Here he comes Ardie aka Muttley of the wacky races

To all our rugby brothers in arms....
Congrats to Bokke you were magnificent - bokke supporters - party hard and party long!
Comisserations to England and all supporters....we know how gutted and emptyyou must be feeling...
Thank you Japan for a great tournament - you were brilliant hosts
Roll on 2020!

Lesson for Sky Sport NZ - don't ever invite Wheeler back to comms, he sounds as boneheaded as they come. Seemed happier than A Smith

I fuckin hate super-tyhoons

Jordan hard done by there

I'd like to see a return to the JABS - would be a handy gauge on guys like Big Red, Sotutu, Miaele-Tu, Parkinson, Grace, Fakatava (if he ever takes the field) and ye - even Akira.

@SammyC - Excellent post.
On Whetu Douglas - I wasn't sure of how good he would be. Started season slowly, but has become an increasingly important lynchpin to the pack. Looks to be a useful and effective option at 8.
On Big Red - I also like watching him play, you know exactly what you're going to get from him. He's young and urgent and raw and above all else HUNGRY.
On Akira - Man I would love to see him totally dominate, but he just dips in and out of games too often for my liking.
On Nonu - Hate to say it, but his time in Black has come and gone I fear. He'.s been invaluable for the Blues this season, with his experence and leadership, but perhaps just too much of a logjam in his position for a WC berth.

Sevu Reece scores but of course the TMO wwill call..............forward
Ahem your gold watch is on the counter sir

On Akira - I didn't see it as 'niggle' I saw it as character. Good to see some passion for the Blues jersey.

Funny hearing Poi E blast out over Japanese speakers

Blloody hell you guys should be over here in the UK. We've had soccer players galore breaking lockdown/quarantine bubble rules galore - yet still the matches go ahead

Right now I'm less comfortable with Cane as captain of the ABs. Much as I love him as a player and defender, I believe there are still question marks over his captaincy.
He didn't manage to make any headway to pulling the Chiefs ailing ghost ship out of the fog in SRA , and it appears he still is plagued by issues around that brittle neck/noggin area.
I want my ABs captain to stay on the field and rally the the troops when the chips are down. I want him to have the ear of the ref - but not as a whiny little biatch, but on a one-to-one basis which makes refs think and take note. I want my captain to take stock, to guide , lead and be calm when it matters.
I still believe that GOAT's efforts in that 2015 WC semi against SA was one of the best captaincy displays you will see. That match could have gone either way, but for three senior players stepping up to the plate when it mattered. But I reckon GOAT's doggedness and resolve percolated down through the team - in stark contrast to many of the recent AB efforts.
So, I'd be much more comfortable with Codie Taylor - or Patty T as AB Captain - both have played superb rugby this season, have the respect and mana - and in particular I think Patty T has really come a long way in terms of learning/game management.
As for Sam Cane - well I think the jury is still out. We shall have to wait and see, but I hope this doesn't go down as one of Foster's experiments.

Reckon the return of the pimply giraffe had a lot to do with the turnaround in fortunes for the Canes. Ardie, PUJ TJ and the bloody-mindedness of the forward pack must also be hailed. Pretty decent effort in the end.

@Donsteppa Worst perfomance from a Chiefs side in memory. going completely winless from a truncated season is totally unacceptable. Gatland and assistants can fark right off.

@antipodean ...or tiddlywinks

@African-Monkey Yes Laulala just shelled another pass. Sympotatic of the Chiefs this season

No. No. No.
Discipline Chiefs FFS

Oh my. Here we go again. Soft defence.
Good brace though by PUJ

See now, I would have plumped for corner there - as I would have in that first penalty in the opening couple of minutes. Jeez what have you got to lose??
That's a very NH thought pattern - taking the three on attack

@Tim So why doesn't Gatland just bugger off to the NH already. Seriously, he is more interested in doing podcasts for Will Greenwood about the Lions tour, - plus talking to former England head coach Stuart Lancaster - than he is in fixing the ailing and losing culture in the Chiefs. Current coaches seem incapable of putting together a viable, winning gameplan.
Sod awrf I say, and take your stale and mouldy assistants with you.