@sparky said in Sam Cane - All Blacks Captain:

Which test was Andrew Hore ABs captain for?

It was a club game.

@snowy said in RIP Phil the Greek:

One more year and he would have got a message from his wife.
Wonder what that would have been?

Actually feel quite sorry for the old girl. She really did love him.

A couple of years ago the son and his partner were doing the Windsor Castle walkthrough while we were in the pub. ('Two Brewers' if you are looking for a good one there) and while others in their group went rushing from item to item they stopped to just look out a window onto a courtyard. A door opened and out came Lizzie with a couple of dogs, a car pulls up and out hops Phil. She has a big smile and goes and gives him a hug. They luckily witnessed a totally real and candid moment between the two.

My own little experience was more formal but we got an invite to one of the garden parties at the big London house and then got selected to meet the old girl as she wandered through the garden. Anyway it is all quite formal and you get introduced etc. The wife and I use different surnames and because of a quirk in the way it was set up ended up standing on either side of a couple of friends. Anyway she has her little chat along the line to the others. Work talk. Then gets to me. 'and what brings you here Crucial?'. I pointed to the wife and said 'I'm just here as support and logistics for her'. She actually laughed and said 'Oh, I have one of those as well'.
After she moved on to the next group and we were released we had so many people come up and asked how we made her smile and laugh. The 'joke' was weak so I can only assume it was thinking about the silly old bugger.

@cantab79 said in AB Test Team v France.:

Can't believe people are seriously suggesting that Steve Hansen has not called up Akira Ioane because he is saving him for the Maori team. Is there any precedent to back up this theory? Luke Whitelock has outplayed Ioane at both Super Rugby and Mitre 10 Cup levels this year, and that's why he's been selected.

How does that pie taste?

Look. Tana and BOD have buried the hatchet and are sharing a laugh.

Next on Tana's list are @Kirwan and @Duluth

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@booboo said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@Victor-Meldrew said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):

Apparently BOD was a pundit on the Irish coverage and didn't take the result well. If anyone has the footage and can post it I will be eternally grateful

Was on the ITV coverage.

He had the look of a man who's swallowed a wasp during during a live TV interview and that distracted him from the fact he's also having a severe bowel spasm.

Excellent.

A quarter final exit is an Irish tradition isn’t it?

Planet Rugby’s Ireland fans are still delivering gold

“We knew all of this in advance.
That’s why Joe player what he felt was his best team.

In cooler weather, better ref, neutral location both teams given the same amount of rest and our B team puts 40 points on them.

Do we really think that Japan making the quarters wasn’t just what WR wanted?

At this rate Japan might make the semis or better.

Reminds me of Korea/Japan WC in the football.”

Also a whole thread about how bent Gardner is

http://forum.planetrugby.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91481&sid=5594db999ca625c55956a0becc14a9dc

I don’t remember bok fans being this graceless at all and their team came back and gave ours a hell of a game in the semis.
I hope Heneke Meyer had a smile on his face last night .
The only downside for Japan is no one in their pool is going to take them lightly so they’ll be playing their top side if possible.

As a neutralish observer (I was obviously backing Japan) I didn't notice any obvious issues with the officiating. Did anyone? (Haven't read the thread.)

What are their specific whinge? Or is it just victim mentality?

Some of them have been saying Japan had an advantage because they play in the super rugby comp and are more used to the way Gardner refs .

Victim mentality, delusions of grandeur or just ungracious arseclowns? Take your pick

According to comments on the42 Ireland were beaten by some fella called Hugh Middity.
He wasn’t on the team sheets but must have been there because everyone is saying “Hi, Hugh Middity”

@allblacksfan72 said in Are there any All Blacks wildcards left ?:

How about George bridge? Has all the qualities needed for test rugby

A red and black jersey?

What about stupid people that think they can coach and select the ABs but have no clue about it. They can piss right of!

Took a drive yesterday (only 5 km over the regional border) to a farm in the Wairarapa and picked up a new pup. 3 month old black lab. Very cool little fella. This will keep me busy.

Can someone please correct this thread title. It is doing my head in.

@booboo said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"

I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp. A rough example got like this...

"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"Akira has a foot injury"
"He's an idiot anyway"
Pause
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"..and he's fat"

Any chance we can lift the level of commentary back up to the usual low Fern standards? These depths are PR like.

Last few pages?

I know. It's just that after a few months of reasonable discussion where people seemed to accept the obvious that the first team of the year would be best (and likely) to have as much experience in it as possible and the knowledge of disruption from covid we have a new pile on claiming that the selectors should have a whole bunch of untried players (while at the same time de-crying a very experienced SB because he isn't experienced in the position he has been selected in.

All this with zero idea of the gameplan. Barrett's speed matters nothing if we plan to drive up the guts and/or force Ireland to go wide to make metres

Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"

I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp. A rough example got like this...

"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"Akira has a foot injury"
"He's an idiot anyway"
Pause
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"..and he's fat"

Any chance we can lift the level of commentary back up to the usual low Fern standards? These depths are PR like.

@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Kirwan Don't think that's right. In one of our few big plays in the game, Scott ran down the English wing!

He has good pace. For a lock.

Same reason I'm not convinced about Vaai at 6 either, much slower than Akira, Dalton, PGS, Cane, Savea, Blackadder, Grace (I could keep going).

