Has the All Blacks dominance made international rugby less exciting?

Former England footballer Gary Lineker once said “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.”

Applied to the All Blacks, Lineker’s quote fits like a glove. I’m sure plenty of opposition have walked off the park feeling the same way. Since Steve Hansen took over in 2011, the All Blacks have lost three times in fifty-nine games. That’s one every 18 months. I therefore wonder why fans and media of their opposition get down when they lose. It’s virtually inevitable.

I don’t really understand why the Wallabies have been getting so much stick from everyone, particularly their own media. Did anyone really expect a different result than what happened in both Sydney and Wellington? Perhaps the Aussies could have shown a bit more fight, but to be honest the results were a foregone conclusion.

It has been a pattern over the last few years, and I for one have mixed emotions about the situation. On one hand it’s great that the All Blacks have conquered all of their rivals and can walk away with an easy victory even when they don’t play that well. The back-to-back World Cups have shown that the All Blacks are no longer an all-talk, no product team that plagued the country for years. Also, the way that new talent filters through into the side and immediately acclimatises and produces quality performances is superb.

But on the other hand, I take the success with a grain of salt. When was the last time the All Blacks were actually in a contest? It’s certainly been a while since I watched them play a memorably tense game. In the last couple of years I can only think of two – the World Cup semi-final against South Africa last year where they held on to win 20-18, and the 2014 end of year Bledisloe Test against Australia where a last minute converted try snuck a one point victory in Brisbane.

It just seems that the tension and drama of international rugby has been lost. I don’t blame the All Blacks because they are obviously a huge step ahead of everyone, with their free-flowing attacking brand of rugby unmatched by any other nation. But until the rest of the world catches up, I’ll watch the All Blacks wipe the floor with their opposition. Like everyone else, I’ll be mightily impressed. But I won’t be surprised, nor will I be particularly excited.

When the Lions toured in 2005 with a fantastic team, no one expected the All Blacks to dominate the series like they did. Therefore, when Dan Carter took over the second test in Wellington and blew away the formidable Lions side, he sent New Zealand into raptures. The atmosphere at those games was electric, as the crowd was buoyed by the tension of the game and the unknowing result that waited at the conclusion of 80 minutes. A similar scene was set when the All Blacks barely hung on against France to secure the long-awaited World Cup five years ago.

Those are the days and games that I miss, even if my heart did beat at twice the speed and the nerves gave me the shakes. That’s the beauty of watching sport. Unfortunately, that seems to have been lost recently, simply because the All Blacks have become so good that no one can compete with them. I now watch the games expecting a show, rather than hoping for a win. The latter is inevitable, and therefore the former becomes the priority. Like the Harlem Globetrotters, the All Blacks have become more of a spectacle than a sports team. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, I am unsure.

Katinka Hosszu’s rise to the top: reality or a façade?

It’s been a thrilling first few days in the pool at this year’s Olympic Games, highlighted by the stunning performances of 27-year-old Hungarian Katinka Hosszu. Competing in her fourth Olympics, Hosszu has dominated the field and hauled in three gold medals, her first ever medals at the Olympics, and has set two Olympic records and one world record in the process. It’s hardly a surprise. Hosszu has been consistently brilliant since 2013, setting multiple world and championship records since. But how has someone who should be well past her best become such a revelation?

It is extremely unusual for a female swimmer to peak so late in their careers. History tells us that the best of the best often break onto the scene in their teens and peak either side of twenty. While male swimmers can often continue to perform at the highest level through to their late twenties, such a scenario is exceedingly uncommon for women. Taking a look at some of the greatest female swimmers in history, there is a common denominator: age. Dawn Fraser was 18 when she won her first gold medal in Melbourne in 1956; Shane Gould was 15 when she got three golds in 1972; Janet Evans had just turned 17 when she did the same in 1988; the list goes on and on. Even today, Katie Ledecky has transformed women’s freestyle despite only being 19. But none of the aforementioned swimmers (apart from Ledecky who is still an unknown) lasted at the top for a significant period of time. Fraser won her last gold in Rome having just turned 27, Gould retired at the age of 17, while Evans retired after failing to win any medals at the 1996 Games at the age of 25. It therefore seems hard to believe that someone who has not always been considered one of the world’s top swimmers, has suddenly become such a dominant force in her mid-twenties.

