The Silver Fern

Well done NZ.

Class from Read and Hansen.

This is a very special side. I can't think of another international side who could have competed against this BIL side with a man down for so long. And almost win it.

SBW aside they can be proud of their effort. They came to play, but that was curtailed by the sending off. In real time I thought it was a yellow. On reflection red was the correct call.

Garces was the worst kind of referee, inconsistent. At times he looked as if he was trying to balance the ledger, at others like he was making it up as he went along.

Thank goodness.

Despite almost clutching defeat from the jaws of victory I'm delighted that my Doomsday scenario didn't come to pass and the Lions proved me very wrong.

AWJ and Warburton had their best games on tour. O'Brien and Itoje were very good, and the rest of the pack went about their business with quiet steel. Our tackling was immense.

Vunipola has been criticised, but I think he was given the job of the Fall Guy. His transgressions kept Garces' gaze on him and our back 5 had free reign to ignore the offside line.

Wellington police need to be informed that Itoje has appropriated McCaw's Cloak of Invisibility.

Gatland certainly told his team to 'beg for forgiveness, not ask for permission' and they got away with as much as I could.

His try aside I thought Murray was average and Webb must be wondering what he has to do to get a run.

And I'm not convinced that the Sexton Farrell combo worked.

Despite plentiful, clean ball from scrum and line out the BILs created very little. Davies was the pick of the backs again I thought, and Farrell's pass to Williams to set up Faletau's try was top drawer.

A draw would have been a fair result but I'm very happy that we're going back to Eden Park with it all to play for.

But hopefully Gatland realises that he got out of jail with this result.

Hopefully he won't be fooled that he picked the right team.

I can understand why he would start the same team next week but if we have any chance of beating a 15-man NZ at Fortress Eden then Lawes needs to partner Itoje, with Henderson on the bench.

And I'd put Farrell back at 10 and Te'o at 12.

So on to Act Three, 'The Fall of Eden'

The better team won - predictably, comfortably - whilst rarely getting out of 3rd gear.

Wales tired in the last 20 through their own doing.

Poor accuracy going forward and shit kicking handing the ABs both possession and field position time and time again.

Out lineout was pathetic, and has been for what appears to be decades.

But all that said it was magic to be singing and shouting your lungs out watching the best team in the world.

A couple of those tries were sublime and more than worth the entrance fee.

The atmosphere was electric.

Brilliant effort from all at the Stadium.

Slick, like clockwork (maybe not the bars).

17 mins walk from my front door to my seat.

Post-match hanging about pitchside was great.

Good chats with your supporters,

Great to be back.

Happy, healthy, unwealthy.

But the unwealthy is directly linked to my life & career choices.

But I definitely favour unwealthy over unhealthy.

Made the most of 2020 despite losing a lot of work and income.

It’ll come back.

Just celebrated 10 years with my partner Nerys. 10 months was the longest relationship prior to meeting her.

Both very happy.

Just had a belated 54th birthday celebration this past weekend with 3 days skiing in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales with lads half my age.

Unapologetically life is great.

But Nerys and I are both glass 7/8 full people.

I AM FUCKING LIVID

This is an absolute fucking farce

I really hope he gets clocked the fuck out by a similar illegal hit he dished out

Hopefully the Samoans can oblige

If Cane gets any form of censure for that then rugby is fucked

Security weren’t good enough, Cane was

Who know what the intentions of the invader were

Needed to be stopped asap

Move on

Nothing to see here

My old man went on a Welsh Male Voice Choir tour of SA during the apartheid years

He saw a Cavaliers match

The choir sang to white only audiences, black only audiences, and mixed audiences

Each member of the choir was put on the UN Blacklist (ironic isn't it) for performing at the non-segregated concerts

Go figure

They fostered a relationship with a choir from Soweto whom they funded over the years

When apartheid ceased the choir went back over and sang with the Soweto choir at a joint concert in Soweto

And two years later they paid for the Soweto choir to come over to Wales on a singing tour

They've both been back twice since

My father's choir (Cwmbach) also went to Belfast during the height of the troubles and to Hungary as the Russians were heading in

His, and the other choristers, attitude was go to bring people together

NZ blew that

Dumb dumb rugby

Ball should have been kicked dead at around 77 mins to get Ofa back on the pitch

NZ played with 14 for the last 3 minutes when they didn't need to

Yes Brace was rubbish but NZ have themselves to blame

@tim said in Junior Bok banned for 'sexually crude' comment aimed at England opponent's mother:

SIX WEEKS

Surely it should have been 9 1/2 weeks