This from Eddie Osullivan
“That’s a strong New Zealand backline but it’s not the perfect backline. I’m really happy about Barrett being at 15 because I don’t think he’s going to get his hands on the ball as much. I don’t think he gets his hands on the ball as much when he’s at 15. It’s practically impossible to bring him into the game as much as Richie Mo’unga will be. Joe’s got a very predictable, very solid, very experienced XV, compared to the All Blacks XV which is not as experienced and I would say not quite as solid. Richie Mo’unga has not a great kicking game. He’s not as astute at exploiting (the space) in the back field. That’s good for us. Especially, if it’s wet. It’s another weakness. It’s hard to believe we’re talking about All Black weaknesses. When you compare them to Sexton, if it comes down to a drop goal or a late penalty in a one-score game, that gives us an edge there”.

21 - Beauden Barrett made 21 carries in #NZLvIRE, the most ever by an @AllBlacks player in a @rugbyworldcup match, surpassing the previous best tally set by John Kirwan and Buck Shelford who both made 20 against Italy in 1987.
Key.
#RWC2019

@Yeetyaah said in RWC Jerseys 2019:

They're smaller fitting again. Had to get 2 sizes bigger than usual.

@chimoaus said in RWC: All Blacks v South Africa (Pool :

Also how fit is Titsoff, that man got through some minutes.

He's a ginger, so not technically human

@Yeetyaah Julian has been crap for years, a couple of moments aside, but Mourad has been a fluffybunny for much longer

@MN5 said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):

@Yeetyaah said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):

@Machpants Friendlies if you will.

Old mate from Argentina blissfully unaware of the comedy gold he’s given the fern

@Bovidae but taking ABs laden squad to win super rugby is actually quite impressive the way the ABs are playing

@Snowy ok so Red Flag over the Nevada desert, massive exercise, biggest air training event there is, regularly. I was out there with 43(F) Sqn. I volunteered, along with my buddy Mitch, to be the downed aircrew for the massive counter air rescuer package to collect. So we get dropped out in the desert, run around (as it's cold we don't want to stop) during the night being chased by some OPFOR. Eventually we go through the extraction procedure as the package made its way to us.

In comes a SF Blackhawk, out leaps a bunch of para rescue guys, who (very ungently) zip tie us up and bundle us into the Heli after security procedures. Then they start trying to get a saline drip into us as it's procedure after a desert rescue, after a few jabs I declined anymore attempts in the vibrating cab! I'd only been out hair a day and wasn't exactly dehydrated. Mitch got hers in first time, she said really good pre drinking hangover cure.

Very noisy and we're not on headsets, so we sit and chew jerky whilst we weave our way back to base. After a bit the crewman points out the window, and a hind is there in formation with us.

"Cool" I yell

"He shot us down!" He yells back

Fuck.

So in the debrief, the hind had done some tricky shit, landing and we lost him in the chaos of hundred of jets and helis zooming around, then managed to sneak through to us. Was lucky, or the red air guys know the good egress routes, to catch us.

Coolest thing was the Blackhawk landing in the desert at night, the sparkling disc in the sand churned up.

The Kopp Etchells Effect, aviation nerds

(wokka illustrating it)

Then we were back to our Vegas hotel and casinos, yeah baby

Edit. Oh a vid on gogs. Looks a ton better in colour at night with the mark 1 eyeball

@act-crusader said in Game of 3 halves: All Blacks v Canterbury v Otago:

You know the real reason why it’s not being televised....

Save Canterbury the embarrassment of two defeats in one day?

"we weren't overly unhappy when we saw his name in the teamsheet at 12."

The subtle digs at the shit -ness of the opposing coaches selection skills are the best.

@Kirwan said in Bulls v Blues:

Was nice to win one of these close ones.

Ref was wildly inconsistent, sometimes in our favour, sometimes not. Again, nice to get past a bit of a home town referee.

Conditions were awful, made Duffies try and Perofetas high takes even more impressive.

Robinson was great again.

I was sure he's would spill that bullet offload, tricky to take a full speed in the wet

@sparky said in Reds v Sunwolves:

Big win for the Reds 64-5.

With this and the chiefs result, Ozzie favourites for bled

@Stargazer said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@Machpants Or just grow up.

Never gonna happen

@booboo said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@Kruse said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

I've only tuned in for the last 5 minutes, but jesus the Dockers seem to be playing entertaining/high-risk/just-for-the-fun-of-it rugby. Who's the skills coach? Are they just training with random offload and balls from nowhere?

Sorry. Don't get the significance. Ploise exploin?

Look up dockers on urban dictionary.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gay docking

Turn dockers symbol sideways

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKvkRtPUwAEMgOL?format=jpg&name=large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKgdO96UYAEQUPy?format=jpg&name=small

@booboo said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@Machpants said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@sparky said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@Tim said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

Can Smith stop screaming like a little girl?

Nugget has a serious dose of Itoje syndrome. Needs to stop doing it.

He always does it, and he's a fuck load better half back than any one else in NZ. He can scream like a hair dresser seeing a mouse as much as he wants, as far as I'm concerned

Not sure if that was an intentional metaphor (or in fact a similie). He IS a hair dresser.

Totally intentional

Cameron joins bridge as butter fingered fluffybunny wasting a try

That slow Mo of the Landers try showing moody being a dirty grub with a late high tackle on Ioane. Maybe not moody, the 7?

@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

Sick hands Bridge

Yeah that was crap

@gt12 said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

Mo’unga to Ennor was on.

Wasn't a Highlander in the way tho? Looked like it to me

@sparky said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

@Tim said in Crusaders v Highlanders (round 4):

Can Smith stop screaming like a little girl?

Nugget has a serious dose of Itoje syndrome. Needs to stop doing it.

He always does it, and he's a fuck load better half back than any one else in NZ. He can scream like a hair dresser seeing a mouse as much as he wants, as far as I'm concerned