The Silver Fern

Need even louder music and even bigger gas ball explosions. Solved.

Just to clarify this, you're telling me if I put Jacomb in my fantasy team I probably don't have to worry about him getting subbed off after 50 minutes?

Yes, there is also a large expat Irish community in the US. The capacity is 61500. It's all about the $$$.

He spends more time broken nowadays doesn't he.? Concussion and other issues. One hell of a talent but not sure how much longer his body will hold out.

Anyone picking against Pereira?

Ankalaev is good but has had trouble with the calf kick before. Pereira's calf kicks really hurt for some reason.. all the fighters mention it. Surely, despite what he's said, he has to wrestle?

Gaethje deserves massive credit for taking a dangerous lower ranked fighter after Hooker got injured. Surprised that Fiziev is the betting favourite. He's definitely good enough to win but he's taken the fight on short notice

Looking forward to seeing Ruffy fight again. He has massive potential

Forwards determine who wins and loses.

@nzzp said in Blues v Brumbies:

Big test for a rookie forward pack for the Blues

Still a strong starting pack, in particular the tight five. It will be very interesting to see when the subs are used

Christie, Pole & Clark with 1 SR game each. Cook on debut

Just looking at their NPC records:

Pole: 0 matches
Cook: 9 matches (8 starts)
Christie: 10 matches (8 starts, 6 starts at lock & 2 at blindside)
Clarke: 16 matches (8 starts)

Te Rapa is hosting Waihi, it will be tough. Playing at Willoughby park by the Stadium, grass a bit softer there.

The Idea that two professional teams in the same area are competing for the same sponsors does just feel like common sense, much like the idea that one team playing across two competitions (ie more tv over a longer period) might make it more attractive for bigger companies to sponsor

This will be closer that people think I feel. Scotland by 7.

@MN5 said in Other Cricket:

Tom Bruce has the kind of record that should have got him capped in the longer form by now. What gives ?

There just haven't been the batting spaces opening up in the test 11.

Initially in his career Bruce was batting too low in FC cricket for CD to be properly considered in his early years, he needed to stretch and bat 3 or 4 at FC level to be, but he was batting 5 or 6.

During Bruce's FC span. A test middle order position has opened up only 3 times.

When Nicholls replaced Baz at number 5. At that stage Bruce had played 2 FC season and had a good record. but was batting low in the order and had a poor hundreds to 50s ratio. Nicholls and Young were the serious contenders for that spot at that time.

Bruce then didn't score a FC century for the next 4 seasons. At the end of that 4 years was the next time a place in the test 11 came up for grabs when Taylor retired and Mitchell took the spot.

The next time a post came up for grabs was when Ravindra replaced Nicholls. At that stage Bruce had a better FC record than Ravindra, but Rachin had the ODIs and had always been rated. Also Nicholls and Bruce are basically exactly the same age, at a time when the entire blackcaps test 11 were over 30.

It will be a record that in hindsight looks like a 'how did this never play a test?' but at the time he was ever really that close. Due to competition from others, a settled test 11, and Bruce himself not nailing his white ball opportunities or NZ A opportunities at times when his competitors did.

"boring kick fest" don't go all abs supporters and demand style as well as substance. England just need wins.

It's funny how so many articles say 'this is the end' for Marcus- it's just benched v Italy!

Brisbane look dangerous again with a proper coach.

Please fucking crush and humiliate them.

@mikedogz said in Moana Pasifika 2025:

Tonga Rugby Union chief executive Aisea 'Aholelei said it was sad losing the match.

He said delayed installation of floodlights at Teufaiva Stadium caused the cancelation.

"The installation of floodlights is being delayed and there was concerns that would affect the 6pm schedule for the game kick off," he said.

Mar 5  /  Pacific Moana Pasifika cancels Tonga game due to floodlight installation delays Moana Pasifika cancels Tonga game due to floodlight installation delays

Tonga Rugby Union CEO Aisea 'Aholelei said it was sad losing the match, but there were concerns the "installation of floodlights being delayed...would affect the 6pm kick off".

Glad there's a simple explanation, although disappointing, good sign that they'll be back in future.

Some of the comms from the different franchises and club rugby are hard to follow or contradict one another.

Thanks for the update!

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2024/2025:

Arsenal with no strikers score 7 at PSV. Odd!

And the shot attempts and xG were quite similar for both teams.

Vijoen didn't do himself any favours in the pre season game against the Blues. He had an absolute shocker so that wouldn't have helped with his selection early doors. In saying that, if he's playing well he's so much better than Enari.

I also saw in one of the training images a couples weeks ago that he was being attended to. He's not on the injured list but that could be playing a part of his non-selection. Hopefully we see him soon because he is a good impact player off the pine.

@nostrildamus said in Pundits & ex-players all time XVs:

David Campese at 14? He was a spectacular attacker when in form, but he could be flaky and sometimes disinterested and the defensive presence of a jellyfish if I recall correctly.

Not sure about that. I don’t remember much sting in his defence

@DaGrubster forgive him. He hasn’t had your opportunity to learn the humility that comes with 24 years anguished waiting between drinks.