For the record: I'm supporting you guys.

just threw up in my mouth a little

Wow. Just when you thought everyone had the complacency knocked out of them, Ireland Schmidt the bed.

@Frank said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

Schmidt is on to "Hometown."

Ireland are usually the most disciplined team on the pitch but they came out on the wrong end of a 9-6 penalty count, with Schmidt hinting at some frustrations at referee Angus Gardner – who the Ireland head coach had curiously decided to criticise as recently as Thursday.

“We’ll go back and have a look at it,” said Schmidt. “I certainly understand the frustrations of some of the players and in discussing things with them based on what I saw on the monitor, it’s not too dissimilar from the last time we had this referee.

Murray Kinsella

Another dismal day for Ireland at the World Cup as Schmidt's side crumble

The Ireland head coach was most frustrated by his side’s inability to push on from a 12-3 lead.

"Our brand of cynical bullshit finally got called on us. It happened with this referee last time but we were too stupid/arrogant/complacent to understand and rectify this either in our preparation, or during the game"

@chimoaus said in Argentina One: Parramatta, 14 November:

@NTA As a neutral are we overreacting or were we really that shit?

I can't speak for all of you as a collective but some of you may be egging it a bit too much in terms of this game being a disaster beyond all disasters. The fact is, this has happened before (RWC2019 SF) and will happen again.

EDIT: I mean in terms of this being rugby. You have to accept losses. Just makes it hard for you bastards you only lose occasionally.

Argentina won the way you always beat the All Blacks: minimise your errors, make your tackles, and don't take any shit at set piece.

I've said it a few times the last month, but I think as fans you guys occasionally get carried away with the freakish skills some of your guys possess, and think that is the difference i.e. that they're just better as a group than everyone. Really, its just that the fifteen individuals you put on the park at one time (fourteen is S Barrett is playing ;)) are probably better players than the other blokes, but what is that saying about Champion Team versus Champion Individuals? Doesn't always work.

@mariner4life - in the same period - has pointed out a few times that when under the pump, the ABs haven't really looked that special. Nothing more than good even in Sydney - it was either dinky kicks breaking things open for you + counterattack (26-0 at halftime), or getting whacked (first part of the second half).

I count one set piece try in the period - and that was a 5 metre scrum where our flanker didn't get off in time at ANZ, leaving the wing stranded.

That has been the AB game plan since Henry / McCaw left: defend, counterattack, and (occasionally) pull off your skills and fitness, complemented occasionally by the odd piece of streaky bullshit. And I'm not saying those skills and fitness aren't great, because the winning record over the last decade speaks for itself.

BUT these skills and fitness aren't really built around any structure besides "You're the Fucking All Blacks, go out and win".

Looking at the last few weeks, maybe the depth isn't as good as everyone thinks. I'll talk about the tight five, because that's my jam.

Big concern for the Wallabies was second row in particular, but we generally stood up physically with Philip, LSL, and even Simmons. On the flipside, guys like Tuipolotou have not shown up with consistency. Whitelock is still a stalwart but looked a helluva lot better with BBBR (as would any of us!)

Your props are fine around the park but getting a bit of a lesson at scrum time, as a collective - that also comes back to your second row being a little frail. The combination there is important, and what stands out is you're not learning on the run. A couple of times the Wallabies put the ABs under pressure and you didn't adjust.

Must say that Coles is a fuckwit who throws his toys when he's not allowed to just swan around on the wing while everyone else does the hard yards (like Codie Taylor).

The backs are going through the motions, and look it isn't park footy and you can't always have a highly structured plan, but "play what's in front of you" has dangers of its own, especially when half the backline changes in the space of 2 weeks from A to B and back again.

Maybe making 9+ changes two weeks in a row wasn't the right decision. Maybe the selections and combinations are just wrong.

Regardless, you haven't really moved the needle in close to a decade, tactically speaking. It makes the ABs an easy target for coaches to plan for: front up physically, don't miss your tackles, and don't give away cheap ball. Of course, that relies on players executing and the Wallabies continue to be plagued by inconsistency.

Contrast Brisbane and Wellington versus ANZ and Auckland from a Wallabies point of view. Chalk and cheese in terms of execution.

The most burning example of this was Caleb Clarke: breaks 8 tackles on his way to setting up a try in Auckland, but was well looked after tonight. Simple game, really.

I've played suburban rugby in Sydney.

Every fucking Kiwi I played with or against was an All Blacks trialist.

