@rotated said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:

Deans made no demands and did not recruit his own assistants in 2008 with the Wallabies - famously he solely requested Lam himself as an assistant if he were the AB coach. Both had all the leverage to appoint brighter minds, but didn't see it as important. Many coaches don't when their ego gets in the way.

I've always thought that was a bit of bollocks, really.

Henry had an obvious advantage in that he could easily say he'd stick with Smith and Hansen. Unless Robbie had sounded out potential assistants - and that wouldn't necessarily be an obvious thing to have done, since he wasn't yet appointed - he wasn't really in a position to say "these are the guys I'm going to conscript".

It doesn't really matter now. If the ANC go for their land grab the Boks are over.

Every decent player will get an overseas contract the minute they can.

That the Boks are no longer the pinnacle just makes it more likely.

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Spoiler Text

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I'm surprised to see Retallick in the OP's list - he's a great player but was rusty as hell in his first outing for months. I'm sure he'll be smashing it come the business end of the season but he was off the pace, and a little ill disciplined last round.

Referee appointments

Match Blues v Chiefs @ Eden Park, Auckland Date Friday 2 March Kick-off 19:35 NZT Referee Ben O'Keeffe AR1 Brendan Pickerill AR2 Angus Mabey TMO Ben Skeen Match Reds v Brumbies @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Date Friday 2 March Kick-off 22:00 NZT Referee Angus Gardner AR1 Will Houston AR2 James Leckie TMO George Ayoub Match Sunwolves v Rebels@ Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo Date Saturday 3 March Kick-off 17:15 NZT Referee Egon Seconds AR1 Paul Williams AR2 Shuhei Kubo TMO Minoru Fuji Match Crusaders v Stormers @ AMI Stadium, Christchurch Date Saturday 3 March Kick-off 19:35 NZT Referee Nic Berry AR1 Jamie Nutbrown AR2 Cam Stone TMO Shane McDermott Match Sharks v Waratahs @ Kings Park Stadium, Durban Date Sunday 4 March Kick-off 2:05 NZT Referee Jaco Peyper AR1 AJ Jacobs AR2 Archie Sehlako TMO Marius Jonker Match Bulls v Lions @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Date Sunday 4 March Kick-off 4:15 NZT Referee Marius van der Westhuizen AR1 Rasta Rasivhenge AR2 Stephan Geldenhuys TMO Christie du Preez Match Jaguares v Hurricanes @ Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Buenos Aires Date Sunday 4 March Kick-off 10:40 NZT Referee Nick Briant AR1 Mike Fraser AR2 Jose Covassi TMO Santiago Borsani

Bye: Highlanders

I need to have a look at how they address the male physical elements and the impact of whatever treatment (meds etc) the transition person is taking. I get that changing hormone levels (or hormones at typical male levels) will lead to some loss of muscle mass and the like. But can that ever outweigh the other physical attributes that seemingly get carried over? That's the bit I'm dubious about.

Especially when we are talking about weightlifting and contact sports where there is already a selection process happening around physical talents. Although I reckon there is broader range in weightlifting than pro-AFL or other contact sports. If you transition as a 6 foot something 110kg+ pro or semi-pro athlete surely you have an advantage over the majority of elite females you are competing against? Even if you can create a level playing field on the physical side of things, there is still all that experience of playing against men and (on the whole) a higher degree of impact/pace etc.

My position on PED within male/female sports is that taking it gives you an advantage you never truly lose. Sure it drops off if you stop the drugs, but you've already benefited from the size/strength/speed it's given you. So instead of having a 2-3% advantage it's only a 1% advantage (note - all numbers pulled from my ass). But the point is you can't untake those drugs, much in the same way that you can't un-male yourself to compete in female comps.

I suspect medicine and all sorts of treatments will emerge in this space, but for the moment it's that awkwardness between fairness of competition and whatever level of support or validity you ascribe a gender transition.

@sneakdefreak said in Original haka is actually South African [Confirmed] [Footage Within]:

@mn5 said in Original haka is actually South African [Confirmed] [Footage Within]:

@pn said in Original haka is actually South African [Confirmed] [Footage Within]:

Thoughts on the rendition from the Varsity team? Judging by the results, it worked. Could just be their aura though, will need Nepia's input.

I'm sure plenty of Maori and plenty of SJWs acting on behalf of the Maori will be shocked and appalled and take to social media to express these thoughts.

