The Silver Fern

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@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:

@SouthernMann i’m predicting he will be in a Highlanders jersey this time next year .

So am I. A little surprised when Dermody was asked recently which local guys have been called in to cover the loosies and he said Harry Taylor and Sam Fishcli. I'd have Casey over both. The guy Casey remind me a bit of is Sam Harding. Similar running style and build.

Recent interview with Casey on the ODT's club chat.

Apr 30 ODT Rugby Chat: Form players share their insights ODT Rugby Chat: Form players share their insights

Today on ODT Rugby Chat we talk to two of the form players in club rugby this year, Lucas Casey from Kaikorai and Cam Burgess from Dunedin.

Going out on a limb to say those initial shots are from training at the start of the week, hence the bibs as opposed to the usual white alternate kit. I'd be surprised if Grant is at 10.

JFH back for the Warriors.

With both TMM and Healey named on the bench, I expect one to drop out of the 17 before kick off, preferably for RTS, meaning Capewell can strengthen what looks like a weak bench at the moment.

While I’m enjoying the close wins, my heart rate would appreciate a more comfortable win this week… a good start to that would be shutting down the Dolphins dangerous outside backs.

@Chris-B said in Other Cricket:

@MN5 said in Other Cricket:

@Chris-B said in Other Cricket:

@No-Quarter said in Other Cricket:

Kohli's overall test stats put him a level below Smith, Kane and Root, but he was a player that really rose to the occasion and seemed to thrive under pressure rather than fold.

I think that's why stats shouldn't be treated as the be all and end all.

As Virgil points out, if he'd walked away in 2019 he could have averaged 55.

I'm happy to have him on the same tier as Kane et al.

He's played 550 international matches to Kane's 371!

More opportunity - but, also more attrition....

Yeah 30 test hundreds is pretty damn epic.

…….and 46 is still what I’d consider at the top end of very good test averages.

Yeah - history won't record how The Don would have gone if he'd played another 498 international matches.

Yeah the average might have plummeted to 95

@nonpartizan said in The thread of learning something new every day:

@Bones said in The thread of learning something new every day:

@nonpartizan yeah think it took me until my early twenties maybe.

The classic case of you look at the picture one way you see this, the other something entirely different....

@nzzp said in NZ Cricket:

@SouthernMann said in NZ Cricket:

What we can take from this is that Hess loves money.

They don't get the India money though (obviously) and aren't (or certainly weren't) super wealthy.

Remember when Mohammed Asif got pinged for spot fixing at Lords? He was on 35k USD/year as an international bowler. Given that was a fair few years ago, but Pakistan wasn't splashing money around then - no idea how it is now

Seems like they were willing to pay Watson $2mil a year last year.

Hess will also need to stand down for his Indian roles

Redirect Notice

We've all thought about it...

https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/s/36jadspgxe

@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:

From today's Stuff article by Aaron Goile.

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Double upvote for analogue!

Daly played for the Barbarians against the Lions

@Chester-Draws said in NZ Sevens 2024-25:

Now do the men's!

There would be fuck all black in the graphic! This season they had their worst ever win %.

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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:

@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2025:

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:

Kini has likely played his last game for the Canes. Gone for the season.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360678437/hurricanes-lose-top-try-scorer-kini-naholo-long-term-knee-injury

Just spoke a Japan contact about this.

‘The club were waiting on the result of the injury and that will impact his contract’ were the words.

Seeing as it’s an ACL, I wouldn’t be surprised if they can withdraw their contract offer, either that or it would be for a significantly less sum . Might end up seeing him back in Canes colours next season if the above happens.

Here's hoping. I think the form he was in pre injury probably had him re-thinking his choice in Japan anyway.

Club he was/is heading too looks likely to drop to Div 2 if what the Taranaki union man told me is correct, so they may see it as good chance to save some $s anyway. He would probably be wasted there.

Rathkeale are always going to have to travel, but going all that way to get quite a few hidings must hurt extra.

