Guinness has retired for the evening.

@sparky said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:

Sparky's All Black RWC squad

Props: Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta'avao, Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Hooker: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Codie Taylor.

Locks: Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuitupolou, Sam Whitelock

Back Row: Sam Cane, Luke Jacobson, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Matt Todd

Half Backs: TJ Perenera, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber

First Fives: Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga

Midfield: Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Leinert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams

Back Three: Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Reiko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Ben Smith

Some very tough decisions ahead for the selectors to get it down to 31..

Proof that a stopped clock is right sometimes.

His name is spelt "Ma'a Nonu" but it can be pronounced as "Living Legend".

This is a guy who made his NPC debut in 2002 and his Super Rugby debut in 2003. In his distinguished international career he donned the famous Black Jersey for 104 Tests, contributing to two World Cup wins with tries in the 2011 Semi Final and the 2015 Final.

Tonight he set up Tom Robinson for the first try with a superb pass, he set up Caleb Clarke for the second with another superb pass and had the instincts honed by nearly two decades playing and training at an elite level to be in the right place to take the offloaded from Reiko Ioane to run in and score a try himself.

A great signing for the Blues. Their young players must be learning so much from playing with perhaps the greatest ever 12 to play the game.

New Zealand have won the Netball World Cup!!!!

Classic Ted:

My happy life has been turned upside down to be honest. Worst thing I've been through apart from the death of immediate family. Missing Rugby and Cricket. Missing the normal routine. Really tough to be working fulltime away from place of work and trying to home school the kids at the same time. Lots of people I know are sick. I'm worried about everyone.

Really proud of the resilience of my kids. The dog seems really happy to have us around more. Listened to a few good podcasts. Able to go for a run around the park as a family each day. Great banter from 2 metre plus from neighbours. Heard from a few friends I've not heard from in ages. Glad not to have the constant background rumble of motorway traffic. Those are the postives.

We'll get through all of this, but it feels like a prison sentence. I go to sleep each night hoping normal will return very soon.

Ngani Laumape re-signs with the Hurricanes and NZRU until 2021:

@Chester-Draws Honestly, mate if you're looking for "top-quality analysis", you should skip my posts.

@antipodean said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:

Fifita is still in the squad? I don't understand modern rugby anymore.

Fifita's special role in the squad is to guard the powder and to make sure it stays dry.

@voodoo said in The Folau Factor:

Has he explained why he didn't? Not that he has to, I'm just curious.

His club, Catalan Dragons, were asked why Folau didn't knell. Was it deliberate? The curt answer was "personal preference."

Unsurprisingly they are not letting Folau do his own media or interviews.

Looks like Argentina are putting preparations in place to play in NZ in November:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rugbypass.com/news/report-argentina-to-play-in-south-american-championship-ahead-of-rugby-championship/

Sky Sports are reporting that 20-year oldJadon Sancho is close to agreeing personal terms for a move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United in what will be one of the biggest moves in EPL history:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12691/12041587/jadon-sancho-manchester-united-close-to-agreeing-personal-terms-on-five-year-deal

@Kirwan It must be a long time since there were empty seats for an AB test in UK or France or a major game in NZ.

To me, it is a question of ambition. We used to hear the ABs wanted to be the biggest brand in global sport. Manchester United are about to spend £100 million on a single player. The IPL is moving en masse to UAE.

Arranging a couple of All Blacks Test is easy by conparison.

@Tim Shame ESPN don't count dominant tackles. Sam Cane's stats there must be really impressive.

@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Or the Ozzies play them all over here, only they quarantine (their country fucked up, not ours) and we can have full crowds.

An option to look at, but Rugby Australia and the Auatralian government may want a game over there. Negotiations involve compromise.

The All Blacks are arguably NZ's best brand. That brand will be massively hit by 18 months of inaction.

@pukunui said in Chiefs 2020:

The stage is perfectly set for.............Hammerchiefs ! (dodododo dodo dodo)

Only if you want to finish off the franchise.

@Chris said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@sparky

I think there is a lot more Covid activity ramping up in Australia that will be the determining factor, and if New Zealand and Australia want to emilate that sort of UK carnage.

No full travel bubble is necessary. Players should do quarantine, but with government help in the form of regular testing and being given a place to quarantine where they can train. The model is the arrangements that were put in place for the West Indies Cricket team to play in England.

@Chris said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

North v South maybe as close as it gets
Looks more and more like no tests this year .

Mitre 10 cup maybe all we will have after SR this season.

There are going to be dozens of Rugby Tests later in the year in the UK where over 45,000+ people died with COVID-19.

It will look totally inept if NZR/ the New Zealand can't negotiate the ABs involvement in one Test this year.

@Bones Will Tucker may eventually be an All Black but needs more gametime at Mitre 10 and Super level.