@raznomore

He called out this guy from monster energy

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I’m far happier for Kane to get golden ducks at this silly stuff rather than the real game.

You will all be relieved to hear the build up to the Crusaders game is working ok for me.

@booboo said in World Test Championship:

@mn5 said in World Test Championship:

@labcat said in World Test Championship:

@mn5 said in World Test Championship:

Just proving yet again England aren’t particularly good. Aside from Root and maybe Anderson who from their team would walk into the Black Caps ?

Stokes probably would as well.

No I don’t reckon. He is an all rounder but he’s not World Class in either discipline. In years gone by yes he would have walked in but not with the team we have currently. Our four seamers are all better than he is ( he’s currently the 30th best bowler in the world ) and the only way he’d get in as a batsman ( where he is ranked 11th which surprises me ) is if he magically reinvented himself as an opening partner for Tom Latham.

Stokes would be in a straight shoot out with CDGH if we choose not to play a "spinner" and I'd lean Stokes

Stokes is currently the third best all rounder in the world but when you consider our very own K Jamieson is 6th ( and bowlers who can bat a bit like Starc and Cummins are in the top 10 ) you realise it’s a bit of a joke. The jury is still VERY out as to Jamiesons batting credentials

@number-10 said in 2021 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:

@nepia said in 2021 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:

@stargazer Can he play 7? All our loosies seem to be 8s these days so if could successfully convert to openside it would help.

On another note, I can't believe that in the two Canes squads this week there's only 5 Magpies. 5 Magpies from 46 players. That's such B/S that even @Canes4life wouldn't be able to put up one of his usual heroic defences of the organisation.

@Number-10 Does the lack of Magpies/Hawkes Bay representation in the Canes ever get discussed at the AGMs and other meetings you attend?

No mention at the recent AGM. I can recall it coming up once during Richard Hunt's Chairmanship (2002-2010). The answer was that even though it was frustrating Hawke's Bay still had to live and work with Wellington and the Hurricanes.

Although in those days Wellington and the Hurricanes were one entity, they are, in theory, separate organisations now, certainly at executive level.

Can you ask the secretary to add it to the next agenda and I can join on Zoom for a 10 to 60 minute rant. 😉

@tewaio

I'm not living in the UK any more, but from what I hear Boris has as much awareness and control of the situation as a boysenberry in a juice bar. Things are definitely moving in a very positive direction, but like Mike I'll be surprised if they can have anything like 100% capacity. And I think Boris only controls England (in terms of restrictions), the Welsh, Scots and Irish will all have their own.

England more than capable of hosting it alone of course, but feels like if we are going to have a "home tour" it should cover all 4 nations.

On that subject, 4 home nations but 3 tests - who misses out on housting one? Wpuld make sense to extend it to 4 tests I guess, given that there won't be provincial matches.

@higgins said in Japan Top League:

@shark A lot of the games I have watched, admittedly they were mostly those featuring Beauden Barrett's team, have been hopelessly one sided with winning margins about the sixty point mark. That would probably equate to something over one hundred in Super Rugby New Zealand. In laymens terms that's something like watching Auckland administering a pants down thrashing of a mid week North Otago team devoid of a lot of their (North Otago) first choice players who were unable to get time of work.

About the only think going for it would be the opportunity for the Chiefs to have a win and the TV revenues )which would probably the the most important component anyway). With that money I suppose we could accept it but that would probably involve a lot of the second tier players in NZ and Aust (do they still have any?) being used to try and strengthen the Japanese Company Teams.

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Sadly, you're probably right.

A cross-over Cup & plate (maybe even bowl) competition would be the best way in my opinion, with teams divided into three group based on their finishing positions, then teams playing each other in those pools (e.g., top two from J-league, SR-NZ, SR-Oz; and 3/4 from J-league, SR-NZ, SR-Oz; and if they have a bowl, then #5 from SR-NZ and SR-Oz with perhaps some extra J-league teams). This would work best if NZ and Oz super rugby both had 6 teams of course.

