@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Pumas I:

On Patty T - for what it is worth he was brilliant against Southland last Friday. His form also got better and better for the Blues as the season went on (a bit like Moala) so not sure what the go is.

I've heard that Hansen mistakenly thinks he plays for the Hurricanes, hence why he's not selected....

Nice to be on the right side of a French call

@kiwiinmelb said in Things that annoy you about rugby...:

Ex front rowers who become commentators that get over excited over fat unco blokes running slowly with the ball

Speaking of front rowers, one little annoyance is a packed stadium yelling out BEAST, every time said beast gets the ball and makes less yards carrying it than Owen Franks....

Come on fellas, some of the provincial stuff coming out now and fluffing is terrible.

But hasn’t Richie, Whitelock and Goodhue played well

@majorrage Timmy came up with some big moments with both bat and ball. Had the odd “big” moment in the field that let us know our hearts were working too!

Really was a strange test but what a great result. The fact that the 4th innings was the best to bat in adds to the mystique of it. Whoever said it, low run tests tend to deliver the drama.

Also on Virat, I reckon he’s a class act. Think that we had to endure Ganguly and others. In fact it’s hard not to like this Indian side. They are a professional outfit with hard workers. Not unlike our beloved Blackcaps. Fitting final in my view.

Was really impressed with De Groot tonight. Bought some real steel to his game especially in defence and cleaning out.

@barbarian you’re doing a pretty amazing job bro. Holding down a job, being a dad, supporting your missus. Things that might seem like every day stuff, but cannot be sniffed at in these uncertain times.

That’s not to say that even when we are putting forth our best effort we don’t experience the highs and lows, emotionally and physically.

After lockdown 5 in Melbourne was announced I was pretty emotional about it because one of my daughters (just turned 11yo, grade 5) who had just got back into the swing of going back to school again was going to be taken out again and then all the readjusting would have to happen in two weeks. Lockdown 6 then happens and earlier this week she can’t help but feel excited about going back to see her friends at school, lockdown extended and yesterday was a tough day for her. Nothing I can do about the situation other than love her, talk to her, encourage her.

Sometimes things simply do not work out the way we think - relationships sour, kids get depressed, jobs are lost, businesses go under, another lockdown, families can’t be visited, loved ones are lost - things that are sometimes outside of our control. Something my old man taught me back when I was going through a challenging time, resilience isn’t about not experiencing the bad things in life, but maintaining a positive outlook when there are a thousand reasons not too.

Not always easy but I believe that each day there is a chance to put it to the test. Sometimes it’s during a walk outside or quiet moment at home, or an epiphany like moment that @mariner4life had that we can reflect on our life and make a choice.

AB MOTM - Ioane. Huge game from him.

@Jaguares4real said in SR Final: Crusaders v Jaguares:

Super Rugby final guide: How to say Jaguares

How to pronounce Jaguares properly

It’s pronounced ruh-nurs ah-p

@Chris said in RWC: All Blacks v South Africa (Pool :

Shitty unconvincing win we need to be a lot better then that to win the WC

No we don’t. All we need to do is win the game. Who really cares how.

@mariner4life it was interesting in that Melbourne Bledisloe watching Clarke and Ioane effectively change positions in the set piece defensive line with Clarke coming in closer and Ioane out wider towards the side line. Not that it made a difference because Clarke got smoked.

Post Nonu/Smith our best defensive midfield has been Crotty/ALB. Played both the drift and direct attack well.

Whether it’s personnel or pattern, something has to change quickly.

@mariner4life said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@gt12 said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@mariner4life said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@Frank said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@mariner4life said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@Frank said in Foster, Robertson etc:

@mariner4life said in Foster, Robertson etc:

Ireland run the same attack religiously, it has like 2 variations.

What are those variations?

Seriously?

I was asking you because, unlike me, you seem to know something about rugby.
I'm meaning their attack patterns.
Was interested in what they actually are.

