I'm upset and pissed off that we lost, but nothing like 95 99 03 07. I think this feels different because

• Back to back means we sleep well, no matter what, the monkey is well and truly off our back

• that was a hell of an English performance. We could have got up, but would have been something special. In the past, we've bene beaten by teams that are really not on the same level, dodgy reffing, food poisoning, or choking.

• We knew this wasn't a vintage side. Losing 6 all time greats after 2015, a lot of people thought we'd be lucky to be a 50/50 chance going into the tourney. A year ago we got showed where we were - last week aside, that's pretty much where we were This wasn't a great side, it was a decent outfit with some very good players in it. Perth, Chicago, Dublin, Lions 2+3 --> we're ahead, but only just

• England really put out something special. They arced up, and we just couldn't lift to match them. Getting owned all over the park does happen sometimes, and if it does you have to cop it.

Still frustrated, but not as angry or upset as I have been. Here's to the future, thanks to Shag for the good times, and roll on the rest of the knockouts

Edit: this is also the cycle where we have seen how badly the player drain has hurt us. Piutau, Luatua, Faumauina, Vito - just a few who would have made a difference

Well, so we coughed one up at home. I know there is a lot of wailing and gnashign of teeth - mainly to be fair in the media - but this wasn't anything to get too upset about I reckon.

The Bokke brought a good physical game, and were fully committed. That said, we ripped them apart, scored 6 tries, and made the game look easy at times. It was our farking defence and decision making that really cost us that win; goalkicking could have burgled it, but fark me, 6 tries and you lose?

BBBR is our critical player. What a sensation - you only really see quite how dominant he is in every part of the game when he's gone. Don't forget the much vaunted Canterbury talent identification system passed him over, so he wombled off to the North.

Anyhoo, I really enjoyed the test. A great contest, and nothing in it right to the end. And, as I said, you'd say the ABs played pretty poorly at times, well below their standards, and the Boks played pretty well as well as they can. Result: we lose.

Things I liked

• Dyanti running around people. What an offensive weapon
• Physical commitment around the paddock
• Beaudy's wee pass up to his brother for the early try. What hands - that's worth 5 of the points he left out there
• Refs who let the game go -- while there's an argument for pedantic whistling, it's a much better watch with open running rugby
• Josh Goodhue's impact coming on. That guy is doing all he can to push for a long career in black. Remember - he's the same age as ALB; shows the real youth kicking around the team
• Ben Smith. At 32. Fark me, just made so many metres, so many good decisions. Awesome.
• Teams that don't act like muppets to each other, and will have a beer afterwards. It's what Rugby's about - I'm biased, but you don't have to be a bunch of wazzers to win at the top level (looking at you, Australia)

Things I didn't like so much

• Goalkicking (obvs)
• JB's fast throw to bounce somewhere near some Bokke. Reminded me of Billy Slater's biff back into the field of play in the League RWC Final. You only do that if you don't respect your opponents deeply, and think you'll win no matter what. I don't think he'll do that again soon
• Some of the offside calls (from teh couch anyway) -- very relaxed
• Looooooong advantage. I'm old school for this, but with modern defences that just don't fall apart, I reckon it's 2-3 phases and then back for the penalty. Otherwise you just burn time and don't actually advance the game
• Losing
• Not having good 6 cover on the bench for when Liam gets injured.

Thoroughly good game, disappointing result, but I wasn't gutted - just a bit flat. Still slept like a baby, and I really think we're on the right track with this side.

@Bovidae said in Refuge for the positive.....:

@Chris said in Refuge for the positive.....:

The coaches are my concern I think the players are in confusion in what we are trying to achieve.
You think with Hansens experience he will strip the game plan back and give the players positive direction to get some confidence in them.
If that happens we spank the wallabies and win the WC.

To put a positive spin on the current situation, that was the talk in the leadup to the 2015 RWC where the ABs weren't impressive in the pool games. We later found out what was happening behind the scenes with inter-squad games etc.

KEEPING OUR POWDER DRY!

Righto, a belated match report.

I left early, with 20 to go. My mate decided he'd rather walk down Sandringham road than watch that bunch of overpaid munters try to play any more. I can handle losing, but stuffed if I'm going to sit there and watch supposed professionals just look hopeless and disorganised.

