this WAS the big game. this WAS the game you keep your powder dry for.
the reality is that we aren't doing that, it's just wishful thinking from fans to excuse us playing like shit, which frankly we've been doing for quite a while now - our servings of shit have regularly been papered over by bits of individual brilliance getting us out of jail when we've been dominated all day, and a shit-hot lineout. the lineout saved us last week against the poms, but wasn't quite enough this week. we dropped the miracle balls that would have won the game this week. but both weeks, and against the saffas, we have been pretty thoroughly dominated this year.

we kick way too much ball away, and badly. the opposition give us scraps, we finally get the damn ball, and these primadonna fuckwits immediately put boot to ball in low percentage plays. then they laugh about it at half-time.

we get a penalty advantage and BB takes a fucking drop kick. the potatoes get a penalty advantage and they - jonny fucking sexton - try to score a try. we are fucking dumb. we kick a penalty to give us a chance of a draw. a fucking draw. the all blacks. playing for a draw and kicking drop goals under penalty advantage. fuck my days what a fucking disgrace.

all it takes is an off-day for a couple of guys when our tactics are mud and we are so reliant on individual brilliance. sam whitelock, a great player - giving away dumb penalties. BBR, a great player - dumb penalties, terrible handling - his worst game i can remember. it's not time to throw the baby out with the bath water, but when guys like that don't perform, it does show the glaring deficiencies in other areas.

we are dumb. we still can't cope with a good rush defence. we haven't really been able to since the 90s when france used it to beat us. our defensive line speed was utter shit - so the potatoes made ground all day and had momentum. their line speed was really good, and there seems not to be a single fucker out there who has the wits to think, 'oh you know, with all this fanning out and quick line speed, we could either pick and go a few times or throw it behind the line to get around the rush'. barely a pick and go all game, and it was only in desperation when chasing the game that we threw in some depth to get around the rush - which promptly worked - except then when we made breaks, we were so totally lacking in composure that we forced dumb shit low percentage passes, or kicked the damn fucking ball away yet again. pack of fucking morons.

barnes is still a shit ref, inconsistent and doesn't seem to understand when a ruck forms. he had nothing to do with the loss however.

to the players:
karl T got a bit of a rough ride, but not as bad as some are making out. 2 scrums went badly, and 1 barnes should have reset. why barnes didn't blow their scrum when we were dominant i don't know. franks was solid, as was taylor, and all the replacements were good too. poor old ofa showed great hands to hold that piece of shit perenara pass - but when you have to catch that slop you're always going to get barrelled and struggle to win the ruck.
BBR his worst, and whitelock pretty poor too by his standards. scott barrett played well, was our best lock, but was playing out of position which fucks our forward balance.
squire was okay before injury, ardie at least tried hard, and read was rank. dropped everything, hasn't run hard into contact in about 3 years, and is a shitty captain. the way the irish were playing, and the way barnes was reffing, the player in our 23 most suited to that game was matt todd. bit disappointed he didn't manage to win it for us in his 3 FUCKING MINUTES YOU MORONS.
aaron smith's kicking is nowhere near as accurate as it was against the lions. he is still so much better than perenara -because he can actually pass - but if we don't have the brains to use smith's speed to get around the rush then he's wasted, and why not use a bigger running halfback.
BB. well it's pretty fucking limiting when your 10's weakest skill is his passing. also dumb. also doesn't appear to care a great deal. also thinks wasting try-scoring opportunities with drop-goals is a good idea, and funny. can run, can catch a high ball.
crotty and goodhue were both really pretty good given the shit they were served up. 20-something touches vs 40-something for the irish midfield wasn't it?
ben smith no ball. can run.
rieko no ball. no composure. can run.
mckenzie, not bad, but we are wasting ben smith on the wing.

to ireland: well bloody played, a good plan, well executed. you knew exactly what we were going to do, because we do it all the time (keeping our powder dry hahaha fuck me) . we box kick and put up high balls. you dealt with that easily. you know that if you rush, we will chip. you covered that easily then kept the ball. you knew that we throw our ruck ball to forwards one or two off the ruck - you got up quick on them and we never made the gain line.
great fire and commitment from all on the park, and an inspirational and thoroughly deserved victory, which i could really have done without watching.

rant over. as you were everyone.

@gt12 said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

@Hooroo said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

@canefan said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

@Hooroo said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

@Salacious-Crumb said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

@booboo said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:

#1. Brad Thorn securing lineout ball 80th min Final 2011.

Up to that “moment” my asshole had never been tighter my entire life.

