@game_film said in Italy v All Blacks:

Compare and contrast the fortunes of Havili and Sotutu. It ain’t right, I’m telling ya, it ain’t right.

Havili is good on both sides of the ball.

Nigel is working with Wales

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks v France:

@stodders said in All Blacks v France:

@Billy-Webb Most probably. Apologies @Billy-Tell. I got my Billys mixed up 😃

To tell the truth you’re sort of correct. My dad was South African but moved to NZ in the 1970s where he met my kiwi mum. At that period, when you became kiwi you had to relinquish SA citizenship which my dad did (willingly). He considers himself a kiwi through and through and has lived more of his life in NZ than SA. As for me Kiwi + Swiss (through marriage). But yeah billy Webb. That guy can’t use a crossbow to save himself.

Hahaha. Touché. 😂

I am more of a shotgun guy really.

never look forward to watching scotland usually but actually think this is the most interesting test of the weekend. Scotland are a good side, and we might get a proper measure of where this Aus team are - win and they may genuinely have turned a corner, lose and it may be a blip on their improvement journey or may be a sign that we got a bit carried away following wins against two teams who can't defend at the moment.

@Catogrande said in Wales v Springboks:

Costelow at 10. I have visions of @MiketheSnow sitting in a darkened room with a bottle of port and a loaded revolver.

After weeks of defending Gatland, it’s all him

Dropping Winnett ffs and replacing him with a midget who can’t tackle and who has never played full back. Not at international level
NEVER

Thankfully Dyer is back

Drops Anscombe. Excellent

Puts Costelow at 10. FFS

Plumtree comes back in. Excellent

Rests Wainwright. The guy’s only played 4 matches this season ffs

Thankfully I was out in the mountains today enjoying the snow to alleviate my suffering

On at a good time for NZ viewers. 9am on Sat morning

@African-Monkey said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

Random thought, but how has Gareth Anscombe only played 39 tests! Thought he'd be between 60-70 tests minimum by now. He's been there forever.

Injured and fucked off for a while

@Jet said in Ireland v Argentina:

@MiketheSnow said in Ireland v Argentina:

@Jet said in Ireland v Argentina:

Ref hatcheted Argentina, particularly in the final drive. Repeated green infringements.

Im getting sick of how normalised players getting carded is though....Rugby is a bit shit these days isnt it.

Im fed up of listening to refs and TMO's talk to each other.

Its fucking insufferable.

Slowly but surely we’re seeing more and more censure for human ‘Exocet missiles’ entering the ruck with abandon

That is a train I can get on board with

Always wondered why Exocet became the missile of choice for ruck entry descriptions....seems to be ubiquitous at this stage.

Particularly eye brow raising when Argentina are one of the teams under discussion.

Mike the Snow playing 4d chess.

Because it's a sea skimmer that came into UK, and therefore Anglo speaking rugby, consciousness in 82!

@Snowy said in Scotland vs Springboks:

@Machpants said in Scotland vs Springboks:

Henry IV.

Macbeth one I know is not so relevant for a time of release

How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags?

A Springbok thread so:

"Is this a dagger which I see before me up Victor Matfield's arm band?"

I beg for justice, which you, Prince, must give. World Rugby banned Bakkies; World Rugby must not live

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Algerian VPN works

with?

ExpressVPN

No, I meant what are you trying to achieve?

Oh watching the NZ v Ire Squidge vid

@NTA said in England vs. Australia (2024):

I’ve never seen anyone shadow off loading before

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cn8g2m4e0jvo

@NTA said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

Saw highlights. How did Naholo not get a yellow card just before half-time?

Wearing a black jersey innit

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs England, Twickenham:

But is it?

Yeah, I think that attitude is there and is important to maintain, so good on England's players there. I think a bit of the PR is overdone, and some player (e.g.Sexton) don't seem to get the idea but it's a key part of the game.

Video of the haka is on the FB page. Silence from the crowd, led by Renata.

@Nepia said in Scotland v Fiji:

WTF happened for the Darcy Graham's second try? The highlights I watched didn't show a close up of what happened.

The one that looked like a knock on?

Front on slowmo showed he went gutter the chip/grubber but shinned it. Legitimate try

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/news/daily-news-1723786396818-f183-1723941497988/chaos-in-all-blacks-untidy-win-against-average-japan-side-in-depth

Same as most people here, they not giving that performance vs 14th ranked Japan a pass at all

@DurryMexted said in NPC Final: Wellington vs Bay of Plenty:

You know your 7 is awesome when every other teams supporters hate him. Kirifi a lions legend

There aren't many players that put their body on the line like Kirifi. Two championships as a Lions captain, he'll always be a Wellington legend.

You know we've finally got our shit sorted when we've been able to finish the business. A winning % of 85% over the last three seasons is pretty good going. Hopefully we can keep the core of this group together for another couple seasons yet.

Pleasently surprised, the BOP has always had the danger out wide but lacked startch/execution up front to really match it with the big boys consistently.

The final presents the neutral fan with a golrious oppertunity to watch two teams famous for losuing things up as soon as they get tagged as favourites desperatly trying to out-do each other on the big stage,

I'll be watching this one from behind the couch...

@ARHS said in Wellington vs Waikato (SF):

Pleased that was such a close contest.
I think Mathis truly has dibs on the nickname Kwagga! Future AB for sure.
Kirifi, Preston and Savea all great for Wellington. Waikato awful lineout decided the game though. It was so poor without Mcwhannell and with average throwing and calling.
Unlike other posters, I thought Roe and Cruden were brilliant in controlling the match given the lineout woes and forwards inexperience. Don't get all the criticism of Roe. He has better field vision than any other 9 in NZ and possibly the best boot. He will throw the odd dodgy pass because he is in two minds while evaluating. But his 50 22s this year have been regular and his wide cutout pass is great. He jackals well too, but often only scrag tackles. If he improves technique there I feel he is the closest challenger to Roigard and Ratima, and is a good leader to boot.
I hope Ollie Norris can improve his scrummaging because everything else is top notch and compares well to Numia and Co.
I presume that Wellington fans have seen far better displays from Harkin, Solomon and Clarke. BOP will take heart there.
I wonder whether Wellington can contain Ah Kuoi, Narawa and Carter next week?

Yeah Harkin, Clarke and even Higgins were all pretty poor in that Semi Final, I can't see them being that poor again. Hopefully they can bring their best for the final next weekend.