Until this week, Hosszu had failed to deliver the goods at the Olympic Games. Four years ago, Hosszu finished fourth in the 400m individual medley, eighth in the 200m individual medley, and ninth in the 200m butterfly. Realistically, such a disappointing performance should have been the end of her career. However, she persevered. The first change she made was her coach, appointing her boyfriend Shane Tusup as her trainer and motivator. Tusup has already made a splash of his own during these Olympics, with his excessive emotion and passion in the stands raising many eyebrows. According to those close to the pair, Tusup is an extremely tough trainer, who apparently is borderline inappropriate in his coaching of Hosszu. Together the pair decided to enter Hosszu in more events to lessen the pressure on her to win.

It worked. At the 2013 World Championships, Hosszu won both the 400m and 200m individual medley, and also gained a bronze in the 200m butterfly. In the following World Cup, she destroyed the rest of the field, breaking eight world records and scoring 840 points over the eight meets. The next best scored 288. In just over twelve months, Hosszu had gone from a competitor barely making finals, to a multiple world-record holder and world champion.

She has not let up her performances since. As the world watched in awe as she lowered the 400m individual medley world record by two seconds, she barely broke a sweat. This was the end product of a four-year training effort. Yet, in this day and age, one feels like such performances are too good to be true. The record she broke had been formerly held by Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen, whose rapid swim in London four years ago has since been deemed as likely to have been fuelled by performance-enhancing drugs. By not just beating, but annihilating that record, Hosszu is cast under the same shadow.

Of course, this is not the first time that such a rise has occurred. History has a way of repeating itself. In 1996 Irish swimmer Michelle Smith had a disturbingly similar rise. Having failed to medal in either of her first two Olympics, Smith romped through the field in Atlanta, winning three golds and a bronze, including two golds in the individual medley events, the same as Hosszu this time around. Smith was 26 in Atlanta and like Hosszu, had only started to ascend to the top at a late age and after a fairly mediocre career. To cap off their similarities, Smith was also coached by her husband in Atlanta. While Smith never tested positive during the Games, there remained a great deal of suspicion around her rapid rise to the top. Two years later, she was banned from swimming after she was caught manipulating a drug test. She kept her medals from Atlanta, but it is now assumed that she was probably using PEDs in the build-up to those games.

At this stage there is obviously no proof that Hosszu has taken any kind of performance enhancing drugs, nor that she is alone in doing so. However, her ascension is virtually unprecedented, especially at her age. For now, we have to assume that her hard work has paid off, but time will tell if what we saw was reality or simply a façade. 

Three Olympic events you need to watch

The 2016 Rio Olympics are underway! It may be the most controversial games in history. But let’s forget that for a moment and focus on the actual events and athletes taking part. Of course, there are some events that are must-watch television. However, instead of rattling off some obvious ones (like the 100m final), here’s three spectacles that you just can’t miss.

 Mens 200m Butterfly

It was tough for me to choose just one swimming event, but I feel like this one could be the most exciting, due to its competitiveness. There are a number of swimmers that have the ability to win gold, none less than Michael Phelps, a two-time winner of the event. The 31-year-old is competing in his final Olympics, and of his four events, this will be his toughest. His competition includes South African Chad Le Clos, whose long fingers denied Phelps of a third consecutive gold in the event in 2012; and long-time rival Lazlo Cseh of Hungary. It wouldn’t surprise me if the medal placings were decided by a matter of milliseconds. Let me put it this way. I’ve watched all of the swimming at the Olympics for twelve years, and this will probably be the closest race since the 200m freestyle in 2004, which was dubbed the ‘Race of the Century’.

Handball

No I’m not talking about that game you played in year four on the hard courts. This version is far more intense and extreme. Having seen the game briefly a few times, I liken it to futsal but with your hands. It’s fast, chaotic, skilful, and at times, pretty amusing. This is because you get to watch people doing 360 spins, behind the back throws, and seemingly never-ending chains of alleyoops that finally end in a goal. Also, countries like Qatar are good at it (who knew?). Honestly, I couldn’t tell you the rules, because like the rest of you, I have no idea what is going on. But I do know that France are the two-time defending champions, so they must be alright. It looks like a hell of a good time and something that we Kiwis could play if we really put our mind to it. If you like a whole combination of crazy shit, this sport is for you.

4x100m Relay (Men and Women)

The relays are always a good watch, however, the London Games took things to the next level. The world record was not just broken, but demolished in both the male and female events. One should expect much of the same this time as Jamaica and the USA battle it out for the gold medal once again. Both of the male teams are virtually the same as last time, featuring superstars Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake (Jamaica), and Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay (USA). However, the women feature some new faces. Only Tianna Bartoletta remains from the USA team that broke the 27-year-old record in London, while the Jamaicans feature just two - the experienced Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown - from the same event four years ago. Of course, never rule out an upset, especially when the baton change is involved. Both races will be amazing, as will the atmosphere inside the stadium. Don’t miss the experience.