For me it is when a shattered Stephen Donald was tackled on one side of the park and got turned over at the ruck, France spun it to the other side of the field and the first tackle made since the turnover was Donald on the other side of the field.

The guy was running on pure Columbian grade uncut adrenalin.

That's how legends are born. I don't think he probably has to buy himself beers when he's out on the town in NZ

Deadset, I will always buy him a beer if he is in the same pub!

This may sound a bit strange, but it’s something I’m looking forward to being able to do - I’m sure at some stage in my life I’ll be in the same room as him, and at that point the drinks will be on me. I can’t wait.

That reminds me of my favorite JK story - I met him in Tokyo one evening when I was out on a date with a very good looking girl (sadly hot crazy was in full effect though). I quickly talked to him on the way in (thanks, you’re a legend etc), then he stopped by our table on his way out (he was Japan coach at the time I think) to briefly say hi, making it seem like I kind of knew him (even though he was a complete stranger of course). Then gave me a greeeeat look like ‘get in there!’ and left, and I did, until the crazy fully developed.

great wing man JK.

Last time I saw this much confidence here was just before the Aussies smashed us to bits.

Ireland are a good side, who lack depth at 10. We seem to think they're shit now because they were beaten by Japan and thumped by England before the WC. But both games no Sexton. You can't play 10 man rugby without a 10.
They whipped Scotland and looked good against Samoa - they're not a spent force and they've beaten us 2 out of last 3. The Dublin game was one which we targeted to get payback for the first loss, and we scored 9 points and were well beaten.
Now I see Coles in the Herald saying 'we haven't talked about what happened last time'. Sounds a bit too much like Cheika not worrying about the opposition to me.

As for us, our best forward is underdone, and our reserve scrummaging has looked a bit shaky. I don't think Cane is back to his best, and we lack the grunt to bend set defensive lines. We have beaten South Africa, and had a couple of pretty meaningless cakewalks vs minnows, that's all. There's obviously a lot of potential in the Mounga Barrett axis, but I don't consider it proven under pressure just yet, and we have inexperienced wings who we know will be targeted in the air. Our centre has been out injured and the 12-13 combo lacks match time together.
Underdogs, clearly.

Glad we have Owens compared to some other options, but he's been below his usual high standards this cup, letting too much go at the breakdown and offside line which will suit the Irish. He is however the least likely to give a panicky dodgy shit red card.

fuck i've had a gutsful of this shit. there are people who need benefits, who don't rip the system off. but you put a photo of a big fat fluffybunny with a claim she eats one meal a day, what are most people going to think?
you boast about ripping nz taxpayers off, what do you expect nz taxpayers to think?

fucking idiots.

new zealand needs a viable left. plenty of shit is happening that needs to change, but there is just no pressure on the government because of the morons on the other side. look at something like the state of our rivers. that is something that the majority of people care about. there's an article on stuff about the 100% pure NZ tourist campaign showing someone drinking water from a river - which is pretty much never safe in nz. people from all over the political spectrum care about that, they care about the environment - the government's response has been to shift the 'swimmable' goalposts to outside world standards - which is a goddamned fucking disgrace. that is a huge opportunity for the greens, but instead they're boasting about ripping us all off. fucking hell, you wouldn't read about it.

i am gutted about this. you get another chance in 4 years at a world cup, but you never get this record back.

Sotutu is looking great eh? Great skills, good decisions, workrate, strong, fast, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

@Rancid-Schnitzel the racism is in the assumptions and implications. what even is white guilt? it doesn't exist as far as i'm aware. it is a phrase used to belittle people who give enough of a shit about others to recognise that there are variations in opportunity, and that the world might be better off if everybody is given more opportunity.
nobody with half a brain feels guilty about things their ancestors did. they simply recognise that there are consequent problems and solving them might be a good idea, because those problems affect the whole of society.
there are a couple of assumptions necessary to use the phrase in this context. one is that white people make the decisions for other races (despite the president being a black man). it's also identity politics. the other implied assumption is that this is an us vs them situation - some of 'us' white people feel guilty and are siding with 'them'. it shouldn't be that, and that's pretty racist.
to me it ought to be about the law, which applies to everyone. there are humanitarian concerns in terms of uprooting families who have been there a long time - and i think it is only human to consider these, though i would not be gentle on it myself. more importantly there are huge economic and logistical concerns because of the scale of the problem. why should race even be mentioned in the discourse?

I have a new rules interpretation hate. Guys are already cleaning out, when the tackled player isn't held and gets up and goes again. If it's not a tackle, then those cleaners are taking out defenders. Penalise them. If it is a tackle, then that player needs to release the ball. Penalise him.
Penalise fucking someone. I'm grumpy. And old.

