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    2. nzzp
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    nzzp

    @nzzp

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    Best posts made by nzzp

    • Why this feels different...

      I'm upset and pissed off that we lost, but nothing like 95 99 03 07. I think this feels different because

      • Back to back means we sleep well, no matter what, the monkey is well and truly off our back

      • that was a hell of an English performance. We could have got up, but would have been something special. In the past, we've bene beaten by teams that are really not on the same level, dodgy reffing, food poisoning, or choking.

      • We knew this wasn't a vintage side. Losing 6 all time greats after 2015, a lot of people thought we'd be lucky to be a 50/50 chance going into the tourney. A year ago we got showed where we were - last week aside, that's pretty much where we were πŸ™‚ This wasn't a great side, it was a decent outfit with some very good players in it. Perth, Chicago, Dublin, Lions 2+3 --> we're ahead, but only just

      • England really put out something special. They arced up, and we just couldn't lift to match them. Getting owned all over the park does happen sometimes, and if it does you have to cop it.

      Still frustrated, but not as angry or upset as I have been. Here's to the future, thanks to Shag for the good times, and roll on the rest of the knockouts

      Edit: this is also the cycle where we have seen how badly the player drain has hurt us. Piutau, Luatua, Faumauina, Vito - just a few who would have made a difference

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: All Blacks v Springboks

      Well, so we coughed one up at home. I know there is a lot of wailing and gnashign of teeth - mainly to be fair in the media - but this wasn't anything to get too upset about I reckon.

      The Bokke brought a good physical game, and were fully committed. That said, we ripped them apart, scored 6 tries, and made the game look easy at times. It was our farking defence and decision making that really cost us that win; goalkicking could have burgled it, but fark me, 6 tries and you lose?

      BBBR is our critical player. What a sensation - you only really see quite how dominant he is in every part of the game when he's gone. Don't forget the much vaunted Canterbury talent identification system passed him over, so he wombled off to the North.

      Anyhoo, I really enjoyed the test. A great contest, and nothing in it right to the end. And, as I said, you'd say the ABs played pretty poorly at times, well below their standards, and the Boks played pretty well as well as they can. Result: we lose.

      Things I liked

      • Dyanti running around people. What an offensive weapon
      • Physical commitment around the paddock
      • Beaudy's wee pass up to his brother for the early try. What hands - that's worth 5 of the points he left out there
      • Refs who let the game go -- while there's an argument for pedantic whistling, it's a much better watch with open running rugby
      • Josh Goodhue's impact coming on. That guy is doing all he can to push for a long career in black. Remember - he's the same age as ALB; shows the real youth kicking around the team
      • Ben Smith. At 32. Fark me, just made so many metres, so many good decisions. Awesome.
      • Teams that don't act like muppets to each other, and will have a beer afterwards. It's what Rugby's about - I'm biased, but you don't have to be a bunch of wazzers to win at the top level (looking at you, Australia)

      Things I didn't like so much

      • Goalkicking (obvs)
      • JB's fast throw to bounce somewhere near some Bokke. Reminded me of Billy Slater's biff back into the field of play in the League RWC Final. You only do that if you don't respect your opponents deeply, and think you'll win no matter what. I don't think he'll do that again soon
      • Some of the offside calls (from teh couch anyway) -- very relaxed
      • Looooooong advantage. I'm old school for this, but with modern defences that just don't fall apart, I reckon it's 2-3 phases and then back for the penalty. Otherwise you just burn time and don't actually advance the game
      • Losing πŸ™‚
      • Not having good 6 cover on the bench for when Liam gets injured.

      Thoroughly good game, disappointing result, but I wasn't gutted - just a bit flat. Still slept like a baby, and I really think we're on the right track with this side.

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11

      well, shit I'm still steaming.

      I'm pissed, and the reason is that all of this was called in advance. Players picked out of position, poor game plan and dumb rugby - everything we feared about Foster's All Blacks. We had better players than Australia, but they were clearly better coached and it showed. Up for it? Not sure we were in the same way.

      Positives
      Cane was outstanding. If you wanted a leader look at that bastard. Worked his guts out.
      Defence was really solid. Some freakish tries (following interesting ref calls) to get there.
      Um, I'm struggling after that

      Negatives
      Players out of position killed us. Jordie, Ardie, Goodhue in particular
      Forwards were good without being dominant
      Mo'unga chose a bad time to shit the bed.
      Gameplan was terrible (what gameplan), and the lack of rugby nous in fielding kicks had me yelling at the TV. Seriously, with the wind behind them, how the hell do you let a farking dropout from the 22 go over your head, and basically gift Aus 40 m and possession. My. Head. Exploded.
      Lack of a dropgoal at the end. Have we learned nothing from SA a few years ago? Seriously? FFS people, get better

      We did well living on scraps, offense looked great in the first 40. Rieko needs to learn how to put the ball down.
      Unlike @tim I'm OK with Frizzel; he just smashed into people all night.

