@steven-harris not necessarily, Holland is the head coach so he takes the blame IMO. Blackwell and Prinsep were being selected before Gibbes arrived on the scene aswell so they are obviously Holland's favourites.

You've just highlighted my point of having bigger forwards around Blackwell if he's continually going to be selected. I'd love to see a loose forward trio of 6. Howden / Plumtree 7. Savea 8. Flanders for next year but I highly doubt that will happen. Hopefully with Dominic Bird at the Canes this year, we should have a bit more size in the locking department aswell.

In terms of props, I rate both Numia and Mafileo (who's been out with injury for a while now) slightly ahead of Rakete-Stones. They are all young and promising though so I will be interested to see who steps up there. Having Owen Franks in the squad will be great for all their development, especially for someone like Alex Fidow who may find himself on the outer if he doesn't improve his scrummaging next year.

@gt12 said in Hurricanes v Reds:

I didn’t comment on the penalty try, I commented on whether he should be given a YC.

In that position i.e. in-goal, you can't really have one without the other under the current framework.

@stargazer haha that's great.

That loop de loop try is one of the more embarrassing things I have seen on a football field

@mikey07 nah, we're battlers.

@toddy said in Waratahs v Hurricanes:

@machpants Like TJ vs Namibia?

Haha! When I saw MPs comment I immediately facepalmed thinking of that. Way to read the room...

@canes4life said in SRA Round 10: Highlanders v Hurricanes:

@siam I saw that live too but it wasn’t that bad after seeing it on the replay.

Yeah I don't think any of it was bad either but they seem to apply the letter of the law very arbitrarily. This time "beyond horizontal" made way for "retaliation".
I've given up making sense of what they're trying to officiate

Screen Shot 2021-04-25 at 21.18.07.png

@bones Nah my old man told me when I don’t know why he was watching it..I’m assuming the commentary team said it.

@kiwiwomble said in SRA U20: Hurricanes U20 v Highlanders U20:

Nice power play use yellow for our announcement, put the canes on the back foot right from the start

Yellow is nicer than what I thought it was - lemon.

@cgrant Higgins had more knock-ons, missed tackles and other handling errors, but in the highlights alone he misses the tackle that leads to the second Chiefs' try, butchers a try scoring opportunity by dotting down too early (short) and is offside for the failed intercept attempt (giving away 3 points). He didn't have a great first half (even the commentators mention it several times), but his second half was better. His second try was the result of some good quick thinking; his first was created by Godfrey and he basically only had to dot it down. No doubt he has talent and definitely a good work rate, but the second half highlights are flattering him and he definitely wasn't the best back on the field. That was Godfrey by a country mile, but unfortunately, you can't see that in the highlights.

@mikey07 You may be rights about that 5-year-contract haha.

That team was meant to have a player from each NPC province, and I think there is apart from Manawatu. Sweeney had a long career after this. 😉

@canes4life said in Blues v Hurricanes:

@winger well enough isn’t good enough though. Or is that what we’ve come to expect these days?

I didn't have an issue at all with the way he played. The main issue is the first 5. Even more so than Blackwell. Until this is addressed the team will continue to struggle

The Highlanders match shows what a quality first can do

@mikey07 I have learned something new today, Jensen is a recognised Maori name! Looks like he might be eligible for one of the Scandinavian teams as well.
I'm sure @nepia will agree that the names Gemmell, Wakefield and Blake over our way are also recognised Maori names too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@nepia said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@chris said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@frank said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@antipodean said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@bobily2 said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@antipodean said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@bobily2 said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@antipodean said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@frank said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

@tim said in SRA Round 4: Hurricanes v Chiefs:

DMac needs to start at 10 for the Chiefs.

DMac needs to be given more time at 10, and maybe given another try at 10 for the ABs.

Fuck right off.

He did well at 10 against France in his first start there. One of the best games I've seen from an AB 10 over the last 4 or 5 years

Is that a joke? The France game where they had one foot on the plane already?

Jesus christ one good half against a shit Canes team and people are calling for him to be five-eighth for the All Blacks.

It's not like every player looked amazing against that French team. He stood out more than most.

And I've been calling for it for awhile (perhaps s not on this forum). Based on much more than one game.