@Nepia said in SR Final: Crusaders v Jaguares:

@Jaguares4real said in SR Final: Crusaders v Jaguares:

Irish beat the Kiwis twice in 2 years & are entitled to celebrate

The Irish fans had become unbearable before they beat us.

that's why our underestimating them and sending an under-strength shit team to throw away that legacy gave me the absolute shits.

What a flogging we copped. All the criticisms of the past couple of years coming home to roost. Great blend of hysteria and scattergun blame from the fern, and even some bizarre optimism about how despite being comprehensively outplayed with 15 men in the first half, the result is all down to the 14 man second half.

Point 1: as usual, we kick the ball away. Too many try to be clever shit short kicks. We've been doing this for years, and it's low percentage crap. That and handling errors - largely from poor passing decisions - gave us no ball.
Point 2: our tackling was shit. Had to make way too many due to possession, they were making the advantage line at will... and then we had to do it with 14 men.

Crap being spouted:
It's Mounga's fault. No, Barrett has been at 10 for a number of shit performances leading up to this. Mounga's defence is crap. No, it's not. Stats say better than most. He's not being hidden on the wing as suggested, he and Barrett are frequently defending as dual fullbacks, it's part of the 2 playmakers plan. I hate to think what would be being said if he got run over like Barrett did.
The midfield is shit. Well goodhue was very good then went off after what, 10 mins? Bit rough to judge a disrupted midfield when forwards are getting owned all day.
Ben Smith is now too slow. He's never been fast for an outside back. He's quick on his feet, very well balanced and great in contact. Much like Corey Jane in that regard. He's always been a better fullback than winger, but he is hardly to blame for this beating.
Savea and Cane is a disaster which will never work. Well, name the available 6 who would have improved things? Losing a lock and playing with 7 forwards isn't a fair trial for a lightweight loose trio. Most concerns pregame were lineout, which was fine. Bugger all people were concerned in advance re tackling etc, cause Cane tackles like a 6.
Coles should be an impact player. Seriously, what the fuck is this about? Best forward by a country mile and we should bench him?

@Frank said in US Politics:

Biden's strategy of hiding away is working quite well.

I think Trump will try to force Biden to come out and start campaigning.
Trump should start going on the liberal networks and attacking him.
This will force Biden to respond.

I still think Trump is in trouble unless he starts showing a bit more humility and focus (not a lot, but a little). Copying the meaningless platitudes of Biden would be a good start. Control the wild tweets and tie Joe Biden to the radical left - relentlessly.

Frank, I don't really understand how you can continue to think that Trump is smart enough, or disciplined enough to have a change of tactics. He has one setting, and that's it. He's been persuaded / attempted to change his presentation quite a few times now, and he keeps it up for all of about 15 minutes before reverting to type, every single time. So as to your suggestions: He will attack. He will not show humility or focus. He will not control the wild tweets. He will try to tie all and sundry to the radical left.
It's not exactly a complex psychological puzzle to figure out what he's going to do, the man is a moron.

@JC said in US Politics:

@Winger

"Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA"

So in other words, Vote by Mail is Bad and ought to be illegal unless it's being done by Republicans in which case it is excellent and to be encouraged. He is suing to stop absentee voting in Democrat-leaning Nevada at the same time as he is encouraging it in Republican-leaning Florida. He's really draining that swamp.

This is kind of the problem in a nutshell isn't it. If we do it it's fine, if they do it's terrible - even if it's the same fucking thing.
When you have a 'leader' like that, of course you're going to make things more and more polarised, and promote the stupid at either end of the spectrum.

@Tim said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@canefan The attitude that some of the most important professionals should give their labour away rather irks me. How about some fat bonuses and grants?

Bonuses Tim, are for bankers who create nothing.

@booboo said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Winger said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@JC said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Bones Yeah, that’s what I thought too. But when @Winger starts saying things like “ People are so scared of the yearly flu that the economy has been ruined. ”, I have to ask, whose people and whose economy are we talking about?

@Winger seems very invested in the USA, which is fine if he actually lives there. But if he doesn’t, conflating what happens there with the rest of the world is pretty dumb.

I'm invested in the US because its key to where the West goes (but I currently not living in the UK, NZ or the US).

And in general the Wests economy has been ruined (some of the biggest companies has thrived though). Due to a yearly flu that's been hyped up by the elites with an agenda

What's the agenda? Sell more respirators?

