Sports Talk

2.3k Topics 333.7k Posts
  • Two squads for the away legs

    Moved
    0 Votes
    28 Posts
    2k Views

    @gt12 I put "on the bench" inadvertently - what I really meant was "miss out on the bench". So five miss out of which, for me, it's Harris, JTA, TKB - plus a loosie and an outside back Savea or Fifita and Havili or (perhaps) Naholo.

  • Wallabies v Pumas

    0 Votes
    46 Posts
    2k Views

    @nta fucken oath. they must be hard work to play for, coach or support - as someone who doesn't even care whether they win or lose they frustrate the shit out of me. so much almost really good stuff which they fuck up, and so much crumbling after looking shit-hot.

  • NPC Teams - Week Six

    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    1k Views
    No one has replied
  • 3 Votes
    32 Posts
    2k Views

    @Tordah said in Wayne Smith: Ian Foster primed to take over as All Blacks coach:

    @Rocky-Rockbottom said in Wayne Smith: Ian Foster primed to take over as All Blacks coach:

    What happened to a transparent interview process?

    Wft is with this illuminati mafia-style succession / coronation closed-shop bullshit?

    I’d like to hear Fozzie’s interview….

    Foster: Hi. Here for the interview. I’m pals with Steve.
    NZRU: Um, have a seat please Mr Foster. Now then. What makes you the best candidate for the job?
    Foster: Pals with Steve.
    NZRU: Uh, anything else?
    Foster: Um, let’s see. I have also put a great deal of effort into walking like Steve and talking like Steve and even eating like Steve. As you can clearly see, I am now a fat bastard, just like Steve. My commitment to becoming the next Steve is obvious. Did I mention Steve and I are pals? If you just give him a call, I am sure he will put in a good word for m
    NZRU: Mr Foster, please detail your past coaching successes.
    Foster: Uh, let’s see, I coached the Chiefs but then the next bloke came in and immediately won back-to-back Super Rugby titles.
    NZRU: Crikey. So why don’t we just hire that guy? He sounds awesome.
    Foster: Uhhh, that’s a tricky one. Can I use a lifeline and call Steve for this one?
    NZRU: No.
    Foster: OK. Um, I’d say because that winning coach isn’t pals with Steve and furthermore he doesn’t walk like Steve and talk like Steve and eat like Steve like I do. Does that answer your question?
    NZRU: We'll be in touch.

    You should write for a living. Certainly better than some of the stuff that passes as stand-up comedy on Netflix these days

    Don't encourage him..... 😎

  • Triple G v Canelo Alvaraz

    3 Votes
    9 Posts
    1k Views

    @kiwiinmelb said in Triple G v Canelo Alvaraz:

    Canelo is a good boxer but there are question marks over his natural cardio ,

    at junior middle weight where he was the physical beast , he always took breaks , but he got away with it there, that was always the concern stepping up to fight GGG,

    Early in the fight where he occupied centre ring he troubled GGG with his skills and looked to have the upper hand ,

    But it faded and there wasnt enough of it in total, GGG just kept coming forward and threw and landed more often ,

    All set up for them to go again I guess ,

    Canelo at 26 , first fight at 160 lb , GGG 36 and showing signs of slowing up ,

    Watch Golden boy try and drag this one out to Canelos advantage

    Gone past caring now with boxing.

  • 5 Votes
    4 Posts
    703 Views

    Good work Chainsaw and Higgins (for turning the tide)!

    We'll take any win we can take at any level these days - although we do have the best school team in the country ;).

  • Steamers v Taranaki

    Moved
    0 Votes
    30 Posts
    2k Views

    I agree on the rotation - what really gets me is that in some positions, there never seems to be a first choice developed. What I want to see is the first choice 23 that plays most of the games and then rotation in and out of that when there are injuries or to nurse a player through the busy period.

    I do get that if we want to finish top 4, then playing the best team on Wednesday is critical as we never win at Taranaki and we have to beat Southland. But still, there are 4 locks in the squad and in my view there's one of them who should never start unless injuries demand it. And Delany must always start if fit.

  • Counties Manukau v Magpies

    Moved
    0 Votes
    21 Posts
    1k Views

    @Steven-Harris Thanks for your impressions of the game. Always good to hear from someone who was at the ground!

    Despite our terrible season, and the high error rate in games, I think some of our young players are coping reasonably well, all things considered. Just out of interest, I looked up the age of the players in today's line-up:

    1 Jason Long (25)
    2 Ash Dixon (c) (29)
    3 Pouri Rakete-Stones (20)
    4 Nick Palmer (25)
    5 Geoff Cridge (22)
    6 Tony Lamborn (26)
    7 Hugh Renton (21)
    8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (19)
    9 Brad Weber (vc) (26)
    10 Tiaan Falcon (20)
    11 Mason Emerson (21)
    12 Richard Buckman (28)
    13 Jonah Lowe (21)
    14 TJ Vaega (20)
    15 Ihaia West (25)
    16 Jacob Devery (18 or 19)
    17 Tim Farrell (19)
    18 Jarvy Aoake (29)
    19 Josh Eden-Whaitiri (27?)
    20 Fa'alemiga Selesele (28)
    21 Ellery Wilson (27)
    22 Pasqualle Dunn (23)
    23 Cardiff Vaega (25)

    Rakete-Stones & Mikaele-Tu'u were never meant to start every game, but they do because of injuries to Ben May and Gareth Evans. Three of our six frontrowers are 19-20 years old. Our reserve lock isn't a squad member but a member of our development team. Two of our four loosies are 19 and 21 years old. Of our starting backs, four players (10, 11, 13 and 14) are 20 or 21 years old.