Vai'i as a 6 was a stopgap and he did a pretty good job. I liked what I saw but more in potential rather than where he currently is. I'd imagine that he has room to up his speed work training wise.
His future is far more prescribed at lock though and unless he's presented with a clear plan to move position he should stay where he is.

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

If Dalton isn't 100% why is he on the bench given there's 2 x 7s in the starting loose forward trio? Akira injured but are Hoskins and Vaai covid/injured?

Yeah I couldn't understand that one, then Foster coming out and saying SB is a option at 6 potentially long term.

He's not even a legit 6 option for the Crusaders, only when there are injuries. Given test rugby is alot tighter I'm sure he has the skills/athleticism to play there but just strange he's plonked there after being picked in the squad as a lock and Foster & co speaking highly of Va'ai as a 6 option.

Yeah I think he could play there as he did well for the Crusaders but its strange messaging and selections isn't it,Players picked like you say Va'ai as a lock but mentioned by Foster as real option at 6 now Barret is a 6 option maybe long term.

I'm sure that the messages the players are getting aren't like that though. If there was you'd see a mutiny like the BFs had. The players here actually seem to respect the coaches despite the public comments.
Ido agree though that a lot of Foster's public support problems come from his poor communication with fans though. There's confusion and a lack of clarity which leads to everyone thinking the worst.

I hope the players are not getting these messages,Confusing at the moment to us mortals.

You dont think that the players hear from the coaches more than we do? Just a possibility.
They might even ask questions and be told things .

I fucking hope so or we are in worse shape than I already think we are under Foster and co.

Why do you keep on about this. It's quite obvious and logical that they do.

I'm pretty sure that 'let @Chris from TSF know the plans and player messages' isn't part of Fosters PD.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Duluth said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Kirwan well we had a lock out injured within days of squad naming, he wasnt even replaced, yet they called in Ennor, Telea and Lomax within days...

Assume, regardless of lock or loosie getting injured, Grace is likely next cab?

There's enough squad cover for a loose forward injury. If a lock went down I think they'd go for a specialist, maybe Dickson

A certain ex-Blues captain has been with the team in Auckland. He probably can't play though.

Not needed at the moment but I agree that it is crazy that Pat T and DMac are off limits. They have both re-committed as far as I know. Just waiting to run on for their province for 10 minutes then lo and behold it's all good.

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

If Dalton isn't 100% why is he on the bench given there's 2 x 7s in the starting loose forward trio? Akira injured but are Hoskins and Vaai covid/injured?

Yeah I couldn't understand that one, then Foster coming out and saying SB is a option at 6 potentially long term.

He's not even a legit 6 option for the Crusaders, only when there are injuries. Given test rugby is alot tighter I'm sure he has the skills/athleticism to play there but just strange he's plonked there after being picked in the squad as a lock and Foster & co speaking highly of Va'ai as a 6 option.

Yeah I think he could play there as he did well for the Crusaders but its strange messaging and selections isn't it,Players picked like you say Va'ai as a lock but mentioned by Foster as real option at 6 now Barret is a 6 option maybe long term.

I'm sure that the messages the players are getting aren't like that though. If there was you'd see a mutiny like the BFs had. The players here actually seem to respect the coaches despite the public comments.
Ido agree though that a lot of Foster's public support problems come from his poor communication with fans though. There's confusion and a lack of clarity which leads to everyone thinking the worst.

I hope the players are not getting these messages,Confusing at the moment to us mortals.

You dont think that the players hear from the coaches more than we do? Just a possibility.
They might even ask questions and be told things .

@Bovidae said in Ireland tour to NZ 2022:

Healy has been named on the bench.

I smell something fishy. Like getting 'injured' in the warmups.

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

If Dalton isn't 100% why is he on the bench given there's 2 x 7s in the starting loose forward trio? Akira injured but are Hoskins and Vaai covid/injured?

Yeah I couldn't understand that one, then Foster coming out and saying SB is a option at 6 potentially long term.

He's not even a legit 6 option for the Crusaders, only when there are injuries. Given test rugby is alot tighter I'm sure he has the skills/athleticism to play there but just strange he's plonked there after being picked in the squad as a lock and Foster & co speaking highly of Va'ai as a 6 option.

Yeah I think he could play there as he did well for the Crusaders but its strange messaging and selections isn't it,Players picked like you say Va'ai as a lock but mentioned by Foster as real option at 6 now Barret is a 6 option maybe long term.

I'm sure that the messages the players are getting aren't like that though. If there was you'd see a mutiny like the BFs had. The players here actually seem to respect the coaches despite the public comments.
Ido agree though that a lot of Foster's public support problems come from his poor communication with fans though. There's confusion and a lack of clarity which leads to everyone thinking the worst.

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Duluth said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Maybe there's more covid cases than we know about?

they've announced the other ones, why not tell us about all of them?

I wonder if Schmidt had any input into selections, given he's been there, have to give feedback to Foz on combos, fitness etc?

There is apparently a press conference still to come.

@MN5 said in What are you listening to, right now................:

@dogmeat said in What are you listening to, right now................:

@MN5 said in What are you listening to, right now................:

The song remains the same

Saw the movie three times in two days when it first came out.

Drugs helped TBH.

Movie was such a steaming pile of self-indulgent shit it on its own justified the rise of punk.

100%.

At least Purple Rain had Appolonias tits.

And rather magnificent they were too.