The Silver Fern

Some absolute shocking decisions in that game from ref and players but the biggest stupid decision is player of the match to Demant.

Stacey Fluhler deserved that, even blind Freddy would have picked Stacey!

It was Stacey and daylight second.

@NTA said in Pumas v All Blacks:

Yeah. The whole dance thing is lovely when your daughter is the age of mine (nearly 9) and you can appreciate the effort and talent for those who have it (she does).

But once they start hitting 16+ and its a troupe of gyrating young women in the latter stages of physical development that it gets uncomfortable. One year the dance school concert started with the Open Girls (various ages from about 16-22) dancing in French Maid outfits.

Lot of VERY uncomfortable Dads in the audience that day...

And a lot of very uncomfortable Mum's later that night.

@MiketheSnow said in All Black backline:

@BartMan said in All Black backline:

Never before have I seen an AB backline so lacking in ideas on attack. Not just this test, but the last 18 months. Havilli is not the answer at 12, Ioane at 13, maybe. But who to come in. We've had nothing world class since Nonu and Smith.

ALB and Goodhue would fix things overnight if you could get both of them on the pitch at the same time

As someone who played in the centres and on the wing most of my playing career, I'm going to disagree here. ALB yes, Goodhue, no.

In my opinion, I think Goodhue was part of the problem before he got injured as he just doesn't have the pace needed and frankly I don't think he distrubutes well and he makes few metres with the ball in hand. Yes, he is a good but not great 13 but a poor 12.

Havili is even worse at 12 and is not the answer to any question with respect to the ABs, 12 or otherwise.

I find it absolutely mind numbingly bonkers that for the past couple/few games, Foster takes off Ioane and leaves on Havili and we end up with QT and Havili in the centres.
It just leaves me going WTF and wanting to throw things at the TV.

QT and RTS need to get more time at 12 and leave RI at 13 to partner with them.

I also agree with those who suggest either of the Umaga-Jensen brothers, if and it's a big if... they can just stay fit and healthy, could be a long term answer. PUJ looked at home in the Black jersey in that one match.

@Bovidae said in Springboks v All Blacks 2:

@Tim Twice now that Ioane has been subbed and Havili stayed on. I've got no fuckin' idea what Foster is thinking.

I haven't read the match thread, or this thread yet, but I am assuming with the injuries we may see Jordan at fullback and Mo'unga at 1st 5. Old man Coles was worse than Taylor so time to put him out to pasture. No reason not to select Newell either in the 23.

I couldn't agree more, watching the game live here in Sydney, alone in the wee hours of the morning, when I saw this I just couldn't believe it and turned to myself and commented...

Subbing off R. Ioane and leaving on Havili just made ZERO sense and that is why Foster, this useless sack of shit, yoghurt arsed, piston wristed gibbon should never have been the AB head coach and why he deserves to never coach a team again!

That shit move started and failed with the massive cut out pass from Mounga.

Just needed to go thru hands to Jordie first.

Keep it fucking simple please!

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs England 2:

@Frank said in All Blacks vs England 2:

Perofeta actually should not have thrown to Telea in that movement when he was cut down before the line.
He had Christie and Jordie inside me and unmarked.

Telea should have done better though. Look at the space he has.

It may look like space but as someone who played at wing and in the centres, the defender clearly has the angle on Telea as well as pace (as we saw all game).

The fullback in that screen capture has the dream defence scenario as a back 3 player, you have the angle, you have the sideline and because Perofeta passed early, sole focus on Telea.

He was always going to make that tackle and when he did, Telea had no choice but to either be taken over the sideline or throw the miracle ball back inside which, as we know, was picked off by Smith.

Watching the replay of this again, that was all on Perofeta as he had two un-marked men on his inside but never even looked in that direction, only at Telea which made it even easier for the English 15 coming across in cover.

Plus, Perofeta didn't even attempt to draw and pass the 15 or delay him enough to give Telea a chance.

100% that was all on Perofeta.

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2024:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - selection:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2024 - selection:

Oh, get a grip. So Sotutu is now the finest player not to get selected and everyone else is a journeyman. I find it funny how by attacking another player from a rival team who doesn't even get selected as a No.8 is the main focus of the argument. Just so friggen stupid.

you are talking about EB?
Where would you rank him on his 2024 season against the other 6s and 7s?

One of the most effective loose forwards in the comp in a dysfunctional team when playing. Hence pretty much every pundit outside this echo chamber putting his name in the mix.
Being made of glass and a lack of a body of work is a reasonable argument though...

