All Blacks for sale…

WELLINGTON – For sale: one All Blacks rugby team, damaged, emotional, heart broken.

New Zealanders shocked by their national team’s quarterfinal elimination at the Rugby World Cup have turned to Internet auction sites for emotional release. One entrepreneurial vendor offered the All Blacks themselves for sale in emotionally damaged condition, saying a new team was needed to win the 2011 World Cup which will be held in New Zealand.Nine bids had been attracted and had reached NZ$11 (US$7.50, Euros 5) by midday NZT yesterday, though one prospective bidder thought the starting price of NZ$1 was “a bit steep”.While that vendor offered the All Blacks for sale as a group, others offered individual players at discounted prices.Flanker Jerry Collins and prop Neemia Tialata were offered in unused condition and had attracted no bids.For the distraught All Blacks supporter, there was the chance to buy a badge saying “It’s Only A Stupid Cup (I’m dying inside)”.Also offered was a “limp and wet” All Blacks flag: “limp like the performance of the team it represents and wet like that wet fish of a referee we had to endure”.English referee Wayne Barnes, who made two crucial calls against the All Blacks during their 20-18 loss to France, was offered for individual sale and a hotmail address with an obscene allusion to Barnes was also available.Another vendor offered the credibility of the International Rugby Board for sale, acknowledging it wasn’t worth much “as it’s a bit old and runs pretty unpredictably” Bitter fans are able to take out their frustrations on golf balls inscribed “All Blacks.We Wuz Robbed”.Nampa-APOne entrepreneurial vendor offered the All Blacks themselves for sale in emotionally damaged condition, saying a new team was needed to win the 2011 World Cup which will be held in New Zealand.Nine bids had been attracted and had reached NZ$11 (US$7.50, Euros 5) by midday NZT yesterday, though one prospective bidder thought the starting price of NZ$1 was “a bit steep”.While that vendor offered the All Blacks for sale as a group, others offered individual players at discounted prices.Flanker Jerry Collins and prop Neemia Tialata were offered in unused condition and had attracted no bids.For the distraught All Blacks supporter, there was the chance to buy a badge saying “It’s Only A Stupid Cup (I’m dying inside)”.Also offered was a “limp and wet” All Blacks flag: “limp like the performance of the team it represents and wet like that wet fish of a referee we had to endure”.English referee Wayne Barnes, who made two crucial calls against the All Blacks during their 20-18 loss to France, was offered for individual sale and a hotmail address with an obscene allusion to Barnes was also available.Another vendor offered the credibility of the International Rugby Board for sale, acknowledging it wasn’t worth much “as it’s a bit old and runs pretty unpredictably” Bitter fans are able to take out their frustrations on golf balls inscribed “All Blacks.We Wuz Robbed”.Nampa-AP