Apparently Foster said in an interview after the game ‘we haven’t become a bad team overnight’ Yeah it’s taken the couple of years with you in charge!

Good news

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/128674150/highlanders-halfback-folau-fakatava-cleared-to-play-for-all-blacks-as-eligibility-case-is-settled

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

🤣

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/3-sKQIdSaPkyetKfv4tsG-Kkwj4=/620x870/smart/filters:quality(70)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/OZNCR5F5NJCZNHEDOFXRRBWFOQ.jpg

So cool that we never had camera phones or social media in my stupid drinking years

@antipodean said in Blues v Crusaders:

How the fuck is rugby not essential?

It is but they can only play socially distanced in the workplace (2m ideally, 1m min). So that means only the Chiefs defence qualify to play under Level 3

@Yeetyaah said in RWC Jerseys 2019:

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

@MN5 said in Memes:


Your best ever

One point larger points difference in bok eng game, and the ABs would be forth. But as it is, the dust has settled on the rankings in 2022. With one side of the RWC draw having the top four teams, another bit of WR genius 🙄

1 Ireland 90.63
2 France 90.01
3 New Zealand 88.98
4 South Africa 88.97
5 England 83.66
6 Australia 81.80
7 Scotland 81.55
8 Argentina 80.72
9 Wales 78.09
10 Japan 77.39
11 Samoa 76.03
12 Italy 75.95
13 Georgia 75.19
14 Fiji 74.84
15 Tonga 71.21

@voodoo said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

I dont want to be the guy bitching about diving, I know I can turn off and not pollute this threat.

But fuck me it's a blight on the game. Football can be such am attractive game, but when an entire match can turn on somebody cheating , it's hard to enjoy.

This Aussie / Tunisia game is only halfway through, and there has been at least 10 incidents of faking injuries (with miraculous recoveries) and diving.

I cant for the life of me understand why authorities don't try harder to stamp it out.

FIFA think it's genius, not something to stamp out

Ronaldo a 'total genius' for winning penalty

Cristiano Ronaldo is called a "total genius" by Fifa for winning Portugal's penalty in their opening World Cup victory over Ghana.

@Kiwiwomble said in FIFA World Cup 2022:

Football Associations to discuss quitting FIFA after being silenced during World Cup

Denmark will have conversations with other member nations from UEFA, including England, about leaving FIFA, after issues over protests during the World Cup

cant see it happening, either fifa will fold, apologise, promise to do better or these countries would fold if fifa called their bluff...but...the tiny part of my that loves some anarchy would love to see it

Did you see his 'i feel disabled, I feel like a migrant worker' speech? The most embarrassing, cringey shit I've ever heard

@MiketheSnow said in England vs Springboks:

@booboo said in England vs Springboks:

@Rapido said in England vs Springboks:

@booboo said in England vs Springboks:

@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?

Obviously these two negotiated revenue sharing matches outside the Test window.

Interesting as England have been the biggest opponents of revenue sharing.

Which is IMO why NZ v Eng has not happened more regularly.

This bolded part isnt correct. England do 2 revenue sharing/out-of-window tests per 4 years. So, every second Autumm. It is even negotiated into the PGA with the PRL clubs re: player release.

It may seem less, recently, as the one v NZ back in 2018 broke down in negotiations between the 2 unions as wasn't replaced by a different opponent.

@Rapido said in England vs Springboks:

@booboo said in England vs Springboks:

@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?

Obviously these two negotiated revenue sharing matches outside the Test window.

Interesting as England have been the biggest opponents of revenue sharing.

Which is IMO why NZ v Eng has not happened more regularly.

This bolded part isnt correct. England do 2 revenue sharing/out-of-window tests per 4 years. So, every second Autumm. It is even negotiated into the PGA with the PRL clubs re: player release.

It may seem less, recently, as the one v NZ back in 2018 broke down in negotiations between the 2 unions as wasn't replaced by a different opponent.

I'm talking about revenue sharing for all tests.

Why the duck would any union do that?

Yeah it's dream world stuff. But what WR should punish, maybe fines that pay to the affected opponent, is when the first test of the tour doesn't have access to the full players of the touring Union. Like when France comes down here with the first test on the same weekend as the top fourteen final. It that happens, it's devaluing the product - the financial negative should be compensated

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v England:

@mariner4life I think what that England match showed was that despite being very good players, the Jordie/Ioane midfield has a long way to go in knowing how to play together. As a combination it didn’t really work. I’m not a doubter in terms of it being able to work, but there were a few concerning moments.

