Bottlers

[Fez of Mahrez]

Has there ever been a sports team that have bottled the big occasion on such a consistent basis as the New Zealand rugby union team? I'm not a massive rugby fan but it's a good sport to watch when there's a lot at stake so I get involved for the Six Nations, the domestic and Heineken cup finals and the World Cups. How on earth have New Zealand not won the Rugby World Cup since 1987? I barely ever see them play but all I hear is how amazing they are, yet by this time next week England could have won more World Cups than them.

I suppose the Spanish football team come to mind but it's not on the same scale at all. New Zealand were 1/2 to win this year's World Cup before it started. Spain are always about fifth or sixth favourites to win football's World Cup and the nature of the sports and their respective popularity worldwide dictates that they will always have more competition.

Colin Montgomerie not winning a major also springs to mind but again, he's always just a name in a list of possibles, never the heavy favourite - especially with Tiger Woods around. The same fate befalls any tennis player around at the moment replacing the name Woods with Federer.

In any sport, has any superior sportsman (or woman) or team choked so regularly as NZ?

[Manwell Pablo]

Has there ever been a sports team that have bottled the big occasion on such a consistent basis as the New Zealand rugby union team? I'm not a massive rugby fan but it's a good sport to watch when there's a lot at stake so I get involved for the Six Nations, the domestic and Heineken cup finals and the World Cups. How on earth have New Zealand not won the Rugby World Cup since 1987? I barely ever see them play but all I hear is how amazing they are, yet by this time next week England could have won more World Cups than them.

I suppose the Spanish football team come to mind but it's not on the same scale at all. New Zealand were 1/2 to win this year's World Cup before it started. Spain are always about fifth or sixth favourites to win football's World Cup and the nature of the sports and their respective popularity worldwide dictates that they will always have more competition.

Colin Montgomerie not winning a major also springs to mind but again, he's always just a name in a list of possibles, never the heavy favourite - especially with Tiger Woods around. The same fate befalls any tennis player around at the moment replacing the name Woods with Federer.

In any sport, has any superior sportsman (or woman) or team choked so regularly as NZ?

I don't think so, Henmann was regarded as the best serve volley in Tennis for quite some time but never managed to win Wimbledon but as you say, it's not on the same scale as he was always seeded in the top 4, not runaway 1/2 faviourate to win.

New Zealand really did bottle it against France, they should have slaughtered them, they just ****ed it about 10 meters from the line each time.

[Finnegan]

It's only this year and '03 that New Zealand were really, big out-and-out favourites before the tournament with such a massive odds-on margin. And I think it's important to note that last time they went out to a Tri-Nations side (Australia) who went on to put in a fairly decent showing and lose at the death to one of the best England sides of the last, well... ever. Rugby's funny, you don't get massive upsets in the vein of - say - South Korea (who's their equivalent in rugby? Canada?) making a semi final or Greece (Samoa?) winning a major competition, but on their day, any of the top six or seven teams should be able to compete and beat any other of the same group.

Especially those that know each other from annual competition (the 6N teams against each other, the Tri Nations teams against each other) which makes '03 even less surprising.

Still, the ABs in this world cup did bottle rather massively, but I don't think their track record is necessarily worse than the underachieving of the Spanish in football. They're always there or there abouts, and have gone out to competition with a major challenge. What's Spain's excuse?

[Fez of Mahrez]

Still, the ABs in this world cup did bottle rather massively, but I don't think their track record is necessarily worse than the underachieving of the Spanish in football. They're always there or there abouts, and have gone out to competition with a major challenge. What's Spain's excuse?

There's always a big list of names though, plus your Turkeys, South Koreas, Greeces whose cycles rise and fall.

Spain were the first team that came to mind but actually a better example would have been Holland. Never won the World Cup but have always had the talent to do it and bottled it big time in 1974 and 1978 when they were the best team in the world.

[Manwell Pablo]

It's only this year and '03 that New Zealand were really, big out-and-out favourites before the tournament with such a massive odds-on margin. And I think it's important to note that last time they went out to a Tri-Nations side (Australia) who went on to put in a fairly decent showing and lose at the death to one of the best England sides of the last, well... ever. Rugby's funny, you don't get massive upsets in the vein of - say - South Korea (who's their equivalent in rugby? Canada?) making a semi final or Greece (Samoa?) winning a major competition, but on their day, any of the top six or seven teams should be able to compete and beat any other of the same group.

