All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)
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@voodoo said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
So no matches against our PI neighbours again?
@Crucial said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@voodoo said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
So no matches against our PI neighbours again?
We talk about it being a shame to only have 2 matches v Wales and Scotland hardly ever playing here. Yet we have played those guys 35 and 31 times respectively, against Samoa 7 times, Tonga 6 times, and Fiji just 5 times.
I understand money and scheduling, but I think we should be finding a way to play one of these teams at least once per year.
I thought that I read the other day that were playing Fiji before the Wales tests. Maybe I was dreaming?
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No, you were not dreaming. I posted this earlier today, in the list of the ABs tests that have been scheduled:
We now have for 2020 (times are NZT):
October - outside international window:
- date, time & venue TBC, but in Canada: All Blacks XV v Fiji
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@antipodean said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@voodoo said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@antipodean said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@voodoo said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
So no matches against our PI neighbours again?
We talk about it being a shame to only have 2 matches v Wales and Scotland hardly ever playing here. Yet we have played those guys 35 and 31 times respectively, against Samoa 7 times, Tonga 6 times, and Fiji just 5 times.
I understand money and scheduling, but I think we should be finding a way to play one of these teams at least once per year.
That's what the MABs or Juniors are for. There's no benefit to giving them a flogging each time.
That's BS. Keep avoiding them and they'll never improve and nobody will ever want to play for them.
How do they improve getting flogged? The improvement in their professionalism is being able to participate in New Zealand's competitions without being forced to make themselves available to the premiere team. Or their top professionals are plying their trade in Europe and hence subject to the vagaries of the demands of the clubs.
That's before we discuss the maladministration within their unions.
When we do play them, I'm happy for the gate proceeds to be split.
In the last decade, the All Blacks have played:
- Fiji once, winning by +46
- Samoa twice, points differential of +87
- Tonga three times, points differential of +154
Even putting that aside, its still the right thing to do givem their contribution to our game.
I think the ability to migrate, receive an education, engage in a professional career etc. covers that somewhat. In a crowded calendar, how often are we meant to play them?
It takes time. Your stats on the last decade are exactly why they need more games against quality opposition. Bangladesh cricket are the perfect example, took them 5 years to win a test on the big stage, now they've beaten all the majors. I'm certainly not saying Tonga are likely to beat the AB's after playing 1 test per year for 5yrs against us, but who is to say they wouldn't stand a better chance against Scotland or Italy in a RWC if they got 10 quality tests over a 5yr period against NZ and Australia?
I can't see any reason why we shouldn't be playing 1 game per year as a minimum against, and ideally in, one of the PI nations. In an ideal Australia would do the same.
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@voodoo said in [All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)]
It takes time. Your stats on the last decade are exactly why they need more games against quality opposition. Bangladesh cricket are the perfect example, took them 5 years to win a test on the big stage, now they've beaten all the majors.
That smelled a bit wrong, so I checked
they've never won a test against us, the Saffers, Pakistan or India. So not quite correct.
Zimbos are their bitch though
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Playing against better opposition hasn't done much good for Italy, has it? Really it's getting your domestic shit together, engaging the public, increasing player base, and being professional that does it. With so much rugby money lost to corruption in Island unions, it's never going to make a difference just being smashed by NZ
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@nzzp said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@voodoo said in [All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)]
It takes time. Your stats on the last decade are exactly why they need more games against quality opposition. Bangladesh cricket are the perfect example, took them 5 years to win a test on the big stage, now they've beaten all the majors.
That smelled a bit wrong, so I checked
they've never won a test against us, the Saffers, Pakistan or India. So not quite correct.
Zimbos are their bitch though
I exaggerated for effect (it's the bloody Term FFS!) - once they'd beaten Oz, that's as good as everyone, Pakistan and India will also be mission impossible for them given conditions are identical.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
Playing against better opposition hasn't done much good for Italy, has it? Really it's getting your domestic shit together, engaging the public, increasing player base, and being professional that does it. With so much rugby money lost to corruption in Island unions, it's never going to make a difference just being smashed by NZ
Ah, but how bad would Italy be if they didn't have the 6N??? If their only tests were against Spain, Portugal, Germany? Certainly they'd be much worse, and 100% no kiwi with an Italian grandparent would go play for them
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Nothing confirmed yet and still very, very vague.
The Flying Fijians are set to play the All Blacks next year in what would be their first test against the three-time world champions in a decade.
Fiji have played New Zealand nine previous occasions, including five tests, the last of which was a 60-14 defeat in the last ever test at Carisbrook in Dunedin in 2011.
Fiji Rugby chief executive John O'Connor said they were also in talks to host Ireland during the July test window, when the British and Irish Lions were scheduled to be in South Africa.
"I think next year we have the All Blacks so we will look forward to preparing for that and [hosting] Ireland and hopefully we have that vaccine and the test schedule for next year continues as per plan."
I didn't know we've played so few games against Fiji! IMO that's something that definitely needs to change!
I hope this is a real test against the All Blacks, and not a game against All Blacks XV as was planned for 2020.
Flying Fijians set to play All Blacks, host Ireland in 2021
The Flying Fijians are set to play the All Blacks next year in what would be their first test against the three time world champions in a decade.
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
I didn't know we've played so few games against Fiji!
Thing is people say this all the time. But they are not in the RC, and they tour the same way as us. They're SH. So it's obvious they are not going to play us often, nothing about ignoring Pacific rugby, by it all about the calendar is set that way. And if they were put in to the RC they wouldn't be able to get their best players easily (travel from Europe with release times), and it would be a farce.
Until there is an international season alignment, ie once french and English clubs agree (just after hell freezes over) it's not going to changed from a few one offs -
@Machpants said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@Stargazer said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
I didn't know we've played so few games against Fiji!
Thing is people say this all the time. But they are not in the RC, and they tour the same way as us. They're SH. So it's obvious they are not going to play us often, nothing about ignoring Pacific rugby, by it all about the calendar is set that way. And if they were put in to the RC they wouldn't be able to get their best players easily (travel from Europe with release times), and it would be a farce.
Until there is an international season alignment, ie once french and English clubs agree (just after hell freezes over) it's not going to changed from a few one offsAnd those one-offs are noncompetitive disasters. Fiji get flogged and we risk needless injuries.
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@antipodean yup, but unless Fiji etc joins the RC, well never play them often. And they can't easily compete in the RC cos their players are in Europe
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The All Blacks will play home and away tests against Italy as part of their 2021 international schedule. On Thursday, NZ Rugby announced that the Azzurri will play two-tests against the All Blacks in the July window, then host them in Rome as part of the end of year European tour. Also included on that tour will be tests against Ireland and France. Fiji will also visit in July for a one-off test match. The Rugby Championship will begin in late August and - pandemic pending - will return to its status quo format. -
With the Lions tour to SA, 2021 is going to be an average year to host touring teams for NZ and Aust. France would be the big attraction but they toured NZ in 2018.
Depending on where the AB tests are I might end up going to one of games with my Italian brother-in-law.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
A chance
That is all it is unfortunately. We still have Fozzie who seems to have a unique knack of getting the worst out of good players. Harsh I know and I'm not sure how it happens (well apart from not playing them in their natural positions).
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@booboo if they'd been in the 3N, or TRC they would have won all thier games by eleventy-12 points.
List of Bangladesh Test cricket records - Wikipedia
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