The team is a shambles. THere are occasions where the defensive line sets, and they look good, but it is a flash of mediocrity in a sea of shambles. Honestly, I'm shaking my head at the state of this so called team. We just look disorganised, disconnected, directionless and dire.

I got a coffee at half time. It's a metaphor for the whole organised - three people trying to serve coffee, looking surprised that people came to get a hot drink on a cold night, and serving so slowly that it took nearly 10 minutes - with no queue. Honestly, those staff would cost $60 per hour, and they can't be making any money. Shambolic and poorly trained - just like the Blues.

Righto, so proper comments. In no particular order:

• Pulu must pass faster off the ruck. Slowish passes just let defences line us up.

• Three years in and we still ahve no discernable game plan. Fair play, JK didn't have one either, but I'm buggered if I know what we're trying to do.

• Maul defence and offence is the worst in the comp I think. It was like watching me trying to dunk - no matter how optimisitic I am, I'm still a white guy, and I'm not tall enough or atheletic enough to slam one down. Every single time we kicked to the corner, we coughed it up. Insane. Optimistic, but insane.

• Refs don't help us, but they aren't why we're losing. I just don't know what the hell is an offense in rugby any more - tipping players is OK now? Running a maul ove rthe line and collapsing it - with Rebesl in from the side? That's no try, and no worries maaaate.

• Perofeta is a problem, but not the problem. Our problems start up front and don't stop until you get to 15. When the hell we got a powder puff forward pack that can't play set pieces, I don't know. Fark me it's frustrating. We not only have no rugby intelligence, we don't seem to have any muscle either.

• Akira looks tired and maybe a bit out of condition. If I were him I'd be seriously considering playing somewhere else to get better coaching.

• We just lost to a team taht i couldn't honestly identify more than one or two players. At home. Where we haven't won all year. In a ground that just got redeveloped, and yet isn't fit for purpose. FML.

• Weak weak tackling at times lets in tries. It's embarassing for professionals.

Look, I sound bitter, but deep down I'm optimistic about life. When we start winning games it's going to be so sweet - and if we can keep talent for a few years, a decent coach could build a team here. BUT I don't think that's Tana, and I don't think that's the current board.

I'm out. Frustrated, cracked a bottle of aussie shiraz - it's not as bitter as I am tonight

@Darren said in Next AB captain?:

No question it will be Whitelock.

Absolutely. Luke's a solid player.

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks:

Thoroughly good game, disappointing result, but I wasn't gutted - just a bit flat. Still slept like a baby, and I really think we're on the right track with this side.

Also, things I don't like: Justin Farking Marshall. That fella needs to get a lawbook sometime,and talk to some referees. Honestly, most times he opens his mouth he is flat out wrong.

Poor commentators lead to misinformation being widely spread in the casual rugby watching public. This is not good for the game, because (wider) it's always hometown bullshit. Example today in the Ferald: missed refs call costs All Blacks game. It's that shit - we lost because of our defence; blaming the ref gets you where the Wallabies are now; not owning their issues.

Morning after thoughts from watching from the best seats in the house yesterday, albeit a little damp

SBW was outstanding. Ran really well, but contributed massively on defence. He is such a physical specimen, skillset good, you can see why the TWM want him in their squad. Played his way onto the plane - and convinced a heap of people who doubted the selectors ongoing faith in him.

Kicking game was simply magnificent. Only a couple of poorly executed kicks, but we generally found space and kicked really well. Kudos to the lads for that, turned round their big wingers and made them look ordinary.

Defence just went to antoher level. Noticeable aggression and was like running into walls a ttimes. Good to see, the physicality wasn' tthere last week. Nic White got covered well, once his running wasn't a surprise, it didn't work. Big shout outs to KR and SBW in this area.

Handling was exceptional. Focussed and intense; it was cold and wet out there - as wet as I've got at Eden Park in the last 10-15 years. Some downpours were that classic big auckland raindrops, that just saturate. Field held up well.