Russia escape ban from Olympics thanks to weak IOC

In the early hours of Monday morning, the leaders of the International Olympic Committee convened to discuss the banning of the Russian Olympic team from the upcoming games. Over the course of three hours, they had the chance to come to a conclusion that could change the future of sport forever. Yet, whether or not they were scared of a political backlash, failed to impose their authority on the grandest stage.

The decision of whether or not Russia was to be entirely banned from the Rio Olympics was the biggest in Olympic history to date. By not imposing a blanket ban on Russia for the upcoming Olympics, the IOC wasted the greatest opportunity to finally cut doping out of top-level international sport. Instead, they passed on the responsibility to the governing bodies of each sport. In the most defining moment of their history, the IOC unsurprisingly wet the bed.

This decision confirmed my many fears. The IOC showed that they are nothing more than a fabricated collective of two-faced money launderers. By doing so, they joined the exclusive list of irrelevant, corrupt governing bodies, alongside FIFA and the ICC. What an honour. Like their counterparts, they specialise in cashing cheques and taking bribes, but are not overly keen on actual work and decision-making such as this.

Now don’t get it twisted. My views are not politically motivated. I get no satisfaction out of watching Putin and Russia crumble. I’m not a fanatical Westerner writhing in glee when challengers to the throne fall to the wayside. I’m a Kiwi who knows that no global superpower either knows where we are, or gives a shit anyway. I look at this in only a sporting context. Russia committed arguably the greatest crime in sport – state-funding a doping program. There can be no excuses, no ways around it. It happened and they should have been punished accordingly. People argue that banning the entire team would be unfair to those athletes with clean records. However, these athletes still could have still competed – but they would have done so as independents, rather than under a Russian flag.

Doping programs are not just a way of bending the rules and producing better results. It literally warps reality. Back before most of us were born, a similar scandal took place in East Germany for nearly two decades, with the truth only emerging once the nation disbanded in the early 1990s. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the East Germans systematically pumped their athletes full of hormones and steroids. The result? They became one of the most dominant sporting nations on the globe, even occasionally nudging out the United States on the medal count. Millions of people watched those events unfold, and were only told of the lies years later. But saying it was false does not erase it from memory or reality. That stuff happened - ask your parents - and some records still stand to this very day.

I guess what I’m saying is that doping creates a false illusion of the reality we watch on television. As Kiwis, we have experienced this ourselves. Just four years ago Valerie Adams was robbed of a gold medal in London, thanks to a not-so-clean Bulgarian. Sure, Adams goes in the record books as having won, but we can never erase what we saw. We didn’t watch her win. We saw her standing on the second-place podium, crying in disappointment. That image does not simply get erased nor replaced.

Of course, Russia is not the only nation that have drugged-up athletes. Almost every nation has, at the very least, someone in the same position. There’s no doubt in my mind that there are several US athletes that have snuck under the radar. In fact, sprinter Justin Gatlin was caught a couple of years ago, but for some reason was allowed back into the sport. In the past, the likes of Marion Jones, Carl Lewis, and ‘Flo-Jo’, have either been caught or been suspected of doping. The fact of the matter is, this was an opportunity to cut out doping, as the athletes would have seen the dire consequences that it brings.

Yet here we are. The Russians have been given a slap on the wrist, which in my eyes will only help encourage dopers to continue their cheating exploits. How are we to know whose clean and who’s not? We’ve all seen the amazing performances of both Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, but how are we to know if that was reality or just an illusion? Having just witnessed a major injustice, it’s unlikely that we will ever know.

Are the Olympics starting to lose legitimacy?

After Rory McIlroy’s comments this week, one was reminded of the ridiculous amount of sports now included in the Olympic Games. This year’s games will have 308 events across 28 different sports, an Olympic record. To put this in context, there were only 43 events at the first modern Olympiad.

McIlroy is right – what place does golf have in the Olympics? It is not considered the pinnacle of the sport and only clogs an already busy schedule. Nor is it alone. In the same category are sports like football, tennis, boxing, and the rugby sevens – none of which see the Olympics as the pinnacle of their respective sports (if we count sevens as union, and boxing as professional).

When I watch the Olympics, I want to watch the best athletes competing at the highest level. I want to see the emotion of four years of hard work come to the fore. I want to see champions cry as they sing their national anthem on the podium. These scenes are what the Olympics are all about, and I for one am worried about the current climate of the games.

