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Kieran Read's Team Rugby edged by Team Cricket in Black Clash

Jordie Barrett bowls during the Black Clash. Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Team Rugby have fallen agonisingly shy of beating Team Cricket in New Zealand’s inaugural Black Clash, a T20 format cricket match that pits local stars of the cricket world against those of the rugby world.

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This year, the match again included former All Blacks captains Richie McCaw and Kieran Read, the latter putting in another superb performance claiming a hat-trick before recording 73 runs with the bat.

Rugby unions the world over would have been caught drooling over Team Rugby’s coaching box, as Sir Graham Henry partnered with Crusaders mastermind Scott Robertson to offer some back-room banter and presumably not much in the way of cricket coaching.

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Also featuring in the rugby squad was All Black outside back come second-five Jordie Barrett and former All Black Israel Dagg; numerous rumours surround Dagg’s cricketing prowess as a youngster but none could be confirmed as a knee injury kept the World Cup winner out of the bowling and batting rotations.

The supremely multi-talented Will Jordan was a late withdrawal, as was up-and-coming star Ruben Love, the latter being a former U-19 New Zealand cricket representative.

Team Cricket, led by Black Cap legend Daniel Vettori, featured a number of familiar faces to the cricket community such as Nathan McCullum and Hamish Marshall but also a wildcard in former Wallaby Nick “The Honey Badger” Cummins.

This year’s contest was the fifth instalment and broke the tiebreaker to give Team Cricket an all-time 3-2 series lead.

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Team Cricket came out of the gates firing, the opening partnership of Hamish Marshall and Anton Devcich looked to have their side on track for a run total well north of 200, but ended the innings at 198-9 after the 20 overs.

Read’s match-high 73 runs looked like a promising start to the chase for Team Rugby, but the run rate slowed and in the end, the match came down to the final over with Read’s side needing 16 runs off the final six balls.

The Chiefs’ Kaylum Boshier faced the first of those six balls and was caught near the boundary, being dismissed after contributing 44 runs. Black Cap Todd Astle was the man entrusted to bowl the final over, showing his class on the first ball and looking to close the door on Team Rugby’s chances at victory.

Young Jock McKenzie replaced Boshier and faced the next two balls, only managing to register a single to leave Andrew Ellis (the cricketer) with the tall order of landing 15 runs off three balls. Ellis ignited hope by firing the next ball for six but rounded out the game with a pair of singles. Team Rugby’s end total was 192-5.

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The big highlight from the match was Read’s strong performance, the No 8 also produced a wild moment when he accidentally let go of his bat mid-swing to send the bat flying into the field.

Earlier, Read had welcomed his old foe The Honey Badger to the field by faking an underarm bowl, a reference to the infamous underarm controversy of 1981 where Australian bowler Trevor Chappell rolled the ball to Kiwi batsman Brian McKechnie on the final ball of the match to ensure an Australian win. The play is now an iconic moment in the sporting rivalry between the two nations.

In between innings, the teams played a single over for charity, with $1000 being donated to Surf Life Saving New Zealand for every run scored. Anton Devcich and Hamish Marshall rose to the occasion and $27,000 was donated.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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