NEW YORK, NY – As we finalize our travel arrangements, pack the clothes we’ll need – including a Halloween costume – and try not to get too giddy over the history we’ll be witnessing first-hand next Saturday when the USA Rugby Eagles take on the New Zealand All Blacks, we can’t help but wonder what these last pre-match days will be like.
-Will there be any controversy beyond the likes of what Jake Frechette started with this column?
-Will there be any fallout from the Solider Field faithful’s reaction to the haka?
-Will there be any inflammatory comments?
-Will there be any last-minute, shrouded-in-mystery lineup changes?
-Will there be any trash talk?
Well, we’ve got an answer for the last one via Twitter as per our mates over at MeetTheMatts.com. Here’s there tweet:
With HIstoric Match between @USARugby @EaglesXV v NZ @AllBlacks days away for @RugbyWrapUp & Co, we predict USA 51 NZ 2. Yeah, two. #USAvsNZ
— Meet The Matts (@MeetTheMatts) October 26, 2014
Now, the obvious reaction is to call these brash Americans on the numeric impossibility of a team getting two points in a rugby match, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t allow that Jamie Wall – a Kiwi living in Auckland – proposed this score earlier in the week… for the Eagles. Later in the week, he went as far to predict a margin of victory for the visitors of at least 57 points.
And there you have it. Some good ol’ fashioned trash talk and predictions from fans of both teams and we’re right smack-dab in the middle of it all… and loving it.
What is your prediction? If you get the score right, we’ll send you a prize.