    We're having a frustratingly bad season, but looking at the age of many of these players, you could see this as a development year for those players. It's a pity though, that some of the senior players they are supposed to learn from are either injured (May, Allardice, Evans) or have just returned from injury after a long injury break (particularly Weber). Some of these young players also have themselves struggled with injury (Cridge, Farrell & Emerson in particular). All these losses are also bad for self-confidence; while some losses can teach valuable lessons, you don't want these young bucks starting their rugby career without wins either. For the players who debuted last year (Mikaele-Tu'u, Emerson, Lowe and Falcon), it has been two bad seasons already.

    It would be nice if we could have at least one more win this season, but I doubt it will happen. Even the Turbos are playing better than us 🤢

  • 0 Votes
    34 Posts
    3k Views

    Watched a litttle bit of the tournament. with that in mind here is a possible squad going into next years under 20 WC. Obviously might be a bit off, also includes any playing in Mitre 10.
    Auckland pretty dominant, just too big really. Was disappointed with Wiseguy though.

    Props

    Sione Asi (Manawatu)
    Tim Farrell (Shield Snorters)
    Robb Cobb (Auckland)
    Xavier Numia (Wellington)
    Ben Aumua-Peseta (Wellington)

    Hookers

    Flynn Thomas (Southland)
    Jacob Devery (Shield Snorters)
    Ricky Jackson (Otago)
    Tuipolotou Tapa (Waikato)

    Locks
    Lachlan Mc Whannell (Waikato)
    Waimana Reidlinger-Kapa (Auckland)
    Will Tucker (Canterbury)
    Cameron Suafoa (Auckland)

    Loose Fowards

    Tom Florence (Taranaki)
    AJ Mua (BOP)
    Tom Cristie (Canterbury)
    Brayden Iose (Manawatu)
    Hoskin Sotutu (Auckland)
    Nathan Vaatausili (North Harbour)
    Slade McDowall (Otago)
    Isiah Miller ( Ta$man)

    HalfBack

    Carlos Price (Wellington)
    Jay Renton (Southland)
    Tim Hogan (Otago)

    1stV

    Cairahn Matoe (Taranaki)
    Harry Plummer (Auckland)
    Kaleb Trask (BOP)

    Midfield

    Scott Gregory (Northland)
    Bailyn Sullivan (Waikato)
    Tanielu Tele'a (Auckland)
    Ngane Puinavai (Canterbury)
    Billy Proctor (Wellington)

    Outside

    Caleb Clarke (Auckland)
    Will Jordan ( Ta$man)
    Bailey Simonsson (BOP)
    Siave Togoiu (Auckland)
    Viliami Koroi (Otago)
    Jamie Spowat ( Ta$man)

  • v North Harbour

    Moved
    3 Votes
    70 Posts
    4k Views

    @Steven-Harris ha I thought it was Murray I saw in the moon boot...but if that was Bond in the moon boot, MUrray also has a bit of a limp going on to go with his head knock.

  • Whitelock out with injury

    1 Votes
    3 Posts
    420 Views

    Stuff had that headline yesterday too...cnuts.

  • MOTM v NH

    Moved
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    392 Views

    my vote was Jordan of the Hylands, not Jordan of the Olsens....

  • Is this a red card?

    0 Votes
    69 Posts
    6k Views

    I understand big hits get yellowed in amateur footy - particularly when they "bounce off" without getting a chance to wrap arms.

    But that is a fucking disgrace. MERDE!

  • Forthcoming EOYTs

    0 Votes
    42 Posts
    8k Views

    @Pot-Hale said in Forthcoming EOYTs:

    Whilst I'm sure that some fans on here might possibly disagree with me, it would be just perfect for the rugby world if France, Wales or Scotland beat NZ and England lost.

    Highly unlikely, I know, but.......

    Wales need to be able to beat Australia first.

    France aren't playing well enough, but it may further highlight some underlying issues with squad makeup.

    Scotland? That would be an utter disaster.

  • 3 Votes
    83 Posts
    7k Views

    @ACT-Crusader said in Toll Northland Mitre 10 Cup Squad for 2017:

    What's the status of Kara Pryor? Is he recovering from injury, being rested or rotated? I thought he looked the goods early on.

    Some sort of niggly injury according to our local rag up here. Sounds like he'll be good next week. We don't often get full injury status updates, so a lot of what we hear is word of mouth etc.

  • NPC Teams - Week Five

    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    966 Views
    No one has replied
  • v Waikato

    Moved
    2 Votes
    42 Posts
    3k Views

    @ACT-Crusader I"m not sure,Canterbury look on another planet,the Saders & Canterbury franchise is light years ahead of anything around in terms of recruitment,coaching & development..North Harbour looking the only real challenger from the Premiership..

  • International Cricket not involving NZ

  • Māori All Blacks Head Coach vacancy

    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    1k Views

    McMillan seems to have come up through the coaching ranks so that's possibly a good thing. A few Naki players are going to start worrying about there places in the team now though. 😉

  • Deluded or Messiah

    5 Votes
    22 Posts
    3k Views

    Krusty update:

    Krusty: 19 wins 17 losses 1 draw 52.7%
    McKenzie: 11, 10, 1 52.3%
    Dingo: 43, 29, 2, 59.2%
    Knuckles: 16, 8, 1, 66%
    Steady: 33, 23, 1, 58.8%
    McQueen: 34, 8, 1, 80.2%
    Smith: 12, 7, 0, 63.2%