@canes4life great photo

@crucial said in Waratahs v Highlanders - QF: What I did do though, was try to put some understanding around their position over and above 'change the coach'. In short summary these are the points I made, and still stand by. You make some good points. And, in fairness, Tana came in with some coaching credentials - the team just doesn't look well coached. I'm not sure why, but after 3 years the responsibility has to lie with Tana. I realised last night that we should be over the highlanders with Sopoaga leaving. The fact htey are looking for Quade as a possibility tells you all you need to know about their depth at 10. Not good. Most years the series against the highlanders is the difference between playoffs and also-rans. This year not so much as we shat the bed, but going back that was certainly the case. It's bloody tough trying to get a struggling team going in the NZ conference. A proper round robin would suit us far more. Anyway, some of us still support them, even if it feels like getting smacked with a bit of 2x4 on a daily basis.

I quite like Laban. My issue with Lose is when he starts yelling when someone scores a try. I understand it is good to get excited for big plays but the guy literally starts yelling into the microphone - dial it back a bit.

Not a bad start from young Pari Pari Parkinson : one lineout steal against Sam Whitelock and a good workrate. Hard to say if he was effective at scrum time though.

@bones said in Highlanders vs Chiefs: Not a lot being said about DMac. Thought he was the pick of the 10s this weekend. Led his team brilliantly. Not surprising. DMac is usually only mentioned in a positive light, just so the writer can then point out the other reasons why they don't like him and don't want him near the AB's.

Parkinson was the stand out player IMO. Safe target in the lineout, probably solid at scrum time (the Highlanders' scrum had the upper hand), effective driving and great workrate. It is quite odd that it was his first start of the season. How such a player could have been ignored by Hammett ?

@rapido yea, i sort of remember those days. Around 2000 suddenly everyone had their hands in rucks, and cleanouts involved a heap of force.

@nepia said in Reds v Highlanders: @98blueandgold Yep, if any game highlights Smith's value to his team it's this one. They wouldn't have won without him. Sopoaga has been pants this year - what has happened to him? Lost his aura since declaring he was heading overseas.

@nta said in Waratahs v Highlanders: One in a row! Just glad it wasn't the Blues

@damo said in Highlanders vs Lions: @nepia said in Highlanders vs Lions: @damo said in Highlanders vs Lions: @nepia said in Highlanders vs Lions: @majorrage said in Highlanders vs Lions: The clan are getting away with forward passes all over the show .... then that lineout wasn't straight .... Yep, although, you could possibly give the TMO a pass for that not stepping on the line that Sumo keeps going on about - he was obscured by Sopoaga a bit and probably looked like a foot would have to be out from that. I thought the right foot was grounded over the touchline. Looked like the right call to me. Didn't look like it on any of the 3 or 4 replays to me (or Sumo). Willie Lose thought he was in touch (which makes me think I'm probably wrong). Wasn't Lose talking about a different scenario there? That was the one where the 'Landers took the quick throw and Thompson screwed up in midfield passing to Sopoaga?

Yeah it was just a DC drop goal last time, great stuff. Ireland, SA, Eng (if Eddie pulls his head out of his arse ASAP and drops some oldies and bloods some newbies), ABs even OZ cos they're always there or there about come RWC.

Romi Ropati is a shout for that 23 jersey. He was electric on attack. I loved his midfield partnership with Alatini. Brian Lima was very good for the Highlanders too. That 99 Highlanders team was just badass. They were tough, but also really creative.

@taniwharugby said in Bulls v Highlanders: @sidbarret only watched on highlights but on viewing I only saw it as being a PT, for me it was an easy call. Same.

@bovidae said in Blues v Highlanders: @steven-harris Sloane didn't select Mealamu in the 2002 Blues squad so he spent a season at the Chiefs. He made the ABs that year too. It isn't just recent Blues coaches who have made selection mistakes. I don't think that was a mistake. He deserved to be dropped and has basically said that himself. Mealamu has spoken about how he was happy just picking up the salary as a squad member. Getting dropped made him realise that his career was fragile and he took everything more seriously after that moment. The Blues benefited long term from that decision. If they kept picking him it's likely he would have faded away without making an impact on NZ rugby

@chris-b said in Highlanders v Brumbies: @booboo People would frequently ring in with quite reasonable and interesting points and Willie would rudely rubbish them and cut them off, when it was obvious their point had whizzed over his head. Came across as a complete tosser, I'm afraid. I was being kind

Being at the ground last week you can see why the hype is there for JB. He is huge, skillful, has a good rugby brain and as mentioned his defense has really improved. However, some of the media around him is bordering on ridiculous. Just let the kid play and develop.

@bones said in Hurricanes vs. Highlanders: @kiwipie said in Hurricanes vs. Highlanders: Late to the thread but what a try saver by Ben May. No idea why he was so far back in play but great to see a Fatty put in the big ones. What a fucken shamozzle by Li though. No brains to toe it ahead and no courage to make a play at it. It was moments like this that fucked it for the landers. Yep - saw a big man moving fast and decided to let him have it. Although conversely he may have been buggered as he'd just sprinted a considerable distance back and then forward again

@mimic said in Highlanders v Crusaders: @bones said in Highlanders v Crusaders: @crucial but as someone else has raised, bit antiquated that once the conversion is taken the try stands, why is that a thing? Surely as long as the kickoff isn't taken then it's not a problem. Its not a thing. Im sure I remember a player taking a quick conversion but the ref had none of it. I think it comes from a mis-understanding of the bolded piece in the TMO Protocols 2.1... Potential infringement by the team touching the ball down in opposition in-goal 2.1 If, after a team in possession of the ball has touched the ball down in their opponents’ ingoal area (including after a try is awarded and before the conversion is struck), any of the match officials (including the TMO) have a view that there was a potential infringement, within the list of offences (see 2.3) before the ball was carried into in-goal by the team that touched the ball down, they may suggest that the referee refers the matter to the TMO for review. 2.2 The potential infringement must have occurred between the last restart of play (set piece, penalty/free­kick, kick­off or restart) and the touch down but not further back in play than two previous rucks and/or mauls. Somebody, at some point, didn't realise that the word "including" does not mean "exclusively". Either that - or somebody thought that a conversion counts as a penalty/freekick/restart.

Kitshoff might be my favourite prop now. That young Stormers' 10 looks handy. From the games I've seen, it seems the SA teams are playing more attractive rugby this season. A.Smith is so annoying. Wish he was being annoying on my team. Been the best player in the comp in these early rounds.

I notice the Whitelock stats don't include the turnover he conceded when held up like a bitch by Tuipolotu and ref ruled collapsed maul. Whitelock did nothing, Ioane was everywhere, especially helping out Collins with the high balls. I really enjoyed this game, astounding to think it was the first of the season. Very even, very open, some cracking tries. In the end i thought the difference was the Highlanders elite players were just better. Aaron Smith is easily the best halfback in the world, and makes a massive difference to any side he plays for. Ben Smith was fucking handy as well, despite not being quite as sharp (understandable given his break). For the Blues they were pretty close, but their formation, and how flat they are playing, isn't going to work with SBW jogging on to the ball. Those big midfielders need to be hitting the ball harder to hold defenders, or generate the momentum to provide offloads (not that the blues outside backs were sniffing around them). Pulu still slows down far too much of their ball as well. Highlanders just looked more settled, and better coached.