While it's a tradition to be positive and full of Christmas cheer around this time, not to mention cherish those we love, I think we need to follow the actions of our self-proclaimed betters and engage in some serious navel-gazing and self flagellation.

It is clear that this website lacks diversity. And that is problematic. There is only one poster who identifies as a woman and while being bisexual is a plus, she isn't a POC and most posters here are straight (white - problematic) males anyway. Clearly the poster who identifies as Mariner4life is a homosexual, but there are no others who will dare to come out on this site. There are certainly no trans people and that is a tragedy. There is an oriental tooth doctor and a goat fucker, but they don't compensate for the overwhelming whiteness that pervades here. That is problematic and I would hope that the mods (mostly straight white males - also very problematic) fix this problem in 2019.

Nah fuck that.

This site is great. For me it's like Cheers: "Where everybody knows your name and you're always glad you came". You can act like a fool and speak utter crap and all is forgiven next time you rock up. I've had a very tough couple of years and unfortunately I sometimes let that out here and I apologise for that, but mostly I just love coming here every day and reading some very informed (and not so informed) views about rugby, other sports, movies, TV, fitness, movies and politics etc. The advice and kind words I've received here have helped me massively (even the dp discussion). It's a cracking site with a cracking group of people and I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and happiest of New Years and I thank you once again for putting up with yet another year of my shit!

God Jul alle sammen.

@virgil said in Convicts v Marxist Land Thieves - Crucket:

Smart move by Warner to face the media for the first time with his wife and girls
Hard to kick him further when he’s holding one of his little girls.

I hate him even more for that. He's effectively using them as a shield. Cowardly tosser.

Let's keep this civil. As much as I love a good circle jerk, these threads are much better with the Lions fans involved. Don't want them to leave before the tests.

Game was a bit ordinary. Looked like it was going to be 30 nil at half-time, but the yellow card (what the hell was that for?) changed things and then of course the ref kept blowing for tries and then changing his mind. They have to fix this shit. The entire crowd, Reds fans included, went apeshit when he annulled that TJP try. Ultimately people want to be entertained not witness that kind of bullshit. That was goddam farcical.

Anyway result was great and the Canes are a seriously impressive team. J Savea is an utter beast. I won't hear any criticism of the non-fat version. He was Lomu-like tonight. His brother was bloody awesome as well. 8 suits him to the ground. Hope his injury isn't anything serious. Barretts were of course ridiculous. What an incredible double-team. Fark we Canes fans are lucky right now. And I agree with above rating of Proctor. He was all class.

But, while the game was pretty shit, it was a magical evening for a little kid who desperately wanted a selfie with Beauden. I speak not of myself (even though I would very much like one), but my 8 year old son who refused to leave after the game. We were going to wait for TJP who was closest, but we saw BB further away and my son ran in that direction. He managed to sneak forward as only kids can and his day was made.

Seriously what a champion. He gave everything during the game (that dude seriously covers some distance during the course of a game), then immediately had to give interviews. But he then went straight to the crowd and was giving dozens of selfies. He was still doing it when we left, so God knows how long he was out there. A great player and true gentleman. Never thought my man crush could get stronger but it certainly did tonight!

@gt12 said in All Blacks v France Test #2:

@taniwharugby

I'm having an afternoon at home today, so I'm planning to watch the game again, but I'd agree that he tends to make tackles, but not necessarily dominant ones. At least, that's my impression. However, I've wondered whether he is like Nayman on the Wire (season 4), where his ridiculous hairstyle makes everything he does so visible. He's clearly one of the players, who has had time invested in him, who hasn't made the next step. However, I agree that he still has the tools if he can be used right. My problem with him right now is that he seems to be hanging around looking for turnovers, when he could have a much simpler role, which is high energy tackles and runs, like a energizer Cane.

Mate, if I had the afternoon off I can think of thousands of better things to do than to watch that dross again.

@Kirwan said in US Politics:

I've unlocked the topic, but under the following condition; no more personal comments.

I'll just delete anything with even with a hint of playing the man instead of the ball.

No problem dickhead.

@No-Quarter said in The Things Kids Talk About...:

Oh no not creepy at all...

The atheist in me puts it all down to his imagination. But about 2% of me wonders if there's something more to it...

That would make a great headline:

"Militant atheist finds religion due to reincarnated son"

Proctor was killing it at 13 before he got injured. Definitely first choice 13 (although Jordie seems to be some kind of arsey lucky charm there). He wasn't the best player in the team though. That's taking it too far.

