IF IF IF that is the team:

I think our forward pack will probably give a better account of themselves than in the last 6 drubbings by England, which isn't saying much. That is basically a forward pack that is predictable - tho the complete absence of Kepu is somewhat of a surprise.

The backs have some good combinations. It will be interesting to see Kerevi line up the hole between George Ford and Shoulders Farrell to see how hard the Pommy back row want to work. Probably more interesting will be watching them skip pass Kerevi and see how Tuilagi deals with Petaia and vice-versa.

The downfall? Our game plan - the one-out attacking will get eaten up by the Poms and they'll rely on the French ref's complete lack of desire to adjudicate the ruck as carte blanche to mess it up good.

Probably the best-ish team we could have picked but we'll still get mullered to the tune of 15 points.

I'll firstly point out that Christy Doran says some weird bullshit about rugby. Never had much time for his writing.

However, Cheika makes no secret about a lot of the shit he does, so this is just crazy enough to be true. And it isn't the worst 23 we can put out, so whatever.

1 Sio
2 Latu
3 Alaalatoa
4 Rodda
5 Arnold
6 Pocock
7 Hooper (c)
8 Naisarani
9 Genia
10 Lealiifano
11 Koroibete
12 Kerevi
13 Petaia
14 Hodge
15 Beale/DHP

16 Uelese
17 Slipper
18 Tupou
19 Coleman
20 Salakaia-Loto
21 White
22 To'omua
23 JOC

Lot of young blokes there I must say. Average ages:

STARTING XV - 26.9

• Tight Five - 26.2
• Forwards -26.6
• Backs - 27.1

BENCH VIII - 26.6

• Forwards - 25.2
• Backs - 29 (all of them born before August 1990)

MATCH DAY XXIII - 26.8

Oldest: Pocock @ 31 (Slipper and Beale are 30)
Youngest: Petaia @ 19 (Uelese 22, Rodda 23)

@Snowy said in Judiciary Happenings:

@NTA said in Judiciary Happenings:

it was generally a bunch of old men getting shouty about bullshit.

And some Polish chicks apparently.

Out of interest how would you differentiate that from the rest of The Fern forums?

Rugby isn't bullshit

@ACT-Crusader said in Judiciary Happenings:

@NTA said in Judiciary Happenings:

@Snowy said in Judiciary Happenings:

Some high quality piss taking today on several threads.

When we're bored, this happens...

Or the Politics thread gives the mods a migraine...

There’s a politics thread?

Subforum, maybe. You might have set it to "Ignore" as it was generally a bunch of old men getting shouty about bullshit.

@Snowy said in Judiciary Happenings:

Some high quality piss taking today on several threads.

When we're bored, this happens...

Or the Politics thread gives the mods a migraine...

@antipodean said in Plans for Saturday:

@gt12 said in Plans for Saturday:

I got offered a ticket, but it’s going with a work friend who isn’t a kiwi, and might be supporting Ireland.

There’s a strong chance I may punch them in the face if we lose.

Should I go anyway?

Any opportunity to punch an Irish supporter!

It's the only language they understand

@mariner4life said in Judiciary Happenings:

that doesn't look like an official image, I'll wait for confirmation

Fucking hell Skeen haven't you caused enough trouble?

@Nepia said in [Poll] Who wins the Quarter Finals?:

@NTA said in [Poll] Who wins the Quarter Finals?:

@Nepia said in [Poll] Who wins the Quarter Finals?:

My Aussie mate text me during the haka of the first match at the RWC and was remarking how hot that guy leading the haka was, I assumed she was talking about TJ, but nope she meant Read. Aussie bogan chicks are weird (there I go with the superfluous word bogan again, but then again I guess possums are protected species over here.

Oh right. You're making that statement in light of Hutt Valley existing. Good luck.

I'm not one of the Wellingtonites on here so feel free to take shots at the Hutt Valley.

Yeah nah. When you say "over here" you take the whole country. Own your bogans if you're going that way.

@mooshld said in Judiciary Happenings:

There is one thing I can't quite grasp

Well you bloody better otherwise its a shoulder charge.

@Stargazer @Bovidae and he kicked a bloke in the face. How that is due any mitigation is beyond me