Re: Did the All blacks Miss Lomu ?

"MasteroftheRevels" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Lo wrote:

> > > If Lomu had spent a couple of seasons in the English ZP to round
out his
> > > skills, where the standard of play is so much higher than the
NPC/S12, was
> > > fit and available, then yes NZ would have won RWC03.

> > What a muppet. Firstly to assume the ZP is at a higher level than
the
> > NPC/S12 and secondly to assume that NZ would win the RWC03 based on
one NZ
> > player training in the ZP.
> >
> > Shows how little you know.

> England are the World Champions and all of them play in the English
ZP.  NZ
> finished a wretched 3rd and all of them play NPC/S12 with a bunch of
Samoans and
> hapless SAs who are even worse.  Can anybody seriously now doubt that
the
> English ZP is the premier rugby competition in the world?  Or did
RWC03 that
> finished a week ago not happen?

The only yardsticks I have:

1. Players who miss out on S12 readily get a run-on ZP start.

2. ZP player of the year returns to Aus and can't get the S12 starting
spot that he lost before going to England.

3. Aus, NZ & Eng are near enough to level pegging.  Aus talent is
diluted into S12 3 ways. NZ talent is diluted into S12 5 ways, Eng
talent is diluted into ZP 2 ways.  (Auckland, Canterbury and Leicester
have disproportionate representation, but it's hard to see how that is
relevant)

4. I haven't seen that much ZP, but most of what I have seen (with the
odd honourable exception) has been pretty dreary (some marvellous
scrummaging though -- breathtaking, scintillating) (also lots of artful
obstruction just away from the breakdown)