As a middle-aged man that has dealt with hair loss and been the subject of never-ending numerous jokes on the situation from family, friends, and pretty much everyone, I feel like my wife has let me down by not slapping my tormentors. She'd have to slap herself quite a few times though....

Bloody hell! Pack of grumpy shites! Night games were serious bonding sessions with the old man. Only dad and I would be up, toast and cup of tea at halftime. Old fella going on about the cheating northern bastards lying on the ball and the incompetent refs allowing them to do so (I carry on this family tradition very well )...Bill McClaren......you could feel the atmosphere through the TV.....Mourie in at the corner....
Still get excited about night games to this day! Can't wait!

@Frank Oh how we laughed when the Aussies persisted with two opensides when it was obvious it wasn't working....

@taniwharugby So did I until 5 seconds ago.

I am a bit of a republican but:
The Queen has been through WW2 as a poster child for the British people, she became a beautiful (?), young queen and has led the UK and commonwealth since 1959 (?), overseen unbelievable changes, never put a foot wrong in the public eye, never waived her duty, and even apologised to the friggen Irish! It wouldn't be hyperbole to say she is one of the most beloved characters in modern history.
VS
Markle........

The yanks just don't get it. I think Markle makes a perfect fit with their fucked up society problems at the moment.

Can I hate the Irish team for their "soccer" antics and pressuring the ref?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/127232137/ian-foster-reflects-dissects-and-says-the-all-blacks-will-find-the-answers

I am not particularly anti-Fozzie but the signs aren't great. The game has well and truly moved on and the ABs are now being reactive to better teams rather than being innovative or revolutionary. Basically chasing the pack.
What worries me the most is that some players are being scapegoated but I truly believe, no matter who you put in this old and tired system that has been worked out and surpassed by other teams, the results will be the same. The writing was on the wall for change in 2017, and we are now heading into 2022 with talk of tweaks and changes in selection to make the "system" work.

Uptight rant here. I wish Foster and co would just shut the fuck up about saying they are disappointed about losing to Ireland in NZ. We are too but that is not it you fluffybunny! It is the obvious decline in AB rugby since arguably 2017 and the fact that it is getting worst not better!!! This decline has been obvious to everybody, the NZ fans, the opposition teams, etc, all except fucken NZR and Foster! Do they think we have forgotten about 2020, 2021? There has been no game plan, no defense, shite attack for friggen years and people are fucken sick of it! To be honest, I think the NZ fans have been incredibly patient and have given Foster and his team a lot of time to sort out obvious problems. All we have gotten back is lip service and excuses. Just fuck off!

Ireland has done us a favour.
Test rugby has always been about the team that makes the less mistakes wins. As a person who experienced test rugby in the 70s (can't remember much to be honest), the 80s, 90s up to now, the rugby that the ABs play now doesn't feel like test rugby. There is a lack of territorial awareness which means a lack of pragmatic kicking, they invite chaos near their line which more often than not has negative results, etc, etc.
It is hard to explain but in the Foster era, they give it up too easily.

Holy shit! Sam Cane must have been in charge of selections, game plans, defense, and attack. I had no idea! Well, in that case, good riddance Mr. Cane.

Reckon not even the NZR are that incompetent they'd give Fozzie 4 more years. But what about Fozzie having enough and not seeking reappointment? Cushy jobs overseas waiting.....

@paremata Pudgy-arse Hipkins is at the heart of the MIQ debacle. His contempt towards Kiwis in dire straights trying to get into the country in 2020/2021 was alarming. His obtuse announcements ignoring their plight show he is either callous or dim-witted IMHO.

Is he dim-witted or just a plain liar?

It is looking more and more like ole Harry has major problems aptly supported by the scheming Meghan rather than a scheming Meghan controlling a weak and vulnerable Harry.
If it were the middle ages, armies would be forming and preparing behind two different banners. This is a modern-day version.

@Crucial said in All Blacks 10 after BB & RM finish?:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 10 after BB & RM finish?:

I'm convinced that had Scott Robertson been the All Blacks coach, he'd gotten more out of RM (and other players). He'd developed a game plan that uses players' strengths and would have added to those strengths. It's unfortunate that it's now very unlikely that we'll ever get to see RM play in a black jersey under Robertson.

It’s also disappointing that Mounga requires a coach to create a gameplan to get the best out of him. His poor moments/games in black have had nothing to do with the plan. More his execution.
He (and BB) don’t suit the current high level game as they continue to make decisions as if it is 2015

As per the whole gameplan/ set up of the friggen team! That is part of Stargazer's point.

@Crucial
Marine4life wrote, "There is fuck all between the top 8 sides, and on any given day you could lose to any of them at the moment. World Test rugby has never, ever been as good as it is right now. And it's a beautiful thing."

I wrote, "Would have the same perspective if we were trying to be innovative and playing near to our potential."

I honestly don't know where the message gets muddled and you get, "This idea that even if we were playing at our best we would be comfortably the best is straight-out arrogance."

@mariner4life said in Foster, Robertson etc:

fuck, why am i wading in to the dumbest thread on the Fern, oh, because i am bored

Teams to beat Ireland in a test in the last two years: Wales (lol), France, New Zealand

That Wallabies team you are trashing (that we beat 2-0) came within a bees dick of beating both France and Ireland away despite being smashed by injuries. Beat Scotland. Smashed Wales (the italy game was their nadir) all away. They aren't the 9th best team in the world. Oh look, in fact they are 6th
Beating South Africa in South Africa means fuck all because narrative.

The simple fact is, no matter how often you fucking bleat it (and by god do you bleat it), the All Blacks do not just have a god given right to just rock up and win every single week. There is fuck all between the top 8 sides, and on any given day you could lose to any of them at the moment. World Test rugby has never, ever been as good as it is right now. And it's a beautiful thing.

Must be bored too. Would have the same perspective if we were trying to be innovative and playing near to our potential. Fact of the matter is the ABs are stagnant as fuck. I don't see any beauty in ABs running around like headless chooks.

I find this thread therapeutic.

From an outsider's perspective (living out of the country), the media seem to be turning against the govt, even Stuff!

@Machpants You sir, cannot be an older married man.