Haha! Well I got owned huh. I guess that's it then. Walden wasn't the best back besides Smith/Ioane and the Highlanders are much better off without him. Where we will struggle is replacing the massive impact Thompson had this year. Here's hoping whoever replaces Mauger can step up to match his sterling selection policy and guidance.

@Bones Then hats off to Hunt, defo should be on that under-rated list.

@Nepia said in Crusaders v Highlanders: But, I don't think anyone has ever said that the Hammetteur might not be a good assistant forward coach, but . I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest they might have.

@nzzp said in Highlanders v Blues: @Bones said in Highlanders v Blues: @nzzp Just me that is instantly irritated at the sight of Christie then? Definitely triggers me. That feeling of wanting to throw up when he scores against your team.... it's only because you're racist against ginga. PAUL TITO TOM ROBINSON FINLAY CHRISTIE HELP I'M OUT OF REDHEADS James Blackwell Cullen Grace Mitch Drummond comes close Ayden Johnstone's beard, too Oli Jager's mo Sam McNicol's beard

Halfbacks discussing their Bantam weight scrap post match -

@Darren haha agree with you there

@Darren said in Highlanders v Crusaders: Smith was amazing, if he is not the highest paid AB then he should renegotiate. Now is really not the time to re negotiate your contact lol

@pukunui said in Blues v Highlanders: @Bones said in Blues v Highlanders: @pukunui I think there was one early on in this game! I said rarely, not never, so there may well have been. Which would highlight how inconsistent it is. Oh I know, I've never seen it, that's why I was surprised and at the same time TJ mentioned that it is one of the areas the refs are looking at. Always annoyed me that it should be ruled so differently.

@Hooroo about 20 or so? Didnt stand out, but then his team was getting bullied and didnt look like they had much of a game plan, so tough to make too much of an assessment

Juan Cruz Mallia, Sebastian Cancelliere, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), Santiago Carreras, Domingo Miotti, Felipe Ezcurra, Tomas Lezana, Marcos Kremer, Francisco Gorrissen, Lucas Paulos, Guido Petti, Lucio Sordoni, Agustin Creevy, Mayco Vivas Reserves: Julian Montoya, Javier Diaz, Joel Sclavi, Matias Alemanno, Bautista Pedemonte, Gonzalo Bertranou, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Santiago Chocobares

@Darren not to mention that consistently one of the best and most influential players over the past couple of seasons is sitting on the bench... and he's a fucking 12! But yeah let's disregard how good Ioane was at 10 last year.

@Stargazer said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4): @nzzp Nothing wrong with two koru. Anyway, I'm not going to have this conversation again with you lot. I knew someone who's name was Christopher P Bacon. Chris P Bacon. His parents could blame people for laughing at it, but at the end of the day it's on them.

The red card would have made a difference, in all probability. But the Ponies fucking bottled that. One shitty exit - when they're getting the upper hand - leads to a chargedown try. A failure to close the game out gives the Clan the penalty they need. They shouldn't take any time to blame the officials for what was a completely fucking unfathomable decision to award a yellow instead of the blindingly obvious red for contact to the head.

@ACT-Crusader poor @booboo

Fuck it! There goes one of Tasman's aces!

@Yeetyaah said in QF1: Crusaders v Highlanders: Bloody Landers. Was backing them for the slim chance of a Chiefs home final. First half was great from both teams. Squire ruined the chances. Dunno what was up with Franklin swearing at the ref either. Crusaders too good. Rebuilding time for the Landers. Thanks for the memories Bender. @Jaguares4real See how I've written slim chance? I'm backing my boys but I know it's going to be a hard slog.

@Steven-Harris said in Highlanders v Bulls: If you were picking people on super rugby form Jackson Hemapo and Liam Coltman should be joining Brad Weber on the plane to the RWC..totally underwhelmed by Naholo .just looked absolutely lethargic this evening despite getting over the whitewash Don't disagree with this. Coltman in particular has improved massively in the last few years. Have been watching some old AB games while exercising. Naholo of 4 years ago was incredible - just massive power and pace. Was playing wales, they showed him the sideline, and he just disappeared. Not seeing that from him at the moment. Also used to be a real menace over the ball. Now he seems a bit more like a donkey, can't make good decisions going into aerial contests, and positionally weak. But - who else do you take with any experience?

@Chris-B said in Stormers v Highlanders: @Jaguares4real Right now, there's a pretty decent chance of the Crusaders and Jaguares finishing 1 and 2 for the regular season. The Jaguares have one of the easier finishes to the regular season - but, probably can't afford a slip up, because the Brumbies have an even easier finish.

Sloppy by Faddes, or just plain slow?, to let Kwagga chase him down and not bring that try under/near the posts. Had a huge head start. Cost them a bonus point in the end.

@Victor-Meldrew said in Highlanders v Jaguares: @Bones said in Highlanders v Jaguares: @Victor-Meldrew said in Highlanders v Jaguares: @sparky Looks a great prospect but early days for Josh Ioane (and don't forget he's playing outside of arguably the best 9 out there). But, yeah, well worth Hansen and co. getting him into the squad and having a good look at him in black. He's not exactly going to be playing outside Ruru if he makes the ABs... Fair point. But the same argument holds for Otere Black. He'd be a bloody legend! Get him in there!

@cgrant said in Highlanders vs Chiefs: For a few Ferners here : it's Jacobson and not Jacobsen. Pity. It would make a better story if he was the son of Danish migrants.

@MajorRage Yes, 5th to 14th are really close. Basically everyone - except the Sunwolves - is still playing for a spot in the finals.

@Chris said in Highlanders vs Blues: @pakman if you wish to be pedantic Or not confusing

Okeefe HaHaha

@Higgins said in Highlanders v Hurricanes: And that is why you take the gift three points, a draw is waaaaaaay better than a possible win/probable loss in my books I thought about that, but given they were in bonus point territory, they were only sacrificing one point by trying to go for the win.

@Bones said in Blues v Highlanders: @Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders: He’s a commentator that wants the Blues/Auckland to lose. Stuff that other teams do, he pulls the Blues up on and just doesn’t mention it for the other four. Like what though? It thoroughly perplexes me too. Yeah I have been listening out for it too, but just don't hear it. Nobody seems to give any specific examples either.

@sparky said in Hurricanes vs Highlanders: Aaron Smith, James Letjens and Pari Pari Parkinson did well for the Landers. Dane Coles, Ardie Savea and Ngani Laumape were outstanding for the Hurricanes. Laumape is the player of the competition so far IMHO. He's coming along well, hopefully they ditch the ease him into Super rugby plan and just play him.

@Siam Sky does play the NZR bills so they're unlikely to give you more than a minimum to encourage you to buy from sky

@taniwharugby said in Highlanders v Reds: @booboo no my view was on deliberate knocks full stop should be illegal, not a misunderstanding of current rules. Where someone has no show of regathering an intercept but just slap at the ball, back, up, down, forward. Ok. Sorry to drag you into it Edit: won't get into that one here...

@Duluth lucky nobody on here got on their high horse insisting that they knew the laws and it was a straight red. #nobody knows the fucken law interpretations with any certainty

@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 ?