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

@canefan said in WRWC Final - NZ Vs England:

Watching the BFs win the RWC with CF Sr and mum, and CF Jr. Pretty special

Was actually watching it with Mrs Dan, and I have to say to see her dance around the floor in tears at end has given me much joy. She's only a little thing to but when she leapt into my arms I suddenly remembered how old I was, just about knocked me over! Really good stuff I think!

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..............

I got a genuine question for those that are whinging that we only 'only' beat Scotland by 8 points (and as I said earlier I was happy with an 8 point win).
Do you all remember probably the best AB team we have had since the game went pro? Probably the 2011-2016. Geez those useless pricks could only beat Scotland by 8 points , the year before '15 WC (24-16), I recall some angst then too.
I think we need to celebrate wins fellas.

@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!

Well just got home from golf and still happy reflecting on the game (test not my f***ing golf). I still believe one of best things I enjoyed in game was the close in running, I know I been harping on about it, but would prefer our forwards to run close to breakdowns and make 1m than wider out and make 5m and be isolated. Thought Frizzel was great at this. But whole lot looked pretty good to me and let's hope we get repeat performances. Enjoyed listening to Mounga after game , when he was saying they were coming to this point 2 weeks ago, just needed to get the last few things right, and spoke of how good Cane, Whitelock, BB, A Smith and Dane Coles have been on getting everyone on same page. Vey interesting I thought and he was adamant they all on same page and Havili added they all got Foster's back etc, which is what you want to hear I think.

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

@African-Monkey 6 runs for 1 meter gained and 14 tackles is hardly earth shattering for an All Black 7 and captain.

really, 14 tackles and a good percentage of them dominant, christ some of you probably need to learn about the game. it's not about stats, but who makes a difference on field and Cane surely does!

@SBW1 said in Super Rugby 2023:

@Dan54 How many Kiwis are in the Force and Rebels, surely there are at least 5 each.

I guess so SB, Force have a few kiwis, or ex kiwis, but to ne honest, I haven't really looked closely at Aus squads. Used to , but being back home for a couple of years, found my interest in them has faded.

@Bones perhaps shows the difference between super and test rugby? I know he didn't get a chance at test level, but even at ABXV level he didn't look a world beater.

@Bovidae I can see Demant getting it as she stood out in most games, I was pretty impressed with Fitzpatrick too, but would have no probs who is picked really . Who would of thought that we would have an awrd where Woodman wasn't nominated, just shows how much improvement there has been over the year.

@kiwiinmelb I think you need BB for a couple of things, among the most important, we don't have another backline leader. I perhaps not as convinced about Jordan at 15, as I really think he goes missing under high ball etc too much. Wonderful attacker, but on this years form pretty erratic, was pretty average in Irish series where he looked almost to have no interest at all at times.

@NTA Haven't seen the game yet NTA, but how did the home broadcaster get the TMO to interfere. TMOs don't actually see the big screen or tv coverage, but have their own feed generally. More often than not when there a replay of some incident it's because the broadcaster has heard the TOM, so actually other way around. I always wonder how we get idea that a TMO watching muitple screens is only seemingly making decisions on what some producer/director has picked up.

@Victor-Meldrew yep mate, I perhaps thought at end of test maybe why Sam W (much as I a fan) would be a risky captain for WC, I thought he looked fairly shot at end of test. I also thought it showed a bit how there seems to be a lack of leadership in backline without BB there?

@canefan said in England vs Springboks:

Off thread I know, but why have the ABs finished their tour a week earlier than their SANZAR counterparts?

ABs played Japan on the way over and Wales outside the test window. Wallabies played Scotland and now Wales outside test window etc. So all bsaically played the same number anyway.

@Winger Agree about TJ being a loss , hoping Roigard comes on as much as I hope.
Also funnily enough agree on Sheck, that kid impressed me like you in final of NPC!

@Winger said in Hurricanes 2023:

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:

@Winger said in Hurricanes 2023:

@Canes4life

Shame.

Although fortunately we have Higgins now (and I'm keen to see more of him at the next level up as he was first rate during the NPC) to step in when required. I guess the other option is Proctor to 2nd 5 when Barrett isn't available. But I would like to see either Higgins and Proctor (it's a combination that clicked including in the final) or Higgins and Sullivan in the few games when Barrett is rested.

I think the Canes shouldn't blur the lines here, they should keep Jordie at 12 with Higgins as back-up (he's already good enough IMO), and Proctor/Sullivan can share the duties at 13.

I wouldn't mind seeing that Higgins / Sullivan combo at some point.

Im sure Barrett will be rested for some games though. Esp in a RWC year

Edit. Ok see what you mean. No Proctor at 2nd 5. Agree but it is one option

Yep and wouldn't surprise me too much if Jordie get a game or 2 at 15, just to keep hand in. But certainly looking a decent backline isn't it.
And of course now thet test stuff mor or less done we get to turn minds to super now don't we? Might even plan to sneak a trip down to Levin fir the Canes/Saders preseason game as yet.

@Windows97 Yep there certainly a bloody lot of assumptions in here, Seems how most get their stuff on the net.