@antipodean helpful

Saracens better hope that ring fencing of the Second Division applies as they are currently in danger of relegation thanks to the eleventh placed position out of twelve after their 25 - 17 loss to the Cornish Pirates!!

https://www.flashscore.com/standings/Acr3xyaA/S8JXUMrO/#table/overall

FB_IMG_1615053790890.jpg

Yay us!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/netball-silver-ferns-take-down-australia-with-thrilling-comeback-victory-in-third-constellation-cup-test/BIJCZFR7OZAUZMP65RWXMYKHDU/

@tewaio said in NBA Season 20/21:

Lebron's All Star team looks like he had all his picks first, then Durant! KD picked Kyrie with his first pick, over Luka, Steph, Kawhi, Joker....come on

Team mate politics! In an All-Star type game, Kyrie has that game in him.

LBJ’s starting lineup is something else though. And if there is a time that all three of Curry, Lillard and Luka on, then watch out 30 footers....

@bobily2 said in Highlanders 2021:

@family-man said in Highlanders 2021:

@bones has nareki played any other positions? He seems to lack a bit of pace for a international winger but think maybe centre or full back may be a option in the future.

He'd be too small at centre. I'm sure he could play fullback without too much difficulty

Yeah he's basically NMS mk II. If he'd burst out with this form in a RWC year he might have a chance.

@kiwipie it did, the last one that people went off on, I wasnt bothered by it.

And in other news (I suspect this is mostly American fans, there are some right nutters on the PGA pages hate for de Chambeau, hate for Koepka, for Reed, for the PGA after they pulled an event from Trumps course)

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/study-golf-fans-social-media-angry

I'd like to hear how Parata and Tucker go. Plus this Romano kid.

@Yeetyaah

The Waikato vs BOP XV game must have been played yesterday in Cambridge. The good guys won 33-19.

Having a quick look at the photos on the BOP FB page, I can see Burr, Thompson and Dyer in Waikato colours.

I would assume all Waikato surplus Chiefs players were released as they were for BOP.

The Hurricanes Hunters will play the Crusaders development team, tomorrow.

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@majorrage said in NH International Rugby:

I think this tedious argument can be summed up as per below.

England can certainly feel hard done but not necessarily because they were shafted by the referee.

That's fair. They got a pretty rough deal in the lottery of life, being born English

@mn5 said in Boxing Thread:

@african-monkey said in Boxing Thread:

@raznomore said in Boxing Thread:

@bovidae I don't want to be negative but this needed to happen 4-5 years ago.

Joe is not going to be on anyone's radar after that hugathon and I doubt a new trainer is going to get Parker to stop leading with his head or throwing off balance barely damaging weak wristed punches. A new trainer isn't going to sort out Parker's T-Rex like reach either.

Who ever he works with they need to get Parker to use his speed, which isn't what it was, so he can stick and move. Cliche but that is what he needs to do. He's a small heavyweight that stands in front of his opponents. If he could develop a "step to the side" body shot or over hand he might just have a chance. But I think the horse has bolted. Great chin, pretty good late career stamina and above average hand speed but that's it for me.

Problem with Parker is that he wants to base himself in NZ as well, so getting a change in trainer is gonna be hard for him. I'd like to see him team up with Fury's team at Kronk with Sugar Hill to work on his offence in an ideal world, but with him staying in NZ, there aren't many options for him.

Do you think Parker needs to come to the realisation that he’s already had a good career and it’s not gonna get any better ?

Mind you what is it with boxers going on far longer than they should ? Happens more than in any other sport. Parker seems too wise for that to happen though.

I suspect he has, and has decided to make his cash go further by staying here.

@stargazer said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:

@kiwimurph Yup. I only detect sarcasm when I can see someone's face and hear their voice. In writing, I miss quite a few.

Come on man.

It's me, does anyone take me seriously?

@stargazer Bang on with this one, Gibson is new coach. Thought Bourke/Rogers might have got a shot especially with the work of the academy really starting to flourish.

In case someone didn't know: the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union have confirmed on its FB page (answering a question) that Neria Fomai has a Blues contract.

@dogmeat said in EPL 2020/2021:

Fulham must be due a fucking shit load then. I get we haven't got the most accurate attack but FFS. WE WUZ ROBBED (again).

That handball was very harsh - it wouldn't have been given against a defender (example is Kante in the Chelsea game where his arm was up)

But then VAR is a guessing game most of the time.

@antipodean said in Aussie Rugby:

@tim Everyone has always said it's the administration at NSWRU that's a monumental disaster. They're half-witted amateurs in a professional business.

