All Blacks' fans are all heart - we can prove it

By JOSIE CLARKE

If you thought your heart was pounding as Jonah Lomu charged towards the try line on Saturday night, it probably was.

Tracking a spectator's heart rate throughout the All Blacks' clash with the Springboks has proved that watching a game of rugby is every bit as heart-wrenching as it feels.

The Auckland Heart Group carried out the test on Herald reporter Gregg Wycherley.

His heart rate shot to 130 beats a minute as the ball slipped from Lomu's fingertips six minutes into the game.

An electrocardiogram, or ECG, showed that Wycherley's heart responded to every twist and turn on the field, speeding at crucial points before slowing again to rest at 79 beats a minute. When Pita Alatini scored a try eight minutes into the game, Wycherley's pulse hit 115 beats a minute.

But it dropped to 93 beats a minute when the South Africans kicked a penalty three minutes later.

Chris Jack's lumbering kick and chase down the sideline eight minutes before half-time brought the crowd to its feet and Wycherley's pulse to 111 beats a minute.

The second half, although not as exciting as the first 40 minutes, also had its moments.

Wycherley's pulse rocketed to 125 when the All Blacks were awarded a penalty try, then settled as the All Blacks' victory seemed secure.

He was hooked up to a heart monitor at 6 on Saturday night, before heading to Eden Park to watch the game from the shelter of the ASB stand on the stadium's northern side.

The monitor is usually used to help patients with palpitations or dizziness to record their heart rate over a day.

Wycherley was surprised by the results.

"I definitely felt exhilarated, but I certainly wasn't conscious that my pulse was racing."

He said he felt a tightness in his chest during the game, rather than the puffed feeling of exercise.

Auckland Heart Group cardiologist Malcolm Legget said the trial was interesting because it showed the effect stress could have on the heart, even in the absence of physical exercise.

"It shows that emotional stimuli can cause exactly the same response as physical exercise."

Wycherley's peak rate of 143 beats a minute - recorded when he was running to a restaurant before the game - was normal.

"It doesn't do you any harm, because it is short term, but it could potentially harm you in the long term if it was sustained," Dr Legget said.

A heart normally beats between 50 and 90 times a minute, and typically rises to about 140 to 150 beats a minute during exercise.

"It's not until you get up to 180 or 190 [beats a minute] that you can't sustain that for too long."

The heart beats faster when a surge of adrenalin secreted into the blood by the adrenal glands travels to the heart and stimulates beta receptors, which work to increase both the speed of the heart and the force with which it contracts.

The response is otherwise known as the "fight or flight" mechanism.

Adrenalin also stimulates alpha receptors in blood vessels that increase blood pressure and divert blood to muscles.

Dr Legget said: "It gets you ready for action, or to run away. Basically, it is preparing you to undertake strenuous activity if you need to."

Meanwhile, the selectors have added fullback Christian Cullen to the All Black squad for the final Tri-Nations test in Sydney, reports Wynne Gray.

Whether Cullen should play at Stadium Australia on Saturday instead of Leon MacDonald, who was his impressive replacement against the Springboks, will provoke a lively debate until the test side is named on Wednesday.

All Black legend Don Clarke phoned the All Black management last night to pass on his congratulations to the players for their 26-15 victory over the Springboks.

Clarke, who is battling cancer, has been in Auckland for a special tribute lunch from former All Black teammates and will watch the All Blacks' next test in Sydney before returning to South Africa.

Squad: Leon MacDonald, Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Jeff Wilson, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga, Pita Alatini, Andrew Mehrtens, Tony Brown, Justin Marshall, Byron Kelleher, Ron Cribb, Taine Randell, Marty Holah, Reuben Thorne, Troy Flavell, Chris Jack, Norm Maxwell, Mark Cooksley, Carl Hayman, Carl Hoeft, Greg Somerville, Anton Oliver, Mark Hammett.