Great tactical coaching by Razor , change the point of attack multiple times,Read the blues line out.
Pleasing to see some ABs stand up who were selected .
But a worry some others did not stand up under pressure.
On to the test season,Heads up Blues supporters your team has come a long way and will only get better.
Now to get fucking pissed.

I seem to be missing something with Fifita,I must be falling asleep during games and missing all the great work he is getting through to keep him in the AB squad.

Absolutely Gutted losing Symo,I coached with him with the Qld u/19s squad for 3 seasons.
Great bloke sad sad day.He could tell a great tale the big fella.

Big worry for me is Foster has no idea as an attack coach
We are floundering getting much gain at the advantage line and I dont see what we are trying to achieve with the ball in hand at times.

@steven-harris said in Blues vs Moana Pasifika 2022:

@chris the question i am asking myself at the minute , given what we saw with the All Blacks last yeat , has our forward play in all the NZ super teams dropped dramaticly since the South African teams have left super rugby …?.
It well be masking over the quality we are seeing

I am inclined to think our forward play has dropped off since SA teams are no longer in the comp.
They gave a point of difference in SR,Australia play similar to us so it’s same all the time.
Our SR teams don’t have the big hard SA packs to play against anymore.

Sure they didn’t always get the results but the SA teams many times had to go on 4 or 5 week tours to NZ and Australia which took it toll.
My opinion the SR comp is worse off without SA.

Ok I officially love Akira he has x Factor real teamwork there he could have scored himself.
I am converted.

@No-Quarter said in Drunk Marshall Abuses All Blacks:

What a dick lol, I half wish Akira had clocked him to teach him a lesson, but then we wouldn't have him for SA.

He may be a dick and drunk but at least someone who wore the Black jersey is giving it to the players for a few shit years of bringing the AB jersey down to the level it is now..There must be a lot of ex AB's upset at what is happening to the legacy they helped build.

Foster quotes from this week

“This is where you want to be in terms of the excitement,” he said. “We don’t want to lose a test, but we have, and to have a big game in front of us like this means the eyes go really quickly from looking back to forward. We’ve had some big days, but that’s the way it should be. The work that’s been done is fantastic.

**My Question MR Foster do you need to lose to get excited about fronting up in the Black jersey by losing the week before ?.
Is not pulling on that jersey enough to get the team excited.

“I can’t wait to play Ireland. We’re learning … well I think we already knew, but everyone else is learning that this is a high-quality team we’re playing. It’s a great examination for us. So we’ve got to show we’re smart and we’re learning as well.”

What have you learned in the last few years you have been involved not much that I can see.If you already knew it why did we play so. badly.
Just more BS Dribble with the same outcomes.

@taniwharugby said in How many Crusaders in your AB 23?:

@Damo Codie Taylor was poor, missed a crucial tackle and poor throwing, Ethan Blackadder were anonymous.

I thought Reece was one of thier better players.

Blackadder didn't play lol

And I have just run naked across the field

@Chris-B said in All Blacks XV:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks XV:

@Chris-B Very surprised he is not being looked at by the Crusaders given that he is playing for Tasman. He is quite a unit.

Seems to have improved significantly over the past year to 18 months. He may well already be locked in with MP - if they're smart he will be.

Yeah resigned with MP for 2023.

@FakatavaAllBlack said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones hope Abraham Pole gets a full super contract, did well as injury cover at Moana

Jason Ryan had good things to say about Pole when he filled in at the Crusaders before he went to MP.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:

@Chris said in Highlanders 2023:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:

Read a disappointing rumour, that we signed Leni Apasai as our third hooker prior to the NPC. Seems very stupid to sign a depth player without giving others an opportunity to impress

Henry Bell or Ricky Jackson who did ok filling in for the Crusaders this season would have been better choices.

Give me Henry Bell. I know everyone is jamming his younger brother. But, Henry has been great

Yeah he has played well especially the last couple of games.

@canefan said in So what did we learn from Bled2?:

@Chris said in So what did we learn from Bled2?:

This quote from Eddie Jones is showing us why we are no longer able to fatigue the Boks and the NH
teams like we used to.
We need a different game plan with bigger ball carriers. Strong kicking game and a very strong set piece to compete under the rules we have now.
As see Jones comments below we are preparing for games with 35 minutes of ball in play.
We need to speed the game up and dump a whole lot of unnecessary Laws.

“ Twelve months to the World Cup, we’re playing for a game that’s got 35 minutes of ball in play, so the ability to dress-rehearse, prepare the players for what’s coming up, whether it’s the first round, second round, third round, whatever it is, that is the opportunity going forward.”

35 minutes of ball in play is less than 50%. No wonder rugby can be such a snore fest these days

yep needs to change and quickly.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:

Read a disappointing rumour, that we signed Leni Apasai as our third hooker prior to the NPC. Seems very stupid to sign a depth player without giving others an opportunity to impress

Henry Bell or Ricky Jackson who did ok filling in for the Crusaders this season would have been better choices.

This quote from Eddie Jones is showing us why we are no longer able to fatigue the Boks and the NH
teams like we used to.
We need a different game plan with bigger ball carriers. Strong kicking game and a very strong set piece to compete under the rules we have now.
As see Jones comments below we are preparing for games with 35 minutes of ball in play.
We need to speed the game up and dump a whole lot of unnecessary Laws.

“ Twelve months to the World Cup, we’re playing for a game that’s got 35 minutes of ball in play, so the ability to dress-rehearse, prepare the players for what’s coming up, whether it’s the first round, second round, third round, whatever it is, that is the opportunity going forward.”

@canefan said in Foster:

@Chris said in Foster:

@Bovidae said in Foster:

@Chris said in Foster:

A meeting to see if Razor will take the All Black XV
Coaches job.

So he has to decide between his mate or his country.

Robertson accepting the AB XV gig seems like a no-brainer to me, as you have a foot in the door.

I believe he has been offered the AB XV job.

Surely he will take it. A small step towards assuming the reins of the big team in 2024

I think he will hence the meeting with Robinson.

@Bovidae said in Foster:

@Chris said in Foster:

A meeting to see if Razor will take the All Black XV
Coaches job.

So he has to decide between his mate or his country.

Robertson accepting the AB XV gig seems like a no-brainer to me, as you have a foot in the door.

I believe he has been offered the AB XV job.
I should add he has been offered it again.

@kiwiinmelb said in Foster:

@Rancid-Schnitzel apparently razor met with mark Robinson yesterday at nzru headquarters on a public holiday. And walked out together, Nobody knows what is was about . Hopefully his coaching contract post World Cup .
The funny thing is senz share the same building and same floor and they were giving live commentary as it was happening.
Not ideal for private meetings.

A meeting to see if Razor will take the All Black XV
Coaches job.

@nzzp said in Foster:

@ACT-Crusader said in Foster:

@Chris said in Foster:

@Crucial said in Foster:

@geeky said in Foster:

@Victor-Meldrew You're confusing sentimental respect & fondness for a colleague with "Praise".

Those players have (understandably) never actually detailed Foster's coaching ability, it's against protocol.

This is a bullshit re imagining to fit the mantra of "Foster is useless, kick him out".
Can't make him take all the blame for losses then claim that he had nothing to do with wins.
The problems have been shown to be more complex that that and quite possibly fixed.
To have quality players that have played under other quality coaches not only support his retention but to go into bat for him then heap praise on him after good performances indicates to me that he's more than just a nice guy.

Hang on,are you saying RM is a quality player?.

A Cadbury Man of the Match quality player.

Poll question: is the MOTM selection more or less of a lottery than the judiciary?

asking the real questions here

That’s a big question that one.