The Silver Fern

@sparky I note the guy says
"This league is not broken, it is actually flourishing - we just need to reframe ourselves a little bit to make sure we can reach those wide audiences and grow."
in the article . Clearly he is unaware of the three Clubs going bust (Wasps, Lomdon Irish and Worcester) in the last two seasons not to mention most of the others still taking part running at massive deficits.

@Bovidae To be fair the referee (looks like it might have been Jono Bredin judging by his hairdo) was on the other side so had no view of the incident but somehow the touchie managed to miss it. Probably would have just been a reset scrum Rotorua ball as it looked like it was coming out of the same channel. Whether it had actually "come out" or not is the main point to ponder over as if it hadn't then clearly should have been a Hastings penalty.

Hawkes Bay Today, New Zealand, Rotorua Daily Post, Sport

Watch: 'Hand of God' controversy in schoolboy rugby scrum

Crestfallen Hastings Boys' players were 'pretty emotional' about the incident, says coach.

@canefan The Hurricanes are owned by the Wellington Rugby Football Union (50%), the offshore investors Y11 Sport & Media Group (34.38%), Coastlands chief executive Richard Mansell (12.5%) and Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Football Union (3.12%)

They were bleeding money like there was no tomorrow and being cash strapped themselves the WRFU might not have had any other choice
https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/sport/360636356/hurricanes-seek-1m-injection-shareholders-after-700k-loss-2024#:~:text=The Hurricanes are owned by the Wellington Rugby,(12.5%25) and Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Football Union (3.12%25)

The excellent (and independent) Wellington club rugby website is reporting rumours that the WFRU might have sold it's 50% stake in the Hurricanes to one of the guys behind the NZCIS based out in Upper Hutt
See about the 10th or 11th note in the below link for word of this

clubrugby  /  Jun 8

Sideline Conversions 9 June (some rugby news and information to start the week)

Action from Old Timers’ Day at Porirua Park, where home team Northern United wore a specially designed jersey commemorating Jerry Collins, who tragically died in a car accident in France a de…

Wellington will be playing all their home games at Porirua Park this season. Went there for the Wellington v Taranaki match one cold wet Sunday last year for $10.00 but this year it looks like they have ramped up their GA price to $24.00 per game if their sale price for season tickets ($120.00) is anything to go by. No doubt there will probably be an admin fee lumped on top of that for those purchasing match tickets at the gate on the day.

Buy Membership

As a Porirua Park Member, you'll receive the following exclusive benefits:

There is more England colour in the jersey than New Zealand.

@Kiwidom said in Otago 2025:

London Scottish

Is Pommie Div 2 much of a step up as I don't think they are exactly flush in cash despite it costing one hundred and ten quid to become a social member?Incidentally I see Mark Bright is no longer plying his trade in their pro ranks after what must have been about a thousand games but is still listed as a player/coach within the Amateur side of the club

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

Fantastic news. I wonder if that will mean he plays NPC rugby for Wellington, considering he's from here.

You may like to read this to set the record straight

Oct 8, 2019

Rugby World Cup - A towering Kiwi teen makes his mark in Japan

While there are many professional New Zealand rugby players and coaches plying their trade in Japan, there aren't many Kiwi teens like Warner Dearns doing it too.

https://www.sporty.co.nz/magpies/newsarticle/16479

@booboo Bruce Robertson's grandson. He made the Counties Academy a couple of years back but can't remember if he ever made it into their NPC squad.

@Nepia said in Beaver's all time NZ Super sides:

@Bovidae said in Beaver's all time NZ Super sides:

TKB at halfback

Damn, how did I forget him when I was trying to think who should replace Leonard????

Wearing your Pies cap again and your obvious selection is Brad Weber

Pelligrini is in effect an Aussie having been born there to an Australian Father and a Tongan Mother although his mother might well be a NZ citizen.

End of the locally grown corn on the cob season was last night for me

@KiwiPie said in TSF Super Rugby Tipping 2025:

@Machpants said in TSF Super Rugby Tipping 2025:

Back down in the mid twenties, my best days behind me haha

That's not unrelated to the fact that you didn't submit any tips!

His opponent in the Cup must have scared him off!

Not sure if it is called an app or not but I use www.flashscore.com which covers a plethora of sports live and generally in almost real time (usually a delay of about twenty or thirty seconds between score changes and notification), at high level right throughout the world.

@booboo said in Force v Hurricanes:

@Higgins said in Force v Hurricanes:

@Canes4life said in Force v Hurricanes:

How the fuck did we lose that?

When did 17 - 17 suddenly be deemed to be a loss?

When you should have fucken won

They won two competition points from the game so given their record that is almost as good as, but isn't, a win, similarly it is not a defeat (loss).

@Canes4life said in Force v Hurricanes:

How the fuck did we lose that?

When did 17 - 17 suddenly be deemed to be a loss?

@george33 They won by the best part of 100 so doubt he would have had to do any tackling or hard defensive work.

@WestieFella said in Documentaries:

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole.

Think I might still have some books of that series tucked away somewhere. Quite humorous and cleverly written by Sue Townshend if my memory serves me correctly.

@booboo Having four grandparents from the UK me and my younger brother, a military man at the time of the invasion (ended up doing 20 years of service), still to this day refer to any Argentine team as The Fisms short for Falkland Island Silver Medalists. Don't forget they also got their just desserts on Anzac day when they also became silver medalists in South Georgia after getting sent packing after their three week hold of the place.