@antipodean Yeah; their sevens teams (both men and women) also aren't anymore what they used to be. Hopefully, the participation of a Canadian team in the MLR (Major League Rugby) will have a positive effect.

@Gunner

There is also a High Performance Centre / Academy by the entrance to Bay Oval. Not everyone keen on the beach though. Ross Taylor went to Hamilton...

no wonder he didnt fit in at melbourne 🙂

@Tim time will tell on your prediction with the Canes. I think they will go second just like they have the last few years and they could make a run for it if Coles stays fit. He's the leader that needs to be there through the playoffs. They've got the firepower to murder any team on their day but will need home advantage if they are going to win the whole comp.

Because guys like Cridge, Aumua, Walker-Leawere, Fidow and Mitchell are all unproven means it's difficult to predict how they are going to go. They could very well flop and as a result the Canes will struggle but they could all also perform well and if they do then the skys the limit with that backline.

bro, your face is fucked up!

Looked like a ripper weekend in the stands, sevens of old?

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

@MN5 said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

@shark said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

@Smudge said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

@MN5 said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Black Clash - Cricket vs Rugby:

How did Kendra Cocksedge go?

Actually I don't care I just wanted to write Cocksedge.

I just about spat beer all over the pub reading that.

Sounds . . . lonely.

Yeah I thought that too. Kind of like a boast about being at the pub which comes off as completely sad because they're sitting there looking at TSF

Yeah you got me. No one ever looks at their phones in the pub aye boys ?

You sad bastard. Don't you know there are rules for where and when you can access TSF. It's also boastful to tell people you're at the pub you arrogant cnut.

Haterz are always gonna hate

Oh yeah. 'Chariots' Offiah

Likely to be quite a few from the 2018 Auckland squad who miss the NPC with World Cup duties. Some guesses off the top of my head:

Mike Sosene
Evan Olmsted
Fa'atiga Lemalu
Leon Fukofuka
Tumua Manu (no idea, but turns 26 this year)

Some other foreign qualified players who might get a call up:

Taniela Koroi
Marco Fepulea'i
Jarred Adams
Melani Nanai

@taniwharugby said in Hardik Pandya controversy:

@MN5 I'm good aye, 1 'decent' article out of God knows how many doesn't deserve a click...you should stick to what you know: Chris Gayle, Charlie Ngatai and rugby players from the 90s!

I've deliberately forgotten all I ever knew about Charlie Ngatai.

...and Impey does more than enough. Porte wins the climb, but Impey comes third on the stage and wins.

George got caught back in the field at the start of the climb and had to work to get up to Porte. Initially went with Porte when he kicked, but quickly obvious he didn't have the gas.

Pretty unfortunate for Paddy Bevin - very good chance of winning the whole thing goes west.

@Rugger-Quizzes said in My Latest All Blacks Quiz:

3000 or more test runs. New entry on the list.

New Zealand Test Cricket - 3000 or more test runs New Zealand Test Cricket - 3000 or more test runs

Name the New Zealanders who have scored 3000 or more test runs. Figures accurate to 12/05/2021

3.19 remaining........most of this was due to the spelling of one particular name...

@gt12 said in RWC 2019 ticket ballot:

No tickets available for the final (well, premium tickets at 2500 a piece available), but I got two for the AB/SA game, and two for the Japan/Scotland game. So, the gt12s will be at four games, including both semis.

Now, we'll see who we can bribe to try to get some tickets for the final....

After the restart I got the other semi for a fairly dear price, but, as you said, the finals were ridiculous, with only the top price available.

as if we needed another lesson about recording yourselves doing 'fun' stuff... pretty shit that someone is trying to drag these guys down so many years after the fact. Bit of a non-event and if anyone is surprised by the antics then .... not much you can do for em!

Get along if you can - it is a great ground and the atmosphere can be amazing (the Africans don't seem to get up for it as much v Australia as when they are playing us or the English).

@booboo said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:

Firstly @Crazy-Horse

Tough to be judged in retrospect but you just gots to wait for the fat chick to sing.

