Crusaders vs Canes

Canes4life

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="598124" data-time="1468918025">
<div>
All this just reinforces the fact the Canes have probably never had a truly World Class forward of McCaw/Read/Whitelock/Woodcock/Mealamu/Kaino like quality.......( although a few come very close )
 
.....and yet the fans constantly Do a Willis on about how it's such a travesty they've never won a title.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Rodney Soioalo, Dane Coles and Jerry Collins would probably be the best forwards to wear a Canes jersey. We've always had the flashy backs and probably some of the best backs to ever play Super Rugby in Cullen, Umaga, Lomu, Nonu, Smith, H Gear, Milner Skudder, Barrett, J Savea, C Jane - the list goes on. 
 
When you look at this years squad the quality of our forwards i.e Goodes, Coles, Fatialofa, Broadhurst, A Savea, Shields, Fifita, Vito, Thomson probably have it over the backs which probably says something.
 
If only the quality of our forwards matched that of our backs in years gone by. Too bad it all starts up front.
 
Onwards and upwards though!!

Frye

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="598080" data-time="1468911592">
I'm just astounded to read Caners actually played. I didn't pick that at all.</blockquote>
 
Especially when he doesn't know the forward/back makeup in a 10s team. Scrum should really give it away...

dingo

Had a few good hookers (Norm Hewitt, Coles, Hore spring to mind) and loosies but in general journeyman level props and locks. 
When a bestest ever 23 might include Jason Eaton and Phil Coffin, you know you've had some average forwards.

dingo

A fun game might be to name your crapiest starting 15 who've played 20+games. 
Some jump out at me straight away. 
1 - Tama Tuirirangi 
2 - Joe Ward 
3 - Tim Fairbrother 
4 - Dion Waller 
5 - Luke Andrews 
6 - Campbell Feather 
7 - Martin Leslie 
8 
9 - Chris Smylie 
10 - Jimmy Gopperth 
11 
12 - Riki Flukey 
13 
14 - David Smith 
15

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dingo" data-cid="598185" data-time="1468931159">
<div>
A fun game might be to name your crapiest starting 15 who've played 20+games. 
Some jump out at me straight away. 
1 - Tama Tuirirangi 
2 - Joe Ward 
3 - Tim Fairbrother 
4 - Dion Waller 
5 - Luke Andrews 
6 - Campbell Feather 
7 - Martin Leslie 
8 
9 - Chris Smylie 
10 - Jimmy Gopperth 
11 
12 - Riki Flukey 
13 
14 - David Smith 
15
</div>
</blockquote>
Mark Reddish was a long term Cane and you picked Waller?
 
I think Chris Eaton played for the Canes as well - so you're 0-2 at 4 and 9.
 
As for the greatest forwards, I'm surprised that Hore is rated so lowly ... the Hammatteur's marketing team appear to have done a good job on his reputation.

cgrant

Deon Waller was not that bad. There might be other locks to name : Kennedy, Paterson ?
Props : Joe McDonnell, mobile but weak scrummager.

Bovidae

A pity that Cavubati only played 19 games.
 
I don't even remember the no.8 Karl Williams.

dingo

Mark Reddish was such a non entity I'd forgotton him. Mind you, the ref wouldn't notice him either unlike Waller who likely will be carded.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dingo" data-cid="598185" data-time="1468931159">
<div>
A fun game might be to name your crapiest starting 15 who've played 20+games. 
Some jump out at me straight away. 
1 - Tama Tuirirangi 
2 - Joe Ward 
3 - Tim Fairbrother 
4 - Dion Waller 
5 - Luke Andrews 
6 - Campbell Feather 
7 - Martin Leslie 
8 
9 - Chris Smylie 
10 - Jimmy Gopperth 
11 
12 - Riki Flukey 
13 
14 - David Smith 
15
</div>
</blockquote>
No way does Martin "Twitchy" Leslie belong in this team, he was sensational in 97 leading up to the semi finals.
 