Especially those that know each other from annual competition (the 6N teams against each other, the Tri Nations teams against each other) which makes '03 even less surprising.

Still, the ABs in this world cup did bottle rather massively, but I don't think their track record is necessarily worse than the underachieving of the Spanish in football. They're always there or there abouts, and have gone out to competition with a major challenge. What's Spain's excuse?

Only runaway faviourates in the last two World Cups fair enough but they are pretty much always there or there abouts in terms of who might win it! And they haven't, for 20 years. Spain are normally one of about 10 nations that can we the Football WC.

[Finnegan]

But it's not just that Spain have never won it, they're consistently bollocks in the process of not winning it. And they've got twice the tournaments to compete in. Well, unless you're actually counting the Tri Nations which the ABs have won... a lot.

[Fez of Mahrez]

But it's not just that Spain have never won it, they're consistently bollocks in the process of not winning it. And they've got twice the tournaments to compete in. Well, unless you're actually counting the Tri Nations which the ABs have won... a lot.

Like you've said yourself though, there are pretty much eight (now nine, it would seem) countries in the world who get to RWC semi-finals.

In World Cup (and to a certain extent European Championship) qualifying you have a run for your money getting out of your group (look at France and Italy struggling against Scotland, England and Russia battling it out to get second place never mind first... and yes, yer men Spain in Northern Ireland's group).

[Finnegan]

True, in all fairness.

Tbh, the biggest act of bottling ever took place in Cardiff one November night in 2003.

[Alexikokopops]

Tbh, the biggest act of bottling ever took place in Cardiff one November night in 2003.

Nah, I'd say in Reading one August night in 2004, when the Rasmus took to the stage.

[Head Honcho]

Fukuroi 02

Lisbon 04

Gelsenkirchen 06

3 bottle jobs imo

[purpleronnie]

What about england when it comes to penalties, although I believe Italy had a worse record than us before the world cup final.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

South African cricket side is always a favourite for world cup and never seem to do any good.

Also Greg Norman (Golfer) Was a massive choker knew how to getta lead then start feeling a bit of preesure and fall to pieces

[Ultra]

Yeah, but at least Norman won some majors in the end...

[Finnegan]

Nah, I'd say in Reading one August night in 2004, when the Rasmus took to the stage.

Haha. That was genius, loved the mud bombs as well. And the fact the bassist got hit in the eye.

Man, I miss Reading.

[Geo V]

NZ were huge odds on but like others have said, they have been amongst the favs but not perennial chokers.

England in football is a fair shout as we never seem to really play well in the major events. We are always full of hope and optimism but apart from Euro 2006 when we were at home and expected to do well, we always choke playing pants football. What really cheeses me off looking back is ho wwe managed to do really well in the meaningless "Le Tournoi" against Brazil when there was nothing on the game. As soon as its a World Cup the players shat themselves and never express themselves despite three quarters of the stadium usually full of support for them!

I`ll add two individuals to the list also. Our very own Willie Thorne. A fantastic player in practice, whacking in 147s at will but it all went wrong when he got to the latter stages of a ranking event with the exception being the 1987 Mercantile Credit Classic . Also Eric Cantona in European games. We may see him as one of the best players that has graced these shores over the last 10-15 years but he seemed to go in his shell come the big European games.

[Alexikokopops]

Haha. That was genius, loved the mud bombs as well. And the fact the bassist got hit in the eye.

Man, I miss Reading.

I actually missed it.

I saw the Rasmus setting up and all that jazz and thought "I'll get a quick piss in".

I go, came back, and saw the Dropkick Murphys' backdrop going up.

I even made the effort to go and watch them get bottled off

[Finnegan]

Bless you.

I had a fantastic view, tbh. Was quite a way back but then no one was in my way. I was gutted, though, 'cos the Dropkick Murphys' fans didn't really show up 'til after their set. Which killed the atmosphere.

[Geo V]

Paul Robinson - England`s worst keeper in years.

[Alexikokopops]

Bless you.

I had a fantastic view, tbh. Was quite a way back but then no one was in my way. I was gutted, though, 'cos the Dropkick Murphys' fans didn't really show up 'til after their set. Which killed the atmosphere.

As the set finished we were walking off and saw a HUGE guy in a Dropkicks Murphys tshirt bawling his eyes out.

Emotional.

[Tevez]

Bottlers= England Football Team.

[Zingari]

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-h....asp?HeroID=153

ron clarke sprang to my mind at this question ; probably not many on here will remember him but he always seem to miss out on the big medals