It is supposed to be a privilege to go and compete at the Olympics. Athletes work their ass off to get there, and work even harder to win. It’s for this reason that I find the inclusion of some of these events a joke. The fact that Sonny Bill Williams and Jarryd Hayne (although unsuccessful) basically wrote their names on the sign-up sheet to go and grab an easy Olympic medal speaks volumes about the legitimacy of the sport in the games.

As I mentioned earlier, I want to watch the best athletes compete at the highest level. This does not mean I want to watch a team full of Brazilian teenagers (and Neymar, for some reason) play some street football for a laugh. Nor do I want to watch some obscure boxer from Kazakhstan triumph over another from Malawi (I thought we had moved on from the amateur era, but apparently not).

Hard work is what defines the Olympics in my eyes. The athletes train for years and battle through injury and pain because they know this is their moment on the world stage. It’s for this reason that I don’t want to see Raphael Nadal pull out in order to “save himself” for future tournaments. If it really mattered, he would be there no matter what.

The crazy state of Rio has distracted us from the ridiculousness of the Olympics and the sports that have been thrown in to simply bulk up the schedule. In future I hope some of these issues are addressed, even if it does mean less medals for New Zealand. As Rory said, I’ll be watching the sports “that matter.”

European Championship Preview

Group A

France

Coach: Didier Deschamps

Captain: Hugo Lloris

Key Players: Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Anthony Martial

Tournament hosts France are favourites to go a long way in this year’s Euros and with the talent they have, there should be no problems qualifying from the top of Group A. It’s been 16 long years since the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry last lifted a major trophy for France, and this will be their best shot in a while. This side’s strength is definitely its depth, with those on the bench being just as talented as those on the pitch. They also have a nice mix of youth and experience, as well as a strong defensive presence and quick counter-attacking forwards. If there is one weakness it is in the striker position. Usual number 9 Karim Benzema has already confirmed to be missing the tournament after being involved in a sex scandal last year with teammate Mathieu Valbuena. If France were to go all the way, players such as Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre Gignac will have to fill the hole left by Benzema’s omission. However, this is a well-balanced side and the best the French have had to offer in over a decade. If they can fire on all cylinders, they have no reason not to walk away with the silverware.

Prediction: Semi Finals

Switzerland

Coach: Vladimir Petkovic

Captain: Stephan Lichtsteiner

Key Players: Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka, Ricardo Rodriguez.

After being trounced 5-1 by France in the World Cup two years ago, the Swiss probably grimaced when they saw that they had to face their European neighbours once again. However, after a strong qualifying campaign, this team will have the belief that they can make an impact in this tournament. Like the French, the Swiss have some very exciting youthful talent that they will be looking to showcase on the big stage. For the viewer, keep an eye on Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri, who scored a magnificent hat trick against Honduras in the World Cup two years ago. But if this side does make a run in the tournament, it could be due to FIFA 16 wonderkid Breel Embolo. The 19-year-old Basel forward has been catching the eye of several top European clubs and a strong showing here could see a big money move eventuate not long afterwards. A talented and youthful side, Switzerland should make it out of the group but could face challenges in the knockout stages.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

Romania

Coach: Anghel Iordanescu

Captain: Razvan Rat

Key Players: Vlad Chiriches, Gabriel Torje, Bogdan Stancu

Although this Romanian side probably won’t win the tournament, they could win the prize for playing the most boring football. After scoring only 11 goals in qualifying and conceding only twice, they are the masters of the nil-all draw, a feat they achieved in three consecutive qualifying games. Despite their staunch defensive play, Romania could provide an upset or two if they can get the ball in the net themselves. Leading this charge will be striker Bogdan Stancu, supported by winger Gabriel Torje and playmaker Alexandru Maxim. Don’t hold your breath mind you. Strong chance of having an All Whites-esque tournament and get knocked out in the group stages without losing a game.

Prediction: Group Stage

Albania

Coach: Gianni De Biasi

Captain: Lorik Cana

Key Players: Mergim Mavraj, Odise Roshi, Taulant Xhaka

After beating out both Denmark and Serbia in qualifying, Albania will be making history as they compete in their first ever major tournament. While the squad doesn’t contain any recognisable names, they have pulled off some big upsets in recent times, including one against France last year. An interesting storyline in this group will be seeing brothers Granit and Taulant Xhaka play against one another. Born in Switzerland to Albanian parents, the Xhakas have gone on to become key members of both national sides. Qualification from the group stage seems unlikely for Albania, but stranger things have happened in this tournament before (see Greece at the 2004 edition).

