The Silver Fern

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Take your pick:

A couple of baffling decisions from the officials, an over-enthusiastic TMO, the incredible defence of the Boks, Pollard’s super boot, our dodgy goalkicking, the decision to turn down points on offer, Cane’s bad tackle that led to a rightful Red card, the ABs midfield and outfield backs being a bit off their game, Foster being out coached by Razzie, SA being perhaps a wee bit hungrier and wilier.

Whatever. The main thing is that it hurts.

It just wasn’t our night, despite an awesome effort from the boys that left me super proud. In the end it was as close as it could have been.

It just wasn’t our night.

But then I realise there have been times when it’s been that tight and it’s been our night or it’s been our day. Eden Park 1981, Loftus 96, RWC Final 2011 when it mattered so much after Pike’s River and the Christchurch earthquakes. Maybe the big lesson from this is that the fates won’t always elide for you however much you try to make them.

Anyway that’s enough feeling sorry for ourselves IMHO. Time to look forward to 2024 and the start of the 2027 RWC campaign. In Razor we trust! Keep the faith! Go Black!

good post, I just watched the first 30 minutes or so. Clear yellow card missed on Etzebeth, ref apologized to AS after penalizing him, which led to crucial 3 points. And SC's card-possible yellow AT MAX. They never re-played the whole passage clearly, other player is running away from Cane then split second reverses and straight at Cane. He was completely surprised. I'm not going to say on purpose, but jeez. South Africa were tricky. Every chance they got would play up neck or head contact to the ref. Erasmus shouting instructions constantly but by calling himself Director of Rugby can avoid interviews and press conferences. Erasmus is ridiculous.

Starc, 23 WC matches in a row has got a wicket..... 3 overs left and 0-65. He will get 2 more overs

@NTA 6. good call, hope it goes down to the wire

Needed some of these others to stand up and support Ravindra more. Partnership starts but nothing decisive. 122 from 76 with 5 wickets left against Australia, doable but tough, unlikely.

@Damo why only 600? Do you expect Australia to slow down and have pity on us?

@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2023:

i dislike Fozzie as much or even more than the next bloke, will be happy to see him go and am very much looking forward to a reset next year

but i cant argue things seem to be, FINALLY, clicking

assuming this is the plan, fuck around for 4 years making everyone think its all falling apart then switch it on for the knockout games...then he/they are doing well, achieving their aim

would i have done it like that, solely focus on the RWC? hell no

....but...id rather have to concede fozzie knew what he was doing than SA win

There was no plan. Shit results, gets saved by changing the assistants to two who know what they are doing. He is smug despite all the losses, imagine what he will be like for the rest of eternity-assuming we get 1 more win, in the final.
Hail, Foster, RWC winning coach extraordinaire, savior of the All Blacks.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

Which loops me back to

A poor AB coach is a legend to nearly every other nation on earth.

There are two ways of looking at that:
-A poor AB coach is legendary for other nations. They love it because it seldom happens.

-You'd have to be extremely piss-poor to take the players we have and consistently lose matches. Not even an average coach could do that. It takes exceptional shitness.

@MajorRage there were many Irish passes that looked a little forwards.
Who's the pillock who always says SavAYa?
and TamEYEti Williams

@NTA said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:

AB pressure didn't force Doris to drop the ball cold.
ABs pressure didn't stop Ireland contesting the high ball on several occasions.
AB pressure wasn't responsible for all the Ireland lineout issues.

AB pressure and execution won the game, but the pressure Ireland put on themselves clearly was a factor.

cute.

AB pressure didn't force Aus to shit the bed and go out in the pool play.
AB pressure didn't make EJ to meet JRU officials online.

and I guess you will tell us about the neck rolls to JB, RI, the sealing of ruck ball, and the missed penalty for Savea's steal attempt during the last 40 phases.

@Machpants said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:

@Wairau said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:

@Tim said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:

The Raeburn Shield — THE RAEBURN SHIELD & UTRECHT SHIELDs

Interestingly, Ireland stood at 17 wins for the Raeburn shield, one behind the 1987 AB team, who got to 18. So, that's a record we kept, thanks Foster and this current team.

Also, the 1987 team took 1155 days for those 18 wins, whereas Ireland took only 462 for 17-almost 2 years less (and had a possible 20 during RWC 2023 then 6 Nations coming up).

England have the same 18 wins, so not really just our record

not for Raeburn, that's NZ's alone.

@Tim said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:

The Raeburn Shield — THE RAEBURN SHIELD & UTRECHT SHIELDs

Interestingly, Ireland stood at 17 wins for the Raeburn shield, one behind the 1987 AB team, who got to 18. So, that's a record we kept, thanks Foster and this current team.

Also, the 1987 team took 1155 days for those 18 wins, whereas Ireland took only 462 for 17-almost 2 years less (and had a possible 20 during RWC 2023 then 6 Nations coming up).

Commiserations to the supporters of Ireland and Wales, it's tough, lose and go home from the quarters. As good as we feel, they must feel just as bad. Ireland have had a fantastic run to get to this point, and it took a super effort from the ABs to just be holding on for the last few minutes.

I was reading a review of world media reactions (NZ Herald) and saw this one by Rúaidhrí O’Connor of the Irish Independent

*“The All Blacks needed a 37-phase defensive set in injury time to finally squeeze past them, Ireland going the length of the field into the end where Johnny Sexton had dropped his goal in 2018 but there was to be no fairytale end to the great out-half’s career as Sam Whitelock got over the ball to win it.

“So, the winning run ends at the worst possible moment and, in truth, they were beaten by the better team on the night."*

Yet, that is exactly what our 2013 team did to win. Ireland could have won, if they were good and fit enough. I wonder if BB and SW had a flashback.

Seeing us in the semi-final again is a blast, but it's almost as good seeing Ireland with all these Kiwis and an English coach, miss out on the win record, hahaha.
What a great night, first Wales, then Ireland knocked off by teams that love to play rugby.

I couldn't breathe for about the last 5 minutes, amazing defense by all the guys, and they beat the Barnes voodoo no calls shit...Final against France?

@sparky let's hope South win all 4 !

The match against Italy is Fozzie's last chance to get a record with the ABs, maybe his subconcious mind will be leading him towards a loss.

@Frank said in All Blacks 2023:

Ah the philosopher king of World Rugby who got bungled out of the World Cup by a better coached England.
that's some mediocre philosphy TBH

look at it another way-h is good, but some of his success was built on a great core of players from Henry's era, and after he lost them, it was a steady decline in quality through to 2019. Some of the posters on this website could have done just as well.

On the bright side, by the time this gormless saga is over, people will be looking forward to Razor making a clean shave and selecting a smarter tougher team.