I've enjoyed watching the last couple of hours each morning. Drama for both Jamaican relay teams in the last 2 days, while GB medalled in all 4 relays. Guliyev's win in the 200 m was great viewing and I could watch Allyson Felix run all day long.

I wonder if they will so a feature on Steve Hansen's burgeoning acting career?

Gibson is a great defensive openside at the moment. His tackling accuracy is up there with Matt Todds.

@Tim nailed it about his linking game though. He's not in the right place often enough

Just checked some stats for this season:
Offloads: Todd 16, Savea 12, Gibson 3
Passes: Savea 78, Todd 72, Gibson 33

Try stats aren't that important but it is surprising that he's only scored 2 tries in 2 1/2 seasons

I'm confident he'll improve that part of is game. There's some great 7's that only added the linking/running side of their game after a few seasons

He does have good power when he gets the ball in space..

Good work Duluth

Thanks for the reply Snollygoster. I am not too cut up about the 2 preseason losses. Next weekend we'll know how we stack up. Shame the backline hasn't fired but happy that Delaney is providing game management. Roll on to Northland... they have a great squad this year and someone needs to pop the bubble. May as well be us.

@Kirwan said in NZRU and the Media:

@Tim said in NZRU and the Media:

The other side of this is that newspapers have narrow margins, and anyone can get extended highlights in five seconds by visiting youtube.

How is that Sky’s problem? If they can’t afford to use someone else content, bad luck.

There is a provision that allows them to use highlights for free.

@Kirwan said in NZRU and the Media:

@Tim said in NZRU and the Media:

The other side of this is that newspapers have narrow margins, and anyone can get extended highlights in five seconds by visiting youtube.

How is that Sky’s problem? If they can’t afford to use someone else content, bad luck.

There is a provision that allows them to use highlights for free.

I think that is the point.

I read that article as saying that the original document presented to Fairfax said that by accepting the accreditation the media outlets are giving up any claim to any highlights/footage whatsover under the fair dealing provision of the copyright act.

That was a bridge too far for Fairfax. By signing the document they would have been giving up something that they are entitled to do under copyright law. Why would they sign it in that case?

The amended wording seems better, but still sounds vague. A simple definition of x minutes of highlights per game would be in everyone's interests I think.

Balls

0_1502421862910_67e335eb-004a-49c2-bad4-b6d29e0e18ff-image.png

In that SA game, he got his one and only start.

@Higgins said in 2017 HB Mitre 10 Cup Tipping Team:

WingerHB or any others that I may have missed will front up and don the HB jersey again this season. We need six who can remember to tip each week to fill our team.

Maybe even Nepia or Gibbit might make surprise returns?

Sadly I an incapable of the bold ... but if you're short one player then let me know.

@taniwharugby said in Predictions time:

@Crazy-Horse think if you go back and read most of the threads when JB signed with the canes, a number of Cantabs were less concerned about losing JB and more with retaining Goodhue.

Yeah - Sammy for one deserves more credit than me for identifying Goodhue as a prospect.

I'd tend to say Jordie, Laumape and Goodhue were probably the breakout players of the year - Laumape not an absolute rookie, but I didn't see many picking him as an AB at the start of the season.

Jordie had already been flagged as an apprentice AB so his breakout was a bit more predictable - but, bigger and faster than I, at least, would have expected.

Who else? Havili and Samu and maybe Bedwill-Curtis at the Crusaders. Not to the extent of Goodhue.

@SidBarret I don't watch or read anything in NZ sports other than very basic news (team namings, injury updates etc). I'm far better to spend my time reading opinions here than wasting my life reading the tripe that is put on our mainstream media.

OBU are champions in Wellington.

Portland Island.

@Kruse said in Hurricanes 2017:

@Crucial said in Hurricanes 2017:

'Team Man of the Year' - that's like something you give to the weedy little kid that turned up at every practice and filled the water bottles.

Interesting choice to give it to somebody who's leaving also.
And "Super XV" award - is that for somebody who's living in the past, or forward-thinking?

See the link to the article on the Hurricanes site.