I'll change my position when he continuously displays a calm demeanour on the field instead of his usual headless chicken act. Yes he played well today in the second half. It was against the Canes. A little perspective.

Mo'unga handily contributed to us losing against the Poms with his pathetic defense leading to the first try. Beauden has had a million chances but struggles in tight games where he just shovels it sideways. Both are good in space though.

McKenzie may be no better, but it's not like either Mo'unga or Barrett are brilliant options. Both have their limitations.

Oh, and McKenzie is a better goalkicker than both of them.

Not sure McKenzies has any better front on defence at First Five he was average a few times in the Canes match so not sure what you are gaining there nothing I reckon.
The chiefs coaches must have thought the same they shuffled him to the wing a fair bit in defence so the big boys couldn't run at him down that channel.

I think DMac is probably more willing to throw himself in front of the big boys and he usually slows them down, but that's just an impression I get.

I thought Mounga was strong defensively against the Blues he pulled off some crucial tackles against the Blues big boys as well.

@nepia I've actually thought of a potentially logical reason for the change.

When they converted from yards to metres they presumably changed the distance to the front of the lineout from 5 yards to 5 metres.

Which would have required the thrower to chuck it an extra .468 of a yard - which is probably about the size of a hooker's foot + the width of the touch line.

@duluth How is there an argument on this? The ref under that post is surely the only one who can see if has gome between the uprights! FFS I a Canes man but can't believe anyone seeing it on tv or somewhere in ground thinks they got better angle. There are getting to be some serious whingers in our our game!

@stargazer said in Highlanders vs Hurricanes pre-season:

@machpants With Hickey gone, the Canes basically only have one ten, JGB, who is pretty average. Leger is a midfielder, Jordie and Love are fullbacks. Just shit recruiting.

But surely your not surprised....

Photosport gallery:

https://photosportnz.photoshelter.com/gallery/210213-Game-of-3-Halves-Preseason/G0000WAmARXB0J4I/C0000azGTB7px3Ds

Jog on champ.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/300382930/unrepentant-troy-bowker-to-quit-hurricanes-shareholding-after-racial-controversy

@Bones

Then hats off to Hunt, defo should be on that under-rated list.

@antipodean said in Hurricanes v Chiefs:

When did dwarf throwing deserve a three week suspension?

Since 2011, when the initial punishment was early exit from a RWC

I remember hearing that Laumape was one of the quickest over 40m when he was at the Warriors. That's when the Warriors had quite a few speedsters.

@Darren haha agree with you there

@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

@Stargazer should be given a reward

The mere idea he should be penalised for two players running into the same space is ridiculous. As is the "late tackle" explanation. There's no tackle, just a halfback getting in the way of a flanker.

I moved the AB blindside discussion to this thread:
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/3998/ab-depth-chart-2020/165

Some analysis of the game.

https://ekrugbyanalysis.com/2020/06/19/kicking-off-the-cobwebs-how-tactical-kicking-influenced-the-blues-winning-return-to-rugby/

@Bovidae that was my point.

The cards were easy decisions but I didnt like the way the ref controlled the game from the start, creating flow is a must between nz teams, other than that i feel wellington scoring after a minute was the worse thing that they did as after that they seemed to relaxed, b4 they knew it and 1 million free kicks later it was still only 5nil. But well done blues finally got sm rub of the green.

@Winger said in Hurricanes v Sunwolves:

Kobus Van Wyk

I thought he was great, but have no idea why he is there in the first place. He really should not be.
But as a Canes fan, since he is there, might as well play him now 🙂

@Bones Former sharks coaches with the Canes? Anyway I like seeing it.

Well moving on from hot woman, or just a shoet break, finally watched the game.
Huge improvement from last week, showed a little heart and commitment this game.
Forward pack stood up and didn't get totally walked over.
No 10 is still a problem, as we knew it would be, but JGB starts ever week over Smith now.
I read Jordies kick was 1m short of the record at super level, was crazy when you see it cleared the posts by at least 10m. I know he has many detractors but I thought had a very good game.
I thought Proctor was ok at 13, but you could see the spark Aso added, he just has the great combo with Laumape. But how about that soccer dive when Proctor scored, I know its a carryover from soccer there, but it is ridiculous. At least the weird ref called them out one time for "simulation"
I think the Canes bench added a lot of spark, and scored the 2 late tries.
I still can't see the Canes making if far, unless we can try Jordie at 10, whats the harm? But happy we played with some heart compared to last week.

