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24 hours to go before the game and the Kiwis are bitching about how bad it all is for them.
Christ, I wonder why people want to punch them
Going troppo in Brizzie - brawls galore
By RICHARD KNOWLER in Brisbane - The Dominion Post | Friday, 12 September 2008
Going troppo in Brizzie - brawls galore - New Zealand's source for sport, rugby, cricket & league news on Stuff.co.nz
GOING BERSERK: Frustrated Wallaby Michael Brial rained punches down on Frank Bunce in their 1996 Brisbane test - another slug-fest may ensue on Saturday if history is anything to go by.
There is rarely any shortage of "knuckle" in Brisbane when the All Blacks roll into the Queensland capital to play a test. Perhaps the balmy weather nudges players' tempers into the red zone or maybe the Sunshine State somehow urges them to express themselves more enthusiastically.
Who knows, but the history books record some of the All Blacks' tests in Brisbane have proved to be fiery affairs and there has been no shortage of jungle justice meted out on the paddock.
Here's how the low moments have played out.
1980:Wallabies v All Blacks, Ballymore Oval, Brisbane
Although the All Blacks won this second test of the three-match series 12-9, many remember it for the Mark Shaw punch that shattered Steve Williams' jaw.
With the All Blacks under immense pressure after losing in Sydney the week before (a game in which All Blacks wing Stu Wilson broke his finger after a temporary loss of sanity saw him smack prop Stan Pilecki in the head), it was no surprise several stoushes erupted in Brisbane.
So when Wallabies lock Williams threw a haymaker (it missed) at blindside flanker Shaw, there were no second chances offered by the All Blacks' hit man.
Shaw unloaded a short left punch that put Williams on a liquid diet for the next few months.
The Aussie bravely played on for a short period before sensibly retiring and being replaced by Mick Mathers.
1987: Wales v All Blacks, Ballymore Oval, Brisbane
The All Blacks cruised through the World Cup semifinal 49-6, but it was not just their eight tries that had the 22,576 fans babbling with excitement after the final whistle.
No 8 Wayne Shelford dotted down twice that afternoon but it was his decking of Welsh lock Huw Richards late in the match that proved a "highlight".
When Shelford spied Richards and Gary Whetton having a skirmish – the latter alleged the Welshman grabbed his wedding tackle in a maul – he decided to put an end to their frolicking and felled Richards with a mighty blow to the melon.
Though Shelford was also belted by a Welsh player, he remained on his feet and on the field. Richards was not so lucky. After a brief visit to cuckoo-land, he woke up to discover referee Kerry Fitzgerald had sent him off for provoking the incident.
Remarkably, Shelford escaped censure by the officials and played a major role in the All Blacks winning the final the following weekend.
1992: Wallabies v All Blacks, Ballymore Oval, Brisbane
The outcome proved a "near- miss" for the All Blacks but unfortunately for Wallabies wing Paul Carozza, Richard Loe's aim was spot-on.
After diving in for a try in the corner, Carozza, who may as well have had a bullseye painted on his face, was congratulated by All Blacks loosehead prop Loe, who used his forearm to smear Carozza's nose across his face.
The Australian crowd – and later their media – went ballistic with anger.
Carozza, who was left looking as though he had been operated on by a cosmetic surgeon who had just had a blazing row with his wife, may have wondered if his badly broken nose would allow him to smell again. At least he had the consolation of knowing his two tries had played a major part in the Wallabies winning the match 19-17, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The All Blacks management and coach Laurie Mains refused to punish Loe, and he played the third test in Sydney a week later.
1996: Wallabies v All Blacks, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Such was the ferocity of Michael Brial's attack on Frank Bunce in the opening minutes of this match, it seemed certain he would be sent from the field.
Remarkably, the Wallaby No 8 escaped punishment, with referee Jim Fleming only reversing a penalty he had originally awarded to the Aussies.
Even more surprisingly, Bunce, a player renowned for his resolve never to take a backward step, offered little resistance as Brial swung his wild haymakers like a schoolkid having a tantrum.
Later it emerged that Brial may have still held a grudge about the way Bunce barrelled into him at a maul and injured him when the All Blacks met New South Wales four years earlier.
"I couldn't believe it – he went right over the top," Bunce said afterwards.
The All Blacks won 32-25, Bunce scoring the winning try in the final seconds following a sweet backline move from a scrum.
2006: Wallabies v All Blacks, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Compared with some previous encounters, this was a rather passive clash, with Jerry Collins providing the most controversial moment when he tore several dreadlocks out of George Smith's scalp.
But the heroic deeds of All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw ensured he was a marked man when the two sides met for the return test in Auckland.
McCaw was in scintillating form as the All Blacks held on for a courageous 13-9 win, the openside flanker pulling off try- saving tackles and game-turning turnovers.
He was to pay the price when the two sides clashed in Auckland; first, Phil Waugh softened him up with a crude swinging arm across the face. Later in the match Lote Tuqiri upended him in a dangerous spear tackle that earned him a five-week suspension.
The actions even earned the wrath of Prime Minister Helen Clark.
"I thought it was absolutely appalling. We witnessed several acts of assault against the All Blacks captain and it was very, very ugly to see."
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Originally Posted by some stupid kiwi
