@bayimports check your emails bro

@Nogusta where’s the oil 😉

@barbarian said in Wallabies v Springboks II:

@canefan The French were the only team playing rugby that day, clearly. So desperate to make line-breaks they were willing to push the laws to their very limit. I was glad to see that sort of courage rewarded.

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Still plenty to talk about on that game, so not going to lock it over one of the silliest spat's I've seen on TSF.

Ball, not the Man, team.

We were discussing this leaving the stadium and joked that NZR would issue an apology during the week.

@canefan said in Wallabies v Pumas I:

@nta said in Wallabies v Pumas I:

@machpants said in Wallabies v Pumas I:

Fuck, that’s a pretty good life

Sources in Japan say the lifestyle of being able to play in the Top League for four months, holiday for four months and spend four months in pre-season is a compelling reason to join the competition and when deals are in some cases worth up to three-times as much as playing Down Under, it becomes a temptation too good to turn down..

Dunno - that "four months of preseason" doesn't sound like much fun...

I have a patient who's son plays over there. Said they train pretty hard even compared to NPC and Super level, in terms of hours spent. Just lower physicality more speed of play

Yep and "speed of play" is not what I want to hear when I front up in February to run a Bronco in 35C heat...

@canes4life Yep, and despite Riccitelli leaving.

@kiwipie said in Hawkes v Bay of Plenty - Shield Match!:

@cpt-kumera said in Hawkes v Bay of Plenty - Shield Match!:

Interesting chase and mitch got subbed early in the 2nd. The last 4.5 years they been our best players

Some of Tiatia's kicking was poor in that first half. And Trask wasn't a calm head at 10. We looked much better with Black at 10 and Trask at 15.

I was pretty happy you left Black on the bench as long as you did, imagine losing to an Of Plenty team with a Manawatu poach at ten. Talk about indignity.

Not perfect but all we ever want is performance with some heart and skill. Wins will come but so much better.

@no-quarter said in All Blacks vs Pumas I:

@cgrant said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):

I know most of the Ferners prefer Mo'unga to BB but the latter launched his backline perfectly against the Argies last Sunday. It was smooth and direct. I can't remember Mo'unga doing the same with the black jersey. Of course, Mo'unga is a far better goalkicker but with Jordie taking the goalkicking duties, this could not be a problem anymore. Moreover, defensively, BB is superior to RM, IMO.

The jury on Mo'unga is still out for me, he struggles against a committed defense and tends to just shovel the ball on when they are getting up in his face. Loved what I saw from Beauden in this match, taking the line on despite the hard tackling from the Argies, created lots of space and time for those outside him. That said, Beauden hasn't exactly been very consistent, so he needs to string some performances together. I'm 50/50 on who starts and who is on the bench.

Very 50/50 indeed, in a healthy way though.

Gregor Paul just wrote a fanboi/fluffer piece after the first Pumas match about BB on the "RugbyXV" site but made a reasonable point that BB and Jordie look very comfortable together and had great understanding, no surprise. He kind of presented it as the Barrett brothers vs Mounga and McKenzie ... not sure I agree!

I'd rather they lock in a key moving part and make Jordie the #1 full-back, THEN decide 10. Richie Mounga at 10 and BB at 15 always seem to play like an unconscious "battle of the egos" for my eyes.

Regardless, BB had a really excellent game.

@machpants said in Wallabies vs Springboks I:

@frye said in Wallabies vs Springboks I:

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Malherbe hardly in fine fettle either.

Can you imagine what he's gonna look like after retiring? 😲

Foster? 😜

must have been a cold day..

@nostrildamus said in Wallabies vs All Blacks 3 (Perth):

ooh baby
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/rugby-union/he-s-back-quade-cooper-to-wear-wallabies-no-10-jersey-against-springboks-20210909-p58qcx.html

Too traumatised to face ABs, so now Noah is a mental wreck from the same!

I have another apology for the AB coaches, I thought in an earlier Bledisloe the coaches had the bench replacement timing all wrong. Maybe, but it is clear that a bigger issue is, the AB bench just isn't of the same calibre.

@smuts said in Springboks v Pumas 2 - 21 August:

@bones it’s all relative… I’ll show myself out.

Subliminal...so the ref is related to one or many green jersey wearers? 😉

@sidbarret not the first team to look toothless in that position against this bok team. Won’t be the last either.

really wish I had unfollowed this thread

@bayimports said in Auckland v BOP:

boo, no one wanted covid as the reason..

