Highlanders v Rebels
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@siam I think there's been a decline in their weaponry.
They've relied on having a forward pack that could compete gamely and a backline chock full of dynamite.
Losing Fekitoa - and Sopoaga being off song - means there's that bit more defensive cover for the Smiths and Naholo. Not everyone in the backs is an absolute threat.
Probably missing Halanukonuka at tighthead as well. Lomax currently isn't a patch on Siua as a scrummager. Can't recall who else they've lost but their prop rotation doesn't seem as good as it's been.
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@chris-b yeah I think you're right. Heaps fewer threats but wracking my brain only Fekitoa stands out as big losses but 2 new All Blacks and a similar tight five makes me wonder if there's some intangible missing.
Nah bugger it, I blame Deans' (prodigy No.5 or is it 6?) 😁
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Am I the only one starting to get a bit bored of Sumo commentary? Nothing that I can completely put my finger on, but at times I find it tiring to listen to. He sort of commentates like the players are his mates.
I’d like to hear more of Lose, honestly, thought he did a fantastic job earlier this year.
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@majorrage see that was the problem I had with him when he first came along (well to my memory). I quite like him now but he can be a bit familiar.
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@majorrage said in Highlanders v Rebels:
Am I the only one starting to get a bit bored of Sumo commentary? Nothing that I can completely put my finger on, but at times I find it tiring to listen to. He sort of commentates like the players are his mates.
I’d like to hear more of Lose, honestly, thought he did a fantastic job earlier this year.
Let's not get carried away here! I put Lose with TJ in my list of commentators I can't stand to listen to.
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@bones said in Highlanders v Rebels:
Lose used to be freakin awful, but lately I've noticed he seems to have matured really nicely, doesn't make stuff up any more and calls it as ya see it.
I'd guess it's a case of "absence makes the heart grow fonder". I'm not sure how he'd stand up to be listened to every week, but on past form - not that well.
Sumo has grown on me since he started and I'm not worried that he'll likely be Nisbo's successor as No. 1 caller for the big matches.
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@bones said in Highlanders v Rebels:
Lose used to be freakin awful, but lately I've noticed he seems to have matured really nicely, doesn't make stuff up any more and calls it as ya see it.
He's actually not bad as a play by play commentator, but hopeless as a comments man. Don't give him time to think.
Although I am huge fan of Sumo. Sorry @MajorRage
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If Lose would lose the "out of Napier Boys High", like they were horses, it would go a long way.
He pronounced the Polynesian names well, which is good.
He goes on about those from "The Kingdom of Tonga" which is less good (Piers Francis is from the "Kingdom of England And Wales" but apparently only one kingdom is important).
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@chester-draws although he pronounces non- Maori/Island names like they are now and then....
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Willie Lose is a poor mans Ken Laban. He's not bad, but Ken Laban is on another level.
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@african-monkey I find Laban the worst of the worst. I've lost count of the number of times he got his facts wrong, including names (and schools). Sometimes, I think he just makes things up and hopes nobody notices. What also gets to me, when he's commentating on schoolboys' games, is when a player makes a handling or other error on his way to the try line, the ref blows his whistle, gives a penalty to the other side or disallows the try and then he says "ohhh, but he deserved it". As soons as I hear his voice, I press the mute button. He annoys me even more than Justin Marshall.
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@stargazer I knew you would bite haha. I just love his pronunciation of names tbh it's beautiful to listen to.
