News travels by carrier pigeon to far flung Devon.

@mikedogz Live Fijian Cup Sevens D1 | Sky Sport 9 - Channel 59
Friday 22 Nov | 8:55 AM - 5:00 PM

Fijian Cup Sevens D2 | Sky Sport Pop-up 1 - Channel 600
Saturday 23 Nov | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

@pakman said in AB missing piece:

@Bones The source was Scooter, who when asked said BBBR and Niggles were the two NZ players he least wanted to be cleaned out by. "Possibly" indicates my scepticism!

You should know by now, we can't trust any of the none speak these guys say! As Razor's captain he's not exactly going to speak poorly of the teacher's pet, is he?

@Bones Maka has some wheels too. The tactics seem to have Collier on one flank so there needs to be one of the speedier players on the other.

I was considering Magic Round next year anyway, but Warriors v Cowboys as the Saturday twilight game makes it even more appealing.

@frugby said in NZ Cricket:

@Chris said in NZ Cricket:

@frugby said in NZ Cricket:

@Cyclops said in NZ Cricket:

I see youngster Rhys Mariu made 240 opening for Canterbury. That pushes his average in the 60s in his 9th match with 3 centuries (including this one) and 4 50s. Pretty handy start - haven't heard anything about him before but see he's been in the youth setup. Anyone else know much about him?

I'm not sure the Plunket Shield is always a great barometer... I suppose Toole, Tickner and Patel is a better attack then some teams have, but it is quite a step down from anything you'll ever face at the international conditions (particularly in these conditions.

What barometer do you wish to use to identify NZ talent it is the domestic comp.
Rhys has succeeded at every level he has tried at.
Was the leading NZ bat in the under u/19 World Cup in SA still only 18 then
9 First class matches for Canterbury 3 100'sand 4 50's a good strike rate.

Wasn’t meant as a slight on Mariu, more of a general statement. The two best batters in the Plunket Shield in the last 10 or so years statistically are probably Munro, Hay and Bruce, all of whom never played test cricket.

Probably due to the BC bats not getting much game time.

Won SR and briefly became an All Black. With the lack of genuine interest from these selectors the choice was basically made for him

If there's 50/50 selection calls the Blues have to make this year I think they should go against the guy leaving

PSDT should be Player Of The Year, but I think it will go to Kolbe.

Wallace Sititi should be Breakthrough Player Of the Year, but I think it will go to the South African 10.

@Canes4life My impression of Flanders in previous seasons was that he played pretty soft, but he appeared to make improvement this season.

@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Steven-Harris said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Canes4life 💯..it’s quite an irony that when Godfrey was on the field for HB they looked more threatening.
I have just that got that feeling that he’s got another ceiling

He was great after he came back into the side at 15 after we'd been running that non tackling Welsh dude, but as this discussion is about 10 let's not pretend he was good there in the game he played in that position.

Jury is still out on him as a 10, cracking fullback though.

Yeah in that game against North Harbour I think it was, he was pretty disappointing in the 10 jersey.

If the Canes persist with him at 10 he’s going to have a few shockers but hopefully his performances will get more consistent over time. They just have to back him and ride the waves. No better player to play outside than Roigard.

@mikedogz said in 2024 UNDER 85KG NATIONAL CLUB CUP:

I read a while ago that they will play an Asian country that we have history with. I am guessing Sri Lanka.

Correct.

New Zealand Under 85kg team to tour Sri Lanka New Zealand Under 85kg team to tour Sri Lanka

couple of guys played yesterday that sort of illustrate that regular season wins are not a QB stat.

For a few years people have tried to claim Justin Herbert isn't amazing because the Chargers invariably stink. This wrong because he's a fucking baller. Now the Chargers have a decent coach and an improving defense, the Chargers are a wildcard team, and suddenly Herbert is a good QB. Bullshit, he's always been amazing, he throws it as well as anyone in the league, absolute cannon for an arm.

Joe Burrow is having an MVP level season, and yet the Bengals are 4-7. Through those 11 games, his numbers are 3,028 yards, 27 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Those kind of numbers through 11 games have only been thrown up by Brady (twice), Rodgers (twice) Mahomes and Brees. On every occasion their teams finished the season no worse than 13-3. The Bengals defense stinks.

A game between the NZ and Aust winners.

Champions Final headlines 2025 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki draw announcement Champions Final headlines 2025 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki draw announcement

History will be up for grabs in 2025 with an inaugural Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final to be played between the respective Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and Super W winners.

@MiketheSnow said in World Rugby confirms changes to be implemented across the global game:

The Law of Unintended Consequences

'We need to speed up the game'

'How about not straight at the line out when the defending team doesn't compete is play on?'

'Great. Implement it'

Most defending teams won't go up at a 5m line out as they wait for the attacking catcher to come back to earth so they can execute a legal counter maul

So there's no onus on the hooker to throw straight which creates a greater chance of securing possession and setting up an impregnable maul

This has increased the likelihood of the attacking team scoring and because they're in a stronger position (formation wise) more likelihood that the defending team will commit a foul resulting in a Penalty Try and/or YC.

The review by ref and TMO has actually slowed the game down and made the lineout less of a contest.

I agree but I’m even more offended by refs just ignoring the fact that the attacking team are getting into position to maul before the hooker has even released the ball, two or three men step outside of the line and circle behind the receiver, what happened to not leaving or joining the lineout until it’s moved off the plane?

To my eye, Moroni is lining up for a tackle, the pass goes low and Crowley goes low to try to grab it. It's clearly head contact, clearly clumsy, and on precedent it's clearly a card, is it deliberate foul play - maybe? Slow motion makes this stuff look terrible, but it doesn't really reflect the reality of the game.
But if the focus is player safety, and if he's going to act like he's been severely injured, where is the HIA?

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Dylan Cleaver Rebel alliance to take on the Empire Rebel alliance to take on the Empire

Trying to make sense of both a proposed 'rebel' rugby tournament and Barrett's decision to kick for goal, PLUS: a smidge of cricket and day one of the Podmore Inquest.

@Duluth said in UFC / MMA:

@MiketheSnow said in UFC / MMA:

Turns out it was a great card

Cracking finishes from Oban Elliot, Brahimaj, Tybura, Miller and Jones

Nickal needs to show more to fight for the belt

Charles v Mike was one for the ages

Jones picked Stipe apart

Yeah some fun fights

The gap between Jones and Miocic was huge but Stipe was disappointing. He looked his age. Good decision from JJ to attack the body so much

Aspinall will be confident against Jones, he's considerably quicker and he's larger. I'm picking Jones will drag out negotiations and then try to talk up a Pereira fight.. I'm sure he could make that fight mostly happen off the feet

Charles was great but Chandlers resilience made that fight. The last round was an unbelievable effort

We know where Bo Nickal is at now. I thought he might be reluctant to take Craig down but I expected him to have more success with his striking. Unfortunately we had a kickboxing match between two limited kickboxers. The UFC have done Nickal no favours by talking him up so much.. who do they match him up against next? Maybe 15th ranked Michel Pereira?

Yeah Pereira would be a good call. Or Hermansson.