Gutted

@kiwimurph said in Waikato vs Wellington:

Super teams should be eyeing up Ratima.

He's got a Kelleher thing going. If he's lucky that will lead to a pornstar wife at least.

@taniwharugby said in Northland v Taranaki:

@j77 the gutting thing for me is that over the past 5 or 10+ years, we have shown glimpses of what we are capable of, yet we simply dont kick on.

It is like our Coaches/Board are happy with mediocrity, although, most of the time, we are under that.

We have so many talented kids coming out of our region, but with our poor coaching and lack of success of getting only the very best into super teams, why would a young kid with a big future come back here?

ALready heard of a Northland kid out of St Kents who has been picked up by one of the crusaders vaccums, then you look over the Auckland side and see there are 3 or 4 from up here, even the b side there are more again...guys we could desperately use.

Sure we get some of Aucklands overflow too, but often they are surplus for a reason.

If my kid was looking at signing with an NPC team, I'd be steering him toward another province...I'd hate that!

THis new HP Centre will be great, but if we cant match it with on field performance, it will be pointless.

While it was great to make the final last year, for me, it was the worst thing that could happen, it papered over the huge cracks in our coaching team, and squad selection.

I think a few players may have rested on thier laurels form last year, but equally, the coaches need to take the heat for not looking at the squad and seeing the gaps.

The only real ones they plugged were Reihana and Hallam-Eames, and he was only a last minute one, so probably more luck than good planning.

As I said to @Steven-Harris he needs to get on the NRU books as a scout in the Auckland and NH comps, he watches a ton more rugby than most, is passionate about his Union, and like me, I bet he'd do it for free too!

When you look at our squad, they have the core of a very good side, one that could be knocking at the top 4 side in the Premiership with Olsen, Goodhue, Caird, Robinson, Nock, Gregory, Tua (if he werent made of glass) and then build around them, add the likes of Hyland, Hallam-Eames, Macilai, Wright, Rush, Pryor and there is no reason why we should not be finals contendors in the Championship, pushing for promotion, but it is the average players they put elsewhere and lack of preparation, coaching, and we have 2 50 pointers over us and 2 red cards in 2 weeks...

All of this.

@higgins said in Hawke's Bay v Otago (Ranfurly Shield):

@delicatessen I saw Connor McLeod being helped by the physio back into the changing rooms as the team went back inside to complete whatever they do about 7 minutes prior to kick off. I can only summise that you must declare your matchday 23 to the referee and opposition maybe half an hour before kick off and any injuries etc after that time it is just bad luck and there is no provision for any late additions. Guess that must be to even things up for visiting teams who obviously would not have access to a third halfback for example that late in the game.

Yep, he stuffed his knee in the warmup.

His replacement will probably be Zach Donaldson.

The halfbacks in the Development Team's three matches in the last three weeks have been Trent Hape, Humphrey Sheild and Shamara Brooks.

Although ... I did see Aidan Thomas at the game yesterday - it was Saracens Day ....

@gt12 Yeah, probably the pick of their backs.

@dice said in Tasman v Auckland:

@gt12 said in Tasman v Auckland:

@chris-b said in Tasman v Auckland:

@antipodean said in Tasman v Auckland:

@number9 said in Tasman v Auckland:

Tactically fucked after half time. Pathetic passes and poor kicking options, together with Rayasis brain facts.

He's lucky he has athleticism because he has no skill.

He doesn't seem to be a natural footballer.

I said earlier that Foster should pick him as a project, but I'm going to recant on that.

I agree, although I also I think that shows the big difference between being an attacking winger who is serviceable under the high ball, and an outright fullback. He may be the first but he certainly isn’t the second.

He's always been pretty iffy at fullback. Can probably get away with being there against weaker teams, but not against a team like Tasman.

He has relatively good hands when the ball is coming from above his head, which makes sense given his b-ball history, but yeah Tasman made him work pretty hard today.

My biggest gripe is that he looks so casual that I cant tell whether that is just what he looks like or that he’s a bit lazy/not really 100% there.

@duluth said in Counties v North Harbour:

Misuse of the word “highlights”…

That game was a very tough watch.

@bovidae said in All Blacks v Tonga:

Some background info on the Tongan team.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/125615499/international-men-of-mystery--just-who-are-these-tongans-facing-the-all-blacks

The loose head prop was playing for Huntly in the Waikato lower grades a few years ago before he moved to a premier side.