There are unions threatening to leave NSW and join up with ACT and Southern NSW. I'm surprised they've stuck it out this long.

Paul Doorn had to talk Central West down from the ledge about 6 months ago. They get nothing from RA or NSWRU but keep paying "participation" fees.

Up in New England this weekend, Inverell 7s only had 2 refs scheduled for 2 solid days of rugby. I got an email this week asking the group for help. Unbelievable.

The problem with being the biggest union: having the most people means having the most dickheads, statistically speaking. NSWRU is all over the shop with the amateur game completely split from the semipro game completely split from the pro game. Then there are the multiple schools associations who fuck with junior club rugby all the time... jeez...

Smaller organisations like ACT have a laser focus on getting their shit together and ensuring their hierarchy is clear. The Reds realised they needed to streamline things and take advantage of initiatives like the NRC to rebuild their success

Davis has to go - retaining Board or ExCo for excessive time works out well for approximately no organisation, ever.

Costs rising by the month (steel alone - reinforcing, structural and fixings - worldwide will be up around 25% from a couple of months ago, come next month), means the scope can only shrink and remarkably the CCC are still fucking around trying to buy a building on the fucking site.

When is some c*nt in a position of power or with a public profile going to finally call these useless fucks out over their inordinately dumb idea to build an indoor stadium with the budget at hand??

@stargazer classic how the two players giving advice are Prinsep and Blackwell. 😂

@canefan said in Other Cricket:

@bovidae said in Other Cricket:

Some of the Warriors players were in the same situation last year and it was sorted out.

I hope so. Don't know why it needs to make the papers, the guy has the potential to be a wags ( and BJ ) level national treasure, just fix it already

Fixed. Since my son has decided to become a keeper I’ll always go into bat for them ( shitty pun intended ). BJ is just as loveable as Wags, not to mention the hairy jav before them.

Dale Steyn for all his awesome ability can fuck right off though. Boring fluffybunny.

@billy-tell said in Sport Sense of Humour Failures:

@bones said in Sport Sense of Humour Failures:

@billy-tell said in Sport Sense of Humour Failures:

Not funny at all.

Just like your favourite comfy armchair huh?

I'm thinking whoooosh

It's hard to tell who is doing irony - except for Markram.

The Central North Island (CNI) competition starts on Saturday, 15 May. There are 10 participating schools; no change from last year.

@stargazer said in 2021 Hawke's Bay club rugby:

@number-10 Thanks, that's great to hear. All points.

Wow, 11 Colts teams, that's a lot! Do you think that's because of the success of Flanders anc co. in the Magpies squad (and SR)?

At the AGM it was stated that high school playing numbers for boys have actually gone up in Hawke's Bay over the last couple of years. So there is a flow-on effect this year no doubt. But the two biggest drop-off rates in numbers still occur in the 9-10 and 15-16 age brackets.

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The Warriors don't expect to have any home games this season.

The NZ Warriors won't be playing at home this season, even if a trans-Tasman bubble is in place. The club had hoped to return to Mount Smart Stadium in April for their round five clash with Manly, but unless there is clear certainty around borders remaining open, that won't happen. The club says even if a bubble does open, it doesn't mean the team will be able to come home straight away. Club CEO Cameron George has told Newshub it's too risky for the competition to have the team travel back and forth, if there's no certainty the borders will stay open. Newshub ubderstands George and head coach Nathan Brown will discuss the situation with the team and their families this weekend, with an announcement expected in the coming days.

@yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2021:

@tim Harris is BoP so doubt it.

Cynics. 🙂

@stargazer makes so much sense on every level.

Quite amazing how many big names have been traded or signed to NFC West in recent years.

Jamal Adams, Jalen Ramsey, Stafford, Hopkins, Trent Williams, JJ Watt

@stargazer And lots of teams under done with no lead up games

@billy-tell said in All Blacks 2021:

Does anyone else find in this day and age it’s unacceptable to never have any females in the starting XV? I’ve looked back over the team sheets for 2020, and it really stands out. I’m hearing the NZRU are commissioning an independent review into the matter. Foster’s fate might hang on the findings.

Alex Hodgman has promised to change its name to Alex Hodgperson if they are ever picked for the All Blacks again.

@jailbreak7 plus any decent cricket is on BT sport and not even on sky's dedicated cricket channel. ITV and BBC have the internationals. What's the point?