The Silver Fern

@cgrant alt text

@KiwiMurph said in SF - Canterbury vs BOP:

It's a shame Poihipi isn't a starting 12 in Super. Class player.

@ACT-Crusader said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

@Canes4life said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

So close Northland. Canterbury are definitely beatable.

I think what this season has highlighted are that there are certain teams that play a way that trouble others.

I don’t think there is too much between the 8 teams that made the playoffs.

Yeah it feels like any of the top 8 can knock one another off on their day, it's about timing your run to the finals and making sure your players aren't gassed when they get there.

@ARHS Was that Nareki's first game back? He had some good touches, loved the kick that lead to the try.

@Crazy-Horse said in Canterbury v Auckland:

I wouldn't be too down if I was an Auckland supporter. Having finally watched the replay I thought Auckland were looking the better team right up to when the half back was binned. Even after that Auckland were not far off. On any other day Auckland might have won that.

Maybe,But Canterbury have started slowly this season every game and have played their best rugby in the second half.

Beautiful afternoon for some running rugby eh. 83 points is a fair outing.

@ACT-Crusader said in Canterbury v Hawkes Bay:

@Nepia said in Canterbury v Hawkes Bay:

@Stargazer said in Canterbury v Hawkes Bay:

@Nepia Yeah, that was so dumb! Total brain explosion. Still rather him than Sapsford or Higgins at 12.

Normally me too - but my anger at the forward pass and Toala stupidity hasn’t subsided yet. 🤣

I had to scroll through the thread three or four times looking for your posts of anger with the forward pass to Visinia for HB’s first try. Just couldn’t find them….

That one should have been reviewed by the TMO too (not sure why you expect me to get angry on behalf of your province) as it may well have been forward like the game changing one we're discussing.

@Stargazer said in Canterbury v North Harbour:

@Nevorian Owen Bell, is that a cross between George Bell and Owen Franks?

That’s him what a beast

Pleased I wasn't around to watch this! 🙂

@Bovidae said in Taranaki v Canterbury:

Pukekura Park looked in really bad condition after this match. Probably not the best ground to play on after heaps of wet weather.

Yep Bov, while good park for viewing etc, it's really a cricket pitch and not really going to hold together with as much rain as we have had.

@African-Monkey I think we need to do that same and get rid of some of the dead wood in this team.

@Crucial said in Manawatu v Canterbury:

@Winger said in Manawatu v Canterbury:

It was a good change Canterbury not always winning. But this team must be close to favourites this year

Pretty stacked team already and Ennor to come back?

Still not convinced by the Canterbury backs. Strangely, despite the scoreline and the long-range tries, I didn't think the backs were all that impressive. Not terrible, but good enough I suppose. They will be tested when Canterbury come up against a pack that can hold their own.

End-of-year awards winners:

Men's Player of the Year – Billy Harmon
Māori Player of the Year – Billy Harmon (New Brighton)
Men’s Rookie of the Year – George Bell (Lincoln University)

FPC Player of the Year – Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox (Christchurch)
Most Promising FPC Player of the Year – Hannah King (Lincoln University) and Atlanta Lolohea (Christchurch)
FPC Development Player of the Year – Samantha Spence (University of Canterbury)

Canterbury Rugby Awards - Episode 3 NPC & FPC Awards — Canterbury Rugby Canterbury Rugby Awards - Episode 3 NPC & FPC Awards — Canterbury Rugby

In the final episode of the End of Season Awards, we celebrated the award winners of our highest two teams, our Farah Palmer Cup and NPC sides.

Canterbury Rugby Awards - Episode 2 Representative Winners — Canterbury Rugby Canterbury Rugby Awards - Episode 2 Representative Winners — Canterbury Rugby

In Episode 2 of the End of Season Awards, we celebrated our representative winners, following another successful season for our Canterbury representative sides.

Canterbury Rugby Awards – Episode 1 Community Winners — Canterbury Rugby Canterbury Rugby Awards – Episode 1 Community Winners — Canterbury Rugby

In last night’s first episode of the Canterbury Rugby Awards, we celebrated all of those in our community who have put in the hard yards this year.