Ok it's obviously way more complicated than this but

Check out videos from their tour to NZ. They compress their attack in to like half the field. And they either hit forwards running unders angles if the defence stays strung out across the field, or they use their backs running loops to outflank you if you compress.

This way they exploit where you are weakest. It works because they have great forward runners and their timing is excellent. If they had real pace at 13 they would carve teams. R Ioane at 13 for Ireland would be fucking lethal with the space they create.

The Maori actually stopped it a few times by spot tackling the looping player. But the ABs struggled with that.

The Maori played with much more of a rush, as they appeared to have a defense coach and system appropriate to the 21st century, and unsurprisingly caused that pattern a few more problems.

Helped by the Irish tram that was put out not being as powerful up front or crisp in their passing.

But yes, our defensive pattern actually plays in to the Irish hands as we like to isolate our wingers and rely on the centre holding in then using pace to cover. Ireland exploit that very seam.

I think our defence worked better when Ioane was on the wing because out there he knew how to defend using the side line. Not sure he’s got the defending the space in that sort of attacking pattern when he’s in the centre position, down pat.

@Canes4life the hoodie culture is back. I’s all gone downhill since Hammett left….

One of the better compilations made

Was a great game to watch.

Pinder was dominant. Got to the foul line 20 times. He’s never been a great FT shooter so finishing with 70% was damn good when attempting so many.

It became a real shootout in that 4th and agree Cooks fouling out was big and took away Sydney’s pick and roll option. Cooks just has time when he’s got the ball and whilst his 3pt shot is not yet a weapon, he does everything else at a very high level.

Nice to see DJ Hogg hit a couple of huge buckets, but Sydney didn’t play those high pick and rolls very well. Hunter was far too deep and should’ve been up to make DJ drive.

McCall was heaps better than the Breakers game, but he’s still a strange player in the Ford gameplan.

@cgrant said in Crusaders 2023:

@ACT-Crusader said in Crusaders 2023:

1 - J Moody
2 - C Taylor
3 - F Newell
4 - S Whitelock
5 - S Barrett
6 - D Gardiner
7 - E Blackadder
8 - C Grace
9 - M Drummond
10 - R Mo'unga
11 - L Fainga'anuku
12 - D Havili
13 - J Goodhue
14 - S Reece
15 - W Jordan

Bench
16 - B McAllister
17 - G Bower
18 - T Williams
19 - Q Strange
20 - T Christie
21 - W Heinz
22 - F Burke
23 - B Ennor

Let's hope Moody's back to fitness will be good enough to make him a starter, as this would be a very positive sign for much important things to come. But this is doubtful for two reasons : 1) he looked very old in 2021 and was a shadow of his former self; 2) Bower has developed into a very good prop.

Which is why it was such a shame that he got injured this year because he was playing so much better. Back to carrying the ball and looking far more dynamic (plus holding up the scrum).

I like Bower off the bench for both the Saders and ABs because of his impact.

@Stargazer said in RWC 2023:

The way the teams in Pool C have played this year you’d say Georgia are a real chance to make it to the QFs.

@Bones said in NZ and World Rugby Awards 2022:

@booboo said in NZ and World Rugby Awards 2022:

@Stargazer said in NZ and World Rugby Awards 2022:

Black Ferns Player of the Year
Ruahei Demant
Theresa Fitzpatrick
Stacey Fluhler
Sarah Hirini

No Ruby? But I'm picking Stacey

Missed out to a token forward passenger

I think overall from the earlier tests plus RWC, Demant may pip Fluhler.

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

Some cracking matches today

Sth Korea a bit unlucky not to snag a draw I thought. Makes it almost impossible for them to make it now because they’ll need a win against Portugal now and for Uruguay to beat Ghana…

@Winger said in Hurricanes 2023:

@Canes4life

Canes will be unbeatable supermen next year.

That can’t be good for the integrity of the competition.

Canes ruining super rugby circa 2023…