Opinion: 1News rugby reporter Andrew Saville is in South Africa as the All Blacks and Springboks do battle. He gives some thoughts ahead of the huge second Test in Cape Town.
Parker’s Perfect Pitch
What a fortnight for Northlander Simon Parker. The bulky flanker was a late call-up for the bench in the first test in Johannesburg, now starting this weekend in Cape Town. He starts for the first time against the Boks, away from home, bracing himself for the expected backlash.
The former Otamatea Hawks junior (Maungaturoto township, at the base of the Brynderwyns) will also have an eye on home, with Northland’s first Ranfurly Shield defence in nearly 50 years being played in Whangārei on Sunday morning, South African time.
Kick off is at 7am in South Africa, with several other All Blacks sure to tune in, including the Tasman posse including Will Jordan, Tyrel Lomax and Ethan Blackadder.
The Whas versus the Fins, can’t wait.
Blackadder Goes Forth
Ethan Blackadder’s performance in that tight win over the Lions would have come as no surprise to his teammates, from the All Blacks to the Crusaders, Tasman and Nelson club rugby. He never stops, flies into every tackle, every ruck like it’s his last and his relaxed, steady-as nature ensures he’s the ultimate teammate.
Blackadder has had a well-publicised battle with injuries – he’s played just 14 Tests over a five-year international career. But he’s always smiled and shrugged those concrete shoulders of his and got on with life and rugby.
You can see why he fits so well into a Dave Rennie-coached system (Luke Jacobson is in a very similar boat). Long may Blackadder’s body hold up and long may the 31-year-old be given more opportunities at Test level, with an eye to next year’s World Cup.
Blackadder also now has a 1970s gnarly North Canterbury loose forward look to him, with an impressive handlebar moustache. The late great Alexander John Wylie (Grizz) would be proud.
Captain Kirk, mark one
The great All Blacks loose forward Ian Kirkpatrick and his wife Robbie are in Cape Town for the second Test, leading a highly entertaining tour group from Gisborne. Kirkpatrick cut a swathe through South Africa on the 1970 and ’76 tours. He played in all eight Test matches across those visits and a whopping 20 other tour games.
He’s still revered in these parts and quite rightly so. A ball runner, before loose forward ball runners existed, a fine leader in a legendary team and a salt of the earth man. Those tours back then would last three months.
Robbie says she used to await letters from her husband and the odd aerogram – no FaceTime back time back then.
Ian Kirkpatrick turned 80 in May this year, still with those old school All Black meat-plate sized hands, he remains in great nick – probably because he was so good and elusive the giant Bokke couldn’t catch him and cause too much damage.
To the provinces we go
An early plea to the organisers of the next Great Rivalry Tour to NZ in 2030 – go to the provinces. Yes the Test matches will be played on the biggest stage, dollars dictate that, but take the midweek matches to Napier or New Plymouth or Invercargill or Nelson.
NPC teams will be ready to start their competition, formed and ready. Super squads will have been disbanded come August. And I’d rather see a jam-packed McLean Park or Yarrows or Rugby Park in Invercargill than what we’ve seen here – half-empty stadiums, ticket price gouging and South African sides, now based in European competitions, with dwindling fan bases.
Cape of Good Hope
Cape Town feels like a world away from the high veld and Joburg. It’s green and you can smell the fresh sea air. A cosmopolitan feel, a major thriving city, but with a laid-back vibe. The All Blacks fit right in here. They also have a massive historical following from a fair chunk of the Cape’s population. Maybe I’m just a sea level sort of guy, but it feels like home.
You can understand why South African officials have only scheduled the All Blacks to play here six times in the past 30 years.
