The Silver Fern

Watching Carter these first few minutes he could certainly play fullback (and cover half back) if he actually got some time there. Reckon he'll end up in the midfield.

Such a shame we never got to see what you could do at test level Shaun.

This close to the stupid shit thread.

Gallagher Premiership to axe 7 letters as part of rebrand

The Gallagher Premiership will be rebranded as the Gallagher Prem from next season. The name change is part of a campaign to attract new...

@MN5 at least it'll be French vanilla.

@MN5 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@frugby said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

I think this is probably worthy of its own thread, but feel free to merge if not - purely on the squad v France to see how close to 35/35 anyone can get - this is what I am predicting. I'd imagine the squad is now locked in barring injuries - one game shouldn't really change anything.

PROPS:
Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders)
Ethan de Groot (Highlanders)
George Bower (Crusaders)
Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes)
Fletcher Newell (Crusaders)
Pasilio Tosi (Crusaders)

HOOKERS:
Codie Taylor (Crusaders)
Samisoni Taukei'aho (Chiefs)
George Bell (Crusaders)

LOCKS:
Scott Barrett (c) (Crusaders)
Tupou Vaa'i (Chiefs)
Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues)
Fabian Holland (Highlanders)

LOOSE FORWARDS:
Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders)
Samipeni Finau (Chiefs)
Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika)
Peter Lakai (Hurricanes)
Dalton Papalii (Blues)
Wallace Sititi (Chiefs)
Christian Lio-Willie (Crusaders)

HALFBACKS:
Cameron Roigard (Hurricanes)
Cortez Ratima (Chiefs)
Noah Hotham (Crusaders)

FIRST FIVES:
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)
Beauden Barrett (Blues)

MIDFIELDERS:
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)
Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)
Rieko Ioane (Blues)
Billy Proctor (Hurricanes)
David Havili (Crusaders)

OUTSIDE BACKS:
Caleb Clarke (Blues)
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders)
Sevu Reece (Crusaders)
Will Jordan (Crusaders)
Ruben Love (Hurricanes)

Unavailable due to injury: Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes), Simon Parker (Chiefs), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders)

Jacobsen for Lio-Willie.

Ultra conservatism vs a newbie from the Crusaders. I have a feeling the former will win out. Other than that spot on.

If Jacobson makes it, it'll most likely be in place of Finau/DP I'd say.

JRK seems like a long shot, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fihaki or Narawa selected instead (if Narawa has a blinder tonight).

@Steven-Harris he's also 80 minutes away from still being the guy that crashed the crusaders after half a decade of absolute dominance.

Tough vote. RR, DP and AJL

@Jet said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

Great to see 3 more players sent from the field in a big game for unintentional actions.

Right, so recklessly charging head first at where you think a guy is going to end up is unintentional you reckon? Those poor souls with absolutely no control over their actions! The Sotutu one especially would've seen red in club premier twenty years ago, don't be ridiculous.

@Mattasaurus said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

@Lancaster-Park said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

Big pressure game that points to who can be considered for ABs and who misses out.
Havent seen the game.
ABs winners and losers from each team?

Has to be said , Sotutu really let himself down tonight when it mattered most .. its big games like this where the selectors take note.

But i didn't see any AB level performance in the packs TBH, the only AB performance for me tonight was Will Jordan

Thought CLW actually looked worth the chatter, seems he's almost a clone of Sititi though.

Well done crusaders, certainly toughed it out.

Haaaaa fuck that's bullshit. Since when can you dive over a ruck to grab the ball?

Nock having to step and pump is killing the attack

That right there Rieko, that is the yuckest centre play around

@canefan said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

Sotutu yellow?

Rugby is crazy now. Fihaki steps late and they both clash. Rugby is a farce now

He fucking ran in like a lunatic, zero control over the outcome. That's a yellow in old money too

Shut up marshall, he ran in with no control

@KiwiMurph said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

Sotutu yellow?

Yeah that's reckless

WJ would make a better centre than fullback

Wasn't that knocked on?

@Steven-Harris said in SF Crusaders v Blues:

Game over what a nut case idea to have Ricci as loose head prop cover
Beggars belief

Guess they think it's better than playing with 14?

Thought that looked like a sack