@booboo said in Stormers v Hurricanes (Round 1):

@macandcheese said in Stormers v Hurricanes (Round 1):

Kolisi confirmed out for 6 weeks with a Grade 2 MCL tear caused by a dog shot by that piece of shit Riccitelli

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/kolisi-set-for-6-weeks-on-sidelines-20200203

I'm not convinced you know anything about rugby if you claim a player tackling around the legs makes him a "piece of shit".

I watched the "controversial" tackle and relied primarily on what my eyes saw at normal speed - a tackler aiming up, moving in head down and completing the tackle immediately after the ball was passed. When they collide Kolisi has taken less than a full stride and the catcher hasn't caught the ball yet. The linesman had an unimpeded view, did not react and followed the ball runner. The referee had a clear line of sight and showed no spontaneous reaction, he re-entered the frame looking merely inquisitive if anything.

The broadcast commentators, and fans since, drew a long bow on being late; and it certainly wasn’t a “cheap shot”, as the more excitable critics had it. There has been no citing.

I suspect they are getting all indignant more about who was tackled.

Riccitelli would be entitled to quote Andrew Hore, questioning Chris Pollock all those years ago “Is there a new rule that you can’t tackle Dan Carter?” (Ricky was only 9 years old at the time.)

More importantly, he is due a jolly good thrashing for sticking his scone in the wrong place in the tackle after five years professional rugby!

@canefan said in Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes:

@Rapido said in Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes:

@pakman said in Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes:

@taniwharugby said in Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes:

@WillieTheWaiter it is ridiculous that a prop hooker or anyone other than the guy with 9 on his back are fair game in that situation

At the risk of raking over old coals, isn't it the case that the Laws don't make distinction? I realise that there is an official interpretation which stipulates that the ball is out when halfback picks it.

In the modern real world of refereeing.

If you bump the arm of a halfback about to spin it wide and cause him to drop the ball you could get carded, if you bumped the arm of a prop in the same position but about to pick and go - you would get chess pumps from your teammates for forcing a turnover.

Ruby laws should be interpreted and applied that encourage forwards to congregate at a breakdown (IMO);

The defending team to attempt to win possession and if not then disrupt clean possession. The attacking team forwards should need to congregate to ensure possession is maintained and is then clean.

At no point should one of the above actions, performed legally (or even just slightly mis-timed) risk incurring a card because refs don't understand the essence of rugby.

In other words

Capture.JPG

It ain't tiddlywinks mate!!!

Rather it ain't League mate !!!!

What next, illegal strips, and sit in protests blocking Queens Street for a week?

Against the Crusaders in pre season the Canes had Price, Callum Harkin and Jono Hickey as their halfbacks. I was really impressed by Harkin but he unfortunately broke his ankle in that game. Maybe they are looking at him as one option?

@booboo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Bones said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Chris said in Hurricanes v Blues:

Totally agree the percentage of kicks neutralized by players skill sets this year far out way how effective the kicks made have been.

[booboo mode] out weigh[/booboo mode]

You wouldn't believe the Engrish I decline to correct ...

Here you are posting on the Hurricanes versing Blues thread...

Which could be a thread about a couple of rugby teams in a poetry competition. I didn't actually realise that was a word but found it from this sauce:
verse
/vəːs/
verbARCHAIC
gerund or present participle: versing
speak in or compose verse; versify.
"he began to verse extemporaneously in her ear"

Thread diversion complete - I will now Blexit (so still here really).

@Damo said in Lions vs Canes:

@booboo said in Lions vs Canes:

@nzzp said in Lions vs Canes:

@MajorRage I hadn't seen the tackle, so dragged it out. Link bel

@Jaguares4real it's a clear yellow all day, and getting towards a red. Lions player swung around ... I'm not a fan of players going down like a sniper hit them, but I think it's pretty ugly.

alt text

Sheesh.

Wasn't a yellow card ...

It's an orange card. On a good day it's a yellow and on a bad day it's a red. Are you telling me it wasn't a card at all?

No.

Not a yellow card though. (IMO)

@Canes4life and the rest 😂