Just saw this thread, and quite a good one I though. I have had a change, lived in Aus for 24 years, and as I was due to retire we came back home to NZ. Not a rushed decision as was always coming back, would of perhaps 5-10 years back but was getting to age where I was better to keep going with work etc until retirement. So in October I handed/gave my business over to fella who had been with me since I started and sold house and wife and I returned hame. We originally looked at Hawkes bay to live but couldn't find any houses we fancied where we wanted to live (Waipukurau), so after looking around Waiarapa etc we ended up in Taranaki (don't ask how, we from Levin) and after moving into house etc I can say I am enjoying every moment of my life. I have never been a gardener (who can be in Brisbane anyway) I have been mucking around in garden, generally enjoying living back in small town. Been down to Southern rugby club to have a look at trainings, so will be a supporter there. Get to see my siblings as I want, that are spread around North Island, see my adult daughter and grandkid s(also adult) at times, so actually at times I stop and pinch myself to make sure it all real. I even love driving around the roads as countryside here so beautiful. So in reply to how I am on happiness scale, at moment I right up there! hey and rugby has started so

I always walked to s chool when going to Kapuni school, if someone offered you a ride home and you turned them down you were frowned on at home, to bad if you didn't know them.
I always still laugh at how my parents would be shot today, as a 4 year old on the farm the old man would sit me on the drivers seat of tractor, put it in gear and I would hold it in straight line while he fed out the hay, as we got close to the fance at end he would jump off trailer, jump on back of tractor, turn the steering wheel and get back on trailer etc. God help us how we survived I still trying to work out.
Mind you I come from a family of 18 kids , so the old man probably figured he could risk a few of us without too much worry

Just thought I would put up a post to remind everyone about club rugby. I know it not trendy to follow it these days as much as it was, but moving back home and too a small town it reminds me where a lot of the heart of NZ rugby lies. Taranaki actually kicked off club rugby on Good Friday, so I was able to go to Stratford and enjoy them playing Clifton. Was just brilliant sitting in a packed stand and having a chat to people I didn't know about the game etc, as well as watch game full of players just playing becuase they love the game. And were a good number of cockies there in gumboots etc . Only trouble was too many heading into clubrooms after game seemed it best to head home.
And then Saturday in Hawera ,Southern (which is now my club played Tukapa and were enjoying 25th year anniversary. Once again it was a great crowd ,and bloody enjoyable time watching games, and this time while having a quiet beer and great rugby chat with a few gents I had never met before. I know we get a few that sneer at what they call park rugby etc, but I would suggest that it is still what any rugby man should try and do more often (I know some can't for their own reasons) and you just may remember why the game is so bloody good.
What is the point of the post? Just that this is a rugby bored and the theme of posts is to often negative about players/coaches etc, and I just thought why not have one about some of the bloody good things and why ours is the best game around!
I actually posted this elsewhere, but just I feeling real good about game so..............

@rancid-schnitzel said in Old people talk about the olden days:

@dan54 said in Old people talk about the olden days:

I always walked to s chool when going to Kapuni school, if someone offered you a ride home and you turned them down you were frowned on at home, to bad if you didn't know them.
I always still laugh at how my parents would be shot today, as a 4 year old on the farm the old man would sit me on the drivers seat of tractor, put it in gear and I would hold it in straight line while he fed out the hay, as we got close to the fance at end he would jump off trailer, jump on back of tractor, turn the steering wheel and get back on trailer etc. God help us how we survived I still trying to work out.
Mind you I come from a family of 18 kids , so the old man probably figured he could risk a few of us without too much worry

18???? Your poor mum. Was she able to walk?

Funnily enough as kids grew up and left they still seemed to love having grankids and great grandkids hanging around too. It was a different type of life I had, I always wanted what everyone else had, because I had bugger all, but now I wouldn't change my life growing up in that madhouse for anything!

@rapido said in Pasifika SR team:

With this kind of thing:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/124896487/super-rugby-tonga-coach-welcomes-moana-pasifika-but-with-a-warning-for-all-blacks

Did Mark Robinson et al actually think an NZ Pacific franchise would be ever be a good PR thing for the NZRU?

Welcome to years of trolling anytime an NZ born and raised Samoan happens to make the All Blacks if at some time early in his career he happened to have played for an NZ franchise based in Penrose rather than another one 9.5km away in Sandringham.

Kefu kind of has a point, though from a Tongan POV. Tonga, unlike Samoa, actually do produce some good players that enter the NZ system and go right to the top. Although they already enter at schoolboy level and this won't increase any of it.

Isn't it good to see Kefu's worry etc, after the stirling performance he had for Tonga!
FFS how short the memories and pot kettle comes to mind!

Well fellas there is why I love this game! That was bloody great, don't ever accept the other team has better players, have a better team plan is the answer!

Geez I struggling to see anything in that game that you would use to promote the game.
What the hell is happening to the skills in our game here in NZ?

@antipodean said in Wallabies vs All Blacks 3 (Perth):

@nostrildamus said in Wallabies vs All Blacks 3 (Perth):

What was the general feeling on BB and DMac?

Beaudy did some lovely things and will be better for the run. Given the general kicking display I'm loathe to rip into him about that - it looked like everyone had some issues there for some reason.

DMac did nothing bad and nothing great.