Prediction: Group Stage

Group B

England

Coach: Roy Hodgson

Captain: Wayne Rooney

Key Players: Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Jamie Vardy

Is this England’s year? Could they finally end their 50 year trophy drought? While some would like you to believe such things were possible after their friendly victory over a depleted Germany side earlier this year, it is highly unlikely. They need to get out of the group to start with, something they failed to do at the World Cup two years ago. However, since that disappointment there has been a change of guard, with an influx of quality young talent being thrust into the lineup. The form of Tottenham trio Kane, Alli, and Eric Dier, as well as Leicester star Jamie Vardy, will be absolutely crucial to England’s chances of going deep into the tournament. This group shouldn’t provide too many challenges one would think, and a quarter-final berth would be the minimum expectation for this side. Could they go further? Sure, but they’re not winning it, I’ll tell you that right now.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

Wales

Coach: Chris Coleman

Captain: Ashley Williams

Key Players: Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Andy King

As with Albania, Wales will be participating in their first ever European Championship. Yet unlike their eastern European counterparts, Wales won’t be satisfied playing only the group games. Led by Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale, they have a legitimate chance of topping the group, especially if they can force a result against England. However, a real lack of squad depth could prove costly, especially if injuries take a toll. But after qualification victories over the likes of Belgium they will believe that they can get at least into the second round. In a similar vain to Romania, Wales are strong defensively but showed in qualifying that they can struggle to break opposition sides down. If Bale plays at his very best then expect Wales to qualify, if not, they could be going home early.

Prediction: Round of 16

Russia

Coach: Leonid Slutsky

Captain: Roman Shirokov

Key Players: Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Kokorin, Artyom Dzyuba

Neither a good team nor a bad one, Russia will be hoping to bring some consistency to this tournament. After a poor World Cup in Brazil, Russia had a solid qualifying campaign that saw them finish behind just Austria in their group. Contrary to popular belief, Russia are actually an exciting team to watch. They score plenty of goals (21 in 10 qualifying games) no matter the opposition, although their defence is known to crumble a bit against quality teams. Zenit St Petersburg strikers Kokorin and Dzyuba will provide a constant threat to opposition while the midfield playmaking of Dzagoev and crossing from Yuri Zhirkov will be equally important. With the quality available they should be able to secure one of the top three spots available, though would prefer the second spot.

Prediction: Round of 16

Slovakia

Coach: Jan Kozak

Captain: Martin Skrtel

Key Players: Marek Hamsik, Vladimir Weiss, Stanislav Sestak

This Slovakia side is like a cricket bat in the 1980s – all middle and nothing else. Without the quality midfield presence of Hamsik, Weiss, and Sestak, they probably wouldn’t be participating at the Euros this year. Nevertheless, here they are and although they are heavy outsiders to get out of the group, there’s still the chance of an upset or two. They are no pushovers, and even managed to beat a revived Spain in qualifying. But weaknesses at the front and back of this team will probably end up haunting them at the tournament, despite the class in midfield. It would be a pretty safe bet to see them eliminated at the group stage.

Prediction: Group Stage

Group C

Germany

Coach: Joachim Low

Captain: Bastian Schweinsteiger

Key Players: Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil

The World Cup winners from two years ago have continued to be one of, if not the best side in international football. Certainly, in terms of depth they are rivalled by none. With the likes of Mario Gotze, Marco Reus, and Julian Draxler warming the bench, they are ridiculously spoilt for choice in midfield. Most of the squad from two years ago remain, although the retirement of Phillip Lahm is a big loss in defence. However, there is still plenty of quality in defence and of course there is the sturdy presence of the world’s best goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. All in all they should have no trouble dismantling their three group opponents, and with a favourable knockout draw on the cards, could win the entire tournament. If there’s an obvious favourite for the tournament, it’s Germany.

Prediction: Winners

Ukraine

Coach: Mykhaylo Fomenko

Captain: Anatoliy Tymoshchuk

Key Players: Yevhen Konoplyanka, Andriy Yarmolenko, Yaroslav Rakitskyi

Playing in their first tournament since legend Andriy Shevchenko retired in 2012, Ukraine have a few splatters of talent in their squad. Like most teams, their midfield looks their strongest, and particular their wing players, but it seems like a lack of scoring prowess up front could see them suffer. Yet the draw has been reasonably favourable, and they should be able to secure either second or third position in the group. It would be a huge disappointment if they fail to do so.

