Swing Low, Sweet Chariot!!!

Having added a new satellite TV station just to get rugby I finally am getting my rugby fix. With the 6 Nations tournament starting I am dating myself with this blog but I would forever be remiss if I did not mention the incredible match played by the men from England against the mighty All Blacks from New Zealand. On December 1st England defied all odds to beat the World Cup Champions in England during international play.

The English side completely dominated the All Blacks in all phases of the game. From the beginning of the match the All Blacks were on their heels with aggressive play and hard tackles. Leading 15-0 at halftime the English looked dominate and in control but New Zealanders would not go away quietly. The Maori warriors had suffered from a team bout of the flu and an unrelenting English assault but never quit.

Ultimately The English side was too fast, too strong, too precise, and too unrelenting in its play and closed out the match 38-21. What made this victory so incredible was that it was England’s first win against the All Blacks in nine years. The All Blacks were undefeated in 20 matches and after a near decade of dominance over the English it almost seemed that the game was already decided before the teams came out onto the field. The English did not get the message that New Zealand was supposed to win.

The match was my first one to see since the World Cup and it left me motivated. I have been slowly getting back into shape since my injury and this game put an added spark into my motivation. I am excited and anticipating the 6 nation matches. I have my recorders set and my treadmill ready to roll so I can watch the matches over and over as I learn to run again. Thank you England and New Zealand for starting me off on the right foot.

WHAT A GAME!

What a game. I just finished watching a delayed recording of the Welsh Triple Crown victory over England. The match had everything a good rugby match should. It was fast, hard-hitting, good offense that was stifled by great defense, a fantastic try, and a dramatic finish. As a fan of the English team I was a bit sadden by the final score but not by the play of either teams.



I have to tip my hats to the Welsh who, as the visiting team, had history and a homefield advantage to overcome. The game was initially a kicking contest between Leigh Halfpenny of Wales and the foot of Owen Farrell. Both kickers showed icy poise under immense pressure throughout the match.




As the game rolled into the late minutes both teams still had the same fire, grit, and determination that they had shown at the beginning of the match. In fact it was through sheer grit that Welsh centre Scott Williams was able to strip Courtney Lawes of the ball before he bounced a perfect kick to himself for the games lone try at the 76-minute mark.



At this point, I thought the match was over; but the English crew showed valiant determination by marching the ball inside the Welsh 5 metre line when as time expired the English back David Strettle crossed the tryline but was unable to touch the ball down.



As I watched the slow motion replay over and over again, I started to cringe on the inside as it became apparent that despite a valiant effort he was unable to put pressure on the ball across the tryline. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic ending for an amazing game. For an American who had to suffer through an uninspiring NFL football season it was a refreshing event and has given me proper motivation as I roll into my first practice of the 2012 Spring campaign.