The Silver Fern

They're either very confident in doubling down with that loose forward trio, or they're on track for Robertson to be the first one-year All Blacks coach of the modern era.

So far, watching Ethan Blackadder at Test level is like watching Internet Explorer trying to keep up in 2024.

Meanwhile in Brazil.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:

@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:

None of this is ideal

Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down 😐

Do you mind not doing any more crystal ball gazing?

In a world full of change and uncertainty, it has been nice just to confirm one universal law. Once a halfback, always a halfback.

“The better team” never loses a game 19 - 3.

Whatever else he does in cricket from now on, Santner will be forever remembered by a generation of Indian fans.

Worth a try

I think NZ rugby took the wrong lessons out of Henry and winning in 2011 after not being sacked in 2007.

Experience only counts if you’re good enough. The argument that we won in 2011 because of not sacking Henry in 2007 didn’t prove that you must have experience, it just proved that if you’ve got the right coach - keep them.

I’ve never been particularly convinced that Grizz would have won in 95, Hart in 03, or Mitchell in 07 just by being retained. 50/50 on Laurie in 1999 maybe.

Unfortunately the NZRU is conservative enough without learning that lesson incorrectly, and the experience lesson has now landed us with Foster instead of Robertson, Rennie, Cotter, or any of the other names who would also be better.

Vaea Fifita: the Akira Ioane that they do pick...

The "How soon is Fozzie going?" thread.

If it had been the other Sam captaining for the last ten minutes of this game, the Fern would have completely melted down...

Razor shouldn't be shocked. Running the top job based on jobs for his mates, and somehow blind ignorance of the loose forward positions he actually used to play in - means the result shouldn't be a shock.

Spent most/part of each day at the ground. Can't go wrong with five days at a classic style cricket ground. For the flack I gave the ground announcer earlier, it was a nice touch to play Chariots of Fire for the kids doing the "Hot Lap" running races around the outside of the Oval.

I spent most of the match wondering whether for the second test in a row the groundsman had got the balance right between ease of scoring runs/ease of taking wickets, but for the second year in a row they got the game right down to the wire, so they have the results so far.

I'm still not a fan overall of Santner in tests, but I think he was a good call to bowl at the end as he was making them play and threatening the stumps more than the seamers. Cometh the hour, cometh the man to finish the match.

There were the earliest hints of an evening heat shower trying to build up towards the Kaimai ranges (hence the lights). It has yet to amount to anything, but for a while there I was hoping a short shower wouldn't make for a very anticlimactic ending...

First medal of the Games for New Zealand - Hayden Wilde - Bronze medal in the mens triathlon.

Twenty years of Ian Foster in charge of rugby teams that I support. No wonder 90% of my sports watching is now cricket.