General Rugby News

The two-hour documentary Weight of a Nation screened in New Zealand on Sunday 16th Dec 2012 at 7.30pm on Sky Sport 1. The documentary traces the All Blacks from 2007 up to and including the final of the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

The Weight Of A Nation is the story of the All Blacks' 2011 victory as seen through the eyes of All Blacks coach Graham Henry and his team.

All the key men are interviewed, including manager Darren Shand, New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew and, of course, the players.

In the cold light of day

It seems astonishing that the All Blacks were able to burn through so many first five-eighths and still claim the Rugby World Cup victory at Eden Park in 2011

The documentary goes right back to 2007 and the pain of the quarterfinal loss suffered by the All Blacks at the hands of France. It then charts the plan and strategies by the three coaches - Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen - in the preparation for the tournament in New Zealand.

Sky Sport producer Kevin Cameron said the documentary showed how much work and thought went into the campaign and it did not simply start when the first game of the World Cup kicked off.

Cameron said he had an inkling for the idea before the tournament started and, once the dramatic final was played out, decided to plough ahead with the project. Everyone knows the end result of the documentary - a slim one-point win over France.

-- SNIPPET UPLOAD COURTESY IAMMEDIAKING

Weight Of A Nation Replay Times on Rugby Channel & SKY Sport

Documentary from Producer Kevin Cameron, Project Director of Host Broadcaster Sky Sport for Rugby World Cup 2011

Rugby Channel:

• Mon 17 Dec 07:00 | 14:00 | 18:00
• Tue 18 Dec 00:00 | 11:00 | 18:00 | 23:30
• Wed 19 Dec 20:30
• Thu 20 Dec 20:30
• Fri 21 Dec 07:00 | 18:00 | 23:30
• Sat 22 Dec 04:00 | 12:00 | 20:00
• Sun 23 Dec 04:10 | 17:00

SKY Sport 1:

• Tue 18 Dec 22:30
• Wed 19 Dec 01:30 | 22:30
• Thu 20 Dec 14:30 | 19:30
• Sun 23 Dec 06:00

SKY Sport 2:

• Wed 19 Dec 17:30
• Fri 21 Dec 12:00

SKY Sport 3:

• Thu 20 Dec 04:00 | 09:30

The Weight of a Nation - In the News and On the Web

WEIGHT OF A NATION - ARE WE THAT BAD?

The v2 Forum - Dec 21, 2012

Last week this showed was aired on Sky Rugby and Sport and has been played endlessly ever since.

A real insight into the weight placed on the shoulders of the key contributors leading up to and resulting in the WCup final win- Henry, Smith, Hansen. McCaw, Read and Conrad Smith fronted on behalf of the players.

One of the most disturbing things Ive seen was Henry's comments about the final few minutes when France were relentlessly phasing away looking for a penalty to have a chance of clinching he match.

He started thinking that this was looking like 2007 all over again...

Read More >

UNMUZZLED HANSEN KICKS 'DINGO'

New Zealand Herald - Dec 19, 2012

Few plaudits and little grace shown to former champion Crusaders coach as World Cup winner reflects.

Big Steve Hansen scraped off the jolly image makeover and turned into Bad Santa by delivering another low blow to Robbie Deans.

Sky Television's fluffy pre-Christmas piece celebrating the myths and legends of last year's World Cup triumph was also a reminder of the Grinch-like attitude towards Deans that exists in high places, and elsewhere, if truth be told.

Blokes like Hansen, Graham Henry and Steve Tew owe, in part, their jobs and accolades and even a knighthood to Deans. His brilliant Crusaders empire propped up New Zealand rugby when much else was failing. His struggles as Wallaby boss don't change that history.

The machine Deans created provided the heart of the All Blacks side that sneaked to World Cup glory. This included everybody's favourite old-style lock Brad Thorn, initially discarded by the Henry regime and rehabilitated for the All Blacks cause by Deans.

Read More >

HANSEN'S COMMENTS ON DEANS A STEP TOO FAR

Yahoo Sport - Dec 18, 2012

If you haven't seen Sky Sport's documentary 'Weight of a Nation' yet, then make plans to see it as soon as you can.

The absorbing story of the All Blacks' World Cup victory of 2011 is told through the eyes, largely, of the three wise men who led the team to victory.

It's an emotional journey which, although not comparable to truly great sporting documentaries such as 'TT3D: Closer to the Edge' or 'Senna', gives a new level to the understanding of what the team went through to win the World Cup.

