The Silver Fern

Louis Bielle-Biarrey

@barbarian said in Nomination - Ferner most like to have a beer with:

Mariner4life

Should really try to see if we can connect given current FIFO to Douglas. Just never have the time, and now not back that way until after New Year.

@Machpants said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

More possible good news from France, salary cap reduction

Jared Wright  /  Dec 4  /  Top 14

Billionaire Top 14 club owner calls for 'drastic' change to salary cap as meeting looms

Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti has called for 'drastic' change to the Top 14 salary cap ahead of a scheduled meeting later this month.

Heretic that can't be taken seriously: he criticised Siya ... !!

Favourite? For no other reason other than I like the way he plays: Glen Phillips

@Bovidae said in Black Caps vs England Series:

It's got even harder now.

England in New Zealand

'Good on you ICC': Stokes baffled by England's slow over-rate sanctions

England captain left confused by penalty after fourth-day win dents New Zealand's WTC hopes

"Baffled"? Yes Benjamin it appears you are ...

I'm not disappointed at all that my work back in the 00s isn't recognised in the naming of this award ...

Anyway ...

Dunno about stats, but noob @Mauss 's analyses should qualify him for something.

@Bovidae said in NZ Cricket:

There is an analysis article about Kane Williamson today regarding joining the 9000 test runs club. Worth mentioning is that he was the 33rd fastest to 4000 runs, 31st fastest to 5000, 19th fastest to 6000, 13th fastest to 7000, 10th fastest to 8000 and now 8th fastest to 9000. Getting better in the second half of his career.

The summary from the article:

How many have reached said milestones?

@Snowy it's talked a lot in Aussie sport, especially with reference to specific clubs.

I just wondered if it had been conflated. Although @Virgil 's post suggest some basis for applying to the ABs.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024:

Most AB debutants in a year since 2016?

But my gut feels is noone was introduced ...

@sparky said in Sevu Reece - in trouble again:

No dickheads means no dickheads.

From where does this "no dickheads" policy originate?

I recall "better people make better All Blacks". Some difference in that.

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@Bones said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@Bones said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@MN5 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

Beaver was getting quite hot under the collar there.

…….and good on him too, what a welcome change from the circle jerk Razor fluffers we’ve become so accustomed to.

I don’t like razor, but why not let him pick the players he wants? He was picked to be a winning coach and wants to pick players who play out of the country. This circle the wagons mentality from NZ rugby is shortsighted and is hurting your national team. Laughable that beaver thinks players have to sacrifice money play for the jersey. These are professional players!

I'm prepared to back Jake White over this disconnected waffle.

Sure, justify your viewpoint even if it means siding with a clown

It says something when White is more in touch with the vibe than you eh.

The vibe? Sorry, didn’t realize I was supposed to be vibing. With your provincial comps not doing well and rugby generally in decline in NZ picking players that will allow NZ to return to the top will incentivize youngsters to play and will pay off in the long term. It will also give more players exposure to rugby in places other than NZ and give them the chance to be noticed. Give razor what he wants and judge him on that.

He got the job knowing his resources. He got what he wanted. He wants to change the goal posts for short term gain.

SA have made their choice, and parochialism is influencing some people's opinions. We did this, thus our way is the best...

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2024:

@darylmitchell said in All Blacks 2024:

@reprobate

DP is taller and heavier than Read, heavier than Kaino, Sititi is 3kg heavier than Kaino, heavier than Read, Blackadder is the same height and weight as Kaino. Lakai is 110kg the same weight as Kaino.

Savea is really the only outlier, Jacobson and Cane are same weight as McCaw, I don't think you could be further off the mark.

Papali'i is listed as 193cm which I think is pretty close to the mark and Jacobson is a similar height. De Groot is listed as 190cm.

Kaino is listed as 196cm and Read 193cm but I wouldn't be surprised if these figures were the other way round.

Savea is listed as 190cm and Rieko is listed as 189cm but Rieko is clearly taller

Akira is listed as 194cm and Suafoa is listed as 196cm

I'd say a lot of the listing figures seem like BS.

I’ve taken a photo with Ardie and we are exactly the same height. He is 1.88m not 1.90m

Were you doing handstands?

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2024:

@booboo said in All Blacks 2024:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2024:

Can anyone explain the amazing balance Robertson describes with Cane, Sititi and Savea?

I thought Kaino, Read and McCaw were balanced and this new trio is nothing like that.

Balanced? They were arguably the greatest loosforward trio to play the game. Not sure we have that cattle now ... regardless of "balance".

Unfair comparison.

A better comparison might be the aussies trying to play 2 x 7s and it being shit, even though both their 7s were better players than their other loose forward options.
The initial comparison might be unfair due to player quality, but it's still a fair point re balance. And it's even worse if you look at the whole squad and add DP, LJ, EB, CLW, PL. Basically everyone except Finau is smaller than both Kaino and Read, and none of them are McCaw.

Yes. Agree with that.

@ARHS said in All Blacks 2024:

Against Italy it felt like watching the Crusaders, grinding out an ugly win.

Isn't the way the Saders grind out wins in 'Test Match style' one of reasons we al wanted Razor?

@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:

Every RWC elimination - except maybe Laurie, but he had Suzy to blame.

And low expectations

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:

10-4 could easily have been 8-6.

But it wasn't.

Could easily have been 14-0. But it wasn't.

The latter would have had us dancing in the street, and not questioning anything. Not that 4 losses is a good thing, but that record will keep him honest and not resting on laurels.

@brodean said in All Blacks 2024:

Can anyone explain the amazing balance Robertson describes with Cane, Sititi and Savea?

I thought Kaino, Read and McCaw were balanced and this new trio is nothing like that.

Balanced? They were arguably the greatest loosforward trio to play the game. Not sure we have that cattle now ... regardless of "balance".

Unfair comparison.

@frugby said in All Blacks 2025:

It is far from ideal to be taking tests offshore, but I would suggest it is the commercial realities of wanting to keep the ABs individual players from going offshore. The figures to play in Las Vegas vs Roto Vegas I am sure are eye-watering.

I don't actually believe NZR are hate NZ Rugby fans, but between the Silverlake Deal and trying to achieve the financial realities to compete with Japan it is the lesser of two evils. If they didn't do such things, I suspect the players would head offshore in droves, the quality of Super Rugby would suffer, and the game would take severe steps backwards in this country.

You and your "logic and reasoning".

Come on@Dodge , you're a wicket short.

Spoke too soon...