Finally, the Super XV Award for 2017 went to injured lock Geoff Cridge. The award is given to those Hurricanes players who, for whatever reason, get little or no game time, but turn up every day with the right attitude. Cridge was unable to play due to a knee injury suffered before the season began, but was relentless in his efforts to get back on the field. The other finalists were young back Jonah Lowe and halfback Kylem O'Donnell.

@canefan said in Know your enemy:

@SidBarret So John Mitchell was Mark Hammett before Mark Hammett?

LOL, I think the #culture is on Ackerman. He just fixed some stuff at a time when they needed to be fix. Lucky coincidence if you will

On that point I think he is perfect for the bulls right now. He will leave them better than he found them, but everyone will be happy after the divorce.

@westcoastie said in How are the ABs tracking for the RC?:

Firstly, I would like Kaino to put his hand up and say, he won't make it to RWC2019 and be the force he was in the past. And like Tana retire after the RC.

Third HB? dunno Pulu most likely, Drummond? those Crusader 9's? (combination with Read)
Third first-five? Geez we're light here ain't we? I think everyone needs to accept DMac, is one of those kids who looks good at Super stuff, but that step up to test match is too much. Too physical, too much. Now if he became a 9/10 hybrid that would make the bench interesting...
Third hooker? Lisa Lewis... nah Harris/Coltman got that one covered
Third prop? pass
Beaudy to keep kicking. He'll get better.
Marty schmarty. Gooone.
Bench? Crockett, Taylor, a prop., Savea, a 6/8 or Scotty B. Perenara, Sopoaga, mix n' match between ALB/Laumape/Ioane/J.Barrett. - I firmly believe in the last 10 tests the selectors have realised in games against tougher forward packs, they'll take genuine lock cover in to the test. i.e. vs Lions, Ireland, England, maybe Argentina & South Africa, vs everyone else they won't or don't need to. that Ireland game in Chicago taught them lots I hope they never forget.
I think they may consider Sopoaga able to cover 10/15 (or maybe 10/12) where does he play for the Highlanders if him and Banks are on? They won't (or shouldn't move Beaudy from 10 anymore in the tight ones. Its dumb) So then the bench mix gets interested because theres no place for Jordie if he doesn't start and isn't playing 15 (assuming Sopoaga can) - Are we assuming Ioane is first choice 11 now? BFA first choice 14 or 15? and then Dagg/Naholo at 14 depending on opposition.
Tuipulotu = victim of own stupidity, needs a big Mitre 10. If he'd been on-song it would've been interesting to see him go head to head with Itoje.

Just leaving this here... McKenzie as halfback (NZ Herald)

@Hooroo

Doesn't affect it at all.

@Rapido said in General discussion, nostalgia, and trivia:

I can remember the occupations of lots of the AB teams from my youth. From their profiles.

Eg I'll try to do the 87 World Cup team:
Gallagher: Policeman
Kirwan: Shamateur
Stanley: owner driver
Taylor: ?
Green: Builder
Fox: marketing? Worked for that CSL or IMG or sum fin like that.
Kirk: med student / doctor
Shelford: navy
M Jones: student
A Whetton: ?
Pierce: Policeman
G Whetton: ?
Drake: ?
Fitzpatrick: builder
McDowell: publican?

I have John Kirwan's Rugby World open in front of me.

They are as follows:

Gallagher - policeman
Crowley - farmer
Kirwan - he doesn't mention what he's doing at that point, but it's probably somewhere in the book
Green - roofing contractor
Wright - auditor
Stanley - runs his own cartage business
Taylor - schoolteacher
McCahill - painter
Fox - ''sports marketing"
Botica - works for a courier firm
Kirk - student
Deans - shepherd
Shelford - ''sports promotion"
A Whetton - cartage contractor
Jones - second degree at uni
Brooke - plumber
Brooke-Cowden - switched to league, so doesn't mention his previous occupation
Earl - farmer
G Whetton - sales manager
Pierce - policeman
Anderson - farmer
McDowell - sales rep
Fitzpatrick - sales rep
Drake - corporate banker
Loe - sales rep
Dalton - farmer