The Dan Wall..!

I am no fan of journalists or any media people that insist on stating the obvious. It gets fairly tiresome and if I wanted to read about what was most likely certain to happen I would read that horoscope of mine that keeps going on about my future of fame, wealth and prosperity.

I also detest media writers that construct salacious farfetched stories premised on controversy sells newspapers. Fair enough they only write such jibberjabber because the public has a thirst for creating a world of bullshit to wonder around in but the rumour mill gets tedious.



With these two opinions in mind I tread intrepidly around this subject, Dan Carter and the RWC07. What has really ticked me off of late is the media frenzy around how 'bad' Danny Carter has been playing!

I mean come the fuck on. The guy set himself a benchmark over the last 3 years as undeniably the most outstanding rugby player of the modern era with amazing skill, flair and consistency when playing against the best sides in the world.



Now here is the thing. Since his belated start to the 2007 season (from game 9 of the Super 14) Dan hasn't nearly emulated his own high standards. How does the media respond? They accuse him of playing badly and having barrycrockers. To say Dan Carter is shit is probably the most controversial thing you can say in world sport right now...

Tiger Woods is over the hill, Lewis Hamilton has no future, Roger Federer is just lucky and England have a chance at retaining Webb Ellis are all fairly brash statements but the balls you have to entertain to support the idea that Dan Carter is playing shit wouldn't look out of place in the Valhalla bowling alley.

As given, he isn't at his own high standard after tests against France, Canada, SA and Australia but lets be pretty brutal. His average is any other flyhalfs blinder. Besides Larkham on the weekend Carter outplayed his opposite number in every test this season, yet gets labelled as shit. The only thing that has been below his mean standard would be his goal kicking but that is easily remedied.

Here is my theory. The gameplan the ABs are employing right now has him only distributing. His finesse is only employed at first phase and then beyond that he just moves the ball around (him and the other two flyhalves) and kicks for the corner (which he pushes out on the full at most once in every game). I won't argue that distribution is his best skill as in all probability Mauger is better than it than him and Larkham is still the world's best but that is his team role right now.



What I am saying is that Graham Henry's gameplan isn't centered around Carter. But that's crazy right? He is the best in the world, why wouldn't you? Simple answer. He is saving his tires for the final section of the race.

Team mark the Carter factor threat out of the game. Game tape analysis of the All Blacks over this year will force a defence to refocus elsewhere and Carter will have the RWC of every flyhalfs dreams. The dam is filling up and it is going to burst come September!

Basically Henry has taken his greatest weapon and made it a secret...