@KiwiMurph said in NBA Season - now 24/25:

@canefan said in NBA Season - now 24/25:

@African-Monkey said in NBA Season - now 24/25:

@canefan said in NBA Season - now 24/25:

IMHO Dallas ownership don't deserve that kind of luck. It's not like they got scammed, they ran they superstar out of town and badmouthed him as he left. They should be cursed

It was rigged lol let's not play dumb here.

Maybe in the old days. Not so sure now. There's too much at stake, don't they get one of the major auditing firms to oversee the lottery? A quick Google check says Ernst and Young oversee it

If they want to be transparent they would show the actual draft lottery - not just release the results

2008: Derrick Rose going to his home town Chicago when the Bulls had a 1.7% chance

2011: The Cavaliers getting the #1 pick after LeBron James left the summer prior

2012: The Pelicans getting the #1 pick after Chris Paul leaves

2019: The Pelicans getting the #1 pick after Anthony Davis demands a trade

2025: The Dallas Mavericks getting the #1 pick after trading Luka Doncic at the trade deadline with a 1.8% chance

It's rigged as all hell

I would be all for televising the lottery. Just like a lotto show, it would make great telly as the respective teams find out their fate in real time

Dragon News : Dragons sign Tongan ace Inisi

As for the rest of the card. Other standouts were the Santos v Lee prelim, terrific fight.

Barriault sending Silva off in a stretcher was pretty scary.

Great win by Stirling.

Jasudavicius dominated, might be against Grasso/Fiorot next.

Malott was awesome but damn cringey in his interview. "Canada I fight for thee" or some shit..

Silva dominated Grasso, such an interesting style of fighter, guess she is next in line for Shevchenko.

Zahabi fight was an absolute roller-coaster, father-time undefeated since Couture's retirement so the end of Aldo.

Shevchenko, Fiorot fight was riveting for the whole 25 mins.

Overall a way better watch than I thought when the card was announced

@pakman said in All Blacks 2025:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:

Thanks to Mauss for the Opta stats link. I couldn't be fucked working much this morning so had a bit of a play. Interesting numbers. I had a look at the AB loosie candidates plus a couple and some Aussies. From most to least:

Attacking rucks/minute: EB, DP, Withy, LJ, Kirifi, Parker, Grace, Segner, Tizzano, Lakai, McReight, Lio-Willie, Valetini, Finau, Savea, Sotutu, Wilson.
Carries/min: Valetini, Wilson, Savea, Sotutu, Lio-Willie, LJ, Tizzano, EB, Kirifi, Grace, Parker, Withy, Finau, McReight, Segner, DP.
Tackles/min: EB, Wilson, McReight, DP, Grace, Tizzano, Kirifi, Withy, Lakai, LJ, Lio-Willie, Segner, Parker, Savea, Sotutu, Finau, Valetini.
Defensive rucks/minute: Savea, Kirifi, Withy, DP, McReight, Tizzano, EB, Lakai, Segner, Sotutu, Valetini, Grace, LJ, Lio-Willie, Finau, Parker, Wilson.
Adding them all up, for a loose 'ínvolvements/min': EB (and it's not close), DP, Kirifi, Withy, Tizzano, Lakai, McReight, Savea, LJ, Grace, Lio-willie, Wilson, Segner, Valetini, Parker, Sotutu, Finau.

Stats never tell the whole story, but interesting nonetheless.

One clear variable is actual position. The No. 8s are at end of list and open side flanks at beginning.

Withy's position is interesting: doesn't he play blind side?

Yup, lots of different ways to cut it.

If you look at the % gainline for carries, then it's Finau, Segner, Sotutu, Valetini, Lio-Willie, Lakai...
Dominant tackles/min: Parker, EB, Mcreight, Finau, AS, Withy, Lakai...
Steals/min: Kirifi, Savea, McReight, LJ, DP, Lio-Willie.

The thing really is about balance in the back row and the whole forward pack. As soon as you decide to pick Savea who does not hit many attacking rucks, you need to balance that by picking other players who do clean. DP hardly carries the ball for the Blues - does/can he change his role for the ABs - or do you need to pick a couple of high carry guys if you want his exceptional attacking ruck and tackling work?

I have been impressed with Withy this year, but was still surprised to see how good his stats were.