In the cold light of day it seems astonishing that the All Blacks were able to burn through so many first five-eighths and still claim victory at Eden Park.

It's also a chance to see that, despite the vitriol directed towards them from some in the media and others in New Zealand, that no-one hurt more in 2007 than Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith.

However the most remarkable part of the film, in my opinion, isn't the interviews regarding the victory last year.

It's Steve Hansen's comments regarding Robbie Deans - an opinion that I'm surprised the All Blacks coach was willing to put out there.

Read More >

PRESSURE TO SUCCEED SHOWN UP CLOSE

Manawatu Standard - Dec 18, 2012

A documentary called Weight of a Nation covered the buildup and ultimate Rugby World Cup victory last year for the All Blacks.

New Zealand audiences are not used to sports documentaries about our own stars, let alone ones done in such a stylistic fashion.

Above all, it featured our best rugby players and coaches showing what they don't normally: emotion.

A point that was really hammered home was the vice-like pressure the players were under to deliver the World Cup, the turmoil the injury toll took and how the momentum ahead of the final was all with France.

At the time of the 8-7 win in October last year, the overwhelming sense of relief almost overshadowed the achievement.

The All Blacks were dominant throughout the tournament and were, in the eyes of many, destined to destroy France in the final and claim what was rightfully theirs.

The result may have come, but the documentary showed just how close it really was. And what would have happened if the French managed to slot a late dropped goal or penalty?

Read More >

RUGBY: HANSEN SHOWS HARD EDGE WITH 'MARTYR' COMMENT

Otago Daily Times - Dec 18, 2012

New Zealand Rugby Union boss Steve Tew says it's only now that we are beginning to see the "real" Steve Hansen.

That, says Tew, is an All Blacks coach who is honest, forthright, loyal and funny. And boy, didn't we see all of those characteristics in Sky Television's documentary The Weight of a Nation which screened on Sunday night.

Hansen, one of Sir Graham Henry's assistants during a tournament which culminated in an agonising final victory over France, was the star of a film which included such heavyweights as Henry and captain Richie McCaw.

His comments about Wallabies rival Robbie Deans wishing to appear as a "martyr" when failing to get the All Blacks coaching job after the 2007 World Cup have not surprising made headlines here and across the Tasman.

How the interviewer posed the questions in the film, which was broadcast on Sunday night, isn't known, but the answers look stark in black and white and are the continuation of a mutual loathing which goes back more than 15 years.

Honest? Sure. Willing to bury the hatchet in an otherwise rosy retrospective? Not likely.

Read More >

WEIGHT OF A NATION - THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE 2011 WORLD CUP

Sky Sport - Dec 17, 2012

Following the demise of the All Blacks’ 2007 Rugby World Cup Campaign, controversy reigned as the New Zealand Rugby Union considered its options to appointing a coach and management team to win the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

With even more stress and expectations due to New Zealand hosting the 2011 tournament, Henry was encouraged to apply once again; and controversy continued after the announcement that Henry would once again be at the helm.

This story reflects the disappointment of the All Blacks loss to France in Cardiff 2007, the subsequent re-appointment of Henry and his co-coaches; and traces their journey from 2008 to the pressure-cooked seven match schedule in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Campaign – a story told by Graham Henry, his management team and the players themselves.

Never-seen-before interviews chronicle the angst, pressure and expectation which can only be described as the Weight of A Nation.

Read More >

DEANS WANTED TO BE 'THE MARTYR', SAYS ALL BLACKS COACH STEVE HANSEN

The Sydney Morning Herald (Rugby Heaven) - Dec 17, 2012

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has lifted the lid further on his uneasy relationship with Wallabies rival Robbie Deans, questioning whether Deans actually wanted the All Blacks job after the 2007 World Cup and claiming he wanted to be portrayed as "the martyr" when he didn't get it.

"If you want my honest opinion, I don't think Robbie wanted it [the All Blacks job] anyway," Hansen told The Weight of a Nation, a candid two-hour documentary on the story behind the 2011 World Cup that screened in New Zealand on Sunday night. "I think Robbie had already signed for Australia.

"I think he just went through the motions and wanted to be the martyr if he didn't get it, so he wins on both sides of the table. That's how I felt about it because you don't go to a [New Zealand Rugby Union] selection meeting and when asked, 'Who is going to be your running mates?' - knowing that the opposition [Graham Henry] has got two pretty good candidates [Hansen and Wayne Smith] behind him - with a wishy-washy answer. He did.

"And that's why he lost the job, from my understanding. So, did he really want the job?"

Read More >