The Silver Fern

ICC KnockOut

The man behind New Zealand's world title

In 2000, New Zealand won the ICC Knockout in Nairobi, but the coach behind that achievement, David Trist, is largely forgotten

Good Cricinfo article about the last time we won anything

Best bit is the way they go out of their way to say 3 cricketers in particular were "forefull" as opposed to "assholes"!

@Crucial

I'm cool with Ardie going forward.

Where he was found out last year & lost out to Todd was he is very unimposing in defence. Cane puts in huge hits, he wins the tackle almost everytime, Ardie just rides the tackle down & looks to pilfer, which in test rugby lets the player over the gain line & sees you creamed by the player cleaning out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40041672

Bracewell forced to drink drive due to dead cockatoo.... I think we've all been there

New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell blamed the killing of a pet cockatoo by dogs for his decision to drink-drive. The 26-year-old was stopped by police in March, found guilty of a third drink-driving offence, and given 100 hours of community service and a ban. Bracewell's lawyer said this was not about a disregard for road rules but a "genuine concern" for his partner.

"The cockatoo was of some significance to his partner and she was quite distraught," he said.

Lawyer Ron Mansfield told the Hastings District Court that Bracewell had been drinking at a function when his girlfriend called him about the cockatoo incident. Bracewell, who has taken 72 wickets in 27 Tests, had previously said in a statement that he had made a "massive mistake" by driving home. He added: "This was no-one's fault but my own. I'm deeply embarrassed to have let down so many people, be they family, friends, or cricket-lovers."

Judge Bridge Mackintosh, who disqualified the cricketer from driving for a year, said: "This offending in my submissions should be seen as an unfortunate hiccup and something that doesn't reflect the man he has become or the sportsman."

New Zealand Cricket said it would not impose any additional penalty. It added that Bracewell is unlikely to resume his competitive cricket career until early next year as he recovers from a serious leg injury. Bracewell, whose father Brendon and uncle John both played Test cricket for the Kiwis, was previously caught drink-driving in 2008 and 2010.

Other incidents:

• Bracewell and Jesse Ryder were suspended for a match in 2012 after an altercation in a bar while drinking, following a one-day international against South Africa.

• 2013, he missed the Test series against England after cutting a foot when he stood on broken glass while cleaning up after a party at his house.

• He was suspended for one Test in 2014 after going on a drinking session with Ryder, during which he broke a bone in a foot.

As expected Jeets is carrying us home here...

@Chris-B.

Yip, totally agree, he just needs that mindset that if we are 70 / 0 & he's not timing hit have a slog, best case he hits a few, worst case he steps aside for Kane. Otherwise his role is to just go at 85% strike rate, not get out & take singles to get the other guy on strike.

Lathams run of scores on this tour -

52, 15, 54, 104, 52* (so far today)

I'd argue in a team with Guppy, Anderson, Taylor & Neesham who all capable of smashing it he looks the right bet at the top. Also he's not 40.

@Milk

Yep, Toby was fantastic a couple of weeks back for Bath, hatrick & so on. He's coming right at the right time. the injury timing that screwed his 6 nations means he's not as broken as most

The issue with Farrell & Sexton is that's their 10& 12 & they don't have a distributing 12 as back up. So they lose Sexton they probably move Farrell in & change the game plan, they lose Farrell they play a smasher & change the game plan. So when they spend 4 weeks practicing that way & Sexton gets creamed by Brodie 10 minutes into the first test thats the series.

@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:

Reading rugby forums up till now, Billy was the player people up North were saying they couldn't afford to lose so this must be a big blow.

Not sure about, Toby Falatau is a superb 8. It weakens them most because they could have started Billy & then subbed on Toby at 50 minutes & thats a huge double punch. But they still have one of the top 5 8's in world rugby.

Its not like us with Read where we would go from worlds best 8 to worlds 12th best 8. They go from 2nd to 3rd or 4th.

I also think Haskell offers a massive impact off the bench. So I'm not sold its a cripling loss. Sexton or Farrell would be far worse.

Its more of a worry in that there's still a round to go & then half a dozen warm up games. Billy won't be their only starter missing in a few weeks time.

@MiketheSnow

I think it sort of becomes an option if you have 2 identical centres - eg Teo & Roberts, which is why I think Aussie did it (?) they often just played 2 interchangeable lumps rather than a 2nd five & a centre.

Wouldn't work with Joseph as he's an outside should gas man, you want him at 13 or nowhere. Teo for sure.

@Crucial

Yeah, I feel like Dan Herbert used to play left & right, but it seems a terrible idea

@booboo

I'm not sure that'd work in rugby would it? The defensive paterns are so much more set because of the far higher amount of set piece & semi set piece ball that the centres swapping around on sides would be a nightmare. 12 & 13 are hugely different defensive positions in union. Does anyone play left & right? It seems like the sort of thing the Aussies might have tried at some stage...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39957336

Jimmy Gopperth won player of the year, try of the year & golden boot in the premiership. Before the hail of "he was shit 10 years ago" starts, he was fricking superb this year for Wasps. Really outstanding.

@Bones said in Wayne Smith retiring from All Blacks roles:

Well duh, it's obviously Mauger.

Mauger is not doing anything post Leicester is he? I still think he will develop into a class assistant, probably not a head, but definately an assistant.

@Crucial

When you throw in the Welsh it'll either be the best atmosphere of any day at Eden park since the 92 World Cup cricket opener. Or it'll be a horror show where you leave at halftime.

Probably the former... Probably

So 10,000 Samoan fans are going to watch Tonga, with 10,000 Tongan fans, who then watch Samoa... That feels like it will be "atmospheric"

@Stargazer said in Where do you go to:

"Illegal streams" will probably be the answer. If

If you find one - especially on Youtube, don't post it on here, over the last year I've had 3 I used to watch shut down by Sky literally the day after someone decided to post a full game on here.

Pretty sure someone from Sky would at least lurk on the Fern - if only to get stories, so if its linked on here its dead.

Its like saying to the Japanese "wow how majestic! look a very rare whale!"

@Crucial said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:

The point I was making was that it isn't necessarily the same guys running out on Saturday as on Wednesday and the few that might will likely be rotated off the bench.
The majority of the Test 23 will probably play 5 games in 6 weeks with some having one of those games against a very easy opposition in the first game.

My arguement would be these guys just played a long season, they turn up & play those 5 games against very good teams looking to knock shit out of them & sure they can sub guys in, but they won't have combinations, like Cato says,. this is by far & away the toughest schedule any team has face in probably 20 odd years. Maybe further back than that.

I'm not trying to make excuses for the Lions, more to put a rose tinted edge on the ABs injury issues. We may front up our 3rd choice blindside in the 3rd test, but the Lions will be subbing in a totally new guy too

We still have a big wait to see how many of the Lions fail to make the first test, let alone the 2nd & 3rd. Its an utter carcrash of a tour & I'd be amazed if they are anywhere near full strength by about halftime in the Maori game. I thought before it was a strong possiblity we would lose the first test, but after that we should be fine for the next 2 as the lions start Cipriani, Jamie Roberts & Thomas Waldrom in the 2nd & 3rd

@cgrant said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:

Scott Barrett is not the finished article yet. Last week, he could not prevent Malherbe scoring his try though the latter was not running particularly hard. His missed tackle was a shocker. He will grow better as his older brother did but the Lions series may be a bit too early for him.

With Kaino out he wouldn't need to be finished, he'd just have to be better than Squire, Dixon or Ardie playing on the wrong side.