The Silver Fern

As much as I like Reiko it was annoying watching him running in to join every push and shove... wish one of the pumas had sat him on his arse

In the history of neck rolls those 2 are pretty soft. neither AB squeezed the neck.... letter of the law i suppose

The man is responsible for his own behaviour - nothing to do with Hansen/Ted or being an AB.
An alcoholic bully is an alcoholic bully.
I hope he gets help

I think LJ has cemented himself as a very good SR player but below international standard

Wilder sets his right up well- he has long limbs so if your thinking your out of range he can still KO u.
Where he struggles is when the fight is taken to him and those long limbs become a hinderance. Getting there is the dangerous part.
Fury could do it as he is massive limbed and weight advantage- Parker doesn't have those advantages so he must keep moving off the centre line so Wilder can't set his feet. Sounds easy enough but doing it 3min of every round as well as your own offense is hugely draining and Wilder is happy to wait....
can't wait for it
Best fight though may well be Miller v Dudois

@Frank I agree
Whitelock doesn't fit the bill as a impact player - he needs to start and do what he does best .
Retallick can come on and up the pace and move bodies late.
Barrett can do 80min no problem

Dmac looks more comfortable than RM atm

Yip he needs to be on the bench as a point of difference as a winger or mid. That ability to play both should be a factor on its own.
ALB on the bench is safe and tidy but likely won't put fear into opposition D with 20min to go

@Bones I have never seen POM as quiet as today, no niggle - wasn't featuring in lineouts nothing
Our pack as a whole but especially the loosies completely dominated and shut him out.
A game where he should have stood up he stepped back i feel

I find with Dmac all the creation is on his shoulders , his 12 and 13 are not great passes of the ball into space or holes so its up to Dmac to put them through as well as his wingers.
Traditionally we always had one of the centres that could play-make and the other smash bodies

The news reporting on TV made out Spittal was being disrespectful to Team NZ - then they played what he said and I found it quite normal I was not offended or surprised by his coments. He won he was happy so what. Pointed out we made an error and he capitalised.......that's sport

@toddy that pass from Crotty was mud. Like a missile to the shoulder

There was a Ba Bas match or a possible v probables in 91 , Jones was 7 playing against NZ top players and he in the first half played at a level of freakyness - I remember commentators saying they had never seen anything like it.
I watched many a 80's Auckland match and Jones was the man, he also was part of the most in sync loose forward trio with AJ and Zinny. Ahead of them a brutal front 5.
MJ was a freak - someone mentioned height but he was a main lineout target even before lifting due to his athleticism.
I agree with the ...I would pay to watch Jones but want McCaw in a WC final quote

more red cards to come in this tournament - will affect other top teams

@Crazy-Horse Hunt had Gallen stunned a couple of times but Gallen recovered well and won on superior workrate.
Gallen will retire after fighting Hodges who dropped him last time as Gallen is showing less and less punch resistance.
Still would like to see Gal v SBW just out of interest.
Hunt was all wrong for SBW as he doesn't have Gals workrate to rely on and Hunt looked fitter this time around. SBW could never stop Hunt but Hunt had the power to stop SBW

Ireland getting rub of the green from officials because they are so good at infringing but clinical with it. AB's used to be but now we penailised repeatedly

Fury doesn't want Usyk
I expect him to retire again instead of facing him

Vaai has done is job very well tonight, tidy all round

CC always looks like a 12 to me - where he can use his size and not be confused by the open spaces

Is he a hooker? His old man had a decent left 1