Friday 09 September 2011

Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand v Tonga live

Read Nick Pearce's live build-up and minute-by-minute commentary for the Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool A game between New Zealand and Tonga at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday Sept 9, kick-off 9.30 BST.

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It''s a tribal thing: Maori dancers perform at the opening ceremony Photo: REUTERS

By Nick Pearce

8:35AM BST 09 Sep 2011

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09.22: A mail from Ryan Wells, who isn't keen on ITV's coverage:

You can't let the Opening Ceremony pass without a line on ITV's woeful coverage. Getting slated on Twitter. Just talking heads in a studio. Running at least one minute behind live events and packed with ads. Watching S4C online now and rapidly learning Welsh. Coup for the Welsh-language channel.

09.21: ITV are going through the Tongan line-up and I've been struck with the reality that there are some very complicated spellings in the 22. Thank God for ctrl+v, eh? Enough of the liveblogging neurosis, here are the teams:

New Zealand: Dagg, Kahui, Nonu, S. Williams, Toeava, Carter, Cowan, Woodcock, Hore, O. Franks, Thorn, A. Williams, Kaino, McCaw, Vito.
Replacements: Flynn, B. Franks, Boric, Whitelock, Weepu, Slade, Jane.

Tonga: Lilo, Iongi, Hufanga, Ma'ilei, Piutau, Morath, Moa, Tonga'uiha, Lutui, Filise, Hehea, Tuineau, Kalamafoni, Maka, Ma'afu.
Replacements: Taukafa, Taumalolo, Pulu, Timani, Vahafolau, Fisilau, Fatafehi.

09.16: Who's up for a scene-setter from Brendan Gallagher? Of course you are:

Right, down to the rugby, well after the hakas of course. Tonga have got to lead with their Sipi Tau so its up to the All Blacks whether they want to challenge simultaneously or wait and milk the moment for themselves with their own haka, hopefully the classic Ka mate. Would be great to see them going full bore together but somehow I doubt it. NZ TV by the way have decided to squeeze in a couple of adverts after the hakas and before the kick off. Could be very tight

The Kiwis have got off lightly in terms of an opening match compared with some hosts in the past. From memory England had to play reigning World champions New Zealand first up in 1991, South Africa met reigning World champions Australia in 1995, Australia grappled with the Pumas in 2003 and of course the French party turned sour early doors in 2007 when the Pumas claimed a glorious victory.

New Zealand have averaged 74 points in their three previous Tests against Tonga and something will have had to go wrong if they don'tget near that tonight.

09.15: I'll let Jonathan Liew weave his magic over ITV's coverage later on today, but I must say the constant ad breaks are irksome. Still, all the studio stuff is top-notch so far.

09.11: We are edging ever nearer to kick-off and haka time. Excitement and tension levels raising.

09.02: Mark Reason is at the opening ceremony and was blown away:

What a super cool opening ceremony. Stunning lighting, great choreography, joyous sound, good storyline and not too long. Wake up Olympics. Don't think anyone was crippled in the making of this one. The IOC can keep their bombast. Go New Zealand. go rugby. a touch of class.

09.00: If the opening ceremony didn't do it for you, try this clip. It'sIndustrial Revolution - Part 2 by Jean Michel Jarre, aka the music the players came onto the pitch to at the 2007 World Cup. Spine-tingling:

08.58: Bernard Lapasset, the chairman of the IRB, has declared the tournament officially open. Seven weeks of rugby bliss has begun. Brilliant.

08.57: John Key, New Zealand's Prime Minister, graciously welcomes us all to New Zealand and urges us to enjoy the tournament. Very statesman like. He then ruins it by saying:

Go the mighty All Blacks!

08.50: A pretty girl is now singing World In Union, while Jonah, dressed as a nightclub bouncer in a pinstripe suit and trainers, stands guard.

08.48: The young lad is now running towards Jonah Lomu. Fool! Does he not remember this?

08.42: Opening ceremony update: a tribe of Pacific islanders are dancing around a volcano. Now a young lad in a red and black Canterbury top is running into the "backyard", in recognition of the brave people of Christchurch. Steve Rider has just enough time to tell us this boy is on a "journey through rugby" before rushing to an ad break.

08.40: Kevin Pietersen, revelling in his unique status as both English andSouth African has had the first of many pops at the Kiwis. Love it:

Franscios Pienaar.... Sean Fitzpatrick... Lawrence Dalagllio.... Michael Lynagh... RWC WINNERS. Wonder where @ZinzanBrooke8 is? #loser ha haless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

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08.36: ITV have kicked off with a moody montage introducing their star-studded panel of pundits. "I am a World Cup winner" say Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Lynagh, Lawrence Dallagio and Matt Damon. We also get a first look at the opening ceremony, which has begun with windsurfing as its central theme.

08.35: Shall we get straight on to the 'chokers' label then? The facts don't make for good reading if you're a Kiwi. Twenty-four years without 'Bill' despite being, for the majority of that time, the best team in the world. McCaw tackled this question in yesterday's press conference, dismissing it out of hand like a true champion:

I think we are just ready to go, it’s been a long time coming. History has shown that what’s happened previously, good or bad, means nothing come [World Cup]) kick-off. There is a wee bit of motivation because I have been involved in two previous Cups where we haven’t achieved what we were after, so to get another shot I suppose, it sits in the back of your mind. You’d be a mug if you hadn’t learned in the years since.

Very philisophical, Ruchie. But what do the Australians think?

08.30: Before we get going make sure you have a read of some of our top coverage around today's match

Graham Henry told Mark Reason defence will win the World Cup:
Brendan Gallagher ranked rugby's top five hakas
Mick Cleary argued the desperate Kiwis are central to success of this tournament

08.25: Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It's been just under four years since Fourie du Preez booted the ball out to end the 2007 final, and crown South Africa the champions. But a lot's changed since then: Jonny Wilkinson is fly-half for England, France are briliant then dreadful, the Springboks play kick-chase and Richie McCaw still plays "on the edge of the laws".

Hosts New Zealand (they're the ones in black with massive monkey on their backs) take on neighbours Tonga (the ones in red who sing about being "destroyers of souls") kick off the seven-week festival of early mornings in Auckland.