Have they swapped to adidas balls, same thing happened in TT , noone kicked any good in Aus.
Really enjoyed the game, that was a bloody impressive performance, whole team went well. Agree with Akira MOTM, Brodie was in beast mode, both wings were bloody good, as were insides etc. I have to say I was real impressed with ALB too, shit he does some good stuff both in defence and with ball in hand, a real good 13!

@taniwharugby said in Old people talk about the olden days:

@mn5 I had KFC for the first time in probably 10 years a few weeks back, but was a zinger burger.

As I have mentioned before, IMO the best chicken was the stuff near the end of its allowed time in the warmer.

The KFC special herbs and spices comes prepared in a package, then mixed with flour before starting the breading of the chicken.

I always enjoyed KFC, bit since being back home have found a Tegels takeout range, and actually really enjoy Nashville style or Louisana style as much as KFC. It has become my go to food while watching rugby, of course it helps thet my wife cooks it up for me and brings it out whilst I in front of tv!

@gt12 Yep not sure there the rugby IQ in Blues to win this. They have just basically used their scrum up to now, and not a lot else. Papali'i is playing well but they badly need Tom Robinson to give him a hand, because Sotutu and Ioane certainly didn't help him last week.

@rancid-schnitzel said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@rancid-schnitzel said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

Don't do that Vaai. Twunt

Just watching replay. What was the issue here?

Went he didn't touch the ball down and waited like a twunt.

I agree with what he did, have a look the first Puma's player there just turned his back as soon as Vai'i crossed the line and didn't even try to put pressure on him, so happy got Vai'i to have a breather!

@l_n_p said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@yeahtheboys said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

The problems with Damien McKenzie, or anyone really, running sideways at top international level (it can work at SR level) is that (1) defenses are tighter, so he's looking for space that percentage-wise isn't there and (b) he runs away from his support, meaning often slow ball at best or a turnover.

Funny thing about DMac, I think he runs a bit like RMo, in that he drifts/runs sideways looking for a place to beat somewhere, and only mean that if you watch BB he is the type who plays flat to the line and plays to gaps in front of him. Not saying either is right, just how I have seen them play.

@machpants said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@act-crusader yikes

I suggest ALB is probably our first choice 12, and Goodhue our first choice 13 ... But not sure those who count see it that way

I always reckon ALB is a better 13 than Goodhue, and Havili is now best 12 we got. I actually tjink Tupaea will put a bit of pressure on as a 12 too.

Tupaea had a long way to go, long long way. I don't rate him at all. Goodhue has gone backwards at a rate of knots, really it's havili, ALB, and Reiko.... Daylight

I not in anyway suggesting Tupaea is there yet, I have liked the way boy plays at 12 at super level, and I still think there will be pressure from him in a couple of years. I don't tend to think you see anything but the potential if first couple of years as these young un's get used to test rugby.

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:

@act-crusader yikes

I suggest ALB is probably our first choice 12, and Goodhue our first choice 13 ... But not sure those who count see it that way

I always reckon ALB is a better 13 than Goodhue, and Havili is now best 12 we got. I actually tjink Tupaea will put a bit of pressure on as a 12 too.

@crucial Funnily enough RMo is another who runs across field quite a bit too. You watch the difference between RMo and BB is that BB tends to play flat and run into gaps in front of him, RMo tends to have a little more room and drift acroaa field looking for gaps. Just difference in style and DMac probably a bit more like RMo.

@mariner4life said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@taniwharugby said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@hooroo I know, at my last job my sick leave was capped at 100 days, and had <5 days sick in 10 years, my current job is 10 I think? I actually have no idea, I have had 2 sick days in 6 years here.

you are either a medical marvel, or one of those martyrs who feels the need to be at work no matter what

I don't think that all that unusual, before I wnet o Aus to live I had worked at company for 15 years and used 5 days sick pay and a couple of them were for a funeral. I worked in Aus for 23 years (self employed) but only had 2 days off, never felt I worked when I was sick, just some people don't get sick.

@nostrildamus Think you just shake your head, if kicking a goal to win a rugby test is now the standard for citizenship, and to even say someone kicking a goal is a 'hero' , must make some army , police , firemen fellas wonder what the word hero means!

@canes4life said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):

All in all a good performance.

Great shifts from Aumua, Ioane & Ioane, Jacobson, Rettalick, Papali’i, Perenara and the Barrett’s. Samisoni was strong off the bench aswell.

Creating some superb depth atm.

Couldn't agree more. I enjoyed that, not a perfect performance (what test is) but one that had plenty of positives. Anything that creates a bit more depth is good, and didn't see any poor performances.

@chimoaus said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):

When do we get the sauce on the team?

Be tomorrow at 2 wouldn't it, usually 2 days before game!

@arhs said in Wallabies vs All Blacks 3 (Perth):

Yep - I feel sorry for the referees, including Murphy in this instance. How does he instantly determine if the foot out is to assist balance in landing, or to prevent an oncoming player from legally tackling him once he hits the ground, or malicious intent for the approaching player? I think they should have used common-sense and issued yellow - but if the guys reviewing them want to see a hard-line rule interpretation for a huge viewing audience, what are they to do?

Who wants to become a referee or TMO?

I feel for the ref too arhs, but no more than I feel sorry for a player who has been wrongly carded. By the way I originally thought it a red too.