      Argh, I'm really annoyed. Win here was important. God knows we need to get up next week

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Coronavirus - Overall

      @Snowy said in Coronavirus - Overall:

      @Catogrande said in Coronavirus - Overall:

      @R-L said in Coronavirus - Overall:

      @Catogrande why?

      There are three certainties in life my Father told me.
      Death.
      Taxes.
      Nurses.

      You could try a hospital? They hang out there, although your timing isn't great.

      'if coronavirus doesn't take you out, can I instead?'

      posted in Coronavirus
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Refuge for the positive.....

      @Bovidae said in Refuge for the positive.....:

      @Chris said in Refuge for the positive.....:

      The coaches are my concern I think the players are in confusion in what we are trying to achieve.
      You think with Hansens experience he will strip the game plan back and give the players positive direction to get some confidence in them.
      If that happens we spank the wallabies and win the WC.

      To put a positive spin on the current situation, that was the talk in the leadup to the 2015 RWC where the ABs weren't impressive in the pool games. We later found out what was happening behind the scenes with inter-squad games etc.

      KEEPING OUR POWDER DRY!

      alt text

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Blues v Rebels

      Righto, a belated match report.

      I left early, with 20 to go. My mate decided he'd rather walk down Sandringham road than watch that bunch of overpaid munters try to play any more. I can handle losing, but stuffed if I'm going to sit there and watch supposed professionals just look hopeless and disorganised.

      The team is a shambles. THere are occasions where the defensive line sets, and they look good, but it is a flash of mediocrity in a sea of shambles. Honestly, I'm shaking my head at the state of this so called team. We just look disorganised, disconnected, directionless and dire.

      I got a coffee at half time. It's a metaphor for the whole organised - three people trying to serve coffee, looking surprised that people came to get a hot drink on a cold night, and serving so slowly that it took nearly 10 minutes - with no queue. Honestly, those staff would cost $60 per hour, and they can't be making any money. Shambolic and poorly trained - just like the Blues.

      Righto, so proper comments. In no particular order:

      • Pulu must pass faster off the ruck. Slowish passes just let defences line us up.

      • Three years in and we still ahve no discernable game plan. Fair play, JK didn't have one either, but I'm buggered if I know what we're trying to do.

      • Maul defence and offence is the worst in the comp I think. It was like watching me trying to dunk - no matter how optimisitic I am, I'm still a white guy, and I'm not tall enough or atheletic enough to slam one down. Every single time we kicked to the corner, we coughed it up. Insane. Optimistic, but insane.

      • Refs don't help us, but they aren't why we're losing. I just don't know what the hell is an offense in rugby any more - tipping players is OK now? Running a maul ove rthe line and collapsing it - with Rebesl in from the side? That's no try, and no worries maaaate.

      • Perofeta is a problem, but not the problem. Our problems start up front and don't stop until you get to 15. When the hell we got a powder puff forward pack that can't play set pieces, I don't know. Fark me it's frustrating. We not only have no rugby intelligence, we don't seem to have any muscle either.

      • Akira looks tired and maybe a bit out of condition. If I were him I'd be seriously considering playing somewhere else to get better coaching.

      • We just lost to a team taht i couldn't honestly identify more than one or two players. At home. Where we haven't won all year. In a ground that just got redeveloped, and yet isn't fit for purpose. FML.

      • Weak weak tackling at times lets in tries. It's embarassing for professionals.

      Look, I sound bitter, but deep down I'm optimistic about life. When we start winning games it's going to be so sweet - and if we can keep talent for a few years, a decent coach could build a team here. BUT I don't think that's Tana, and I don't think that's the current board.

      I'm out. Frustrated, cracked a bottle of aussie shiraz - it's not as bitter as I am tonight

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Next AB captain?

      @Darren said in Next AB captain?:

      No question it will be Whitelock.

      Absolutely. Luke's a solid player.

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: All Blacks v Springboks

      @nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks:

      Thoroughly good game, disappointing result, but I wasn't gutted - just a bit flat. Still slept like a baby, and I really think we're on the right track with this side.

      Also, things I don't like: Justin Farking Marshall. That fella needs to get a lawbook sometime,and talk to some referees. Honestly, most times he opens his mouth he is flat out wrong.

