The Silver Fern

I haven't seen all of Zverev's games but that's because apart from his serve I just don't enjoy watching him play. Sinner though, is a far more complete player even if he looks like a stretched matchstick.

@KiwiMurph said in Aussie Open:

@bayimports said in Aussie Open:

Novak pulls out injured and crowd boos.. that's pretty low from Melbourne

Those tickets aren't cheap. I'd be pretty pissed off too if I all I got was one set.

It's a shame Djok didn't do this in the quarter - Alcaraz would have been fun to watch

Agree to disagree. You don't have to pay. If I paid I'd accept the vagaries of sport.
I think it is overpriced so I don't go. If I paid I'd protest to the organization not to the players.
And yes I think the prizes are distorted to the top 10. But the players as far as I know don't set them.

@Mr-Fish said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

Isaac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens might be related to Jacob.

Jordie is still a good bench solution.
I'm bemused that now the issue is we don't have a player like SBW (and yes his ability to get the ball away was epic but I thought we never saw him in his prime; speed hampered by longterm injuries).
Still, others seem to differ "https://rugbynation.com/blogs/rugby/the-unstoppable-force-of-sonny-bill-williams"
-I don't recall lightning fast footwork when he was an AB.

@Jimmy-Jimmy said in All Blacks 2025:

@taniwharugby This is just getting embarrassing.
Can he please now concentrate on being a bloody coach.

Hang on, crucification time is a few months too early.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:

what's awesome is that this guarantees Beauden Barrett the 10 jersey for 3 years

I can't like this post...

wait, awesome isn't the word i am looking for

... even with the backhanded insult.

@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

Richie says no:

Jan 21

Blow for All Blacks as Mo’unga decides to stay in Japan

Exclusive: In-demand first-five Richie Mo'unga was in talks with NZ Rugby about an early return this year but they have fallen through, writes Patrick McKendry.

Hopefully this will put an end to Razor's unseemly man love for RM and his homecoming dreams

I can like this post.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

How bout Sevu Reece ? I’d love a chance to make a new joke for 2025

He was too slow to arrive in time for a photo?

@Mauss said in All Blacks 2025:

@Trig said in All Blacks 2025:

I had thought that it was Sam Darry left and Noah Hotham standing on a box

I guess this makes the most sense? The box-thing's a little weird, though.

too slim to be Lord?

@SBW1 said in "Could Dylan Brown be a Wah or an All Black?":

Jan 15

Seven possible NRL landing spots for Eels superstar Dylan Brown and rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

Gutho reunion? Seven possible new clubs for Eels star, rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

the dirty Sanchez mo screams league.
(Nobody mention Paps).

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:

Mark Pickering  /  Jan 8

Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black

World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making.Legendary All Black Smith, 36, who is in his second season in Japan with Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Toyota, was joined in Aichi in the summer by rugby league convert...

Maybe if he converted a few years ago.

Still only 28, no reason why he couldn't get another half a decade in if he's a hard worker.

Oh, I agree that he could have 5 plus years in Union.

But he is 28 now and won’t make a super rugby debut until he is 30 at the earliest so I think there would be a reluctance from AB selectors to pick someone like that

If he's a proper athlete ala SBW and better than the rest I don't see why not.

I think he's a potentially a better bet than Benji and RTS who made the change late in their careers. Of the three I think he's more suited to rugby and like all I guess it depends on how he transitions back.

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

If he was smart, he would sign for the crusaders then!

Nah, he should skip that and just go straight to the Chiefs to become a proper rugby player.

Nah ("if he's a proper athlete ala SBW") he should just skip that and go to the Blues like what SBW did

This is not the 1980s. It’s not like all league converts are athletes compared to the weedy union players. They’re all athletes now.

I point you to my use of ""....

Aw ok, my bad.

All this ‘SBW is such an amazing athlete’ compared to everyone else is just nonsense

Sonny Bill was an amazing athlete though when compared to any one, be it union or league. I’m not a fan boy by any stretch and I thought the ABs used him well as the occasional starter but more impactfully in that bench role.

There were not many players that were able to produce at the highest level with his combination of skills and physicality.

yeah SBW was freakish, but the ABs didn't get the prime version.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:

@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:

In his first super season Ice was freakish at FB for the Canes. He probably should have stayed at FB for longer, and should have stayed in Wellington

Also magic at 12 for the Blues when he got a chance there.

He destroyed the Bulls (I think it was) in SA with his running and passing game. He waa much better there than at 13 IMO.

Your point is fair though, had they asked him to focus on one position, he would likely have had a better career.

Toeava was basically David Havili with impact.

Instant ban.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:

Mark Pickering  /  Jan 8

Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black

World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making.Legendary All Black Smith, 36, who is in his second season in Japan with Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Toyota, was joined in Aichi in the summer by rugby league convert...

Maybe if he converted a few years ago.

Still only 28, no reason why he couldn't get another half a decade in if he's a hard worker.

Oh, I agree that he could have 5 plus years in Union.

