The Silver Fern

@Chris-B said in How critical is the 10 Jersey to winning Super?:

@canefan 8 I think - and mostly fringe guys - with Reubs, Razor and Gibson (and Toddy, I think) playing positions different to their best.

I think Crucial is largely right - Mehrts is the only one close to great, especially when you take into account the positional switches.

Their 16th man in the match, Paddy O'Brien, had a pretty good test career. 😉

Commentators had in correct in saying that Matatu were better prepared for Finals through lots of defensive work during the RR.
Manawa defence wasn't really tested or when it was they just scored more which absolved the defensive errors.
A bit much reliance on 15 players from the Manawa coaches and I agree that a bit of on field leadership was lacking when plans weren't coming off. They were easily eating metres when they played one off drives but would then lose connection on a drive and get turned. That's a lack of focus through tiredness.
Still a good campaign overall and some big lessons learned for the future.
Well played Matatu

@Bovidae said in Chiefs Manawa v Hurricanes Poua:

@Crucial said in Chiefs Manawa v Hurricanes Poua:

Santo Taumata injured before the game. They had to quickly fly in a WTG replacement to make the 23 as they already had a couple of prop injuries. I think they ended up with a prop at hooker but still smashing the Canes scrum.

Vici-Rose Green was the replacement player. IIRC she ended up at flanker when she came on, even though she is a hooker.

Hadn’t trained with the side much at all. The WTG players don’t get much group training and she only arrived the day before the game.

Bot coach and whoever is forwards coach go sit in naughty corner right now

@MiketheSnow said in Rennie Sacked, Eddie In!:

I don’t think any coach would have done significantly better than Rennie if they’d had to select from a very shallow pool of players with the pool springing a leak and play the teams Australia played during his tenure

It was a panic decision

@Steve said in What is Good for Women's Rugby:

@Stargazer said in What is Good for Women's Rugby:

So while people boo from the cheap seats at my initial post , I believe it’s a fair position to hold. The men would beat the women every day of the week and twice on Sundays . They are the superior athletes . It’s an uncomfortable and inconvenient truth for some. I want to watch my favourite sports. shows without them diluting their service with an inferior product .

I can boo from expensive seats too. You aren't watching so you have no seat at all! Some people watch for entertainment, arguably there were games by the Ferns where they played smarter and more entertaining games than the ABs. The ABs have been diluting themselves lately. Rugby is surely not just about physical performance it is also about strategy. So for well-rounded sports fans, the Ferns are really interesting to watch due to Smith having such an influence so quickly. The ABs don't seem to think they are being diluted given Aaron Smith etc tweets.

@Rapido said in Time Management in the game:

@Machpants said in Time Management in the game:

@Crazy-Horse said in Time Management in the game:

@Machpants said in Time Management in the game:

I totally don't want the clock stopped at all. Everything should be on a strict timer. You've got X Y Z seconds to form linout, scrum, take kick. If you don't make it, free kick to the opposition. If one of your player's is down, tough shit, carry on, no matter what. If it's your hooker or front rower for set piece, free kick to the opposition, or replace the player as the clock stops for replacements. You've got 8 on the bench FFS. Along with implementing 7s still zero tolerance, the game would be much better, faster, less impact and injuries - just get a move on.

As much as it bugs me too, we have to be careful when it comes to stopping for injuries. Player welfare is a biggie. All it needs is for one player to be seriously injured and assistance doesn't reach him on time because of the game situation for rugby to be in the poo.

A disincentive to help stop the fake injury breaks would be good. Maybe something like they have in Soccer. If you go down needing assistance you go to the sideline until next stop in play.

As I said, you go down, time stops, and you must be replaced. If it is not that bad, carry on.

@Machpants said in Time Management in the game:

@Crazy-Horse said in Time Management in the game:

@Machpants said in Time Management in the game:

I totally don't want the clock stopped at all. Everything should be on a strict timer. You've got X Y Z seconds to form linout, scrum, take kick. If you don't make it, free kick to the opposition. If one of your player's is down, tough shit, carry on, no matter what. If it's your hooker or front rower for set piece, free kick to the opposition, or replace the player as the clock stops for replacements. You've got 8 on the bench FFS. Along with implementing 7s still zero tolerance, the game would be much better, faster, less impact and injuries - just get a move on.

As I said, you go down, time stops, and you must be replaced. If it is not that bad, carry on.

But that doesn't stop fake injuries, or exaggeration, in soccer.

You don't have to be replaced if you go down fake in soccer. My rules: If the ref stops time, the player that caused the stop is injured and permanently off. That's it, the injury is either ignored by ref/players, game carries on (just like now) and if you can't action set pices because of it the opposition gets the ball. If the ref has to stop or is asked to stop time then that player is off. No ifs or buts, gone.

Wind blew itself out yesterday. Very light conditions.
Kiwis made the podium race but it was a crawl around a shortened course. Bonus was that Australia (the overall leaders) didn't make the final race.
Upshot was second place in the round for NZ and they now sit only 1 point behind Australia overall.

Springbokke only win it every 12 years. With RasNaber it seems they like to break hoodoos. So don't be surprise.

We have a new rival in Ireland. They wear green jerseys, so it will be great if we can keep it in the URC family. Wales, Scots and Italy.

All Blacks will also be OK. Will restore our Boland towns blackness which died nowadays.

@booboo said in Black Ferns v Australia I:

As per usual wm watching behind ...

... but ...

4 from half time good guys all over Aus.

Couple of silly penalties.

Like our No.11

Leti-I'inga I think

I was hoping this was a thread having a go at Nisbo always getting everyone wrong.

@MN5 said in Baby Blacks:

I wished the Saveas had more time together.

Or the Gears.

Have just been looking through Jules final season and a bit when Ardie was mainly on the bench and would replace Cane. They had some good games together. Especially in 2016 against Oz. That slaughter in Sydney had them both doing well.

@chimoaus said in Māori All Blacks v Ireland 2:

What is the law about not playing the ball he is referring too? If the ruck is over, and he is onside then why can't he go for the ball?

I thought the ruck is only over once the ball is picked up by the "halfback".

@gt12 said in Maori All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Match:

Finally got to watch the game.

How much money would you put on Zarn being an AB?

His left foot carving off that 50:22 was sex.

Reminds me a bit of a young Izzy dagg

@Bones said in Why do the Crusaders win?:

I'll be pretty surprised if Foster stays on after the rwc regardless of the outcome.

I’d tend to say I’d we win the RWC it will be in spite of Foster rather than because of him, but maybe I’m callous.

Anyone got any juice about potential signings?

Hopefully a few more players like Retallick, Ioane and Weber are back on deck this weekend or next, maybe even Stevenson. McMillan really needs to decide on his best back three from here on, and must realise that Gatland and Trask can't start together.

The Chiefs have played the 3 best Aust teams to date so as long as they win their remaining 3 games should secure 4th position and a home QF. That said, their away record is much better than their home record this season.

This competition is looking more and more amateur every week dealing with these restrictions.