Prediction: Round of 16

Poland

Coach: Adam Nawalka

Captain: Robert Lewandowski

Key Players: Jakub Blaszczykowski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Arkadiusz Milik

You’ve got to feel sorry for the commentators having to try and pronounce some of these names, but they should get used to it as this side will more than likely be advancing from the group stage. Interestingly, Poland were also in the same qualifying group as Germany, and performed admirably against their western neighbours, beating them 2-0 in one game. The key to their tournament chances will lie with the form of captain and striker Robert Lewandowski, whose 13 goals were the most by any player in the qualifying stages. They will most likely battle it out with Ukraine for the second spot in the group, and should gather enough points to qualify as a third place if that doesn’t happen.

Prediction: Round of 16

Northern Ireland

Coach: Michael O’Neill

Captain: Steven Davis

Key Players: Kyle Lafferty, Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt

Another nation making their first appearance at the European Championships, Northern Ireland will be hoping to make an early impact. While they got the luck of the Irish in qualifying by being handed an easy group, they will have a tougher time in the actual tournament. With no real starpower, they will have to rely on the sheer will and passion of the players if they are going to have any chance of advancing from the group stage. Really difficult to see Northern Ireland being victorious, never mind progressing, and with the quality of forwards in all three opposition sides, their defence has to be on song every game to even have a chance.

Prediction: Group Stage

Group D

Spain

Coach: Vicente del Bosque

Captain: Iker Casillas

Key Players: Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fabregas

Defending champs Spain had an absolute shocker at the World Cup two years ago but have since returned to being the elite team we know them to be. After their Brazil meltdown, Spain elected against dismissing long-standing coach Vicente del Bosque, and captain Iker Casillas. It would be very surprising if the latter was given the starting job, especially with Manchester United’s David de Gea waiting in the wings. They will have no time to work their way into the tournament, as the draw has put them up against three quality sides. If they are going to have a successful run, then del Bosque will have to give playing time to the many exciting talents he has available, including Isco, Saul, Koke, Alvaro Morata, and Thiago. If he decides to remain loyal to the old guard, there is a possibility that another capitulation could take place. It really is a perfect example of playing players based on form rather than reputation. Hopefully he will make the right decisions that will benefit this team.

Prediction: Semi-Finals

Turkey

Coach: Faith Terim

Captain: Arda Turan

Key Players: Nuri Sahin, Hakan Calhanoglu, Burak Yilmaz

It seems like a long time ago since Turkey played Brazil in the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, and it would be fair to say that they have not reached anywhere near those levels since. But this team has been improving rapidly in recent times and have not lost a game since November 2014. This could be attributed to the talented young stars that have forced their way into the side, including Calhanoglu and Oguzhan Ozyakup. Although they have been given a rough group in which to navigate, they should be able to place second or third and ensure a place in the round of 16. Whether they can make an upset in the knockout stages will remain to be seen.

Prediction: Round of 16

Croatia

Coach: Ante Cacic

Captain: Darijo Srna

Key Players: Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mario Mandzukic

Arguably the best team in Eastern Europe, Croatia will be hoping that their mix of veterans and young hopefuls will bring them some success this year. After failing to deceive in Brazil two years ago, they will be hoping to fire on all cylinders this time around. They certainly have the talent. Alongside key members Modric, Rakitic and Mandzukic, are young magicians Mateo Kovacic and Alen Halilovic, whose talent has already been recognised by Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Add to the mix their highest scorer in qualifiers Ivan Perisic, and the Croatians have a side to contend with. Don’t be surprised if they give Spain a run for their money for the top place in the group.

Prediction: Round of 16

Czech Republic

Coach: Pavel Vrba

Captain: Petr Cech

Key Players: Tomas Rosicky, Michal Kadlec, Tomas Necid

Probably the weakest side in Group D, the Czech Republic will have their work cut out for them if they want to advance to the knockout stages. However, this team made the quarter-finals four years ago and will use that as inspiration to believe that they can do the same this time around. This side has begun to show signs of age in recent times and it would be a big ask for their veterans to pull another miracle out of the bag. With the quality of opposition they are set to face, don’t expect them to be around come knockout time.

Prediction: Group Stage

Group E

Belgium

Coach: Marc Wilmots

Captain: Vincent Kompany

Key Players: Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne

Belgium is in the midst of an amazing golden generation, one that will last for years to come. With world-class players from all the top leagues around Europe, covering every position, this side definitely has the quality to go all the way in this tournament. Aside from the players already mentioned, watch out for others such as Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel, Radja Nainggolan, Michy Batshuayi, Kevin Mirallas, and Jan Vertonghen, to name just a few. If there was a weakness it would be the questionable tactical ability of coach Marc Wilmots. In the World Cup two years ago Wilmots struggled to get the best out of his attacking talent and it will be interesting to see what changes he has made since then. Expect them to be a force to be reckoned with. Only a world-class performance will stop this team.

