What Mark Hammet up to? Surely he is good enough to coach both the sunwolves and reds to the bottom of the ladder.

<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Nigel Yalden’s NZ team of the week:</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">1. Joe Moody</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">2. Codie Taylor</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">3. Owen Franks</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">4. Sam Whitelock</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">5. Mark Abbott</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">6. Jordan Taufua</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">7. Ardie Savea</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">8. Victor Vito</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">9. Aaron Smith</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">10. Lima Sopoaga</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">11. Nemani Nadolo</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">12. Kieron Fonotia</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">13. Malakai Fekitoa</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">14. Jone Macilai</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">15. Ben Smith</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/super-rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=331&objectid=11601402'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/super-rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=331&objectid=11601402</a></span></span></p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="562931" data-time="1457303856">
<div>
<p>and Sam McNicol :)</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Cheers, I knew I'd forget someone.</p>

Repost

<p><strong><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Argentina is the winner of the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship!</span></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cc04AOxW4AAD5qH.jpg" alt="Cc04AOxW4AAD5qH.jpg"></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Americas Rugby Championship – round 5 results:</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Uruguay 29 - 25 USA</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Chile 13 -  Canada 64</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Brazil 7 - 42 Argentina</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The USA Eagles have now lost their last two games against South American teams other than Argentina.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Highlights Uruguay v USA: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://espndeportes.com/video/clip?id=2613118'>http://espndeportes.com/video/clip?id=2613118</a></span></p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="562509" data-time="1457131949">
<div>
<p>Leaves you more cash for beers ;)</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Yeah</p>
<p> </p>
<p>pity there's usually no beer at the ground.</p>

Sounds intriguing....

<p>There was a huge public clamour for Ryder a couple of months before RWC - and the BCs seemed to go alright without him. His batting does seem to have regressed in recent years - he did look like he could be a really good test player when he first came into the team but nothing in his recent past indicates he has the single-minded commitment to become a test batsman again.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="561887" data-time="1456880908">
<div>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11597926'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11597926</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Imagine what the result would have been had the formerly license to print cash Ranfurly Shield not been there? Worrying times indeed. Perhaps a look could be paid at the number of semi-professional players on the payroll? Thanks heavens we have ACC which presumably covers the salaries (or 80% of them anyway) of the almost permanent broken down fully contracted players like Hugh Renton and Geoffrey Cridge (and now I suppose you could sadly add The Barracuda).</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Unfortunately, Higgins, losses were made on the three Heartland Shield defences and on the Auckland defence (because it rained from about a week before the game through to the night itself). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All up, gate revenue was down compared to last year. Also the Napier City Council get 15% of every ticket sold.</p>

<p>Agree with what both of you are saying, the Blues props were very good.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However the suggestion that Franks had a low workrate made by cgrant is a bit wrong in my opinion.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>12 Tackles in a match is excellent for a tighthead prop. I would like to see a few examples of Faumuina making this many tackles in a match?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Crusaders were very good at the breakdown. This is where both Franks brothers excel. They are ruck hitters rather than ball carriers (the canes definately missed this on the weekend). I don't think the crusaders lost their match in the forwards, rather by giving too much broken field space to Mackenzie/Cruden etc</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This weekend will be interesting. The blues scrum looked pretty good against the highlanders, but I think the crusaders have the best scrum in the comp. Big test for Ofa and Patrick Tuipolotu who has question marks over his scrummaging. Crusaders will need to win this battle to have a chance of winning, Blues have a lot of dangerous ball runners.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="561430" data-time="1456602059"><p>
Looks like Jason and Thingys love child.</p></blockquote>
<a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=jason+gunn+thingy&client=ms-android-telstra-au&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP-5msiprLAhWIJ5QKHUSfDQYQ_AUIBygB&biw=360&bih=559#imgrc=ykG_VN1WL7OG8M%3A">https://www.google.com.au/search?q=jason+gunn+thingy&client=ms-android-telstra-au&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP-5msiprLAhWIJ5QKHUSfDQYQ_AUIBygB&biw=360&bih=559#imgrc=ykG_VN1WL7OG8M%3A</a>

<p>Cheers for starting this thread mate, helps my fantasy rugby selections immensely.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="560813" data-time="1456407039">
<div>
<p>Difference is Read is a much more multifacited player.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jerry & Rodney were good players, but they both leaned heaviliy on single areas. In Jerrys case it was his physicality close in, in Rodneys it was his engine. When Jerry had neck / shoulder issues he lost the physicality & the rest of his all round game, while good, wasn't anywhere near good enough to cover. Same when Rodney slowed down. When Rodney was top 3 to every fricking ruck for 80 minutes it didn't matter than he was short & lacked power in the carry. Because that one trait was a huge part of how the ABs played. Once that went you think "we could pick a genuinely lineout option instead"</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>If you are picking a guy mostly because of  just one trait, when he loses that one trait he's at risk. Read probably has 5 aspects to his game where he is head & shoulders above the next guy (Vito).</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Same with Richie, he maybe wasn't getting hands on the ball as much as Cane late on, but he was far better in the tight, carried better, tackled harder etc.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Although there were worrying signs last year that he was losing more than just one or two of those traits.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hopefully he's had a good break off season and will be rearing to go this year.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, I'm not sure Richie carried harder or tackled harder than Cane - he was just all round a better player (he was the GOAT) - but you just identified two of Canes biggest strengths and one that Richie had to work hard on (even the GOAT has to work hard some times).</p>

<p>Thanks for the good news, I was getting pissed off for sure.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="560387" data-time="1456254168">
<div>
<p>He used to have good defence but it is getting shita and shita.</p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Bad. :D</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="559551" data-time="1455861071">
<div>
<p><strong>He's a Northlander so is a Blues fan.</strong>  Wilson doesn't like the Chiefs.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Is that even possible?  :think:</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="559579" data-time="1455865317">
<div>
<p>Yeah I've got a theory that the longer kiwis are over here in London, the more Aussie we sound. My bro had been here for over 10 years when I turned up and wondered why he was speaking Aussie, thought my boss was Aussie but same story there. I travel all around the UK and do a fair bit of training so have been forced to adapt to be understood, just due to being so many different accents around the place. Although when I go home all my mates just think I sound like a posh twat.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>If your shirt has buttons and you have all your teeth Hutt people basically think you must be some sort of film star.</p>

<p>Interesting to see Namibia doing relatively well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good to hear the West Indies have some good 'uns coming through too.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="559345" data-time="1455786869">
<div>
<p>YOU act like anything that is Australian is not to be trusted. What's up with that - Aussie steal your burd or something?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Aha! The now deeply traditional cultural practice of the respectfully observed Garry Lyon Rule rears its head!</p>