Do we play Sri Lanka every summer or does it just feel like we do?

Ive never known of a coach who has got such a free ride when it comes to shitty results. Not even Tana.

Nothing about the Wallabies over the last few years suggests they have a good coach. You can blame his assistants if you want but he is the guy who picked them and insists they don't need to change.

His selections have been a constant lottery of shuffling backlines, unbalanced back rows, revolving second rowers and 24 man teams.
Then there is acting like a complete clown in the coaches box and press conferences.
How the fuck he ever won coach of the year while under a second final warning for abusing refs is beyond comprehension.
How are you meant to build a strong team culture based on accountability around a guy like that?

The only decent reason i have heard that he shouldn't be sacked is that RA can't afford it.
They should have thought of that before signing their second best openside flanker for multi millions or should have offloaded the over hyped, over paid righteous homophobe while they could.

So in summary: St Kents have crossed "the line" but "the line" is kind of a squiggle that all the other teams conveniently sit on the right side of after appointing themselves placers of "the line".

As far as im concerned if a player attends a school they should be able to play for that school.
If the schools are so desperate that they want to pay players to attend their school or give the scholarships then so be it.

It's highschool rugby ffs.

Where the fuck was that guy running to anyway?

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Sorry @pukunui but that's just bullshit about DMac, in this game and the whole tour. It's preconception not reality

Meh, just my opinion vs yours. I much prefer the cool, calm and collected style of Ben Smith at fullback. You know, Ben Smith, the best fullback in the world.
For me Dmac is better suited to the super sub role.

That's not what you said though is it?

I said he is a massive question mark FOR ME. A massive question mark in the role they seem to be playing him in, which is starting fullback. You just read it as an attack and jumped to his defence.

I think it deserves defense when he has been arguably our best player on tour, and you're still trotting out 2017 cliches about team mates standing around wondering what he is going to do next.

After this tour i am happier with DMac 15 and B Smith at 14, than B Smith at 15 and ? at 14

I would agree that he has been better this year than last and I would have him in the 23 definitely.
However i don't see that he has eliminated those aspects enough to be the confirmed starting 15 at this stage.
He still runs sideways and still has guys around him not knowing where to put themselves to support. He is also not afraid to take a high risk option. You call it cliches, I call it observations.

And i agree that Dmac 15, B Smith 14 might end up the best combination. However i don't think it is ideal and it may well change before the rwc. Hence the question mark.

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Sorry @pukunui but that's just bullshit about DMac, in this game and the whole tour. It's preconception not reality

Meh, just my opinion vs yours. I much prefer the cool, calm and collected style of Ben Smith at fullback. You know, Ben Smith, the best fullback in the world.
For me Dmac is better suited to the super sub role.

That's not what you said though is it?

I said he is a massive question mark FOR ME. A massive question mark in the role they seem to be playing him in, which is starting fullback. You just read it as an attack and jumped to his defence.

@bovidae said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Unfortunately they subbed BB so we didn't get a look the Mounga/BB combo.

We've seen this combo in the last 3 tests so what was to be gained by doing it again? I thought it was great that BB was the player subbed so different combinations could be looked at.

Building the combination? That combo has had very few minutes together. It could be a very important one next year and time to build it is running out.

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Sorry @pukunui but that's just bullshit about DMac, in this game and the whole tour. It's preconception not reality

Meh, just my opinion vs yours. I much prefer the cool, calm and collected style of Ben Smith at fullback. You know, Ben Smith, the best fullback in the world.
For me Dmac is better suited to the super sub role.

The good stuff:

• Jordie on the wing, thought he looked good there. Not just because it was Italy too. Showed good pace and aerial skills. Probably doesn't have the same pressure to pull things off on the wing as Fullback. Good to have another option for that tight wing spot.
• Coles looking like he used to was great to see.

The bad stuff:

• the obsession with kicking the ball away continues. Even worse is they scored off it several times so will think it works now. Im starting to think the only powder they had in this tour was the kicking powder. Maybe the rest of it got lost at heathrow.
• Naholo, who was anonymous

The question marks:

• Fifita, looked good. But we already knew he could run rampant against second tier teams. Papalii didn't really get enough time to make any judgements.
• Midfield, borh guys went well. First choice pair in no clearer though.
• Dmac, he scored 3 tries but is still a massive question mark for me. So often his team mates look as confused about what he is doing as the opposition. Still loves to run across field like Lote Tuqiri. Unfortunately they subbed BB so we didn't get a look the Mounga/BB combo.

@booboo said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Precisely what the fuck do they think they are going to learn about Fifita in this game that they don't already know? Huge missed opportunity to see Papalii start at 6. If there were concerns over injuries to loose forwards then have Fafita on the bench.

Vaea or Vaia?

Different guy. Fifita has had his chances. Fafita on the other hand has been given the Akira treatment.