The Silver Fern

@TheMojoman said in Rebels v Blues:

@Bones said in Rebels v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Rebels v Blues:

Second week in a row where I've thought Blues haven't missed much with Plummer at 12.

Doesn't bode well for RTS' AB hopes.

I thought Plummer was a bit of a lynchpin really. Tidied up a lot and really helped keep the backline running smoothly.

The “glue man” all good back lines need. I do think Rieko looks better with RTS beside him though ie, straight running 2nd five who can bend the line and give him some more space to operate.

I think the jury is still out on that combination. I don't think it has looked comfortable. I'm not sure how many times it has happened and perhaps it was as a bench replacement last season(?), but the Heem/Ioane combo looked dangerous and a little more fluent.

Wallabies prop Angus Bell is facing a second consecutive season on the sidelines and a race against time to make his first World Cup squad after re-injuring his foot in the opening round of Super Rugby. Bell ruptured the ligament in the big toe on his right foot in the first half of the Waratahs’ opening-round loss to the Brumbies in Sydney on Friday night Scans over the weekend revealed it was the same injury that ended his Test season last year. He faces four to six months on the sidelines and was considering further surgery on the foot, the Waratahs said.

There was a bit of talk about him coming in without any warm up games beforehand. Not a great look for the back office if he's returned with...

And as the graphic showed DMac is up there with winning the most breakdown turnovers. Not a forward to be seen in the top 5. 🙂

@tim said in Highlanders vs Blues:

Paea could've been carded twice in the first half (high tackle on Sotutu, lifting Goodhue's legs and dropping him at a maul). Poor reffing.

He was consistent at letting things go (see: Liam Coltman at the maul). It's just so random from week to week

@Winger said in New NPC format:

@dogmeat said in New NPC format:

It is a vast improvement,

I liked the previous 2 division format. At least Wellington was able to win one competition after they went down and won the B division to come back up

But it was killed last year when Taranaki wasn't promoted

Took them a couple of years to do it though. At their first attempt they got pumped 26 - 25 after that 78th minute try to Mason Emerson converted by Ihaia West saw them deservedly lose. That after BoP got sent packing by The Bay in the semi-final 33 - 26 with only a late try to the losing team giving a false impression to the actual play. Oh, that's right Mr. Pickerill had the whistle in this match so that probably explains it.

@catogrande said in Foster, Robertson, Rennie etc:

@booboo said in Foster, Robertson, Rennie etc:

@catogrande said in Foster, Robertson, Rennie etc:

@victor-meldrew
I know both sides have a view about the rivalry, probably based on the importance of the game to both countries, but really? A rivalry is usually based on a bit of to and fro results wise. For sure Wales have run NZ close a good few times and often approach the game in a similar way. But it’s been almost 70 years now and never away from home.

Wasn't really one sided until 1980 when we smacked them up in the Centenary Test. Still really close matches (st least in Wales) in the 70s.

Back in the 70s you played them twice.

3 x really as you should count the Wales XV game after the Irish Centenary test in 1974.

So quite regularly for those days.

And if you just count tests it was 7-3 up until 1979. And only the 2x 1969 tests in NZ weren't close. (Only two games in NZ to that point.)

Enough of us old blokes around who remember when Wales was Wales.

And then there's Bob Deans. We're still not over that.

This convo should probably go in the other thread but can't be fussed moving posts at the mo.

@bones said in Waratahs v Chiefs:

@nostrildamus already plenty of turnover "specialists" in the squad weren't there, what else did he offer? It's not like others (including Kirifi) weren't also doing brilliantly at turnovers, as well as excelling in other areas.

He has a fantastic surname, ripe for puns.

really feel like NZR are on a different planet, all the fluffy content "work" in other sports on the back of competitive and popular sports with engaged fan bases.... not independent of those things

@barbarian I'm with you till the last bit. They only got half the known crowd size. Now they've got a win, the crowds might start coming back.

@barbarian said in NFL 2020:

Yeah the NBA bubble has been incredibly difficult to set up, and that's just with 22 teams and 15-20 man rosters.

Not sure how a contact sport with 32 teams and 53 man rosters is going to manage.

20bc2b2e-4ed2-433d-9dfa-8ad02bd5118d-image.png

@ACT-Crusader poor @booboo

@African-Monkey said in Waikato v Auckland:

@shark Interestingly enough, Ennor coming into centre will make it a 5th different midfield combo in a row. Having said that, Ennor and Osborne in the backline makes it a hell of a lot better.

Yep, I noted that early on in the Canterbury vs Southland thread after the teams were posted.

@Dice We had some shockers like Emersen Tamura-Paki, Jono Owen and Isi Tu'ungafasi who were barely club standard. He's done ok since leaving has Isi but he was awful for us.

@booboo said in Blues v Bulls:

@Stockcar86 said in Blues v Bulls:

Good to see Robinson using his boots to ruck the yarpie out of the way of that ruck

This!

yes old school rucking, awesome

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Otere didn't even get off the bench in this game. Actually, 3 players didn't get off the bench, which is pretty rare these days. I bet the coaches were almost going to make it 4, but they somehow convinced themselves to let Pulu come on.

@No-Quarter said in Blues vs Waratahs:

@ACT-Crusader said in Blues vs Waratahs:

@taniwharugby so openside and midfielders need to have the same fitness levels - the Ardie to 12 is not so outrageous afterall

I'm just gutted we'll never see a Dagg - Ardie combo at 10 and 12. Would have been impossible to contain.

Especially with DMac at 9 and Messam at 13

So much noise around Brady not being at the Patriots. Lots and lots of chat around the Raiders. But also the Titans, and surprisingly, the Niners

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Sunwolves:

I thought it was interesting to see quite a lot of chat out on the field. Both Ioane brothers, Nanai, SBW etc. I'm used to seeing the Blues walk around with puzzled looks on their faces so it was good to see some chat. SBW commented on it post game.

You could see them joking and staying relaxed too. TJ seems to be in the middle of that, like he was for Auckland.
In previous years you could see the pressure building as a team got close.. which would result in the inevitable loss in the last 5mins

One guy who hasn't been mentioned but had a massive game was Marcel Renata. He's been good all season, but was exceptional in this game. Hopefully the Blues have already gotten his signature.

Was good to see all the bench players making positive contributions when they came on. Also smart move by the coaches to not bring Clarke and Sotutu on because we needed experience out there to finish this game.