Ah yes, the mysterious wealthy and powerful elites. From what I've been able to figure out so far, they make fortunes from renewable energy, but are not invested in coal or oil, and now I guess we can rule out airlines. Or actually, maybe this comes back to the renewables - they've made Covid up to stop the planes, which stops the av gas...
In all seriousness, why wouldn't the wealthy and powerful want to ruin the economy? Makes perfect sense.

Interesting to read how many people are opposed to tax covering quarantine, but no conversation on the subsidies going to businesses? (or did i just miss that from earlier?)

this is an interesting little read: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200622-the-long-term-effects-of-covid-19-infection

@Winger said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Kirwan said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@canefan said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Kirwan said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Winger said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Kirwan said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@Winger What are your thoughts on Bill Gates?

I always liked Gates because Excel. Much better than Lotus 123. Also MS Dos was cheaper to own due to lower computer prices (half the price of IMB computers). So credit to Gates. Even though he got his start thanks to his mother and IBM. So without being born into an elite family he would be another unknown in the world.

But he was always came across as a strange nerdy type that was obsessed with money and control. And still is. He’s been very successful. But one big failure is giving money away (worth when he started $52 billion now $104 billion). Or is this just marketing hype. Where he claims to want to give his money away but doesn’t and is just using his foundation to reduce his tax bill. And to market himself as he sets up his next money making schemes (digital certificates and vaccines etc).

But credit to Gates. He has everything lined up to make a fortune. He invested in imperial college where they just happened to produce via Neil Ferguson the scary inflated estimated Coved 19 deaths that seemed to kick this all off. He is a big investor in WHO. Is mates and has invested in Dr Fauci etc. etc. etc. And his marketing team has done a brilliant job. His image has changed from a nerdy control freak who violated antitrust laws to a kind of world saviour.

One last point. He needs to choose his friends and foundation investors more carefully.

Was the last line an Epstein jab? Dodgy territory for a Trump fan.

But back to Gates, it’s true he’s increased his wealth but with like most things you see in black and white you are missing a bit of nuance.

His reported net wealth includes his charitable foundation for starters. They key point is that he has given away $50 billion to charities over the years. No matter how you cut it, that’s amazing. Also impressive is him convincing other billionaires to do the same.

His foundation is doing remarkable work, just looking at his vaccine work and halving child mortality in the last 15years, particularly in the third world.

Do you think he’s planning to microchip people?

Antivaxxers would not see his vaccine work as a good thing....

Facts don’t care about feelings.

The facts are that people who follow a more natural approach are often healthier than people who don't. And instead rely on big pharma and lots and lots and lots of pills and injections to make them right.
The 2nd fact is we have had vaccines and lots of big pharma drugs for many years now, Yet here we are. People are so scared of the yearly flu that the economy has been ruined. And people willingly wear masks (that likely do more harm than good) and want everyone else to do likewise and are afraid of getting too close to someone else(even their grandchildren for example) just in case. Its like a collective madness. Where people think we will only be saved by big pharma pill popping or injections.

Maybe its time to try a different approach. Rather than even more and more pills (I have meet people who take pills to counter the side effects of other pills) and even more vaccines (compulsory vaccines won't stop at 1). It might be good for big pharma but I don't see overall a healthy population.

It's good to see that you're sticking to it being 'just the annual flu' Winger, and that masks are bad. You can't be happy that your old mate Trump has changed his mind on these this week. I'm sure he'll change it back next week though, so don't get too down about it.
Modern medicine, yet here we are. fuck me.

@Siam re-imagining? there's nothing wrong with assessing law and order, gun control, repeated incidences of police violence which is indicative of serious problems. the system is not working as well as anyone would like it to.
saying defund the police without offering alternatives is bullshit, as is saying 'they want to defund the police' when their leader has said that he does not support that at all.

if the democrats are so extreme, i assume you're saying that this has happened since the last democrat government? because that government seemed far more like the american 'business as usual' - that you say you want - than the current republican (even though it's not really republican) one.

@Siam 4 years, 4 fucking years of watching american become great again. what a fucken disaster.
and the alternative wants to defund the police, because that's what trump said... except as usual that was a lie, because it is not what biden has said at all.

you are making the mistake of confusing the extremists with the potential government. which is why being divisive matters, by the way.

@Godder said in US Politics:

@Rembrandt said in US Politics:

@Bones said in US Politics:

@Tim said in US Politics:

Boobs.

Lock the thread, it's done. Goes out in peak fern style.

I wonder if Biden gets an opinion on who is running mate will be.

Yes, but it won't be her as she isn't eligible to be president (too young).

Not to mention she would lead the nation to rack and ruin.