The Silver Fern

Wild stat - the test in Dunedin last weekend was Cam Roigard's first test match in NZ despite having played 10 test matches before that.

So who leads the Haka this year? Rieko? maybe Codie or Ardie?

Thank the lord they've seen the light and selected Rieko on the wing.
Also pleased to see Ardie at 7, his best position. Fantastic to see Billy Proctor at centre. My concern lies with Beauden at 10. We should be blooding a new 10 with the world cup only 2 years away. I don't believe we can win a world cup with either Beauden or Damien as our 10.

Stoked for Fabian Holland. Hopefully his Mum who had been in NZ visiting him has extended her stay to watch her son make his debut

@barbarian said in Golf:

Yeah devastating for Tommy. Such a deflating finish.

Keegan throws a massive spanner into the Ryder Cup though. Clearly one of the form 12 American players, so does he pick himself? Does he stand down as Captain? Surely the latter as the idea of a playing captain is both very entertaining and very outdated...

He will likely qualify as one of the automatic picks now anyway as I think since he won this recent event it puts him up there amongst the top six now.

The best story out of this squad naming is Fabian Holland. He took a punt as a 16-year-old back in 2019 to leave his family and all he knew behind to come down to New Zealand because of his love for rugby and the All Blacks and six years later is named in the All Blacks. Love that his mother coincidently is currently in NZ visiting him and got to share in his joy of being named.

I think Caleb Clarke can count himself lucky to be there. He didn't score a try for the Blues this season.

@SouthernMann said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

George Bell. Canterbury's third string hooker. Boys needs to go aomewhere that he won't be stuck on the bench.

Bell will be duking it out with Moananu in a couple years time I believe as it wouldn't surprise me if Codie Taylor either hangs up his boots or heads overseas after the next world cup.

Brodie McAlister you would have to say his decision to move north to the Chiefs has paid dividends.

Peter Burling joins Italian syndicate Luna Rossa for the 38th America's Cup

Qld are in again!
The storm connection of Grant and Munster

Geez it's bucketing down now.

Some grubby play by both Luai and Lomax in this game

Weather playing it's part with all the dropped ball.

@KiwiPie said in Golf:

Spaun dropped 5 shots in his first 6 holes - looked like he was toast at that point. Gutsy win.

Definitely a gutsy win. Spaun said in his speech during the trophy presentation he drew on the experience of that playoff loss to Rory at The Players over those last few holes to hang in there. He earnt himself $4.3 million, 700 FedEx Cup points which moved him up to sixth in the FedEx Cup rankings, receives a 10 year exemption to the US Open and the next five editions of the other three majors. His PGA Tour membership is extended as US Open champion through 2030.

JJ Spaun is a major champion! What a putt to win the US Open!
His second win on tour and his first major.

So may players walking away from Oakmont frustrated and thinking about what could have been. JJ Spaun went out and won that trophy while so many wilted around him. Incredible finish!

Ryan Fox ended up finishing T19. Not bad at all for Foxy.

Bavuma playing with an injured hamstring.
Seems there were some runs left out there from SA as there were shots where 3 runs were possible but they only ran two due to Bavuma's injury

Cut is currently sitting at +7
Justin Thomas, Sepp Straka, Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, Min Woo Lee, have finished their rounds and all miss the cut. Rory McIlroy is flirting with the cut line and is currently at +8. He has 7 holes to play

@JK said in Golf:

+2 first round for Fox which isnt bad considering some of the scoring. Puts him T33

JJ Spaun leading at -4.

At the moment it looks like more players will shoot 80 or more in the first round than under par

Currently 16 players who have shot 80 or over