Daniel Ford reported yesterday on the All Blacks vs Japan game that was played last night New Zealand time. In a thoroughly unsurprising result the New Zealanders pulverised the Japanese, the final score of 54 – 6 adding insult to injury.
This however will not be a game review. Why? Because I didn’t watch the game. Yes, that’s right. I didn’t watch it. If I’m honest, I just find it dull watching a game with a forgone conclusion. Japan never stood a chance last night, everyone knew it. There was never a question of “If the All Blacks win” the question was simply “How badly are the Japanese going to get smashed?”
I can’t get into a game where it’s so obviously a mismatch. New Zealand vs Japan is like Mike Tyson vs PeeWee Herman, Bayern Munich vs your local school kids soccer team or the Tampa Bay Bucs vs … well anybody at the moment. Where one of the opponents is obviously outclassed, outgunned and outplayed it makes for a thoroughly underwhelming game for me. There’s no real competition. Japan would have been happy to get out alive, and the All Blacks probably never even broke a sweat.
In 2000 the All Blacks faced Tonga, and demolished them by over 100 points. In 1995 New Zealand destroyed Japan by 128 points. Seriously, what the hell is the point of these games? Where is the glory? The skill? People will say “Oh but it helps these smaller teams develop.” Really? HOW? All this teaches them is when you take on the biggest, scariest, toughest kid in the playground, you’re going to get turned into road kill. How does that help them develop? How does this teach any team anything?
Japan does have a good domestic series. But it’s good because of the expat players fron New Zealand, Australia and Europe who go to play for the big dollars the Japanese clubs offer. Auckland Blues coach Sir John Kirwan, former All Blacks Jerry Collins and Zinzan Brooke and a slew of Wallaby internationals have all graced the Land of the Rising Sun over the years. The idea was this would help the domestic players develop. Yes to a certain degree having these overseas players providing mentoring to the local boys HAS helped, but enough to step up to the top tier of rugby? I think not. To consistently fall, and fall by such large margins, seems to make a mockery of the sport.
There are plenty of developing unions that are coming up through the ranks. Russia, Georgia and Fiji are all in the sights of the USA Eagles after they take on the Maori All Blacks. Japan would be better served to target similar nations, then take on a team like Manu Samoa. Actually build up to the point they can legitimately face the All Blacks.
Otherwise we’re going to end up with a continuing situation such as that which used to be seen in Boxing. Lets take a Mike Tyson, and stick him in the ring against an unknown, out of shape punching bag who is going to last 30 seconds. The entertainment, the spectacle is gone. It’s not fun, it’s not exciting. And it’s utterly pointless to review.
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