But he is 28 now and won’t make a super rugby debut until he is 30 at the earliest so I think there would be a reluctance from AB selectors to pick someone like that

If he's a proper athlete ala SBW and better than the rest I don't see why not.

I think he's a potentially a better bet than Benji and RTS who made the change late in their careers. Of the three I think he's more suited to rugby and like all I guess it depends on how he transitions back.

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

If he was smart, he would sign for the crusaders then!

Nah, he should skip that and just go straight to the Chiefs to become a proper rugby player.

Nah ("if he's a proper athlete ala SBW") he should just skip that and go to the Blues like what SBW did

This is not the 1980s. It’s not like all league converts are athletes compared to the weedy union players. They’re all athletes now.

I point you to my use of ""....

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:

Mark Pickering  /  Jan 8

Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black

World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making.Legendary All Black Smith, 36, who is in his second season in Japan with Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Toyota, was joined in Aichi in the summer by rugby league convert...

Maybe if he converted a few years ago.

Still only 28, no reason why he couldn't get another half a decade in if he's a hard worker.

Oh, I agree that he could have 5 plus years in Union.

But he is 28 now and won’t make a super rugby debut until he is 30 at the earliest so I think there would be a reluctance from AB selectors to pick someone like that

If he's a proper athlete ala SBW and better than the rest I don't see why not.

I think he's a potentially a better bet than Benji and RTS who made the change late in their careers. Of the three I think he's more suited to rugby and like all I guess it depends on how he transitions back.

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:

If he was smart, he would sign for the crusaders then!

Nah, he should skip that and just go straight to the Chiefs to become a proper rugby player.

Nah ("if he's a proper athlete ala SBW") he should just skip that and go to the Blues like what SBW did

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:

I fear Robertson is John Hart 2.0. Except Hart inherited a great side and therefore enjoyed two illustrious years despite himself.

I hope NZR don't indulge Razor to the extent Eddie Tonks did Hart or we will see Mounga steering a sinking ship.

I'd say Hart was a far riskier coach.
He took big risks as a Blues coach but as a Blues coach he was pretty successful.
Not many seem to be giving him credit for promoting a young Michael Jones, for example. I vaguely recall concern Jones would be too small for the ABs. That concern didn't last long.

Wait what .... Let's set aside that the Blues didn't exist at the time, but even blind freddie would have promoted MJ to the Auckland team. He was a 6 ft 1 95kg loosie in the 1980s, who considered him too small?

I think @nostrildamus is still drunk. This call is utter madness. 100kg loosies in that era were considered huge. According to my All Black Coffee mug Buck Shelford was 93kg

"Since then Shelford, 52, has shed 10kg off his 130kg frame and his weight is still dropping. His goal is to lose a further 10kg which will put him back at the weight he carried at his peak with the All Blacks more than 20 years ago."

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

I think @nostrildamus is still drunk.

Good call but a little early. Guests have left some great wine I am about to try. To my everlasting shame (and yet) eternal happiness I am the only one here who drinks.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:

I fear Robertson is John Hart 2.0. Except Hart inherited a great side and therefore enjoyed two illustrious years despite himself.

I hope NZR don't indulge Razor to the extent Eddie Tonks did Hart or we will see Mounga steering a sinking ship.

I'd say Hart was a far riskier coach.
He took big risks as a Blues coach but as a Blues coach he was pretty successful.
Not many seem to be giving him credit for promoting a young Michael Jones, for example. I vaguely recall concern Jones would be too small for the ABs. That concern didn't last long.

Wait what .... Let's set aside that the Blues didn't exist at the time, but even blind freddie would have promoted MJ to the Auckland team. He was a 6 ft 1 95kg loosie in the 1980s, who considered him too small?

I think @nostrildamus is still drunk. This call is utter madness. 100kg loosies in that era were considered huge. According to my All Black Coffee mug Buck Shelford was 93kg

See my later and clarifying post. At 8.
And he was a helluva lot slimmer when he started.
And we shared a gym (and a building at uni) so I have seen him up close.

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:

I fear Robertson is John Hart 2.0. Except Hart inherited a great side and therefore enjoyed two illustrious years despite himself.

I hope NZR don't indulge Razor to the extent Eddie Tonks did Hart or we will see Mounga steering a sinking ship.

I'd say Hart was a far riskier coach.
He took big risks as a Blues coach but as a Blues coach he was pretty successful.
Not many seem to be giving him credit for promoting a young Michael Jones, for example. I vaguely recall concern Jones would be too small for the ABs. That concern didn't last long.

Wait what .... Let's set aside that the Blues didn't exist at the time, but even blind freddie would have promoted MJ to the Auckland team. He was a 6 ft 1 95kg loosie in the 1980s, who considered him too small?

You are right it was Auckland. But at 8 (when I first remember he played) he wasn't considered tall for an 8 in the lineout (where he played - as I recall - before he set up at 7). But Hart defended his many ways of jumping, inherited from a basketball background (I think?) So no, not a criticism I heard when he moved to 7/6.

I doubt it would be easy to find material to back up my memory (or debate it) unless you knew the players...

I'd choose Wallace over Ardie at 8.