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@akan004 said in Chiefs v Crusaders:
Vaa'i has made me eat my words. Never rated him and couldn't understand what he did to warrant his selection in the ABs over the years, but he started looking really good in black last year and appears to have added a physical edge to his game this year that he didn't have previously. Looks like he's put on some size as well.
And hopefully Lord gets a decent injury free run to show what he can do.
@SBW1 said in Chiefs v Crusaders:
Saders get a bye and two home games against the Reds and Force. If we can't win at least one, Penney goes.
Bet he doesn't, even if the Saders lose both. NZ don't get rid of coaches mid season all that often.
@Chris said in Tri Series PAK/NZ/SA:
On another note I expect to see Matt Boyle in this team soon a great 131 v Wellington in the Ford Trophy the other day.To back up a very good 20/20 comp as leading run scorer.
He is one of the hardest and cleanest hitters I have seen to come out of NZ along with Jacobs.
Agree. I was impressed with him during the 20/20 season. If he has the doggedness of his uncle Dave to go with his hitting ability he could turn out to be a very good player.
By my standards I watched quite a bit of the 20/20 this year. I was heartened by some of the young talent coming through. I think we have some good players in the pipeline.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black
World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making.Legendary All Black Smith, 36, who is in his second season in Japan with Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Toyota, was joined in Aichi in the summer by rugby league convert...
Maybe if he converted a few years ago.
Still only 28, no reason why he couldn't get another half a decade in if he's a hard worker.
Oh, I agree that he could have 5 plus years in Union.
But he is 28 now and won’t make a super rugby debut until he is 30 at the earliest so I think there would be a reluctance from AB selectors to pick someone like that
If he's a proper athlete ala SBW and better than the rest I don't see why not.
I think he's a potentially a better bet than Benji and RTS who made the change late in their careers. Of the three I think he's more suited to rugby and like all I guess it depends on how he transitions back.
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
If he was smart, he would sign for the crusaders then!
Nah, he should skip that and just go straight to the Chiefs to become a proper rugby player.
Nah ("if he's a proper athlete ala SBW") he should just skip that and go to the Blues like what SBW did
This is not the 1980s. It’s not like all league converts are athletes compared to the weedy union players. They’re all athletes now.
I point you to my use of ""....
Aw ok, my bad.
All this ‘SBW is such an amazing athlete’ compared to everyone else is just nonsense
Sonny Bill was an amazing athlete though when compared to any one, be it union or league. I’m not a fan boy by any stretch and I thought the ABs used him well as the occasional starter but more impactfully in that bench role.
There were not many players that were able to produce at the highest level with his combination of skills and physicality.
Despite all he achieved, I actually think we never saw the best of him. I reckon the injuries and chopping and changing between union and league held him back a little.
Any sign of Wallace?
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@darylmitchell I'm a fan of Lakai haven't seen generational talent just yet
If he’s a generational talent compared to Sotutu given what’s been written on here about him then Lakai must be some kind of superhuman.
Is it going to be fair if he plays against teams of lesser mortals ?
Yeah, but in the back of his mind he will always know that he ain't no Blackadder. Poor kid.
I am sticking my head on the block with a bold prediction - I reckon we've got this.
The sound is crap for the anthems. Reminds me of the old days at Lancaster Park with the parlophone type 'speakers'.
Is Cameron Goodhue related to Josh and Jack? What was his position?
@KiwiMurph said in Australia v India:
Konstas deserved that
Pipe the fuck down from the non strikers
At least Australia is producing another generation of cricketers that are easy to dislike. Their consistency is a thing of beauty.
@nzzp said in Australia v India:
@MN5 said in Australia v India:
India in disarray.
In saying that Kohli to score a double hundred today
right call for me. The bobble at the end was the issue.
Agree. Not sure what the Aussies are whiging about.
I can see Konstas becoming annoying to me. He's a cocky bastard.
@Chris having seen more of him than me, and being a coach, I am interested in your thoughts on Foulkes. From the little I have seen he looks to be struggling to control the inswing (which seems a lot more pronounced than many bowlers going around at the moment) and as such I get the feeling it is hurting his confidence and rhythm. I got the same feeling when I have watched him bowling for Canterbury.
I wonder if a kid like him would be better suited to clocking up the miles in the longer game where he could learn about his bowling without the immediate pressure of the limited over game? I also think this could help his batting - I recall McMillan saying a couple of seasons ago he thought Foulkes was a better batter than bowler, but I have yet to see any evidence of that.
Foulkes looks to have some promise, but I would hate to see his confidence destroyed.
And that's it Foulkes. We are gonna win. Never in doubt.
They need two sixes.
Good stuff again Foulkes. A run out.
First ball success for NZ with the attempted ramp. .I wonder when teams will start placing fielders to combat the ramp?
Poos. He is.
I hope Foulkes isn't bowling the last over
Does anyone else get the impression that the other commentators feel obliged to laugh when O'Keeffe cracks himself up? Some of the stuff he laughs at is not that funny.
Edit - although that drummer joke he just cracked didn't get a laugh