@jegga said in Bledisloe II:

I’d suggest carrying the weight of the world around us probably more responsible for his aches and pains

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/106582382/wallabies-must-protect-pocock-more-coach

This happens to pretty much every player reaching in to steal the ball. It happens to Pocock all the time because that's all he farking does. It's quite indicative of the type of player he is that he stands out every time we pump them. In other words when getting hammered he's good at getting his team a little less hammered. Awesome, he made 5 turnovers in a 40 point loss! God forbid he actually make an effective hit up and do something with the ball. Or win a line out.

@bones said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:

@taniwharugby plus the huge number of shit blokes on there means the women end up giving up and a shit bloke like me ends up punching waaaaay high.

Hi Five.

Yep, the Neanderthals there don't stand a chance against blokes who can spell at a primary school level and resist sending cock pictures.

Had to steal this from BA:

With crate power comes crate responsibility.

@jegga said in Canadian Politics:

@Frank said in Canadian Politics:

Trudeau is like a lot of virtue signalling leftists - just as corrupt as those on the right they denounce.

Yep . His father was the same when he was running Cuba .

You owe me a new screen Jegga.

@cgrant said in SANZAAR players coming home:

Players I'd like to see back in NZ for Super Rugby :

Fitzgerald (the Chiefs' stock of locks is rather empty)
Colin Slade
Ihia West (he's been good for La Rochelle and there aren't many experienced 1st 5/8 in the country)
Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua (of course)
Rory Grice (two years ago, he was rated as the best Nr.8 in the Top 14 - it's a position where the NZ teams are lacking big physical men)
Michael Fatialofa (he would bring some grunt to the Blues second row)
Victor Vito (his experience is needed)
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (for the third halfback spot in the ABs)

Saw West play. Looked bloody sharp. Was carving up. TKB not so much. But he seemed to have a vendetta against the opposing 9. Got himself a yellow.

Reckon Scott Barrett will get the job done on Saturday!

@Crazy-Horse said in Bledisloe #1:

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe #1:

Ah the Fern, two posters arguing and neither know what each other’s point is. Gold.

Put it on the homepage banner

They are still at it

Don't blame me. I simply said that previous form is a poor indicator of RWC success. He's arguing that I'm wrong and that previous form is a poor indicator of RWC success. I think. Actually I have no fooking idea.

@Chester-Draws said in Bledisloe #1:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Bledisloe #1:

@Chester-Draws said in Bledisloe #1:

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe #1:

Ah the Fern, two posters arguing and neither know what each other’s point is. Gold.

Put it on the homepage banner

I liked your comment. I'm not arguing now. I really don't know what his point to argue.

I think our current form is shit. Which is because we are shit. Which means we will likely enter the Cup still shit.

I don't think previous years is much guide. How we are playing now is a much better guide.

It's really very straightforward. We've played shit prior to other world cups and won them. We've also played really well prior to a world cup and been handed our arse. Using prior form as a guide would also have written us off in 87 and 95. Now, again, what was your original point?

What are you on? We played no prior matches in 1987 to have any form. The previous year's tour of France went OK enough, considering the dislocations of that year. In 1995 we only played Canada that year, and we fielded a fresh young side. We went in with very little by way of real form.

Using prior form in 1991 would have indicated that we were on the slide. Which we were, that time, as it happened.

So prior form has proved to be a very poor guide to our RWC form. Nor anyone else's really, for that matter.

My entire bloody point is that form prior to the RWC is a pretty shitty gauge of how the ABs will perform in the actual RWC. That applies not just for us but pretty much every major nation. I've made that clear multiple times. Now for the umpteenth time, what is your point?

Any defence of this tool is not well-timed. He's been at it again.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/you-re-a-tool-bro-kyrgios-loses-his-cool-in-cincinnati-20190815-p52hhm.html

@Crazy-Horse said in Star Wars VII ****contains spoilers****:

@Rancid-Schnitzel the theme park has bombed? Bugger.

I believe it has almost nothing from the Original Trilogy. Speculation that GL still has the rights to OT characters or something. Who knows.

Star Wars Resistance gets canned. Saw a couple of episodes and it was really shit.

It's been a cavelcade of **** recently. Solo bombs, theme park bombs and tv show bombs. Toy sales are pitiful and even interest in episode 9 is nowhere near what it was for earlier films. Hopefully the Mandalorian digs them out of this hole.

He's such a fresh breeze