      Poor commentators lead to misinformation being widely spread in the casual rugby watching public. This is not good for the game, because (wider) it's always hometown bullshit. Example today in the Ferald: missed refs call costs All Blacks game. It's that shit - we lost because of our defence; blaming the ref gets you where the Wallabies are now; not owning their issues.

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Bledisloe #2

      Morning after thoughts from watching from the best seats in the house yesterday, albeit a little damp πŸ™‚

      SBW was outstanding. Ran really well, but contributed massively on defence. He is such a physical specimen, skillset good, you can see why the TWM want him in their squad. Played his way onto the plane - and convinced a heap of people who doubted the selectors ongoing faith in him.

      Kicking game was simply magnificent. Only a couple of poorly executed kicks, but we generally found space and kicked really well. Kudos to the lads for that, turned round their big wingers and made them look ordinary.

      Defence just went to antoher level. Noticeable aggression and was like running into walls a ttimes. Good to see, the physicality wasn' tthere last week. Nic White got covered well, once his running wasn't a surprise, it didn't work. Big shout outs to KR and SBW in this area.

      Handling was exceptional. Focussed and intense; it was cold and wet out there - as wet as I've got at Eden Park in the last 10-15 years. Some downpours were that classic big auckland raindrops, that just saturate. Field held up well.

      Scrum dominant from the seats we were in. Both Cheika and Hansen spoke about it in the pressers - looks like we figured out what they were doing to us last week, and came up with a fix (by the sound of it, setting close to the opposition to eliminate any semblence of a hit). Good, but needs to be dealt with on the field for the RWC.

      Wings - both played well. I think Bridge was better than Reece with positioning and skills work. Some nervy moments when both he and Beaudy were going for the same high ball, but calls got sorted and they didn't stuff up. Attack went as well as you saw.

      ALB continues to impress me. Needs a bigger bopper at 12 I reckon, but what a talent.

      Crowd was in fine voice. Plenty of voice, plenty of vocal support. Our reputation as a library is probably not deserved any more... we're not shy of getting stuck in now. Would have felt pretty hostile. 3 minutes to go Aussies were leaving, and the whole north stand stood up and farewelled them. Quality.

      Refereeing. Well, it's a tough game to referee, but there are real issues with consistency and quality of refs at the international level. Forget the YC, the offsides and side entries to the ruck just frustrate me week after week for both sides. It's a lottery, sometimes you get pinged, sometimes we don't. One time in the scond half with the ABs exiting inside their 22, the entire Wallaby defensive line was halfway up the ruck and no farks were given by the entire refereeing team. Ya just wonder... if it's a chargedown try, they'll review and disallow - otherwise it's just 'whatevs, play on'.

      The other one that exploded my head was the blatant horror call on the restart not going 10. FFS Jaco, if they play at it then it doesn't matter how far it goes. There is no place on earth where that's a scrum restart, just a horror application of the laws. It's up there with 'we have a deal', without (thankfully) the impact.

      Anyway, great night to be out, proud and delighted for teh ABs and supporters, roll on the RWC.

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11

      well people, despite the unusual selections, I'm amped. First AB game fo the year.

      Brewing already, hash browns for breakfast, warm up with some NCAA this afternoon and then a bottle of vino, some craft beers and the first Test of the year! Charcoal steak for dinner

      If this isn't happiness, I don't know what is. Roll on 2021, but a nice big win would suit me down to the ground right now

      edit: selections, not suggestions. damn autocorrect.

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp

    Latest posts made by nzzp

    • RE: NASA

      @kiwiwomble gravity about 40 percent of earth, atmosphere about 1% of sea level. Remarkable

      posted in Off Topic
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff

      @canefan hive mind.

      Or an infinite number of monkeys hitting an infinite number of keyboards

      posted in Off Topic
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: NZ Politics

      @nzzp said in NZ Politics:

      @tim if they average 40 passengers a train, for 50 weeks of the year, for 5 years, the subsidy is around a thousand dollars for a return trip.

      @tim well, I did not see this comign. First weekend service absolutely jam packed. Remarkable, good news, and hopefully incentives the trial people to actually run the train all the way into Britomart in a single push. Then it could be a genuinely viable option.

      https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/04/standing-room-only-te-huia-jam-packed-on-first-saturday-service-would-be-passengers-left-behind.html

      posted in Politics
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Blues 2021

      well, damn.

      The last 2 minutes against the Chiefs (and the terrible maul call by the refs), and that brain dead, insipid performance on Friday night defines our season. It's a hard road to the final from here - need to get a point more than the chiefs where we have Crusaders away, Chiefs at home, and htey have Canes at home, and us away. Need to win both our games to have a shot, or rely on a massive Hurricanes upset.