LOL, I call BS on this statement.

One of the busiest, sure, but effective, NFW!

He's there because he's the coaches pet and son of a mate and because the fan boys fawn over the few minutes he plays each season.

Should never have walked into the squad let alone starting given how few minutes he's played and how actually ineffective he is when he plays. Busy doesn't mean efffective.

@Stargazer said in Bledisloe 1:

@RoninWC said in Bledisloe 1:

That shit move started and failed with the massive cut out pass from Mounga.

Just needed to go thru hands to Jordie first.

Keep it fucking simple please!

It failed because RI threw a hospital pass to BB. That's all.

Bullshit. It failed because of a massive cut out pass that was not needed.

All that was needed was putting the ball thru hands... Mounga, Jordie, RI and Beauden or RI just holds it and scores.

That cutout pass was just stupid as it allows the defence to slide.

Just fuck off and die Foster you useless sack of shit, yoghurt arsed cocksucker!

Substitutions are made like a blind man playing darts.

You take off Rieko Ioane and leave on David Havili who isn't an international 12's arsehole so we play two 12s for the last 20 minutes.

The most special ed kids of all international coaches takes off Samisoni for the so out of form Cody (can't throw straight but give away plenty of penalties) Taylor an arbitrary 5 minutes into the second half.

Sorry fanbois but Richie Mounga isn't any better than Beauden and Beauden has more X factor.

Fuck that was the most pathetic home game I've seen in many a year!

Want them to lose now more to get rid of the single worst coach I've ever seen he's so fucking clueless!!!

@Jet said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:

Story of the season is surely Blackadder casting off his niggles moniker by being an 80 minute week in week out tyro.

WPOTY incoming. 😀

Seriously, WTF do people see in Blackadder.

INMHO, he's softer in defence than the complaints about Ardie, haven't seen a good solid driving tackle or big hit from him yet.

He's useless with ball in hand and makes little real yards and then clearly his decision making is farking shite given the ball hungus screwing the pooch on a certain try!

Sure, he has an engine and runs all game and is involved but his involvment lacks much impact on both sides of the ball.

Fark me, I honestly watch his game scratching my head and think, "WTF are the coaches seeing in this guy?"!

In terms of changes, I think we clearly need more height in the engine room, start Darry and move Vai'i to starting 6. More height, more grunt!

Well, didn't that just suck!

Hadn't watched a Blues game live for a while, for obvious reasons, but given this year they are looking better, I decided to catch up with a mate who lives just outside of Canberra and go and watch the game.

Cold and windy, so whichever commentator said it wasn't windy must have been sitting in a booth or studio somewhere.

Had dinner and a few warm up beverages at Bentspoke brewery first then off to the game so we were about 5 minutes late but oh well.

Observations from watching from the ground:
Ref was clearly being influenced by the crowd who I have to say, begrudgingly, are a little more knowledgeable than the Warratah fans.
Of the loose trio, Gibson went well, but the other two, not so much.
I watched Akira as much as I could and boy, was I disappointed. As some have pointed out, he's played a lot of rugby this year and he did look tired. He was walking behind the play a lot and seemed disinterested at times. In the scrums, he looks more like he is leaning rather than pushing and lifts his head quickly when it's the oppositions feed. Based on this performance, he wouldn't make my RWC squad.
Based on my first time watching Robinson live, anyone saying he could be an AB bolter this year better think again. Headless chook is what I saw. He constantly moves but seemed frequently out of position for a blindside. Then would go hang on the wing a bit with Duffie or Clarke. Oh and his scrum work didn't look good either. Looked more interested in getting out of the scrum as quick as he could rather than pushing.
Black, OMG, Black. Looks like a kid playing men. He's small, like very small compared to the other players. Not necessarily his height but rather his frame just looks very slight and not particularly robust. He plays quite deep and looks to shovel the ball on. Doesn't seem to have that ability to look and play what's in front of him and see what the next play or two should be.
Ma'a, well damn, that man is a beast and was the best back on the day. You can see that old head just reads the game so well. And his speed wasn't all that bad but he looks slow to accelerate but not slow once he get's going. My mate at one point said, wow, he's fast.
Duffie, looked shit. Positionally, got caught out a few times. Also rarely looked for extra work and instead waited for the ball to come his way.
Clarke looks much better on the wing.

A very disappointing result and always looked that way once the refereeing favoured the Brumbies and they just couldn't adjust but rather, kept making some stupid decisions and mistakes.