Scrum dominant from the seats we were in. Both Cheika and Hansen spoke about it in the pressers - looks like we figured out what they were doing to us last week, and came up with a fix (by the sound of it, setting close to the opposition to eliminate any semblence of a hit). Good, but needs to be dealt with on the field for the RWC.

Wings - both played well. I think Bridge was better than Reece with positioning and skills work. Some nervy moments when both he and Beaudy were going for the same high ball, but calls got sorted and they didn't stuff up. Attack went as well as you saw.

ALB continues to impress me. Needs a bigger bopper at 12 I reckon, but what a talent.

Crowd was in fine voice. Plenty of voice, plenty of vocal support. Our reputation as a library is probably not deserved any more... we're not shy of getting stuck in now. Would have felt pretty hostile. 3 minutes to go Aussies were leaving, and the whole north stand stood up and farewelled them. Quality.

Refereeing. Well, it's a tough game to referee, but there are real issues with consistency and quality of refs at the international level. Forget the YC, the offsides and side entries to the ruck just frustrate me week after week for both sides. It's a lottery, sometimes you get pinged, sometimes we don't. One time in the scond half with the ABs exiting inside their 22, the entire Wallaby defensive line was halfway up the ruck and no farks were given by the entire refereeing team. Ya just wonder... if it's a chargedown try, they'll review and disallow - otherwise it's just 'whatevs, play on'.

The other one that exploded my head was the blatant horror call on the restart not going 10. FFS Jaco, if they play at it then it doesn't matter how far it goes. There is no place on earth where that's a scrum restart, just a horror application of the laws. It's up there with 'we have a deal', without (thankfully) the impact.

Anyway, great night to be out, proud and delighted for teh ABs and supporters, roll on the RWC.

@Mokey said in The Folau Factor:

To be honest, I wish the media would stop giving this twat a platform and oxygenising his bullshit. His sermons don't need to be reported on.

er, amen?

Tinned tomatoes and chickpeas.

No problem saying 'we don't want them'. But, you don't then get to say 'our kids go to bed hungry'. Hungry is hungry - even chickpeas are food if you're hungry. It's like my kids saying ' I'm bored, there's nothing to do'. Of course there isn't you entitled brats, people don't exist to cater to your every whim.

This rant sponsored by Panhead's XPA, savouries and chips. FTW.

Loved him as a player. A great foil for Nonu, and a wonderful career proving skinny white guys can still thrive at the top level. Intelligent, thoughtful, funny, a top bloke and incidentally played some sensational footy.

Edit: I don' tthink this will be the last we'll see of him

@taniwharugby said in Covid-19 and keeping fit:

@voodoo you pay the green fees, best see as much of the course as possible!

most golf wins, eh

@mariner4life said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

i love all potato equally. Mashed. Fried. Baked. Roasted. Boiled. Potatoes are the king of foods.

I ate a meal in Rosses' Point, west of Sligo in Ireland. I wound up with baby potatoes in the stew, scalloped potatoes and fried potatoes. yes, Potatoes three ways.

When I told an Irish friend about this, she said 'what, no mash?"

Conclusion:

1. Potatoes are awesome
2. Irish are cray cray

@taniwharugby said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@nzzp have AC stopped sending out rates notices as well?

oh, my sides

@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@dogmeat
Everyone knows and says it isn't a binary choice, but the govt isn't acting much like that. People love saying that the virus transmits exponentially, but so does an economic collapse. And we are about to experience one.

Auckland Council have suspended almost all of their works.https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2020/04/auckland-council-managing-the-financial-cost-of-covid-19/

Folk in councils seem to be getting really mixed messages about expanding their workload to stimulate the economy and keep people employed, and yet being told to stop spending money.

@Kirwan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

I'm not seeing it, I see a pretty dogmatic, almost blinkered approach at the moment. As if cratering the economy can be fixed later.

I'm not convinced that the Govt will really understand how the economy works. There's some real risks with all governments wanting to borrow at the same time to stimulate. I can't see a way for the economy to really restart by increasing taxes and increased wages, combined with stimulus , but I suspect that's the route that we'll see taken.

@dogmeat said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

I think the key to a relaxation is a better form of contact tracing

yes, and potential eradication in the community.