Secondly, I gave up too. Twice.

First, when I first turned it on and we were 85 for 5.

Second when they were chasing at (about) 120 for 4 needing less than 8 rpo.

Cricket is good huh?

Even shits and giggles cricket.

Random thunks:

Son of Sledge went well huh? Up to 140 clicks too. Good batting, coupla wickets, good fielding. Worth perservering with. me likes Ish Santner and Ish bowling together is a good combo in T20, despite @MN5 's expert opinion Braces was good too

Santner bowled ok. My criticism of him is mainly round his credentials in the longest form of the game.

@Crucial said in 1987 ABs vs 2015 ABs:

@Nepia said in 1987 ABs vs 2015 ABs:

@Crucial Haha, my bad, I didn’t read your original discussion about it and just joined in the kicking.

Plus I didn't want to highlight that his provincial heritage is dodgy 😉 (he is forgiven as he was only biding time at both Bays while his place was being readied)

I think you’ll find the only provincial team he has played for is the Bay and his current ‘place’ is in the Bay. He just travels up to the Tron for his rugby.

@MN5 said in Greatest Ever Sporting Comeback!:

@Godder said in Greatest Ever Sporting Comeback!:

Bowls reminds me of an awful joke... In rugby, they have referees. In cricket, they have umpires. What do they have in bowls?

Cereal...

That is outstandingly 'Dad' ish.....I love it !

Went and told my sporting mad son straight away

@ACT-Crusader alt text

@cgrant said in NZ team of the year:

Here is a mix of what I consider to be the NZ team of the year which does not mean that these players are the best in their position, but that they were the most influential.

15 - Ben Smith. Though his season had a few up and downs (the intercept try in the first test against France being a down), he is still by a mile the best fullback in the world.
14 - Seta Tamanivalu. Certainly the position where it was the hardest to name a player. I would have been tempted to name Ben Smith again but when I looked back at the Crusaders season, big Seta Tamanivalu was a powerhouse whose departure will leave a big gap.
13 - Jack Goodhue. It was his year and he immediately made a big impact. The find of the year for the All Blacks IMO.
12 - TJ Faiane. He's had a fantastic Mitre 10 Cup and was influential in Auckland's title. I am not sure if he is SR material but he is at home at the regional level.
11 - Rieko Ioane. We did not see the best of him this year, maybe because he had to play at 2nd Five for the Blues, but he is still the best 11 in NZ and probably in the world. Bridge's first cameo for the All Blacks is also worth a mention while Ben Lam's early rounds in the SR were impressive but he really faded during the second part of the season.
10 - Richie Mo'unga. He was one of the main reasons why the Crusaders were so effective this year. He was brilliant with them. The question is : can he do it with the All Blacks as well ?
9 - TJ Perenara. Who else ? Aaron Smith was out of form and TTT did not play enough minutes to figure in a team of the year.
8 - Akira Ioane. He is the player whose omission for the All Blacks was the most discussed. Though his game has a few work-ons, he is the kind of player who looks unstoppable when driving close to the try line.
7 - Ardie Savea. He's growing taller and taller. Great season for the All Blacks and he has signed a new contract with the NZRU, which is a very good thing.
6 - Dalton Papalii. He has been outstanding for the Blues and Auckland. I am not sure if he is a 6 or a 7, but he was one of the revelation of the year.
5 - Sam Whitelock. No comment.
4 - Brodie retallick. No comment.
3 - Angus Ta'avao. From a third choice within the Chiefs squad to the All Blacks is a great achievement. Since then, he was a journeyman at best. His performances for the Chiefs this year were outstanding and just stunning.
2 - Codie Taylor. He has really stepped up again this year. NZ are blessed to have two brilliant hookers in Coles and Taylor. The gap between them and the rest is huge.
1 - Karl Tuinuku'afe. Enough said of his fairy tale. He was a bit disappointing against Ireland but who wasn't ? With more experience, he will frighten his opponents.

Hahahahahahaha!