Prediction: Runners Up

Italy

Coach: Antonio Conte

Captain: Gianluigi Buffon

Key Players: Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Antonio Candreva

For those that have watched Italy play at major tournaments they would know that it’s all or nothing for the Azzuri. The masters of inconsistency were runners up in the last edition of the Euros, but were eliminated at the group stage in the last two World Cups. The most difficult team to predict, even Italians don’t know what they’re going to get. On the positive side they have a great coach in Conte, and have a strong core of Juventus players, who have become accustomed to victory in the last few years, and participated in the 2015 Champion’s League Final, losing to Barcelona. While there is obvious talent in the Italian squad, many point to the lack of strength going forward, and indeed the inclusion of Southampton’s Graziano Pelle is a sign that standards have dropped in that position. Yet despite all the flaws, Italy will probably turn up and win the bloody thing without a care in the world. They’ve done it before, and they can do it again.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

Republic of Ireland

Coach: Martin O’Neill

Captain: Robbie Keane

Key Players: Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady, Shane Long

After being absolutely hammered at the Euros four years ago, Ireland will be wanting to make amends this time around. Had a strong qualifying campaign, picking up victories against both Germany and Poland, and have also had some strong performances in friendly matches against England and Switzerland. But whether this side has the ability to perform on the big stage remains to be seen. Their squad isn’t full of talent, much like their Northern Irish counterparts, and will need to have a similar rugged attitude to make any impact on their group. Don’t count them out, but to be honest it’s probably better if you did anyway.

Prediction: Group Stages

Sweden

Coach: Erik Hamren

Captain: Zlatan Ibrahimović

Key Players: Kim Kallstrom, Sebastian Larsson, Andreas Isaksson

Much like Poland, Sweden rely on their superstar striker, this time in the form of Zlatan Ibrahimović. The eccentric forward has carried Sweden to these major tournaments virtually single-handedly his entire career, and even as he begins to age, he continues to be their go to guy. One would expect this side to beat the Irish, but it is unlikely they will be able to overcome the power of either Belgium or Italy. Mind you, they could get lucky depending on which Italy shows up on the day. Kiwis know all about that after they almost pulled off an upset win against the then-defending champs at the World Cup in 2010. If Sweden can beat Ireland and grab a point from one of the other two games, it should secure a place in the knockout stages.

Prediction: Group Stages

Group F

Portugal

Coach: Fernando Santos

Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo

Key Players: Joao Moutinho, Nani, Pepe

Portugal are in a similar vein to Italy in the sense of inconsistency at major tournaments. A semi-finalist four years ago, they were expected to make a serious impact at the World Cup in 2014, but were eliminated by the USA in the group stage. For a side boasting the talents of one of the world’s best players, one would expect them to be a force in international competition. However, a mediocre supporting cast has often left Ronaldo frustrated with his side, and he often lets his feelings be known. This tournament will probably be Ronaldo’s last while still at the top of his game, so it will be interesting to see what his side bring to the table. Should make it to the knockout stages in either of the top two positions, and depending on the draw, could easily get to the quarter finals. If they face a quality side however, they will be certain underdogs.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

Iceland

Coach: Lars Lagerback & Heimir Hallgrimsson

Captain: Aron Gunnarsson

Key Players: Gylfi Sigurosson, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Kolbeinn

The biggest shock of qualifying was Iceland knocking out the Netherlands, one of Europe’s biggest powerhouses. They are also making their debut in a major tournament, and it would be safe to say that they truly are an unknown force. Were lucky to be given a relatively easy group but will still find it difficult to advance into the knockouts. Grabbing points from Portugal and Austria could be vital if they want to take one of the three third-placed round of 16 spots. It’s hard to predict what kind of football they will play but given their opposition, they have a great opportunity to make it into the next round.

Prediction: Round of 16

Austria

Coach: Marcel Koller

Captain: Christian Fuchs

Key Players: David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic, Marc Janko

A dominating display in qualifiers sees Austria come into the tournament with plenty of confidence and high hopes. Given what the draw has given them, Austria would be mightily disappointed if they don’t at least qualify for the next round. In all honesty, they should be pushing Portugal for top spot and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they achieved that. Player to watch is definitely David Alaba, the left back for German giants Bayern Munich. The 23-year-old will probably play in midfield for Austria, but his array of talents is such that it won’t make a difference. If Austria perform as they should, Alaba will be a key part of it.