In fact a few of these guys are pretty damn good for such crap players to be honest. I don't think an AB ( albeit a brief one ) deserves one of the locking spots.

Smudge

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dingo" data-cid="598206" data-time="1468960025">
<div>
Mark Reddish was such a non entity I'd forgotton him. Mind you, the ref wouldn't notice him either unlike Waller who likely will be carded.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Guess our coaches knew how to get the best out of Reddish down here in Landers-land . . . :whistle:

Higgins

I can't see his name amongst the list of Hurricanes players <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hurricanes_(rugby_union)players'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hurricanes(rugby_union)_players</a> but what was the name of the guy that came up from Canterbury who played fist five and had some kind of drealocks? Think it might have been Mal someone???? He probably would not be eligible for consideration given the 20 matches requirement.

Smudge

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="598215" data-time="1468963997">
<div>
I can't see his name amongst the list of Hurricanes players <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hurricanes_(rugby_union)players'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hurricanes(rugby_union)_players</a> but what was the name of the guy that came up from Canterbury who played fist five and had some kind of drealocks? Think it might have been Mal someone???? He probably would not be eligible for consideration given the 20 matches requirement.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
Mal Arnold?

Higgins

Thats him, thanks Smudge. I have done a google search to see what happened to him but seems to have disappeared off the scene since he fronted up for Southland in 2000 <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/blogs/the-roar/1880654/Memorable-imports'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/blogs/the-roar/1880654/Memorable-imports</a>. Interesting to note a number of Hawkes Bay names on the list of featured players in the link. I doubt even Nepia could defend some of them!

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="598217" data-time="1468965321">
<div>
Thats him, thanks Smudge. I have done a google search to see what happened to him but seems to have disappeared off the scene since he fronted up for Southland in 2000 <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/blogs/the-roar/1880654/Memorable-imports'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/blogs/the-roar/1880654/Memorable-imports</a>. Interesting to note a number of Hawkes Bay names on the list of featured players in the link. I doubt even Nepia could defend some of them!
</div>
</blockquote>
I wouldn't, hell, I've suggested adding a HB to the list, Stargazer might defend them.
 
Can't remember Skipworth though, Ward Maere RIP, and Norm was dead to me the moment he left HB for that god forsaken province.

MN5

Would Daryl Lilley get in the team at FB ? definitely a very good player but hard to compete with Cully and Jane.

kiwiinmelb

This thread is hilarous !!!

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="598275" data-time="1468981196">
<div>
This thread is hilarous !!!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
To summarise, if you don't kiss an Ardie Savea poster before bed each night you're a Matt Todd lover and therefore damned for all eternity.

Higgins

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="598219" data-time="1468966452">
<div>
I wouldn't, hell, I've suggested adding a HB to the list, Stargazer might defend them.
 
Can't remember Skipworth though, Ward Maere RIP, and Norm was dead to me the moment he left HB for that god forsaken province.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Stretching my memory a long way but think he might have played for Colenso Pirates or whatever they were called way back then.

