Paul Rhys

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Paul Rhys
Sports Journalist | Qatar
Biography

Paul Rhys is a journalist, producer and Sport website editor for Al Jazeera English in Qatar.

He has travelled to major events such as the Rugby World Cup, the Beijing Olympics, the Africa Cup of Nations and the football World Cup in South Africa. He is covering the Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

Catch up with him at: http://twitter.com/Paul_Rhys_Sport.

Latest posts by Paul Rhys

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 24th, 2011
Richie McCaw with the Webb Ellis Cup in Auckland [Paul Rhys]

My Rugby World Cup ended on Monday in a sunlit car park, talking to the man who had just carried the Webb Ellis trophy through the streets of Auckland in front of tens of thousands of proud New Zealanders.

The one-on-one with Richie McCaw lasted all of three seconds, as a bristle of microphones appeared in my peripheral vision and I was barged closer to the captain of the All Blacks by the journalists gathering at my back.

This newly-crowned world champion, the greatest player in rugby, is a couple of months younger than me. I felt about 12 years old as I got in my one question about the 200,000 Kiwis who turned out for the team's victory parade.

How did that feel?

"Mate, hard to explain. It was pretty awesome," said McCaw, his face and head flecked with blood from the 8-7 win over France in the final at Eden Park the night before.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 23rd, 2011
Amy Waetford dresses for the occasion in Auckland [Paul Rhys]

Four and a half million New Zealanders – or, at least, a good percentage of them – woke up this morning thinking: "This is it."

Twenty-two more of them will have woken up thinking much the same thing. But for those 22, who will line up for the All Blacks against France in the Rugby World Cup final, they actually have to go and do it.

The others can just watch, and cheer, and pray.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 19th, 2011
Picture by GALLO/GETTY

It is easy to overplay metaphors, but the build-up to the Rugby World Cup final in Auckland on Sunday resembles a nest of vipers set against, well, a squad of good rugby players.

The metaphor falls down immediately of course. The French are not a basket of serpents. They are a squad of good rugby players, just as New Zealand are. It's just that, from the way they are acting, you wouldn't imagine that they are building up to the best moment of their careers.

World Cup final week is a strange one. Players and coaches meet with the media every day. In truth, there is not much more to say than, "We are training for the final."

Unfortunately, that won't wash. We need quotes, boys. And people who are interested in rugby need the media to produce something for them to be interested in.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 16th, 2011
Picture by GALLO/GETTY

Some say that rugby is war. And with the quantities of blood being staunched by medics as New Zealand defeated Australia 20-6 in Auckland on Sunday, you can see where the metaphor comes from.

This semi-final, at the place where the All Blacks last lifted the Rugby World Cup in 1987, lived up to the hype and played down Kiwi fears that their team would fall to yet another disappointment on the biggest stage.

The best group of players in the world finally looked as if they deserved the label. New Zealand have spent the 24 years since David Kirk hefted the Webb Ellis Cup at Eden Park as perennial favorites, and perennial failures.

The closest they have come is defeat in the 1995 final against a South Africa team emerging from the Apartheid years, a tournament on African soil that has been made into a symbol of Nelson Mandela’s 'Rainbow Nation'.

No World Cup will ever come close to that one in terms of political and social significance.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 15th, 2011
Picture by Paul Rhys

What counts as a tragedy?

Losing a World Cup semi-final 9-8 to France certainly doesn't, in the scheme of things.

But as 14 Welshmen stood frozen in attitudes of despair at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday night, it was hard not to grieve for a first Rugby World Cup final appearance that will now never happen.

Wales dominated France offensively despite playing with a man down for 62 minutes out of the 80, after their inspirational young captain Sam Warburton was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Vincent Clerc.

They then played with all the skill and adventure that has made them the neutrals' favourites in New Zealand as they came within a post's width of snatching victory.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 14th, 2011
Picture by GALLO/GETTY

New Zealand is hoping that history repeats itself next week.

Twenty-four years ago, the All Blacks won their only Rugby World Cup when they beat France in the final at Eden Park in Auckland.

If the French get past Wales in their semi-final on Saturday, and New Zealand come through against Australia on Sunday, the comparisons will be irresistible for a country that has been pining for the Webb Ellis Cup since they lost it in 1991.

The four teams in these semi-finals are the same as in 1987, the difference being that, back then, it was Australia v France and New Zealand v Wales.

The truth is, of course, that history never repeats itself.

If the reality on October 23 is New Zealand v France, it will have absolutely nothing to do with previous finals.

Comparison is a comfort, and that's what All Blacks fans will be looking for until their dream of Richie McCaw holding the cup has been fulfilled.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 8th, 2011
Picture by GALLO/GETTY

England were pretty hard on themselves after their 19-12 Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to France on Saturday night, but if it's any consolation to them – their performance made a lot of people happy.

An Ireland team who had been tipped for great things, after winning all four pool matches, had earlier been knocked out by Wales in Wellington.

The traditional good humour of the Irish fans didn't quite shine through in that 22-10 loss, with a number of them ejected from their seats, and one or two fights breaking out between men clad in green.

By Paul Rhys in Asia on October 6th, 2011
England's Tom Wood will be hoping to surf into the semi-finals

On Sunday morning, 60 men will wake up in their hotel rooms, pack their XL shirts into their suitcases, and say goodbye to their dreams.

Sixty more will do the same on Monday, at about the time that some of the first batch are arriving home.

This weekend is the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The eight squads that remain have slugged it through the group stages, but now this is knockout. And even the best can be knocked out.

To say it doesn't get any bigger than this would obviously be a farce. There are two semi-finals and a final to come.

By Paul Rhys in Europe on June 29th, 2011
Barnes: Did he rap for Johann Hari? [GALLO/GETTY]

God knows journalists find it hard enough to win people's trust.

I've knocked on enough doors, stood in enough post-match mixed zones, and faced enough hard stares from interviewees to know this, too.

It would be nice to think that readers or viewers could trust what is being presented to them as being an honest interpretation of actual events by a reporter.

Trust is a precious commodity in journalism (it's precious in real life too, but fortunately this tends to be a more forgiving arena).

Having it betrayed is like being given dodgy notes by your bank manager. The likelihood is that you won't bank there again – and you'll view other bankers with suspicion.

Well, if you've been kind enough to trust us so far, be prepared to have a rethink.

By Paul Rhys in Europe on June 9th, 2011
Picture by GALLO/GETTY

The most celebrated team in international Rugby Union has not won a World Cup since 1987.

The All Blacks have the chance to atone for that when they host the tournament in September and October.

It could be their last opportunity, if stomach-churning news out of New Zealand on Thursday is anything to go by.

A new rule in children's rugby aimed at preventing "blowouts" will cap the maximum score at 35-0.

If one team leads by more than 35 points, coaches are encouraged to discuss how to create a more even match.

You can see those half-time team talks going down in legend. Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday – eat your heart out.

So in a nation boasting 40 million sheep, the poor little rugby lambs will be wrapped up softly in cotton wool if a nasty better team starts beating them up.

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Biography

Paul Rhys's picture
Paul Rhys
Sports Journalist
Paul Rhys is a Doha-based sports writer for Al Jazeera English

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