The Chiefs will be rolling out in an updated adidas version of their 1996 jersey against the Canes this weekend. Only 300 of which will be for sale plus some signed ones to be auctioned on trademe. I like this. Hopefully all the fanchises do it and if the Crusaders do I’ll do all I can to get my hands on one of our wooden spoon classics,
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/edit/image_cache/181221chiefs0780edit_810x810c0pcenter.jpg
Still struggling big time with the injustice of it all. This has been infinity times harder to process than getting reamed by Australia in 2015. We could have - possibly should have - won this final and title.
In 2015 I was consoled by being able to look forward and confidently expect we’d still have a pretty good side in 2019. We were always likely to still have Guppy, Kane, Rosco, Anderson, Henry, Southee, Boult and Milne from that side, and knew we were heading to a tournament played in conditions nearer to our own than anywhere else it could be held. I was confident we’d give it another tilt and distinctly remember predicting that on TSF in the aftermath of the 2015 final.
But fast forward and we’ve come as close as a team can possibly, possibly get without quite pulling it off, and I have little confidence in our team being as strong in the next tournament, to be played in far less suitable conditions. This year our team had three of our top five all time ODI batsmen in it, either at or near the peak of their powers, possibly our best ever ODI pace bowler, and a quality supporting cast with some fast improvers and only a couple of duds. You could say much the same of the 2015 side but throw in our greatest ODI spinner as well, plus a much better performed Southee.
In 2023 we’ll still have Kane and I have no reason to believe he’ll be any less of a player than he is now. So we’ll always be a chance. But I’m not sure how many of the current guys will still be around. Guptill, out of form this tournament but still only 32 currently, will probably be past it at 36. It’s possible we’re seeing him waning now, but I tend to think he’ll come right again and we’ll get another year or three out of him. Rosco will be around 38 and a very unlikely starter based on the longevity of NZ batsmen historically but stranger things have happened and he seems very fit. On balance though, probably not. Boult will be 33 and fairly long in the tooth for a pace bowler. Still a possible starter but highly unlikely to be operating at the same level.
Nicholls, Latham, Neesham, Santner, Sodhi, Ferguson and Henry will all be 32 or younger which helps the core. Add to that Corey Anderson, Tom Blundell, Will Young, Tim Seifert and Adam Milne. Ok I’m cheering up a little, but still need to see at least a couple of these guys develop into truly world class players in order to have any confidence. The Colins will be gone. One should never play ODI cricket again and the other will drift out of the side due to age prior to the next WC. Southee will also be a goner.
So the team for 2023? Well I’m assuming Guppy and Rosco will be gone, sadly. Boult may well be reduced to a Kyle Mills 2015 role as the experienced fourth seamer unlikely to play but in the squad. Kane will be there at first drop and I reckon Nicholls should have well and truly cemented a spot at 4 by then (same as in the test side) but may be needed at the top. Young shapes as a likely contender at 5 unless we stack the middle order with power allrounders in which case I can see Neesham batting there. There’s a chance Nicholls stays at the top of the order and Young slots in at 4, I guess. Latham will also contend for 4. At this stage the opening spots look problematic and particularly by then if Guppy is in fact history. Maybe Blundell takes one of these spots, or Seifert who appeals as a guy who can get us away to a flyer, McCullum-esque . I truly hope Anderson comes back as a true all rounder and reclaims a position. Santner will probably be there as a defensive spinner but hopefully not batting as high as 8 as he appears most unworthy of this spot in the ODI team at the moment. Team structure however may dictate that he stays there. Sodhi should play a lot more for NZ and should be in this squad. Latham looks likely to enjoy an extended run in the middle order. There will be new guys come in but it’s not hard to imagine a lot of our current quality performers still holding their spots. A possible 1st XI in India:
Seifert
Nicholls
Williamson
Young/Latham
Latham/Young
Neesham
Anderson
Santner
Sodhi
Henry
Ferguson
I’d love to see another hitter at 8. If Santners test batting develops and he starts not ducking under bouncers when we need runs then he may be more suited to 7, sandwiched between a couple of thugs.
@Bones said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:
@shark is there quite a difference between Nth Korean ICBM's and others?
I'm relying on it not working.
@bovidae said in Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby Injury was not a factor according to the Stuff article.
"We wanted a specialist second five," explained Hansen. "Alby (Lienert-Brown) has been playing a lot of his rugby at 13. Whilst we're very happy with his performance [in Sydney], we love what he does for us off the bench.
"He brings a security, a sense of understanding of what's needed in that area and Ngani is more of a starting-type player. It just made sense."
Yep nice one Shag. You may as well put the NH contact under ALB's fucken nose yourself. You could have equally said: "We didn't pick Ngani in the initial squad and wanted him instead to go away and work on his communication, which he's done for an entire game. Alby was outstanding for us at 12 in Bledisloe 1 in what was virtually a starting role but despite that we've brought Ngani straight back in ahead of him".
We've got three of our top five all-time ODI batsmen in one team and one of our best ever ODI bowlers at the peak of his powers, plus a decent supporting cast. Now is the time to shine.
@rotated said in CWC Final - Black Caps v England:
@mariner4life said in CWC Final - Black Caps v England:
well, shit aye.
I'm actually not sure how to feel. We can't even fall back on being beaten by a better side on the day. Because we weren't beaten.