      Feels a very mixed bag for the season. Two steps forward, one step back. Our first few games we played well; the game against the Highlanders at home it felt like we could crack 50 points cantering away. We asked some damn good questions of the Crusaders, but they were good enough to respond, and take the game. Since then, thouhg, both teams have fallen apart in the quality of rugby put out there.

      Overall, I'm still not disappointed. from where we were a couple of years ago, where we couldn't beat NZ sides at home or away, to being legitimate contendors is a big shift. People talk up the team, and we have some good players, but when you looked at the Highlanders lineup there wasn't huge quality. We're still weak at 2/9/10 (but better than we were); props, loosies, Rieko and Caleb the only real standout areas of strength to me.

      I still think we're building to a consistent challenge; decent administration, decent coaching and finally some good talent scouting. I am amused (slightly bitterly) that two of the other 4 starting 9s in SRA were in the Blues mix, and we couldn't get the best out of them.

      This year isn't a writeoff, but it'll take osmething special to get to the final. Roll on Trans tasman - but the 2 losses in the last 3 weeks will probably scupper our chances of going depe into that comp as well

      Edit: the good news is our destiny is still in our hands - both on the field, and in the long term performance of the team. All the attributes are in place we just have to start delivering

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Beer thread

      @nostrildamus said in Beer thread:

      @nzzp said in Beer thread:

      Fresh hop day today in Auckland. 5 pubs, fresh hop beers, a bus. I'd call it a pub crawl, but that doesn't sound classy enough.

      Le bus de l'alcool? Le bustour de la lamentation?

      The bus was literally called the brew bus. Go figure πŸ˜€

      posted in Off Topic
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Michael Jones

      @snowy said in Michael Jones:

      @nepia said in Michael Jones:

      We’re taking about Mark Carter right?

      Yes. Not quite sure why @nzzp can't think of 4 better flankers than him. Obviously holds him in very high regard.

      'twas the sellotape. Made all the difference.

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Michael Jones

      @nepia said in Michael Jones:

      @ploughboy said in Michael Jones:

      @nepia said in Michael Jones:

      Better opensides than Mark Carter since and including when he played:
      MJ, GOAT, Kronfeld, Ginge, Brewer, Ardie, Zinny those two matches in EOYT when he played openside, etc etc.

      Also, I was never in the I hate Carter camp either.

      duane monkley

      Sorry, I was just concentrating on test players not local heros. πŸ˜‰

      BURN CREAM!

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Michael Jones

      @snowy said in Michael Jones:

      @mn5 said in Michael Jones:

      @kirwan said in Michael Jones:

      @mariner4life said in Michael Jones:

      @snowy said in Michael Jones:

      @mariner4life said in Michael Jones:

      who is on the "AB Mt Rushmore" could be a good thread

      Oh,oh,oh. Shit fight.

      Actually both of these guys probably make it with Meads and Carter.

      I've missed out heaps.

      the old fuckers here will come for us hard

      I reckon only Richie and Meads are locked in, everyone else will be a fucking shitfight.

      Carter and Jones are easily locked in too. Same with Lomu.

      Presume you mean Dan and not Mark ? Seems a pertinent question in a thread about Michael Jones

      Even on a Mt Rushmore of only number sevens I doubt that Mark's face would be carved in stone. He does have a street named after him in Manukau though.

      So, which four flankers are above him?

      I can think of one, once arguable and then I struggled

      posted in Sports Talk
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: Beer thread

      Fresh hop day today in Auckland. 5 pubs, fresh hop beers, a bus. I'd call it a pub crawl, but that doesn't sound classy enough.

      Tempted to report on the ratio of full beards to women, but will just drink with my mates instead πŸ™‚ It won't fill the bitter ball of disappointment the Blues leave in me, but it'll help πŸ™‚

      posted in Off Topic
      nzzp
      nzzp
    • RE: SRA round 8: Highlanders v Blues

      @nzzp said in SRA round 8: Highlanders v Blues:

      @steven-harris said in SRA round 8: Highlanders v Blues:

      @tim Blues look very generic..running at bodies ,very South African like ,try to bash you ..!,where the Highlanders are creative looking to create space letting the ball do the work ..

      I have no issues with forward physical play. They make metres and dominate. Just have to pick when to use it.

      Blues should run away with it if (a) they keep the ball, and (b) stop having brain explosions. NOt convinced either's going to happen

      I'm fucking nostradamus.

      Brainless, a big step bckwards tonight.

      A Smith was the difference. inredible player, arguably player of the SRA comp. Simply incredible.

      But,FML

      posted in Rugby Matches
      nzzp
      nzzp