If you think that joke has already grown old, then at least you can enjoy these highlights from the match:

Although the Warriors’ strong run seems to have boosted their following in New Zealand, its end will no doubt have all attention back on the Kiwis’ favorite code. We’ve talked before of rugby union’s proportionally massive following in New Zealand, and it’s been rewarded lately with success. Americans who don’t follow rugby may be more familiar with other ambassadors from the smaller nation, but the New Zealand All Blacks have been so successful over their history that they are a key national icon, though they have had suprisingly bad luck in bringing home World Cup wins–a fact not missed by All Blacks detractors. Now, they hold the top spot in the International Rugby Board world rankings, have just clinched a fourth straight Tri-Nations title, and will be the side to beat as the tour Europe in the coming months.

That ought to take some of the sting out of the Warriors’ loss, also shedding a bit of light on why it’s hard for rugby league to gain a foothold in the land of the All Blacks.

This video shares a few moments from the All Blacks’ storied history:

Meanwhile, as the Warriors bow out of the 2008 NRL season, here’s one of their greatest moments from a memorable year (if you’re in a hurry, the excitement starts about 3 minutes and 30 seconds into it):

The win was notable because it means that all three sides have now won at least one away match in the series this year, an event that has never occurred in any previous Tri-Nations series. (Although in 2001, all three sides earned at least a draw, if not a win, on the road.) Further, South Africa’s only win of the series so far was on the road, while Australia is the only side in the tournament not to lose a home match yet.

Is the power of the Tri-Nations home ground advantage fading? With two matches left in the series, we shall see.

For the opponents in today’s match, the home ground advantage is even stronger, as our second chart shows. While New Zealand has managed to win just more than half its away matches over the history of the Tri-Nations, Australia has only won 20% of them and South Africa has won even fewer:

The lesson: If you can get an even bet on the home side in a Tri-Nations match, take it…especially if the All Blacks aren’t visiting. For a reminder of that key exception to the Tri-Nations home ground advantage, have a look at highlights from Jed Thian’s gleeful Alternative Rugby Commentary coverage of New Zealand’s 19-0 road win over South Africa last weekend (Caution: Rude language, offensive humor, etc.):

While there is a lot left to the tournament, the win over the Wallabies has spirits lifted in New Zealand. Although New Zealand was under a fair bit of pressure before the match, things are looking up for the world’s most rugby-mad nation. This is perhaps no better emphasized than by the joyous tone of the Alternative Rugby Commentary coverage provided by Jed Thian during the most recent match. Highlights are below, and Thian seems to sound a fair bit more cheerful than he did during commenting on the All Blacks’ recent losses to Australia and South Africa(Caution: Profanity, rude language, etc.):

Part 1:

Part 2:

To make things more interesting, Australia hasn’t won a Tri-Nations road match in quite a while. That and the pressure on New Zealand to win should ensure an intense showdown.

As we get ready for kickoff, here’s highlights from the last match, as narrated by the Alternative Rugby Commentary’s comedic (and rabidly pro-Kiwi) commentator Jed Thian (Caution: Contains profanity, rude language, offensive remarks, etc.):

Part 1:

Part 2:

Below is a clip of post-match interviews with New Zealand’s embattled head coach Graham Henry, star flyhalf Dan Carter, and backs coach Wayne Smith. As you can see, losses go down tough for them.

In the rugby union laws, seven substitutions are allowed from a bench of seven reserve players, and they can also be for any reason (Law 3.4). Unlike rugby league, though, rugby union does not allow a replaced player to return to a match (Law 3.7). There are two exceptions for safety reasons, though. For one, if a front-row player is replaced and that replacement is injured, then the original player can return to ensure safety in the scrum (Law 3.12). For two, a player with a bleeding wound can be temporarily replaced to prevent transmission of bloodborne illness (Law 3.12; see also 3.10 and 3.11). Aside from those exceptions, though, a player who leaves the match is done for the day.

Until now. In today’s thrilling Tri-Nations match, which saw the Australia Wallabies get over the New Zealand All Blacks 34-19, New Zealand seemed to make a dubious use of the blood replacement law to keep a halfack in play. Starting halfback Andy Ellis was replaced by Jimmy Cowan early in the second half. Later, Cowan limped off the field with an apparent knee injury, and Ellis returned to play. After a few minutes, confused referee Craig Joubert inquired about the situation and was informed that Ellis had come back on due to a bleeding wound, despite there being no apparent blood on Cowan at the time he had limped off the pitch. Cowan later returned, as is allowed with a blood replacement, with a heavily strapped knee. (Interestingly, Cowan would later be seen bleeding from the nose, though only long after returning from the original blood replacement.)

Questions are being asked about the legitimacy of the maneuver, and the commentators covering the match for FOX Sports enjoyed several jokes about the possibility of “finding some blood” on other players to give them a rest (even playfully suggesting the clandestine use of a razor blade by a trainer to free up a replacement).

Given that the blood replacement rule is imperative for safety, it will be difficult for referees and opposing sides to challenge such questionable situations without compromising safety standards. At the same time, incidents such as this threaten to make a joke of the rugby union replacement laws. Armchair Playmaker suggests that rugby union should bring in some sort of interchange, similar to that of rugby league, before the blood replacements become a sham altogether. Why not allow seven total interchanges among any players in a side, or perhaps ten or twelve given the fast pace of the game under the new experimental law variations? It’s worth noting that bringing the interchange to rugby union was also suggested recently by rugby union legend Mark Ella, weeks before today’s halfback circus.

If something isn’t done, we may see a lot more rugby union players wheezing for air or clutching at sore knees and shoulders as they limp off for “blood” substitutions.

Although some are downplaying their absence, others are predicting that the missing players will have a big impact.

There is certainly an impact on the fans. To get an idea of how iconic McCaw is for All Blacks followers, for example, check out this brief tribute from the Alternative Rugby Commentary site Caution: Profanity, rude language, crude imagery, etc.)

An even closer look at how New Zealand fans feel about Richie McCaw can be gleaned from this Pulp Sport skit (also featured in this recent post on the great RugbyDump rugby union clip site), which features an unlucky television co-host who dares to walk through Christchurch on the day of an All Blacks match wearing rival fan gear and a disparaging message about the All Black hero(Caution: A whole lot of profanity and aggression, predictably):

Sounds great. The only downside is that if the tournament doesn’t stay this tight, it will risk dragging on. Since its inception in 1996, the tournament has typically included six matches, with each side (Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa) playing a home and away match against each of the other two (a “double round-robin” format). In 2006, the tournament was expanded to nine matches, with each side playing three matches against its two foes. New Zealand strolled that year, clinching the tournament with three matches to go and losing only the final match of the series. It suffices to say that sort of timing can take the excitement out of the last few weeks of the event.

In 2007, the series went back to the old six-match format to make room for the Rugby World Cup, but this year it’s back to the marathon nine-match format. This year’s series began 5 July, and will end more than two months later on 13 September. If these thrillers keep coming and the wins keep getting split up, Armchair Playmaker says bring it on. But if the winner is known in say, mid-August…well, let’s just hope this one goes down to the last match of the series, just as it did last year.