@mariner4life said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:

what a fucking jackass

He's officially beyond contempt

@kiwimurph said in Auckland v Canterbury:

That must explain why Ardie is the AB number 8 - his renowned towering height.

1.88 according Mr Google (cough, cough bullshit). 2cm below adequate.

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Wallabies Bledisloe 1 Eden Park 7th Aug:

@nta said in All Blacks vs Wallabies Bledisloe 1 Eden Park 7th Aug:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Wallabies Bledisloe 1 Eden Park 7th Aug:

@chris said in All Blacks vs Wallabies Bledisloe 1 Eden Park 7th Aug:

Smashed in the scrum not good by the subs

Bell monstered Ta’avao.

Having Matt Philip behind him helps. I've only just reached that point.

Having just rewatched it may be Ta'avao has been a bit hard done by. First scrum after Patty T on and Whitelock swaps sides. PT packed very high on Karl, and looks like Sam slipped off Ta'avao, who then has whole Wallaby pack driving through him.
Poor cohesion by Black pack, whereas Wallaby changes seem to have been upgrade.

Ta'avao did Ok at previous scrum with Codie and BBBR still on, although scrum did collapse on his side.

Dawai was real good, he's been around for a couple of years at least but looks better in this one game than he has ever IMO.

Leroy carter had awesome game too even though was on wing

@j77 spot the guy who only likes blue and white...

anyone seen any news on Nareki?

How that try could have been disallowed ?

@duluth said in Manawatu v Counties:

I see the NPC website has players match stats from opta on this page. Click on the players number
https://www.provincial.rugby/news/bunnings-npc-round-1-match-appointments-and-team-lists/

Great to see there are stats, but awful way of presenting them. There's no way you can easily compare player stats this way.

@machpants said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:

Best banter from Squidge, 6:16 in - so true

9b03a426-f49e-40c8-af84-011f72747409-image.png

The brushing under the carpet has worked its magic on me. I don't remember any Guilford only a Guildford..

@kev no news on Tom, Tamati played about 25 mins even though he wasn't named

@sidbarret our refs are very strict on this on CC. My first thought was red.

@stockcar86 He stepped nicely off his left foot a couple of times in the first half to easily get past his opponent and there was a very nice flick on of the ball when under pressure to create space for the player outside him later on. I agree with you, he shows promise but you have to take into consideration the amateur level of the opposition, particularly their ability to fall off tackles when tiredness set in. In addition our guys would probably have had at least 80% of possession. A clear case of professionals v amateurs in this case.

I would have expected the Shield Defenders to utterly slaughter the challengers given the difference in personnel available to each team but that did not really happen. I know that might not make sense when 93 points were raked up but I got the impression that the Magpies were holding an awful lot back that they might not have wanted video analysists of upcoming opponents to see. For example I would have expected the scrum to shunt the Coast backwards big time every scrum (they did not) and to swing the ball wide showing off Harlem Globetrotter like plays way more than they did. We must also consider that it was nowhere near the complete Bunnings Cup team on the field at the same time at any stage so Messrs Ozich and Syms were keeping things under their hats to a certain degree.

@stargazer said in Wallabies v France 3:

@gibbonrib said in Wallabies v France 3:

@steven-harris where did you find that?

Sadly that statement doesn't clarify the decision at all. I'd like to watch that video to see if that helps (fully expecting that it won't though).

@stargazer said in Wallabies v France 3:

@gibbonrib It's only the media release. Not the decision.

Oh, shit, I forgot that if a red card is dismissed, there won't be a written decision. Just the media release.
So the media release is all we get. It has been published on the WR website now, btw.

Forget getting a further clarification of the decision.

For those nerdy enough to care, WR have released a written decision:

https://resources.world.rugby/worldrugby/document/2021/07/21/231213a5-9cec-4fe5-9fbd-82ec2b9f40f9/HRM000.1.996-Decision-M-Koroibete.pdf

It's a bit wordy, but I've read it so that you don't have to. Key points it makes are:

There was no contact to the head Initial contact was to the shoulder There was contact to the neck This means it is technically foul play The degree of danger was not high, so it should not have been a red

Things it doesn't clarify are:

Whether the degree of danger was low (starting sanction: penalty) or medium (yellow card) Whether there was significant mitigation (it mentions both players dipping into the tackle, but doesn't rule on whether that was relevant to the decision) Whether the correct decision would have been a yellow, or just a penalty

Things it doesn't say, but strongly implies:

Jelonch is a cheating git