The Silver Fern

@Landers92 said in WR U20 Championship 2025:

Yup, Mathis has played 6 a couple of times for his club in Christchurch. Mixed in with one game at 7 and another game on the wing.

He will be a really useful acquisition for the Crusaders next year.

Normally embargoed copies get sent around to media about now. With a 5 AM announcement. I think I remember

Saw the Southland U16 boys training squad. 41 players from SBHS. Talk about a one school union.

A few video highlights from Dunedin Club Rugby. Things looking very grim down there.

Link doesn't appear to be working. Go to Otago Community Rugby on Facebook.

Don't the stats basically say he misses one tackle a game? Which over the course of the six games he played means he only missed seven tackles. Small sample size.

@nostrildamus said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

I'd suggest Caleb Tangitau needs to work on his defensive workrate and accuracy. Based on these Carter would seem a better option that Tangitau for test rugby.

and this article says Carter is the fastest

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson reveals who the fastest player in New Zealand is

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has revealed who the fastest player in New Zealand is, and it's not one of his current squad members.

But didn't look very settled to me in his last game.

The fastest would be Michael Manson. He just doesn't have the other necessary components to support his speed.

Just going back to the 2019 squad. Which finished 7th. Plenty of players have developed well out of it. Poor performance at U20s level doesn't mean guys should be totally written off.

admin_hland  /  May 8, 2019  /  RugbyHeartland News

NZ Under 20 squad named for World Rugby Under 20 Championship - RUGBY HEARTLAND

New Zealand Under 20 squad named for World Rugby Under 20 Championship

Temperature of 29c. With a feels like 34c. That is some nasty rugby playing conditions.

@SouthernMann said in NPC 2025:

@taniwharugby said in NPC 2025:

@SouthernMann said in NPC 2025:

John Leslie never got a chance either.

Up here either, it felt like he was head coach here in name only with others pulling the strings and then got turfed at the 1st corner.

He comes across as a very smart bloke. May have too many opinions for the blackheads managing the unions/clubs he has been involved with.

There is an issue for coaches somewhat coming in for short term roles, or having to undertake double roles at unions.

They are often

• Given no ability to pick players from club rugby

• Players have already been confirmed month in advance

• the balance between player development and board/commercial partners wanting a winning team, looking for a bandage solution to get there

• balancing the books around maintaining players and keeping within budget

These guys aren't just getting to coach.

@taniwharugby said in NPC 2025:

@SouthernMann said in NPC 2025:

John Leslie never got a chance either.

Up here either, it felt like he was head coach here in name only with others pulling the strings and then got turfed at the 1st corner.

He comes across as a very smart bloke. May have too many opinions for the blackheads managing the unions/clubs he has been involved with.

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:

@SouthernMann he’s been likened to Wayne Smith just watched his post match interview says heaps about culture and belief he’s able to empower on teams
I doubt wether he will be at the Taniwha for long can see Martin ending up at a Super franchise sooner rather than later

One of his quotes from this mornings post match interview
“We recruit for character and train for skill “

Too often we want to push coaches quickly up. Martin basically started with kids progressing his way up. His coaching has matured with years of experience and learning through the development of players at different stages.

NPC coaching gigs are not well paid. It must be tough to work out how to make a career of it. Martin is a coaching mercenary, going where the opportunities and money are.

Some of the older coaches are balancing commercial other enterprises. While the younger former professional player coaches probably have some financial stability to be able to take a part-time approach to the role.

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:

Northland head coach Ryan Marin picks up his 3rd MLR title in a row
Rivez Reihana has mentioned to a few people that Martin is the best coach in terms of attack planning he has had in his career and has helped him improve his own game

Which makes me quite pissed off at Otago/Highlander systems. The guy came through as OBHS first XV, Otago Assistant and had to move away to get ahead. We seem to produce some really decent coaches in Dunedin. Yet the decision makers constantly make the incorrect call. Jamie Mackintosh is another example. John Leslie never got a chance either. Seilala Mapusua the same.

@Smudge said in Highlanders 2026:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:

Force makes sense for Hastie. Grew up there until 2019. Played first XV with Tamati Williams over there. Its first string halfback getting on. Would he have already done the Australian residency?

What I'm frustrated about is that we haven't seen it announced who is leaving the franchise yet

Sad thing is he's one of the few Logan Park High School-adjacent rugby players we could claim.

His dad was the standout loosie for LPHS in the early 1990s.

Otherwise it's Flilipo Levi, who switched to Otago Boys in 7th form, or Shane Stewart, who played for Ulster about 25 years ago.

LPHS the home of Sparkie Dickel. Fuck all else in the sports arena. The only Dunedin school that can claim a current national talk back radio host though.

@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:

The way it works, is they will not announce players leaving who have not yet signed elsewhere. Standard practice.

No it isn't. The last two years two to three weeks after the season they have released a list.

Force makes sense for Hastie. Grew up there until 2019. Played first XV with Tamati Williams over there. Its first string halfback getting on. Would he have already done the Australian residency?

What I'm frustrated about is that we haven't seen it announced who is leaving the franchise yet

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

@antipodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

My impression is he doesn't do enough in the defensive side of the game.

Lasaqa doesn't hit enough rucks for a 7 and is ineffective:

Rucks Per 80 Minutes
35.34 Dalton Papali'i
32.44 Tom Christie
31.48 Du'Plessis Kirifi
29.13 Jahrome Brown
28.53 Ardie Savea
26.84 Luke Jacobson
26.31 Kaylum Boshier
20.92 Veveni Lasaqa

Attacking Ruck Effectiveness
89.9 Dalton Papali'i
89.6 Tom Christie
87.6 Jahrome Brown
86.3 Ardie Savea
85.0 Du'Plessis Kirifi
84.9 Luke Jacobson
76.5 Veveni Lasaqa
76.1 Kaylum Boshier

Defensive Ruck Effectiveness
23.5 Kaylum Boshier
23.2 Luke Jacobson
21.5 Du'Plessis Kirifi
20.5 Ardie Savea
15.2 Jahrome Brown
14.5 Dalton Papali'i
13.8 Tom Christie
12.1 Veveni Lasaqa

Be interested to see Sean Withy's stats there. Lasaqa spends a lot of time in the wider channels. With Withy primarily being the worker. It is Lasaqa's first year in Super too. He will get better, bigger and more robust.

@zedsdeadbaby said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

Well this makes the loose forward mix for the first test very interesting.

It would be perhaps unlikely Jacobson will play too.

So are we looking at Finau, Kirifi, Savea with Lio-Willie off the bench?

Or does Vaii start at six..

The spring and autumn of cricket

Apparently he isn't based in Dunedin yet.

Looks like Filimone saying thanks and goodbye as well.