Correction: One blonde shelia at NZH/Stuff will find one Maori criticising it on twitbook and then declare in an article that every single Maori in all in the land is #outraged. Then MN5 on thesilverfern will write a post saying plenty of Maori are outraged and the cycle continues....

I'm fine with it, just as I was with the US College football teams doing it. Could do with a bit more practice but as the old saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

That's probably pretty fair. Mass outrage is usually just a handful of people but that doesn't stop Stuff spreading their bullshit.

@majorrage said in Post your Super Rugby predictions:

Ngatai to have an injury plagued year

Crockett to give away a penalty

Check, check ...

Didn't we have a good short track speed skating team a few years back?

Quite good in the push him in the back relay thingame. Couple of 4ths at the Lumpucs after some good showings in the World Champs (couple of 2nds IIRC).

What happened to t hem?

Sunwolves:

15 Jason Emery, 14 Lomano Lava Lemeki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 Robbie Robinson, 9 Yutaka Nagare (captain), 8 Willem Britz, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Kazuki Himeno, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Ho Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki.

Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 James Moore, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Sione Teaupa

Williamson has looked best as an opener in the T20s but that isn't going to happen at the moment as our two best players are Munro and Guptill.

His dismissals have been very un-Williamson like.

The81stMinute Kezie Apps vs. Jason Taumalolo? Mad senator wants to see mixed gender sport Kezie Apps vs. Jason Taumalolo? Mad senator wants to see mixed gender sport

@magpie_in_aus said in All Blacks Tickets:

Hey team I am organising a stag doo/bucks weekend in June for the AB's vs French test in Dunedin.

Plan is to fly into chch hire vans and drivers and do an undy500 type trip down to dunedin (where many of us studied in yesteryear).

We are doing a costing for some of the lads at the moment. Roughly what would the cost of the tickets be for a June test in Dunners. Exams etc would have finished at least 2 days prior so lots of students won't be there as well.

Cheers

Tickets for the Wales game two years ago were from between $70-$150 depending on the quality of the seats. Regardless, there aren't really any bad seats at Forsyth Barr (well, comparatively speaking), so if you don't mind being end on, you can get away with some cheapies. Ticket-wise, you can generally select exactly where you want to sit, which helps, especially if you're buying more than 10 (the limit per person).

@catogrande said in Gregor Paul: How World Rugby conspired against the All Blacks:

@bovidae said in Gregor Paul: How World Rugby conspired against the All Blacks:

@canefan

Dave Gallaher was one of the best exponents of wing-forward.

From wiki:
The use of a wing-forward provoked controversy both in New Zealand, and later in the British Isles after the All Blacks toured there in 1905; wing-forwards were often accused of off-side obstruction of the opposition half-back. The wing-forward continued as a vital component of New Zealand rugby until long-standing complaints from the unions of the Home Nations resulted in the position being outlawed by the International Rugby Football Board in 1932.

There you have it. Flankers, cheating since 1905.

God bless us. 🕶

Took an Irishman to show you the way though.... 😈

Popped in to Mitte 10 for supplies, and battery died! Replacement secure but valuable time lost. C'mon Ye Blues!

@cyclops their win wasn't a 'moment'?

Been discussed a lot on RS, and the DG, similar to the 'pitch pole' for ETNZ in the Americas Cup and Elliot's 6 v SA are more what some see as a 'moment' than an entire game...a bit ambiguous and depends on how you look at it?

@taniwharugby said in 1995 RWC ABs team Dr confirms our suspicions:

@jegga given how little we play the Scots, be safe to assume someone still remembers!

The ABs always run scared when it comes to taking on the mighty Scots. It's getting tiresome.

@hydro11 said in Black Caps vs Pakistan Series:

@nzzp said in Black Caps vs Pakistan Series:

@hydro11 said in Black Caps vs Pakistan Series:

Umpires aren't making a call though - they are just going with whatever the fielder says.

Really? I think they are making calls.

Turning back to the cricket -- do you think it was a clean catch? I do - would have no major issues if a BC batsmen was given.

also, getting hands under the ball apparently seems optional right now. Ish,a nd then CDG dropping them 😞

I can't remember an umpire give a controversial catch not out in the past few years.

I think we're flogging a dead horse, but I would like to say I don't think this fully carried. TMO got it right - and really no objection to the onfield call.

Trans-Tasman T20 Morgan 'understands' Maxwell's reprieve Morgan 'understands' Maxwell's reprieve

The decision by third umpire Chris Brown sparked further debate about the use of TV pictures to judge whether a catch has carried