The Silver Fern

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/92126775/charlie-ngatai-ready-to-return-for-chiefs-after-prolonged-concussion-symptoms

Awesome news.

What the fuck is up with all the Aussies at the Saders? Surely the NZRU should step in when a NZ franchise has four fucking Aussies in it?

Always seemed to me like Beaver's form was heavily tied to his confidence before he left but ever since he came back, he's been consistently awesome. Seems like he stopped giving a shit about the background noise and is just enjoying playing.

@kiwiinmelb said in Elliott Dixon:

You wonder at what point Akira Ioane will get the call up , not that there is any rush , none really

But you would think that one is a matter of when they think he is ready

And when it does happen , does he push someone out

Akira needs to be told the ABs have a no dickhead policy and to sort out his shit.

@Nepia said in Exodus 2017:

The gap between Carter and the rest in 2009-11 (after Evans left) was actually huge so made picking a replacement a lot harder. They did freak out a bit, and blow their own plan in 2010 by not taking away Cruden and Slade. In the end they needed all of them anyway - so maybe it didn't matter. (I see we're perpetuating the Slade saves our bacon myth instead of the Kaino saves out bacon truth ).

But hey, sometimes a coach gets lucky and the timing is right, Hansen did ok, DC left and Barrett turns in career best performances that many if they're honest didn't think he had in him, and before that he had Cruden to come in when DC was injured at a time when Cruden was on fire.

@MajorRage Yep, the McAlister selection against France was the worse thing possible for both NZ and him. We blew a test, and he lost most of his reputation (his return is looked back as completely negative now when he actually had a couple of decent tests.)

Did he? From memory, I thought he looked good against weak opposition but the minute he faced a decent defence, all he did was ineffectively run sideways. He was no better than Donald (arguably worse).

In hindsight, dropping Cruden was the biggest mistake because Slade didn't exactly turn out to be a memorable AB 10 anyway. From memory, 2011 was the HammerCanes year, which was a complete mess and one of the main reasons why Cruden missed out on the AB squad at first. The next year he was at the Chiefs, had a brilliant Super season and easily made the ABs, so they should've given him a chance to settle in.

But having said all that, who gives a shit about drudging this crap up yet again? Maybe you've forgotten but we won the 2011 RWC, in part because we had four AB 10s. Things worked out like a cliche sports movie, with Donald getting a ton of undeserved shit from all corners but coming back and turning himself into a hero. If I could go back and change it, I wouldn't change a thing (well, maybe drop Guildford...).

What? I don't get it. Did you get this take from Alan Jones or something? So it's the format, Europe and the Sunwolves fault Australia have three wins over NZ teams over the last one and a half seasons? I have no idea how exactly the format itself has somehow made their teams worse or how the Sunwolves and their FOUR Australian players are diluting Australian rugby (which if that's the case, only helps prove the point they never had the depth to support five teams) but you don't think NZ has to deal with the crap format and the increased salaries in Europe either? Are we in a parallel dimension where we don't have those problems too or something? The big difference from where I'm standing is we have a system that works incredibly well, going from the grassroots right up to the ABs. Australia doesn't, they built a house with an incredibly weak foundation and are now suddenly shocked the fucking thing has fallen apart.

Herald and Stuff are saying Laulala's starting. Time to breath a sigh of relief.

It's really pretty stupid the Paralympics takes place after the Olympics, it just makes it seem like an afterthought (and gives the host the opportunity to fuck them over with their budget).

Put it in front of the Olympics and you've basically got your warm-up and I think it'd draw a lot more eyes that way. Maybe even combine the two together and do something like: Opening Ceremony -> Paralympics -> Olympics -> Closing Ceremony

@westcoastie said in Springboks v All Blacks, whos in?:

@Unco big picture... I think they'll looking at the South Africa game as a trial, because they'll be targetting that next game against Australia.

Smith is definitely coming back in for Perenara. Makes sense to pair him with Sopoaga, Naholo & Fekitoa and B.Smith - effectively a Highlanders backline.

Being so far up allowed the coaching staff the opportunity to give guys a longer rest than usual. Barrett definitely could use a spell - he was down a level today.

I'm not against giving Sopoaga or Naholo runs but I really don't like the idea of chopping and changing by far the best midfield combo we've seen this season. Give the combo more time to settle.

Fantastic hundred. Well done Rosco.

@NTA said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:

So...

Any of you still think the officials don't favour the ABs?

Yeah because the ABs never get harsh calls against them.

Cry more.

At the risk of setting off some Aucklanders and Wellingtonians, Dagg's turned out to be a better right winger than NMS or Piutau.

Kind of a pity the Kings are being dropped, they've shown a lot of improvement this year.

@No-Quarter said in Chiefs v Crusaders (Suva):

Saders are favourites all day long. Chiefs and the Canes are playing from the same book this year - messy, dumb, lots of mistakes, individual brilliance getting them through.

Should be a fun game though. Hoping Cruds comes through OK as he may be important in the Lions series.

Nah, not the same book. The Canes are thrashing the weak teams and looking like a bit of a mess against good teams, while the Chiefs seem to be playing at the same level as their opposition. I reckon (and fuckin hope) they'll be a very different looking team this weekend than what we've seen over the last couple months.

The Saders are still favourites though, of course.

Gutted over Ngatai. Really hope it's nothing and they're just being super cautious.

@broughie said in Nz maori:

@Unco If I didn't have high standards I would be a fan of Ian Foster.

The RWC winning All Blacks attack coach? Yeah, what a loser that guy is.

@Crash said in Chiefs v Blues:

Why should the Blues be made to pay for what was ultimately Luatua's own reckless stupidity?

Why should the Blues be rewarded for Rieko Ioane's own individual brilliance?

Because they're part of a bloody team.

The best way to stop the booing at this point is just to completely ignore it. Stop giving them attention and let the rabble get bored of it. Shining yet another spotlight on it and shit stirring like Gatland's doing is just going to encourage them.

@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:

On paper, are the Chiefs the weakest team in the NZ conference? I couldn't pick half of that team out of a lineup.

They're playing the Sunwolves, what were you expecting? It's a mix of starters and guys who are on the fringe of the squad.

No argument Faumuina will make it in, I just don't think Pulu has a shot in hell, not unless TKB has pissed off Hansen (and it sure doesn't seem like he has, unlike Luatua). If TKB does miss out, I think it'd be more because they only selected two halfbacks.

But yeah, I'd like to see TKB in a Maori jersey, alongside a few other ABs and AB hopefuls. Hoping for Cruden or ALB is probably a bit too much but I don't see why DMac, Elliot Dixon or Rieko Ioane (assuming they all make it) couldn't be released. I watched the 2005 Maori vs Lions game last night and one of the coolest parts, aside from the win, was seeing Hayman, Gibbes, Holah, Weepu, MacDonald, Spencer (though he was out of the ABs by then), Rico Gear and McAlister all in there.

@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:

@booboo I agree, they cannot afford a team, but the point that Aus are losing a team but sunwolves remain is valid IMO

Hopefully without spreading thier talent so thin, they'll start to get stronger again...I think the rebels should be canned too

It's only a "good point" if the funds that're going into the Sunwolves came out of Australia's share of the broadcasting rights but going by Clyne's reaction to that, it doesn't. They're not getting any less money than they were before the Sunwolves joined. So at that point it's just protectionist nonsense, pointing to a different team that pays for itself as a distraction while plugging your ears and screaming LALALALALA when anyone brings up your own problems.