Just ask them.

@geebee said in RWC Final: England v Springboks:

@NTA nah its true,and remind me where you are from and why you are here please?

Australian. Long time contributor here, and I've had my share of disagreements with these kiwi bastards but I'm not about to spout fuckwit statements like "not world champs to me".

Wind your neck in, you've got school tomorrow

@duluth said in Wallabies vs Springboks I:

Anyone picking the Aussies?

@dogmeat said in 2018 Football World Cup:

So how bad must Saudi be?

@Rancid-Schnitzel @MN5 diet is interesting in the broader scheme as well.

When I was seeing the cardiologist for the hole in my heart a couple of years back, we were discussing the type of cholesterol one of my scans showed up. The doc said it was common in men my age, particularly those who lost weight in a fairly short period of time.

I reckon paleo diet is probably something to do with it - particularly the guys who go overboard on the meat and eggs and don't bring the salad along for the ride.

@rancid-schnitzel said in Back for more!:

What's the shitty eating involved. Any chance of getting that under control? With that level of activity the weight will fall off if you can try to get some form of calorific deficit.

Pub friday = 4-5 beers
Dinner Saturday = Lone Star on the spur of the moment
Dinner Monday = Thai for daughter's birthday followed by cakey goodness.

I'm a sugar fiend as stated before, so if I could trim a bit of that it is probably worth another couple of kg over a month.

TBH I'm pretty chuffed with that result, given the shitty eating I've done in the last week.

With 6 weeks left in this sprint, an average 500g loss per week gets me to 101.60kg with total loss of 6.20kg over the sprint.

I'd need to go at 780g to get under the ton, which is probably not too healthy

As a last point: have scheduled in for the first part of The Greath North Walk on 31/10 - a bit over 30km from the Sydney CBD to northern suburbs.

Sydney to Thornleigh via Lane Cove Tourist Park walking track

Want to go for a walk? Free download maps and tracknotes for the Sydney to Thornleigh via Lane Cove Tourist Park walk. The walk takes about 2 Days (33 km One way), and heads though the delightful Lane Cove National Park. This overnight walk starts from the Obelisk in Macquarie Park, Sydney, at the...

Public transport at both ends, and despite a bit of elevation here and there I reckon I can daypack that in about 6 hours walking time, 7 hours total. Add an hour or so at each end for the train and we're good.

Hopefully the DJI gimbals I ordered shows up before then and I can take some nice video.

@booboo said in Straya!:

@nta said in Straya!:

@booboo someone I know lost a perfectly good Kelpie to a brown snake a couple of weeks back in the blue mountains.

Should have been a cat.

Coz cats know to stay away from venomous snakes, and dogs are too dumb to?

Cats care about themselves while dogs look to protect their owners?

@nzzp said in RWC 2027:

yeah, but how damn good would a US based tournament be?

the only downside is distance - it'd be like having a games in Iraq and Ireland as part of a tournament :|

Australia similar for distance BUT only really Perth is taking the piss on that front.

TBH it would be great to go and see, but it is a bit more expensive to get to than a RWC here.

Hopefully the USA can pick themselves up and qualify for RWC2023 in the meantime.

@nta said in Back for more!:

@nta said in Back for more!:

@nta said in Back for more!:

@nta said in Back for more!:

@nta said in Back for more!:

Weigh in Thursday morning - last week versus this week:

Week 0: Weight 107.80kg, Chest 117cm, Waist 115cm, Hips 116cm

Week 1: Weight 107.05kg, Chest 117cm, Waist 115cm, Hips 115cm

Week 2: Weight 106.60kg, Chest 117cm, Waist 115cm, Hips 115cm

Week 3: Weight 106.70kg , Chest 117cm, Waist 114cm, Hips 115cm

Week 4: Weight 105.70kg , Chest 117cm, Waist 114cm, Hips 115cm

Week 5: Weight 105.45kg, Chest 116cm, Waist 114cm, Hips 115cm
...
Next week looking to be sub-105kg.

Week 6: Weight 104.60kg, Chest 116cm, Waist 113cm, Hips 114cm

Walk this morning to try and grind down that Thursday weigh-in number

Walk last night to keep on with the 50km/week for October

@nzzp said in RWC 2027:

Resurrecting this

Looks like USA are going to bid.

fluffybunnies.

@booboo someone I know lost a perfectly good Kelpie to a brown snake a couple of weeks back in the blue mountains.

Should have been a cat.