@duluth said in Waikato v Canterbury (Premiership SF):

I agree. Some goodish players and some potential. But the squad is nothing special.. I think a few people haven’t noticed the change in quality (particularly the Sky commentators)

the quality of rugby analysis and insight in the commentating teams is woeful.

@cgrant said in Canterbury v Hawke's Bay:

On the positive side, we must reckon the Magpies are a very well coached team. Kudos for Ozich and his assistants. They have done a great job with underrated players such as Parsons, Toala, Enari and Kaifa, just to name a few.

They are definitely no underrated by HB supporters at least. We know a thing or two about how to rate players properly given the torment of some of those thrust upon us in the past.

@act-crusader I agree though Canterbury got away with continually holding on to players after cleaning them out at the ruck so wasn’t all Wellington’s way.

We were discussing this leaving the stadium and joked that NZR would issue an apology during the week.

@gt12 Yeah, probably the pick of their backs.

@kiwimurph said in Auckland v Canterbury:

That must explain why Ardie is the AB number 8 - his renowned towering height.

1.88 according Mr Google (cough, cough bullshit). 2cm below adequate.

I had two moments of pure happiness this year - yelling at my tv until we lost the shield and yelling at my tv until we stayed up

@Snowy said in Otago v Canterbury:

@Kiwiwomble said in Otago v Canterbury:

@ACT-Crusader are you Justin marshall?

His comments are usually better than Justin. Low bar, I know.

Damned with faint praise

@mariner4life said in BOP v Canterbury:

@Hooroo said in BOP v Canterbury:

I'm a bit late, are we still dining out on this result??

we?

NZ Rugby as a whole.

That was a peach of a last 20 mins from us. I was supposed to be at the game but decided to go down a couple of weeks earlier instead. Mates still went though and are still celebrating.

Another thing. Chay Fihaki looked really good last night, which is great. But it annoys the living fuck out of me that Canterbury retain Fihaki, an Auckland kid out of Sacred Heart, and allow local lad Sam Gilbert to go to Otago. Both were in NZ U20 last year, and sure, Gilbert is a 15-cum-10 who can cover wing as he did last year for Canterbury, while Fihaki is a wing-cum-centre, but they're near enough postionally that it looks like Canterbury (and the Crusaders) made a choice and the local kid lost.

@African-Monkey said in Canterbury v Wellington:

@Chris Really? Looks can be deceiving I guess, he doesn't look that big at all and I have seen him play club rugby up close so that does surprise me weight wise.

Yeah he is quite a big unit

@stargazer I must be well over triple figures for the Wellington game by now. I am seriously considering buying another HB jersey to ensure I have enough left to last the entire club season down here as I'm sure some sort of sabotage/theft will occur to my sole jersey left given it is worn most Saturdays!

On another note, presumably the collared Ranfurly Shield edition jersey now gets mothballed until perhaps we get a challenge. Helluva shame as it's the best jersey since around 1993.

@mariner4life Sky has been showing archive NPC playoff games. I have recorded last nights Waikato-Canterbury SF from 1998, as I remember it well. I won't bother with the final. 🙂

For those in NZ, there is another replay shortly.

@Machpants said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

@Yeetyaah said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

Are the harbour players wearing their club socks?

Looks like it. Good money saving idea!

It was club round. They do it for a round every year and but thought most the provincial teams did something similar?

Ok. Cullen and playing at the Showgrounds Oval tips it in favour of the poo for me.

@Nepia said in Ultimate NPC: - Canterbury:

@shark said in Ultimate NPC: - Canterbury:

How did Deans become the final choice at fullback?

Home provinces get selection preference over your poaches, Rangi is playing for Tasman.

Isn’t it ironic?

I thought the most interesting selection in this game was Grace at 8. I wonder if that's a decree from above (Razor and/or the All Black selectors)? There's definitely an opportunity there for the Crusaders as we have better cover on the blindside in Blackadder and Sanders (Roots also) and really fuck all behind Douglas at 8. Given the MOTM award went to a debutant on the blindside, maybe he'll stay there for the season.

@Stargazer Might have to loan some players from Tasman.

Anybody else get that feeling we were going to capitulate against them again haha

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