@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

@Canes4life More than likely a useful tool to protect muscles and ligaments- though probably won't help with broken bones and concussions.

@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