Get my rant in. What fuckwit came up with most boundaries as the 2nd tie-breaker? Effectively England have been handed the cup for having less scoring shots than us? In what way is that a good measurement? Get absolutely fucked. I am not having that. Celebrate you pommy (UN) fucks, we all know it feels hollow.
Two bad pieces of luck in the last couple of overs. But that overthrow 6 is about as unlucky as you can possibly get. Right there you know it is not your day. Fucking hell.
I thought we were 30 runs short, turns out we were one. Imagine if we didn't duck under the last ball of the innings?
This is about where I'm at with it too. Although in a way I feel bad for both sides as England will always have a bit of asterix on the title and the lack of closure will likely torment NZ more than a loss. I'm not entirely sure I would be that much happier if NZ had "won" on an equally ridiculous countback.
The NZ team can be very proud, they played great cricket and did not wilt under the pressure and in the last two games added more to the lore of NZ cricket history than other teams did in an entire four year cycle. I juts hope for the Black Caps that in time the absurdity and incredible nature of the result or lack thereof a little easier to swallow.
On the bright side I look forward to Kane on commentary at the 2039 CWC semi final talking about this game at length...
You're having a little tug on your own whizzer there if you seriously believe the Poms will give a second thought to the way they were awarded this WC. They won't give a flying fuck. It's in the record books, that's all that matters. And we'd feel exactly the same. At most they'll feel mildly sympathetic towards us but they'll feel completely justified in having taken this title, one way or another.
Actually, why shouldn't we do a Cricket Australia and relegate our neighbours to second tier venues for 30 years or so? We should in all seriousness send a message to the ARU and host the Wallabies next year in Invercargill.
@sparky said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@Machpants 98th game against the Old Foe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rugby_union_matches_between_New_Zealand_and_South_Africa
100th could be a RWC final!
Mo'unga and Barrett played all three of our big tests this year so to think the selectors are just toying with this combination is at best baffling.
There's nearly always gotta be something to be concerned about and what worries me this week is the following:
Christ College (makes me feel ill just trying to post this):
15 R Deans
14 I Punivai
11 N Punivai
13 T Matson
12 D McLeod
10 D McKenzie
9 B Deans
I can't...I can't continue, sorry. The vomit is just at the back of my throat...
@mofitzy_ said in Pick Your (or any) High Schools' All-Time Greatest XV:
- Peter Burke
- Nathan Harris
- Wayne Graham
- Jarrad Hoeata
- Royce Willis
- Tanerau Latimer
- Daniel Braid
- Sam Cane
- Owen Stephens
- Kane Williamson
- Paul Simonsson
- Greg Kane
- Peter Burling
- Greg Rowlands
- Adrian Cashmore
3 opensides and no props. Figured Kane was too quiet to play 9 and you know he'd be a master place kicker.
I could make up a silly fantasy team myself and chuck Mark Keddell (comm games sprinter) on one wing, Matt Henry on the other and what the hell, why not have half of Parliament who went to SBC make up a super argumentative and niggly tight five 
@Canes4life said in Pick Your (or any) High Schools' All-Time Greatest XV:
Wellington College - probably missed a few
- Ken Gray / Reggie Goodes
- Dane Coles / Leni Apisai
- Neemia Tialata / Jeff Toomaga Allen
- Nelson Asofa Solomona / Joe Latta
- Naitoa Ah Kuoi
- James Blackwell / Tupou Sopoaga
- TJ Ioane
- Filo Tiatia / Graham Mexted
- Kemara Hauiti Parapara
- Lima Sopoaga / Hayden Cripps
- Ralph Caulton
- Michael Hobbs
- Marc Ellis
- Wes Goosen
- Jack Griffiths
Didn't NAS play 8?
@mofitzy_ said in Pick Your (or any) High Schools' All-Time Greatest XV:
- Peter Burke
- Nathan Harris
- Wayne Graham
- Jarrad Hoeata
- Royce Willis
- Tanerau Latimer
- Daniel Braid
- Sam Cane
- Owen Stephens
- Kane Williamson
- Paul Simonsson
- Greg Kane
- Peter Burling
- Greg Rowlands
- Adrian Cashmore
3 opensides and no props. Figured Kane was too quiet to play 9 and you know he'd be a master place kicker.
Missed the point.
St Andrews College:
15 Ben Blair
14
11 Telusa Veainu
13
12
10 Richie Mo'unga
9
8 Alex Wylie
7
6
5 Alby Anderson
4 Mark Abbott
3 Chris King
2
1 Tim Perry / Harry Allan
@Bovidae said in Pick Your (or any) High Schools' All-Time Greatest XV:
Auckland Grammar.
Take your pick...
http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/schoollist.asp?sl_id=Auckland Grammar&stats_id=71
Come on, can't you put this rag-tag mob of no-hopers into a XV??
@Bovidae Didn't Tom Coventry play for the Crusaders in 1996? You could bump him up from NPC to SR, maybe.
@Chris-B Handy side. Marfell would be a pretty small lock though wouldn't he?
CBHS, without delving into any archives:
15 C Slade / W Jordan
14 S Hamilton
11 D Gibson
13 A Leinert-Brown / N Mauger
12 A Mauger
10 D Carter / A Mehrtens
9 Scott Hansen
8 N Manu
7 M Todd
6 A Thompson
5 L Romano
4 B Retallick
3 O Franks
2 A Dixon
1 B Franks / D Hewett / R Loe