Why Kiwis won’t kick themselves if it ends in a tie
NEW ZEALAND have taken steps to ensure they do not blow a second World Cup against England by cracking at the death.
Three months after the Kiwis lost cricket’s biggest prize in a Super Over they could face a ‘kick-off’ against Eddie Jones’ men.
If the two countries cannot be separated after 80 minutes, there will be extra-time, sudden death and then a kicking competition.
Each team would have to nominate five kickers from players still on the field, each of whom would have a shot each to kick a goal from one of three spots. If the scores were still level after five kicks it would then go to sudden death.
All Blacks star Sam Whitelock admitted his country were stung by the cricket defeat and said they would do everything possible to avoid a repeat.
“We weren’t the happiest with the cricket result,” he said of July’s shootout at Lord’s. “We’ll make sure that we know all the different processes, protocols and rules of what potentially can happen if it’s a draw.”
Coach Steve Hansen said he did not expect Saturday’s World Cup semi-final at Yokohama Stadium to be decided by a kicking contest, but his side would be taking no chances.
“We know those are the rules,” Hansen said. “So you’d be foolish not to prepare. I’d be surprised if after 80 minutes, then 10 minutes each way, then sudden-death extra-time – by which time there’ll be b **** r all people standing – that someone hasn’t scored some points.
“But funnier things have happened.”
The last time a kick-off decided a major semifinal was in the 2009 Heineken Cup, when Leicester and Cardiff tied 26-26. Jordan Crane kicked the winner for Tigers.