@sparky said in Sam Cane - All Blacks Captain:

Which test was Andrew Hore ABs captain for?

It was a club game.

@snowy said in RIP Phil the Greek:

One more year and he would have got a message from his wife.
Wonder what that would have been?

Actually feel quite sorry for the old girl. She really did love him.

A couple of years ago the son and his partner were doing the Windsor Castle walkthrough while we were in the pub. ('Two Brewers' if you are looking for a good one there) and while others in their group went rushing from item to item they stopped to just look out a window onto a courtyard. A door opened and out came Lizzie with a couple of dogs, a car pulls up and out hops Phil. She has a big smile and goes and gives him a hug. They luckily witnessed a totally real and candid moment between the two.

My own little experience was more formal but we got an invite to one of the garden parties at the big London house and then got selected to meet the old girl as she wandered through the garden. Anyway it is all quite formal and you get introduced etc. The wife and I use different surnames and because of a quirk in the way it was set up ended up standing on either side of a couple of friends. Anyway she has her little chat along the line to the others. Work talk. Then gets to me. 'and what brings you here Crucial?'. I pointed to the wife and said 'I'm just here as support and logistics for her'. She actually laughed and said 'Oh, I have one of those as well'.
After she moved on to the next group and we were released we had so many people come up and asked how we made her smile and laugh. The 'joke' was weak so I can only assume it was thinking about the silly old bugger.

@cantab79 said in AB Test Team v France.:

Can't believe people are seriously suggesting that Steve Hansen has not called up Akira Ioane because he is saving him for the Maori team. Is there any precedent to back up this theory? Luke Whitelock has outplayed Ioane at both Super Rugby and Mitre 10 Cup levels this year, and that's why he's been selected.

How does that pie taste?

Look. Tana and BOD have buried the hatchet and are sharing a laugh.

Next on Tana's list are @Kirwan and @Duluth

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@booboo said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@Victor-Meldrew said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

Apparently BOD was a pundit on the Irish coverage and didn't take the result well. If anyone has the footage and can post it I will be eternally grateful

Was on the ITV coverage.

He had the look of a man who's swallowed a wasp during during a live TV interview and that distracted him from the fact he's also having a severe bowel spasm.

Excellent.

A quarter final exit is an Irish tradition isn’t it?

Planet Rugby’s Ireland fans are still delivering gold

“We knew all of this in advance.
That’s why Joe player what he felt was his best team.

In cooler weather, better ref, neutral location both teams given the same amount of rest and our B team puts 40 points on them.

Do we really think that Japan making the quarters wasn’t just what WR wanted?

At this rate Japan might make the semis or better.

Reminds me of Korea/Japan WC in the football.”

Also a whole thread about how bent Gardner is

http://forum.planetrugby.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91481&sid=5594db999ca625c55956a0becc14a9dc

I don’t remember bok fans being this graceless at all and their team came back and gave ours a hell of a game in the semis.
I hope Heneke Meyer had a smile on his face last night .
The only downside for Japan is no one in their pool is going to take them lightly so they’ll be playing their top side if possible.

As a neutralish observer (I was obviously backing Japan) I didn't notice any obvious issues with the officiating. Did anyone? (Haven't read the thread.)

What are their specific whinge? Or is it just victim mentality?

Some of them have been saying Japan had an advantage because they play in the super rugby comp and are more used to the way Gardner refs .

Victim mentality, delusions of grandeur or just ungracious arseclowns? Take your pick

According to comments on the42 Ireland were beaten by some fella called Hugh Middity.
He wasn’t on the team sheets but must have been there because everyone is saying “Hi, Hugh Middity”

@allblacksfan72 said in Are there any All Blacks wildcards left ?:

How about George bridge? Has all the qualities needed for test rugby

A red and black jersey?

What about stupid people that think they can coach and select the ABs but have no clue about it. They can piss right of!

Took a drive yesterday (only 5 km over the regional border) to a farm in the Wairarapa and picked up a new pup. 3 month old black lab. Very cool little fella. This will keep me busy.

Can someone please correct this thread title. It is doing my head in.

It’s only this format this year isn’t it?
I reckon it’s fair enough this season given the uncertainties and disruption with Covid.
Just think of the quarters as a final round.
Top four should still be the semi finalists

@Chris-B that was an impressive ride, and what a course! Stunning.

To me the biggest takeout (one the just about everybody -sports writer or not) agrees on is that we should see the back of Havili, Bridge, TJP, possibly Laulala (can't judge Frizzell as he's injured but I suspect him as well)

So the team will be pretty damn close to the one we all want and performance will come down to tactics/ strategy

Our players are what they are

@NZbloke said in Hurricanes vs Rebels:

@Crucial said in Hurricanes vs Rebels:

@NZbloke said in Hurricanes vs Rebels:

Scrafton & Walker-Leawere

Yeah right! Scrafton & Walker-Leawere are international class locks and young Morgan is an equivalent of BB, RM, Loloseo.....

You kind of keep missing the point. Canes are lacking top level class in areas, that over a long season, end up costing table points.
Chiefs are the same. We have 'bubbling under' 10s, need another class loosie and have no back three to speak of. I'm very happy that we ended up where we did on the table but it has been a very shaky ride.

Again, I disagree - we have players in the team with good skill sets in all positions....

I'm not saying you don't have adequate players. They just aren't the international class ones that some other teams have.

But if you want to continually blame the coach when you have no idea at all what goes on behind the scenes or see combinations in training, in a comp that demands full use of a squad (and beyond this year) without acknowledging that quality of the cattle then carry on with your head in the sand.

@NZbloke said in Hurricanes vs Rebels:

Scrafton & Walker-Leawere

Yeah right! Scrafton & Walker-Leawere are international class locks and young Morgan is an equivalent of BB, RM, Loloseo.....

You kind of keep missing the point. Canes are lacking top level class in areas, that over a long season, end up costing table points.
Chiefs are the same. We have 'bubbling under' 10s, need another class loosie and have no back three to speak of. I'm very happy that we ended up where we did on the table but it has been a very shaky ride.

@Dan54 said in Drua vs Chiefs:

@Nepia said in Drua vs Chiefs:

Eek, that was a painful last quarter to watch.

Banked the points at least ....

Be buggered that was great to watch (I know wht you meant really), boy you want an ad for super rugby pacific that was one!!

I was entertained. Result never in doubt 😅

@Canes4life said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

The Canes hate playing in Canberra, I would well rather us play the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Tahs will be thinking the same. They hate playing at Bruce.

@Damo said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@Crucial said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@Damo said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@nzzp said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@antipodean said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

That's a magnificent kick!

This game may not affect the table, but bloody well played Moana Pacifica

It can affect who comes 3rd v 4th. Brumbies lose this without a BP they are 4th instead of the Chiefs.

Points difference will win out for Chiefs anyway

Brumbies are up by 3 points on PD. At the time MP were up by 8, so a Brumbies try would have meant a loss by 1 point and Brumbies would have kept a hold of 3rd.

I didn’t time the post 😀

@Damo said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@nzzp said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@antipodean said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

That's a magnificent kick!

This game may not affect the table, but bloody well played Moana Pacifica

It can affect who comes 3rd v 4th. Brumbies lose this without a BP they are 4th instead of the Chiefs.

Points difference will win out for Chiefs anyway

@taniwharugby said in Moana Pasifika v Brumbies:

@Crucial ? Is it wrong?

I have no idea. It’s impressive either way.