The Silver Fern

I'm fucking annoyed at that BB selection.

That's... that's fucked

It's the top team and still I'm annoyed.

EdG over Williams? After that last effort?
The benched the wrong lock
It's very fucking clear we know nothing about test rugby if that spud BB was retained.

The bench? Newell? TJ? I guess Havili is the last.man standing but what an obviously awful selection.

For all the talk against Ioane as a centre watch the French go-ahead try
The short ball he hits Vaai with is perfect.

There's that, theres the kick off's, the exits. We're good but not great.

I am convinced our midfield srt up is getting the worst out of both our starting midfielders

That word "detail".comes up a lot

My impression is we still play rugby on vibes rather than details

I was considering Magic Round next year anyway, but Warriors v Cowboys as the Saturday twilight game makes it even more appealing.

sometimes quantity IS quality

Despite arguably our best player all year being our blindside, if we had a good blindside we would have won every game?

yeah, top thread

@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

@mariner4life said in New Zealand v Italy:

re: Selection, i would like to see the top team roll out again and just brutalise Italy so everyone goes in to Summer feeling pretty good.

A disjointed muddle that results in an easy scoreboard but ugly win full of tackle bag holders would not satisfy me.

I half agree. A few noobs mixed in with most of the main team would suit me. I don't want to see a repeat of Fozzie in Dunedin again, that does not one any good

are their any realistic noobs to put in? the NZ A guys that came over don't strike me as realistic prospects except Holland.

Pretty much the only newbie i would like to see (who is there) is a new 12, as i am sadly resigned to the fact that ALB might be cooked (or reached that point in his career where he starts or doesn't play).
Maybe an outside back i guess. Love to 15 so Jordan can play wing, or a new wing who has actual wheels.

Other than that it's wasting caps on guys who are miles down the ladder.

I did edit my post, clearly too late for you. Could have saved you the trouble of posting...

the fuck else was i going to do? work?

that is a remarkably pedestrian list.

couple of guys played yesterday that sort of illustrate that regular season wins are not a QB stat.

For a few years people have tried to claim Justin Herbert isn't amazing because the Chargers invariably stink. This wrong because he's a fucking baller. Now the Chargers have a decent coach and an improving defense, the Chargers are a wildcard team, and suddenly Herbert is a good QB. Bullshit, he's always been amazing, he throws it as well as anyone in the league, absolute cannon for an arm.

Joe Burrow is having an MVP level season, and yet the Bengals are 4-7. Through those 11 games, his numbers are 3,028 yards, 27 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Those kind of numbers through 11 games have only been thrown up by Brady (twice), Rodgers (twice) Mahomes and Brees. On every occasion their teams finished the season no worse than 13-3. The Bengals defense stinks.

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

@mariner4life said in New Zealand v Italy:

re: Selection, i would like to see the top team roll out again and just brutalise Italy so everyone goes in to Summer feeling pretty good.

A disjointed muddle that results in an easy scoreboard but ugly win full of tackle bag holders would not satisfy me.

I half agree. A few noobs mixed in with most of the main team would suit me. I don't want to see a repeat of Fozzie in Dunedin again, that does not one any good

are their any realistic noobs to put in? the NZ A guys that came over don't strike me as realistic prospects except Holland.

Pretty much the only newbie i would like to see (who is there) is a new 12, as i am sadly resigned to the fact that ALB might be cooked (or reached that point in his career where he starts or doesn't play).
Maybe an outside back i guess. Love to 15 so Jordan can play wing, or a new wing who has actual wheels.

Other than that it's wasting caps on guys who are miles down the ladder.

@booboo said in Exodus:

@Bovidae said in Exodus:

@Steven-Harris said in Exodus:

heard from a good source he would have stayed in Rugby if his NPC contract had been topped up as he was only 41k with his NZ 7s contract

A fully contracted sevens player gets SR level salaries don't they? Edit: the lowest tier retainer is $50K.

Leo's PU contract would be a minimum of $25K.

$75K? No wonder he's off

even the 30th dude on the roster gets $130k

re: Selection, i would like to see the top team roll out again and just brutalise Italy so everyone goes in to Summer feeling pretty good.

A disjointed muddle that results in an easy scoreboard but ugly win full of tackle bag holders would not satisfy me.

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

If I change one sentence to "less able OR older player" will you turn off the pedant meter?

yes

dude, they are your words in your post. i am simply asking you to clarify what you mean. Sam Cane is the best openside in the country right now, and caps are not "wasted" on him. And for all they hype, he is not less able than Lakai, he is far more able.

Now, if you are talking about TJP, who is very lucky to be considered in the top 3 halfbacks in teh country, let alone the top 2, then it is a different conversation. However your post doesn't make that distinction.

(you're not the only one to have a pop at Cane either, but yours was the final straw)

who is Sam Cane less able than?

so against France he is not a less able player? just Italy. gotcha.

Look, i am as excited by Lakai as even you crazy Canes fans who think all your players should be starting ABs. And i am more than happy for him to play this week, because as i said, defence and ruck work won't matter anywhere near as much as speed and link play. But there is no need to shit on Sam Cane and his legacy in your urge to rush through your shiny new bauble.

That French game rammed home the fact that, while all athletic exciting players, a Sititi, Savea and Lakai loose forward trio is not yet ready for real test rugby.

@SBW1 said in New Zealand v Italy:

all blacks vs italy 2023 score - Search Videos

Last time we played Italy we put on a 14 try demolition. Probably a bit closer this year.

considering that over the past two weekends they beat Georgia by 3 and Argentina put 50 past them i think it is far more likely that we run riot.

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

a less able older player.

this is starting to annoy me. If Cane was playing we likely win that game last week, as he would have at least been able to stop French forwards at the gain line. Yes, the speed has gone from his legs, but his experience and his defence and his ruck work is far superior to every other loose forward we have available.

The thing is, none of those things will matter this weekend because Italy are shit, so we could play TJP at openside and it won't make a lick of difference