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Otago Daily Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
So far, so good for Razor's men
Will Jordan looks for support during the first test between the All Blacks and France at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on July 5. Photo: Peter McIntosh Glass half full 1 The All Blacks swept the series. Everyone expected that, of course, as France sent a team on tour minus so many leading players. But you can only beat who is put in front of you, and the All Blacks got the job done. Had they lost one of the tests, well, that would have led to an extremely interesting series postmortem. 2 There were glimpses of . . . something. While the first and third tests were relatively underwhelming, the performance in the second was pretty impressive in patches. Razor's recruits clearly have a way to go, but there are signs this team possesses a bit more spark than last year. 3 Goal kicking was excellent, highlighted by Beauden Barrett's perfect night off the tee in Wellington. Defence and lineout drives (yawn) win World Cups, but goal kicking is not far behind. 4 New blood. Six new All Blacks have joined the club, and all contributed in some way. More on that below. Glass half empty 1 Injuries. By my count, no fewer than 10 of the original squad for the series missed some or all of the action with various knocks. Codie Taylor runs at the French defence during the first test. Photo: Peter McIntosh Aerial skills lacking. The French regularly peppered the All Blacks with high up-and-unders, and the All Blacks did not always deal with them well. Big improvements needed. 3 Glimpses, yes, but there were no real earth-shattering developments around how the All Blacks played. The season is about to get a lot harder, and can we really say they are that much advanced from this point last season? 4 Wing crisis. Will Jordan is a world-class winger but now clearly established as Scott Robertson's favourite fullback. Nobody really knows who out of Sevu Reece, Caleb Clarke, Emoni Narawa and no-longer-a-midfielder Rieko Ioane should be starting on the left and right. Perhaps Leicester Fainga'anuku — back from France — trumps them all. Players who shone 1 Will Jordan just does what he does. Now has 42 tries in 44 tests. Ridiculous. 2 Ardie Savea, well, just does what he does. A relentless force at No 8 or No 7, and stand-in captain to boot. 3 Fabian Holland. More on him below. 4 Beauden Barrett. Played particularly well in the Wellington test. Assured starter at first five for the immediate future — perhaps until Robertson gets his beloved Richie Mo'unga back. Fabian Holland gives the thumbs up at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo: Peter McIntosh Jury is out The whole front row. Ethan de Groot had a very good series, Codie Taylor continues to set a high standard, and the other big boppers all did well. 1 Rieko Ioane — appears his centre days are done, but is he still good enough as a starting winger? 2 Damian McKenzie — still has that spark, but is his future exclusively as an impact player? 3 Samipeni Finau — give him a few more tests to keep progressing or stick with Tupou Vaa'i? Rookie watch A+ Fabian Holland took to test rugby like a Dutch to water, as we suspected he would. Played every minute. Not sure how he misses out on a place in the strongest All Blacks XV now. B Du'Plessis Kirifi is just a ball of energy. Clearly now the leading back-up to Savea on the side of the scrum. Tupou Vaa'i seeks to offload during the first test. Photo: Peter McIntosh Christian Lio-Willie came from nowhere to start the first two tests and did a solid job. Will battle for time when Wallace Sititi becomes available. C Timoci Tavatavanawai got 28min in the second test and just 11min in the third. Offers something completely different and we need to see more of him. C- Ollie Norris had a couple of solid shifts off the bench in the first two tests. D Brodie McAlister was running at an F after his lineout throwing fell apart on debut. Then he scored a cracking try. Unlikely to play again much this year, you would think. The questions 1 If that was France B, how good would France A have been? Would the All Blacks have swept them? 2 Is World Rugby actually going to do anything about the farcical situation of a major nation devaluing a test series by leaving their best players behind? 3 When Scott Barrett returns, um, is there actually a place for him in the starting XV? 4 If so, is Jordan, Reece, Lienert-Brown, J Barrett, Fainga'anuku, B Barrett, Roigard, Sititi, Savea, Vaa'i, Holland, S Barrett, Lomax, Taylor and Williams that XV? With Taukei'aho, de Groot, Newell, Finau, Kirifi, Hotham, Tavatavanawai and McKenzie on the bench? Christian Lio-Willie (left) and Du'Plessis Kirifi pose for a post-match photo after the first test. ABs v France The facts How much better do the All Blacks need to get to beat Argentina away (twice) and South Africa at home (twice)? • Played 3, won 3. • First test: All Blacks 31, France 27 (Dunedin). • Second test: All Blacks 43, France 17 (Wellington). • Third test: All Blacks 29, France 19 (Hamilton). • All Blacks fullback/winger Will Jordan scored four tries in the series. Tupou Vaa'i scored two, and eight other All Blacks scored one.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Detailed approach
Tibetan monks Lobsang Dhonye (below; also in secondary photo) and Losang Gyatso painstakingly create an intricate sand mandala at the Dunedin Community Gallery. Photo: Peter McIntosh The artwork representing Chenrezic, the Buddha of compassion, was started at the weekend and is expected to be completed about 2.30pm today, after which it will be swept up and discarded. Photo: Peter McIntosh It is part of the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre's five days of public events, celebrating the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. Other events include public teachings, a quiet reflection and meditation space, children's activities, displays of ceremonial Tibetan clothing, a random act of kindness tree, and a ceremony at the Portobello Stupa.
Otago Daily Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Loving le rugby
All Blacks and French fans were in good spirits before, during and after the big test under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night. Photographers Peter McIntosh and Gregor Richardson were there to capture the fans' joie de vivre.
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
CBHS too good for OBHS
Photo: Peter McIntosh Otago Boys' High School fullback Rahui Valli is tackled by Christchurch Boys' High School centre William Brown during the annual First XV interschool at Littlebourne yesterday. Christchurch Boys', who are flying in the Crusaders schools competition with seven straight wins, won 43-19. Hoani Taimalie, Jackson Boyd and Charlie Ottrey scored tries for the home school. Otago Boys' coach Pelu Taele-Pavihi said he was proud of his players for the fight and effort they showed until the finish. While the result did not go the way of the home team, it was an important day at the school as Otago Boys' officially opened the refurbished Marsh Stand. The grandstand was upgraded thanks to the support of distinguished old boys David, John and the late Graeme Marsh.
Otago Daily Times
18-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Decision on proposed Waikato medical school near: Reti
Fernando Hernandez. Photo: Peter McIntosh D-Day is approaching for the fate of the proposed Waikato medical school. At Tuesday's parliamentary tertiary education committee, Green MP Francisco Hernandez asked Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti about the status of the project. Dr Reti said the cost-benefit analysis for the project had been completed and the government would be making a decision in a matter of weeks. The Waikato medical school proposal has proved controversial — the existing medical schools at Otago and Auckland universities argue they can deliver more medical school students more cheaply and efficiently. National campaigned on the third medical school at the 2023 election, but Act New Zealand made it part of its coalition agreement it would not like the project to go ahead without a detailed cost-benefit analysis. Documentation from Treasury, the Tertiary Education Commission and Ministry of Education have all expressed concern about the cost of the project, the logistical hurdles in establishing it and the speed at which the government hoped to complete it. Mr Hernandez said he was disappointed it appeared to still be a going concern. "It was disappointing to find out at [Tuesday's] select committee hearings that the Waikato medical school project is still continuing to lumber on between life and death. "Every moment of delay is another burden at our health system which is already at crisis point. The government must do the right thing and embrace the Green Budget which would invest in funding more places at Otago and Auckland, so that everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand can get the healthcare they need — sooner and for cheaper than the Waikato medical school proposal."