The last match they played together they didn’t really play as a combo either. Jordie played well because he tucked the ball under the arm and had a really attacking mindset. And there was space for him to operate in (Richie was far more assertive in that match also as opposed to England).

I hope they persist with it but it was one of a number of problems in this match.

It was mentioned how both Jodie and Ioane retired, backs to the English, on the same side of a central ruck, that created the mismatch for the first English try

@canefan said in Tech Purchase Thread:

I'm looking at getting a new Samsung phone, the biggest question is do I go 128GB or 256? A quick look at my current phone shows me I have only used about a third of the 128GB internal memory and I've had it for at least 3 or 4 years. Removable memory is bugger all. I know it usually makes sense to go for more data, but in this case I don't think it's worth the extra money?

Unless your installing a lot of games or storing a heap of video, you don't need much. I'm pretty good at getting my stuff of the phone and into better storage tho

@Jailbreak7 said in England vs Springboks:

@Machpants said in England vs Springboks:

@booboo said in England vs Springboks:

@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?

Obviously these two negotiated revenue sharing matches outside the Test window.

Interesting as England have been the biggest opponents of revenue sharing.

Which is IMO why NZ v Eng has not happened more regularly.

England aren’t against revenue sharing for outside of window matches. They’re broke, for a start. However they have previously refused to pay the amount that the ABs wanted, obvs SA asked for less

Cant understand how England can be broke when they were charging extortionate ticket prices for the ABs match of up to £800 per ticket. The stadium revenue from the autumn internationals..let alone the advertising not to mention the food/drinks outlets must be swelling the coffers surely.

Covid, and gin costs

@Bones said in All Blacks 2022:

@Machpants said in All Blacks 2022:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:

All Blacks player ratings: High highs and low lows for centres and outside backs

The All Blacks' midfielders and outside backs mixed moments of the sublime with an equal number of moments of despair in 2022.

Full ratings

Hookers:

Dane Coles – 4/10

Samisoni Taukei’aho – 8

Codie Taylor – 5

Asafo Aumua – N/A

Props:

Aidan Ross – N/A

George Bower – 6

Nepo Laulala – 4

Angus Ta’avao – 4

Ofa Tu’ungafasi – 5

Karl Tu’inukuafe – N/A

Tyrel Lomax – 7

Ethan de Groot – 6

Fletcher Newell – 5

Locks:

Scott Barrett – 7

Josh Lord – N/A

Brodie Retallick – 7

Tupou Vaa’i – 5

Sam Whitelock – 7

Josh Dickson – N/A

Patrick Tuipulotu – N/A

Loose forwards:

Sam Cane – 6

Akira Ioane – 6

Dalton Papali’i – 7

Ardie Savea – 8

Hoskins Sotutu – 6

Pita Gus Sowakula – N/A

Shannon Frizell – 6

Billy Harmon – N/A

Halfbacks:

Finlay Christie – 5

Folau Fakatava – 5

Aaron Smith – 6

Brad Weber – N/A

TJ Perenara – 6

First fives:

Beauden Barrett – 5

Richie Mo’unga – 7

Stephen Perofeta – N/A

Midfield:

David Havili – 5

Jack Goodhue – N/A

Rieko Ioane – 7

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – N/A

Quinn Tupaea – 6

Braydon Ennor – N/A

Anton Lienert-Brown – 5

Outside backs:

Caleb Clarke – 6

Leicester Fainga’anuku – 5

Will Jordan – 6

Sevu Reece – 5

Jordie Barrett – 7

Mark Telea – 8

Apart from Telea rated 8, far too high of 2 tests and Jordie rated as outside back, those numbers look so much more realistic than the shit you normally see.

I particularly like that SMith got one point for each run he mad ethe entire fucking season

It is out of 10 right?

Pretty rough on Ardie to say he's 20% short of perfect. Should be a 9 at least and I feel like Whitelock outperformed Retallick (and probably Barrett did too). But other than that and what you noted, probably the best you'll see (because I largely agree).

Yeah I don't agree with it all, as you say SB>SW>BBBR IMO. But not outrageous rubbish numbers you often see

@Bones American armour ball smashed em are pathetic