I feel like the free world is at stake. A battle of good vs evil. Will we wake on Sunday morning to a scorched earth where 10-man rugby overlords have mercilessly crushed all opposition or will the larks be singing and the crickets chirping as running rugby once again spreads its verdant wings and rays of golden sunshine bathe a benevolent populace? These are troubling times my friends but let the blackness bring light.
That was a great test match and hats off to the Boks who were good value for their victory. For the ABs, I thought Weber had a great first half. Backs were generally pretty good TBH, maybe Havili could have done a bit more. But it wasn't in the backs that the game was lost.
I said it already, and I'll say it again, when you have Aumua and Tuipulotu as replacements, you are in lineout trouble. The former just can't be depended on to throw, and the latter is just not a jumping lock. Probably cost us the game. The starting props were also kept on 5 minutes too long. Really missed Whitelock.
I don't like having a go at the match officials, and fair play to Carling for having the guts to whistle penalties at the end, but there bad calls both ways. The worst for mine though was Mpimpi being a good few metres offside on the kick chase, not spotted by anyone.
I don't think you can be too hard or disappointed in the ABs, the Boks are our major foe for a reason - they are also bloody good at rugby!
TB said he would never coach Australia.
That’s AB credentials right there, jumps to the head of the queue.
I have a fundamental and philosophical problem with all this: why does being the child of a rugby star who earned and spent a lot of money entitle you to charity to pay for your later education?
Did Jonah have life insurance? Can Nadene work and provide for her kids? Etc.
I really liked Jonah but the aftermath of his passing and this saga is fairly unpalatable.
I heard match organisers are planning for a delay between the anthems, the time for the South African medical staff to attend to the players with injured vocal cords.
Saw this on the guardian
My mate has been given two tickets for the England vs Sweden game. He’s getting married today and can’t go. If you’re interested and want to go instead of him, it’s at 3 pm at St Mary’s in Bromley and her name’s Sarah.
I’m happy for Todd too.
Whether you support his selection or not always happy for a guy who didn’t throw a sook and head overseas at the first obstacle
Poor old PGS. Should never have been there. Doubt he plays for NZ again. And now ineligible for Fiji.
@Mokey said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
If being an island and 5m population made beating the virus so super duper easy, how come Ireland has 25k cases and over 1600 deaths?
2 different political systems on the one island with no desire to put up a physical border again
Lots of contact with the UK one of the major epicentres of the virus
Ski holidays in Italy and France at the moment the virus took off
3 hours flight gets you to multiple destinations in Europe. 3 hours flight from NZ barely gets you to Australia
Cheltenham horse races at the time the virus was taking off
Not only flights but also ferries into Ireland/NI
Population density higher in Ireland than NZ
Socialising in pubs is what the Irish do, much more so than in NZ
And so on. It's a great achievement, but don't be turning into a smug self-satisfied Kiwi now please!
"We're pretty excited about the next challenge of playing at Ellis Park for a trophy."
The guy seems to dine out on losses in search of the next thrill.
@nostrildamus said in Foster must go / Assistant Coach changes:
@Billy-Tell said in Foster must go / Assistant Coach changes:
@sparky said in Foster must go / Assistant Coach changes:
Razor to be in charge surely when the ABs play Argentina in Christchurch on August 27th?
He’d be on a hiding to nothing. As a minimum he would need to be allowed to reselect a squad. He seems to be a good coach (untested at international level) but he needs time. I mean let’s say he takes over and we keep losing. Then what?
Well we are currently 5th. I'm not sure how much more we can plummet.
Lose to argies and we will go lower. The only team is still be confident against is Italy. Any if the other 4N and 6N sides I’d not bet my house.
@sparky said in Foster must go / Assistant Coach changes:
Razor to be in charge surely when the ABs play Argentina in Christchurch on August 27th?
He’d be on a hiding to nothing. As a minimum he would need to be allowed to reselect a squad. He seems to be a good coach (untested at international level) but he needs time. I mean let’s say he takes over and we keep losing. Then what?
Key RWC pool game will be ire vs SA. Winner gets NZ loser gets France. Neither will want France.
If (when) foster goes I would let the new coach start on the NH tour.
I’d go interim coach or even player/coach. Such a mess.
This is what happens when you don’t take objective things like onfield success and choose foster based on an interview.
The way things are going the Eden park hoodoo and the bledisloe are up for grabs.
I see foster saying it’s the best we played all year. Sums it all up really.
All it needs now is Hansen to stick his nose in and say "Foster is a great coach".
First up the good news
Starting with the forwards
Backs
Surely Foster must go?!
@Steve said in Springboks v All Blacks I:
Laumape would be really handy right now.
If in doubt just shovel him some hospital ball slop.
Recycle.
Try again.
Ah. I guy who runs into a brick wall and was a failure in France where they like that sort of thing. Yip really handy. A stupid game plan is our biggest issue at present. This is not exactly screaming Einstein.
Once the envy of every rugby nation on all levels we are now like a banana republic African country.