Prediction: Round of 16

Hungary

Coach: Bernd Stork

Captain: Balazs Dzsudzsak

Key Players: Tamas Priskin, Zoltan Gera, Roland Juhasz

Arguably the weakest side in the group, Hungary will be doing their best to force an upset. Yet with the draw the way it is they will be pleased to avoid any of the major sides, giving them an opportunity to grab points from all three of their games. Still, they are a definite outsider to proceed to the next round considering their squad severely lacks depth and class. They probably won’t be whipping boys, but they will still go home early nevertheless.

Prediction: Group Stage

French Open Preview

The 115^th edition of the French Open begins in Paris on Sunday, signalling the start of the second tennis major of the year. The long-awaited tournament will be noteworthy for a number of reasons, none more so than being the first major since Maria Sharapova was banned for using performance enhancing drugs. It will also bear significance on the court, where Novak Djokovic will be determined to finally capture his first French Open crown, the only major tournament he has failed to win in his glittering career. Meanwhile, Serena Williams will be hoping to continue her dominance of the women’s game, and is one major away from equalling Steffi Graf with a record 22 singles titles in the Open era.

In the last few years Djokovic has become a dominant force in the men’s game, as rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have begun to show signs of wear and tear. The Serb currently has eleven titles to his name, still a long way behind his aforementioned counterparts. However, he has won five of the last six Grand Slams, with his only loss coming to Stan Wawrinka in this very event last year. The lead in to the tournament has not been as smooth as he would have liked mind you. Last week Djokovic lost the Rome Masters to Andy Murray, probably his biggest threat in Paris, in straight sets. He was also knocked out in just the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters a little over a month ago, although he did win the Madrid Open a few weeks later. Whether or not the world number one is showing signs of fatigue or not remains to be seen, but he is still the strong favourite heading into Roland Garros.

Murray, whose confidence will have skyrocketed after his victory in Rome, will be determined to continue his recent form. The defeat of Djokovic was no small feat for the Scot, who has found the Serbian ace his achilles heel throughout his career. It was Murray’s first victory against Djokovic on clay in five meetings between the two. However, despite these promising signs, the French Open has historically been Murray’s worst Grand Slam, having never made a final in any of his eight appearances at the tournament. He will also go to the tournament without a coach, after his former mentor Amelie Mauresmo decided to make her young family her priority. While Murray is not worried at this stage, it could be troublesome if he encounters issues later in the tournament.

The other favourites remain the same, with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and last year’s champion Stan Wawrinka hot on the heels of both Djokovic and Murray. Nadal, a record nine-time French Open champion, has been finding form in recent months after an embarrassing first round exit at the Australian Open in January. Injuries and fatigue have continually haunted the Spaniard for the best part of two years, something he will be hoping to avoid this time around.

Injury has also been plaguing Federer in recent weeks, with the aging legend stating that he does not rate his chances going into the tournament as he battles an unspecified back injury.

“Clearly the way I’m playing right now is never going to be good enough for any good run in Paris; I also wouldn’t play this way. I’m still confident I will be fine somehow.”

 It threatens to end a remarkable streak of 65 straight appearances at Grand Slams, but Federer is still determined to compete in Paris.

“If I can play 100% again and move again correctly, my mind’s in a good place. My game is there.”

Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, has been in poor form this year, having failed to beat a top ten opponent since February. However, he is not worried about his recent performances.

“Last year I was struggling with my game before here. I wasn’t playing great tennis.”

“This year I’m just feeling really good in practice. I think I’m playing well. That’s why I know that if I keep pushing myself the rest will come sooner or later. I don’t know when, but my level is there.”

The women’s draw will be without former world number one Caroline Wozniacki and current world number eight Belinda Bencic, with both failing to recover from their respective ankle and back injuries.

As has become the norm, Serena Williams will enter the tournament as the overwhelming favourite to win her fourth French Open. By doing so, she would equal Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles in the Open era, and give her the chance to take the record by year’s end.

It would take some doing to topple the American superstar, but many eyes will fall on German Angelique Kerber, who defeated Williams at the Australian Open in January. The world number three has continued to play well on the back of her first major victory, but will still face an arduous task in conquering the powerful Williams again.

The rest of the draw has become impossible to predict in recent years. There are no certainties on who will be with Williams in the closing stages of the tournament, but chances are there will definitely be a surprise run by a relative unknown.

Such a run could be made by 20-year-old American Louisa Chirico. Having had to qualify for the Madrid Open last month, the youngster proved her worth by overcoming both Ana Ivanovic and Victoria Azarenka on her way to a semi-final berth. It is unlikely that Chirico will go that far at Roland Garros, but she could provide some great entertainment in the early rounds.

The tournament begins on Sunday 22^nd May at 9pm NZT and will conclude on the 5^th June.