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="598277" data-time="1468981803">
<div>
To summarise, if you don't kiss an Ardie Savea poster before bed each night you're a Matt Todd lover and therefore damned for all eternity.
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
A day in the life of Phooey 29 May, 2003 <img height="15" src="http://old.thesilverfern.co.nz/images/writers/shoot_me.gif" width="50" alt="shoot_me.gif"> JP & DonSteppa All times set on Hong Kong Phooey time, 4 hours behind NZ. 
3:24am: Woke up from a horrible dream that my eye-patch had shifted from my left eye to the right. All I could see were images of Jerry Collins. Rolled over and counted sheep to get me back to sleep.
7am: Alarm went off. Love waking up to the sound of the Crusaders theme music and this morning was no exception.
7:01am: Turned off the theme music and got out of bed. Put on my â€œTodd Blackadder Fluffy Bunny SlippersÂ®â€. Paused momentarily to check that my life-sized cardboard cutouts of Todd Blackadder and Rueben Thorne didnâ€™t have any dust on them lest it detract from their wondrous magnificence and impression of awe that they give from the foot of my bed.
7:04am: Amble to computer and check the Silverfern website. Full of posts from obnoxious BoP Mafia. Barely concealed my contempt for their incessant ramblings by not lowering myself to respond to them.
7:06am: This is the height of insolence. JP has spelt Scott Robertsonâ€™s name incorrectly. Youâ€™d expect better seeing Robertson is originally from his feeder union BoP after all. Gave up on SF for now in disgust, but not before resolving to spite him later on.
7:07am: Grabbed a bowl of cereal. Still havenâ€™t heard back from South China Milk Co-op regarding their disgusting use of blue as the colour for their standard milk bottle tops. The red vivid will have to do for now.
7:08am: Set down in front of TV and put on my video of the last 10 mins of the 1998 Super 12 final. Itâ€™s nearly worn out so resolved to re-order a backup as I only have two backups left.
7:17am: Laughed heartily once more at Tonuâ€™u as James Kerr scores the winning try.
7:25am: Got ready for work, carefully observed if my mutton chops were reaching the same lengths as Andrew Merthans, made mental note to collect some more ginger dye from pharmacist.
7:35am: Left for work, scheming ways to make my props lift me higher at training tonight and wondering if they watched the 4 hour video I gave to them of Highlights of Crusaders Scrums 1996 â€“ 2002.
8:23am: Arrived at work to an e-mail from Gary abusing me about the Super 12 final loss to the Blues. Resolved to get coffee. Extra-strong.
8:28am: Leaving our pleasantly decorated tea-room. Relieved that the Chinese use a lot of red as a lucky colour so I donâ€™t have to condemn them as sporting heathens. 
8:30am: Set myself down for another hard day at work.
8:35am: Start browsing the Silverfern, JP clearly is an imbecile, not only did he spell Robertsonâ€™s name wrong but has misquoted his height by an entire centimetre!! Clearly such slander shall not go unpunished!! 
9:30am: Still fuming about Scott Robertsonâ€™s height being misquoted. Have to take out frustrations on the new Jerry Collins dartboard I recently purchased.
10:30am: Depression has now set in, canâ€™t believe that the Crusaders have only come second in the super 12. SF filled with incancessant Aucklanders braying about their toffee-boy pin-up raging poof. Ya-boo what a bunch of soft-cocks those bloody Blues are and now only 11 Cantabâ€™s in the All Blacks. Switch eye-patch over with black-side showing, this is clearly a time of mourning for NZ rugby.
10:45am: Noted the daily telegraphs from Donsteppa begging for the BoP to be admitted to the Crusaders ceased on Sunday. Resolved to check with Kirwan if he has started receiving them now from Donsteppa. Bastard.
11:30am: Spot news article with Helen Clarke wearing a lovely red suit, clearly sheâ€™s a astute and insightful leader and worthy of her position, must make notes to encourage my friends to vote for her in the next election.
12 noon: Break for lunch, am concerned with the amount of blue I keep seeing in the office, clearly there are a few closet Auckland supporters around here that have only come out of the wood-work now that their team have won the Super 12. Of course this is the type of behavior one would expect from Auckland supporters, only coming out when their team actually wins, no sense of loyalty.