If we eradicate in the community, then a faster turnaround test and contact tracing lets people get back towards normality. Limit socialisation, but record it - basically you'd be expected to (through and App?) idenitfy everyone you have had close contact with in the past X days.

We still seem to be largely flying blind though, and don't have good answers to a heap of questions.

• How long after you get infected do symptoms start?
• Can you infect people before symptoms start, and what's the infection risks at different stages of the disease?
• Can you have C19, be asymptomatic and still transmit the disease?

As we understand this better (and I"m sure it's close), the shape of a post-L4 starts to clarify. If people are only an infection risk for 48 hours before symptoms show, then that's a whole different risk level to being 7 days infectious.

@Stargazer said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@nzzp said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

So, if you live with someone who has C19, you do NOT get tested unless you present with respiratory symptoms consistent with C19. That absolutely blows my tiny little brain up. I'm going to sleep on this, can't figure it out right now.

I assume it has to do with the fact that members of the same household and other close contacts of those who have tested positive are automatically considered a probable case and must isolate and will be monitored the same way as people who have tested positive.

The risk of getting false negatives may also play a role.

Righto, so the Stuff article at the bottom says a probable case is:

This is a person who has returned a negative laboratory test result but the clinician looking after the person has diagnosed them as a probable case due to their exposure history and their clinical symptoms. These cases are actually treated as if they were a positive laboratory confirmed case and the actions taken are the same as for a confirmed case. That is self-isolation and active contact tracing."

so a number of false negatives already, for people presenting with symptoms.

Here's the thing I'm trying to get my head around. We know that this virus has a long incubation period. We know that a number of people are asymptomatic (and it sounds like people can have it without symptoms). This makes me wonder how reliable the cases are - basically to be counted as a 'case', you are showing symptoms and either test positive, or be in contact with someone who tested positive.

If you can have it and be asymptomatic, then we have no ideahow many people are carrying the virus, but not showing symptoms.

Presumably this also means that the false negative rate in testing is not good.

If we can't eradicate this during the lockdown (and I presume it can't be lifted early given the lack of information), then we're into these flare up situations. If we do get flare ups in locations where people weren't tested, then I am going to be pretty disappointed.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120861484/what-are-probable-cases-and-why-are-they-rising

@Chris-B said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@nzzp That surprises the hell out of me, as well.

So when that guy is given the all clear and is "recovered" - both he and his wife will be in the clear to go to the supermarket - even though there's a fair probability she's going to have contracted it at some time during their self isolation - even if not yet showing symptoms?

Surely they aren't that silly?

@dogmeat said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@nzzp Not quite accurate. He said that at the time protocols were followed but this did not include testing those who weren't close contacts or sympotomatic. Nevertheless all staff and students were isolated as soon as the cluster was identified. Under new protocols anyone with CV symptoms will be tested and from now even those with no symptoms will be tested if they have been in contact with a cluster.

OK, so I did some digging. Turns out that response I thought I heard from Dr Bloomfield was spot on.

as of 1 April:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/413135/covid-19-numbers-expected-to-rise-as-new-case-definition-issued

The new guidelines say those with respiratory symptoms consistent with Covid-19 should be considered for testing, "regardless of travel history or contact with a confirmed case".

So, if you live with someone who has C19, you do NOT get tested unless you present with respiratory symptoms consistent with C19. That absolutely blows my tiny little brain up. I'm going to sleep on this, can't figure it out right now.

@antipodean said in All-Time Favourite NZ Rugby XV:

Watching the 2004 Paris game and if wingers came in pairs, I'd select Joe and Dougie.

I'm still filthy that dougie didn't get to play in '07

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@nzzp said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@voodoo said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:

@nzzp said in Recipes, home grown goodness, BBQing and food stuff:
Boy have you had a day!

Hell yeah. Midway party baby. Showing the kids Karate Kid - the original, not the aberration with Jaden Smith

Hows that going? I made my kids watch that about a year ago, and it was a bit painful TBH. Slow moving, pretty dated, could feel the kids boredom - I was really disappointed !

Better than I expected actually. They're pretty engrosssed. The threshold is low though.. they don't watch a massive amount of modern movies.