Game management overall looked absolutely shite to be honest.

Great effort Virgil and thank you, I can feel the love you are sending my way.

I'd also like to thank the FB Groups I scoured for memes.

One for the road...

Cheers

Absolutely criminal that Stacey Fluhler was not included in these awards.

In my view, she was the most important and influential player for the Black Ferns through out the World Cup and likely wouldn't have won without her.

Shocked and dumbfounded that Demant was player of the match for the RWC final and again selected here.

Need to stop shaking my head as I'm starting to get dizzy.

@NTA said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@mimic well I'm not going back now - the commentary from Marshall made me nauseous enough.

Excellent analysis Nick. I echo your thoughts about the broadcast.

As a former pretty boy back with good hair, I was never interested in the set pieces and only used that opportunity to fix my hair, straighten my socks, make sure the jersey is immaculately tucked in, etc.
Also to make eye contact with the closest pretty girl.

However, as I've matured and watched a whole shedload more of rugby, I have really enjoyed watching the set pieces as they really are the litmus test for how a team is going in any match... and that is difficult for a pretty boy back to admit.

Watching TV broadcasts out of NZ were always head and shoulders above others in terms of showing the game in detail, camera angles, focusing on the game itself.

But in recent years, the NZ broadcasts have fallen away somewhat. They have fallen into the trap of showing too much crowd or focusing on close ups on particular players and as you said, focusing on the backline when the real interest is what's happening with that scrum or lineout.

I think that Meg's commentary has had a lot to do with this as he is often talking over a scrum about how the backline is set or what the next backline move will be off the set piece and then the director/camera guys change the picture to show more what the backs are doing rather than focusing on the scrum.

It really pisses me off when we get a picture of SBW shaking or blowing into his hands rather than watch a scrum set. It seems the camera crews/directors really have a thing for SBW in particular as he get's more individual closeups than any other AB.

Now I have to go and wash my mouth out with soap... and then check my hair in the mirror as well while I'm at it

@mariner4life said in Discussion of AB 9s. Best ever All Blacks Half Back?:

Smith is not only the best 9 i've seen play for the ABs, he's the best 9 i have ever seen (and i thought Joost would take that mantle forever)

His speed to the ruck, his ability to maintain that speed for a whole game, his support lines, his ruck organisation, his organisation of his forward pods (when allowed) is absolutely top shelf. He also has a pretty handy kicking game, and a good run game if the opposition opens up.

But that pass... the speed and width allows us to attack of 2-ball at the lineout FFS. He's creating space for his first receiver no one else gets. And that's 2 tries in 2 games that occur as a direct result of him delivering a wide flat ball putting a guy on an outside shoulder right on the line.

People always seem tob e looking for reasons not to call him the best (oooh, Connor Murray can box kick, ooooh) but Smith is the fucking man. By far and away our most important player right now.

Great post, agree with all but one thing I want to add is Azza's vision.

He has the ability to see the open man where a good player would only see bodies.

And then he unleashes the bullet pass straight to the player he intended after it whizzes past 2 or 3 players who have the sense to let it go past them.

Amazing!

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs England 2:

Lol sucking off BB for being put in an enormous hole. Never change lads

Pettiest comment of the year.

Massive positive influence on this match!

@Billy-Tell said in The most talented rugby player Shag has ever seen:

Man there’s some revisionism here.

Possum in a headlights early on and never ever seemed to go through an AB match without some sort of handling error, dropped ball etc.

He probably would have been better with age but he wasn’t a major loss like losing a player at the peak of his powers.

Talk about revisionism. What an absolute crock of shite. He spilt the ball a few times early on and you want to put that bullshit on him for the rest of his career in NZ.

He performed well many times including MoTM performances including coming on against SA at 12 replacing Nonu and completely turning the game around for the ABs.

Yes, his time was cut too short by injury (from memory, a really nasty hip injury which required very specialist care) and yes it was certainly impacted by his ability to play in almost any position.

I do agree with those who say he was a bit overawed in his first outings in Black but he settled in and played well in most outings. And sure, the GoaT aside, most players have off matches, just look at the first half of the Namibia match.

For the Cantab Goodhue fanbois, how many dropped balls from him since returning from injury?

And here's another article from the Herald about Ice from his own point of view focusing on his injuries.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12238517

Richie who?
Beaudy having an excellent game, thank you Brad Webber for the much better passing.

That ruck we were counter rucking and the Fijian clearly comes in from the side.

Bullshit call from the ref who's been poor