 World Cup triumph plus 2 x Constellation Cups including last year and now board politics & player unrest has led to this?? 

Everyone was utterly shocked including myself as can’t believe NNZ would somehow disregard Noeline’s strict coaching and high fitness standards for something that can only satisfy themselves their performance structure without honouring the contribution she’s given back over the past 6-7 years. 

It’s like all these achievements during her time there had never happened. 

What’s also unexpected that the CEO of Netball New Zealand Jeannie Wyllie went into MIA on a planned family holiday when everyone else in the squad trying to stay positive ahead of the first test against a side whose performances were nowhere near the Diamonds or England Roses.

No guarantees for sure considering the state they are at right now without Noels but if she’s not back by next month when the Aussie Diamonds comes around, don’t bother trying to retain the Constellation Cup series. Like the All Blacks, something’s gone wrong at the Ferns camp; clearly the fitness levels won’t be the same and so does their style of play.

Let’s hope Taurua will come back to finish the job with the Commonwealth Games to come next year in Glasgow, Scotland followed by the 2027 World Cup in Sydney. There’s no way Netball in general (that includes you Netball New Zealand) should dismiss old-school style of coaching for something that will be with little to no benefit at all other than high performance (similar to a sporting director role) pulling the strings than the head coach like Taurua herself.

2025 World Athletics Championships from Tokyo Days 1-4

There may be no gold medals from the Aussies just yet so far after Day 4 of the World Athletics Championships.

But at least there’s still something to look back and smile including to our neighbours across the ditch.

Happy for NZ though who made gold medal history on both occasions like Geordie Beamish’s sensational last-half surge with the men’s 3000m steeplechase and Hamish Kerr outstanding last night in the men’s shot put.

But for us Aussies, not bad including Kurtis Marschall at men’s pole vault (first Aussie medalist of the tournament), and Jess Hull who did her best to hold off bronze in the women’s 1500m final behind the two Kenyans.

Time to unload our fast runners like Gout Gout in the quest for at least a few gold.

Team USA still tops the medal tally with a mix of success on the field and sprint races while the Kenyans who sit 2nd are oh so good when it comes to the long distance races + the marathon.

Actually got the chance to witness that brilliant team relay finish where a few of them took a group selfie following the mixed 4 x 100m relay final from the opening night which was super cool.

Also, shoutout to Valarie Allman with her first-ever World Championship gold on top of her usual top-level Olympics achievements in Discus. Another first also to Cordell Tinch after he made a name for himself in the men’s 110m hurdles final.

Now even though we hoped to see Sha’Carri Richardson storm her way into gold at the World Championships, at least USA took gold by someone else named Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.

Didn’t know we’ve seen more amazing finish like these actually in the long-distance races than in the all-hyped sprint finals even though it’s going to take us some time to see moments unfold at the finish line. But hey, this is something you don’t wanna miss over the next half’s program and what’s even better that you can have the option to watch on Nine/9Gem/9Now or SBS with Bruce McAvaney aka Mr. Olympics – despite his employer at Seven not having the rights when Nine has them through 2032.

For those watching on NBC Sports in the USA, Australia’s own Leigh Diffey won’t be there since he is fully focused on calling NASCAR which is currently on Playoffs mode (Second 12) between now and the Grand Final this November.

If he was on-site right now in Tokyo (again), he would’ve had to sacrifice the two NASCAR Cup races like last week at Bristol and the next in New Hampshire. But sure they had someone else covered for this thrilling nine-day event and I think NBC had the same thing when the World Swimming Championships was on back in late July-early August without Dan Hicks because he had to focus on Golf.