12:30pm: Spent majority of lunch break chasing up the props in my rugby team and quizzing them as to whether they watched that video I gave them. I have my suspicions that Ho-Chow-Mi-Wong has relatives in Auckland and is secretly supporting them, as not only did he fail to recite the Canterbury front row of the 1995 season but mentioned the name Steve McDowell!!! 
1:30pm: Am convinced that imbeciles surround me. Tried to convince Woo-Chi-Wang-Song of the comparative merits of Shane Philpot compared to Leon McDonald at fullback and all he did was stare blankly at me. Clearly my rugby genius is far too much for him to take.
2:30pm: Again my rugby genius goes unheard, Iâ€™m almost sick of the pathetic weaklings that inhabit the Silverfern, what sort of blithering rugby ignoramus could not see the vital necessity of having Caleb Ralph in the team, the crying shame that Broomhall and Robertson were over-looked, and the fact that if we canâ€™t win the Bledisloe cup with only 13 Crusaders in the starting line-up how will we ever win it with only 11 in the entire squad?? 
3pm: Mokey corrected a spelling mistake of BartManâ€™s. Great effort to correct the morons on this board. I wonder if she is single?
3.05pm: Brief period of guilt for feeling attracted to a non-Canterbury supporter, senselessly bellowed â€œReuben Thorne, Reuben Thorne, Reuben Thorneâ€ for a few minutes. Felt much better afterwards.
4:30pm: Delighted to see that courier had delivered my copy of â€œTodd Blackadderâ€™s Greatest Lineout Takes 1991 - 2001â€ and â€œRueben Thorneâ€™s Rampaging Runs in the Black Jerseyâ€ on DVD. Immediately put it on and watched it non-stop.
4:32pm: End of DVD, stunned speechless at the blessed fortune that Canterbury has such inspirational leaders.
5pm: Looks like some O/T tonight waiting for a package from the Kuala Lumpur office. Noted Team Rebel has turned up for his shift on the Silverfern and is engaged in a series of inane posts with Donsteppa about who will play in the P/R game. Amateurs.
5:37pm: On the way to rugby practice. Had to punch someone wearing a yellow and black jersey that was staring at me funnily.
6pm: Consumed with rage. Club committee tuned down application to switch club colours to redâ€™nâ€™black. May have to look at transferring to Valley.
6:05pm: Cursed at one of the props who clearly wasnâ€™t on the same wavelength as me regarding lifting technique with specific reference to Greg Feek vs. Buller in the 2002 pre-season NPC warmup.
6:37pm: Our fullback dropped it yet again at practice. Gave him the nickname â€œCullyâ€.
7:02pm: Exchanged heated words with our blindside flanker after I caught him not inspecting the ruck during our shadow training run. Told him Reuben Thorne would be ashamed of him. 
8:30pm: At home and showered up after training. Cheered myself up by putting on a Crusaders jersey of 1999 vintage.
8:33pm: On the SF again. Berated Mencey yet again for being a Cullen fan. Where do these Wellingtonians get off?
8:34pm: Team Rebel got annoyed at me for absolutely no reason so I called him a oversensitive FluffyBunny. Really, getting irritated just because I asked what division Northland were in and called all halfbacks piston wristed gibbons. No wonder NZ rugby is getting soft.
8:38pm: Gary rang to ask me if I needed counselling. Canâ€™t decide whether to go down to the pub to meet him or break open another specially imported box of Canterbury Draught.
8:41pm: Canterbury Draught wins. Rang back Gary and told him to eat another toffee pop and drink another latte and that the Blues were hapless Johnn-come-latelies who will soon get their come-uppance.
8:45pm: Started to watch a replay of the 1999 S12 final to cheer myself up.
9:15pm: Really enjoying this game. Resolved to send copies to Dangerman & Lise. 
10:00pm: Laughed uproariously as Taineâ€™s men again struggle to contend with the real powerhouse of Southern rugby. Thrilled to see the real Southern men standing up on the day, guys like Marika Vunibaka, Afato So'oalo and Norm Berryman. Excellent stuff.
10:30pm: Went to bed but not before lovingly dusting framed pictures of Todd Blackadder holding aloft various Super 12 trophies and once again checking that life-sized cardboard cut-outs were ok. Rested my â€œTodd Blackadder Fluffy Bunny SlippersÂ®â€ under the bed and got into my Crusader print pjâ€™s. Nodded off to the delightful sounds of â€œTodd Blackadders greatest after match speechesâ€ on tape. All is well with the world.
 
 
 
</blockquote>

MN5

That's outstanding.......and I don't even know who Phooey is.....

The Silver Fern

Crusaders vs Canes