Back from my corporate jolly to game...some thoughts having not seen any replays or TV. Long-ish post. (Skip to he last 2 paras for the incisive bit)

Twickenham a pain to get to...and into. Ticket entry barriers weren't working, RFU needs to get its act together - pretty crap really. The crowd was far more respectful to the opposition and the kickers. First time I'd been to Twickenham for a test in about 10 years, so credit to the RFU. Atmosphere was great.

Pom tactics and decision making were excellent in the first 30 minutes - crap after that. Thought Farrell had a poor game - zero variation in his game. Underhill was astonishingly good for England and was my MoM.

AB backline was poor until Crotty came on and he seemed to give a lot of solidity. Thought SBW was poor and you wonder how long he'll be in the team. England targeted DMac with the high ball but he did OK and as well as anyone else - he certainly doesn't lack guts, thats for sure. On attack he was probably the most dangerous AB back. Thought our kicking game (inc. DMac) was shite. We looked way more dangerous when keeping the ball in hand.

Retallick & Savea were immense. BBBR utterly owned the Pom lineout, ruck, maul and, well, the whole pitch. Ardie seemed to be everywhere.

Ben Kay and Ugo Monye hosted a post match analysis for the corporate clients which was excellent. No argument that Lawes was offside from them. We then had a Q&A with Itoje and Danny Care.

Itoje & Care seemed good blokes but I was surprised by the complacency in their attitude. They thought that as they had only lost by 1 point they had scored a famous victory. Astonishing attitude in many ways. Hope I never hear an AB talk like that.

All in all, a mistake-strewn game. But we dogged a win - which I sense Hansen will be happy with

It's a childish, unfair thing to say but it's a pity Sexton wasn't playing.

Would have loved to seen his face at the final whistle

@sparky said in R.I.P. 2020:

Sgt Matt Ratana sounds like a great guy:

Bit shocked when I saw the name. Actually knew Matt when he lived near Bourne End/Marlow in the early 2000's and gave me and my kids tennis lessons at the local tennis club. Had more than a few beers with him after the lessons.

The club was a bit snooty and didn't quite know how to handle the "gee whiz" maori bloke who turned out to be a degree-educated policeman... think he used to enjoy that.

He really was a bloody great bloke. Kia Kaha

Exclusive Interview with Foster

Interviewer: Thanks for talking to us again, Ian.

Fozzie: No worries. My shout this time. How many Big Macs do you want?

Interviewer: What's changed in the camp since the defeat to Argentina?

Fozzie: We had a sit down and a good think about what went wrong and how we could improve. We even brought in a sports psychologist to help us.

Interviewer: How so?

Fozzie: She told us to be open and honest with our shortcomings as there's a natural tendency to hide things we're not good at - especially in a team environment. For example I admitted I had problems with numbers like 12, 13 & 14 at school, TJ owned up to having a fixation with chickens and Scooter has this weird thing called Xanthophilia.

Interviewer: What’s Xanthophilia?

Fozzie: A love of all things yellow, apparently.

Interviewer: There's been some criticism of your comments that things are going well on the training pitch but why are they not being transferred onto the playing field?

Fozzie: Fair question. Look, I can only say it how I see it. I understand the frustration from the supporters’ point of view. And Scotty & Plummy feel it too. For me as head coach it's worse. Way up there with getting to KFC at closing time and finding out you've missed out on the last Big Bucket.

Interviewer: There's been some criticism of the game plan against Argentina.

Fozzie: A lot of that criticism is unfair. We've taken loads of time to analyse and work on our game plan. Obviously, It’s a work in progress but we hope to share it with the players soon.

Interviewer: Are you looking at how to counter the rush defence?

Fozzie: We're working really hard on that and trying different variations on attack. We workshop things in the training sheds before trying it out on the practice paddock. We used my empty KFC Big Buckets to represent the opposition forward and the Big Mac boxes for the backs.

Interviewer: How did that go?

Fozzie: OK, but we had to stop using the Big Buckets though as they were triggering withdrawal symptoms in Asafo Aumua.

Interviewer: You've picked JB at 14 again. What is your thinking behind that?

Fozzie: He's played pretty well in SRA at 14 so he was the logical choice. He was particularly impressive in the game with the Hurricanes. I pretty much made up my mind about him then.

Interviewer: Didn't he play fullback for the Canes in that game?

Fozzie: I clearly recall discussing the 14 slot at the airport & Scotty McLeod saying "Well Jordan played bloody well in the Hurricanes - Crusader game" and I decided there and then he was in the squad at 14.

Interviewer: That was "Will Jordan went well "surely, and not "Well Jordie went well"?

Fozzie: Why wasn't I told about these things? Can you see the sort of ineptitude I have to put up with? People aren’t even able to get players names right.

Interviewer: What about the balance in the loose forwards? There’s been some comment that Ardie Savea is a bit too light at 8 and should be brought on as an impact player.

Fozzie: That’s a good point. But Ardie has the experience which is vital and we’ve been working on his physicality. He’s working really hard on bulking up.

Interviewer: He doesn’t seem to have bulked up much though. Is he working on it enough?

Fozzie: You should see the McDonalds loyalty cards I lent Ardie.

Interviewer: What do you say to some of the social media attacks by supporters on you and the team after the Argentina loss?

Fozzie: Just knock that crap off will you? Just because you're right, doesn't mean you can be abusive.

Interviewer: But can’t you see how supporters might feel with the way the All Blacks are playing?

Fozzie: I can certainly empathise with how they feel. It’s a bit of a shock when you lose twice in a row unexpectedly when you have a history of winning. The only thing I would say is that the shock does wear off after a few losses. Trust me on that.

Interviewer: Will you consider your future if you lose on Saturday?

Fozzie: I'm contracted until 2021. So we'll see after that. But you know, you never know, you know.

Interviewer: Thanks for talking with us

Fozzie: My pleasure. Do you want those fries?

@chimoaus said in All Blacks v France, 2021 NH Tour:

When did we last lose 2 in a row on the spring tour?

About 40 minutes from now, I reckon.

First Ref to a 100 Tests this weekend. Terrific achievement.

Probably the best referee I've seen and up there with McCaw & co in the annals of Rugby. Pretty much a role model off the pitch as well.

Owens set for historic 100th Test

Nigel Owens speaks of his pride - and sadness - as he is set to become the first referee to officiate 100 rugby union Test matches.

Been trying to sum up the utterly crass and inane questions that get asked at the daily press conferences until this popped into my FB feed...

The Ian Foster Interview

Interviewer: Well Ian, your reaction to the defeat.

Foster: Firstly, thanks for the Big Bucket. The loss of Scott Barrett was a major blow to us as he was irreplaceable.

Interviewer: Has it been difficult to blend the SRA teams into the one team?

Foster: Well I took care of the Hurricanes at an early stage. I picked their second-best scrum half, a mediocre second-five and played their best 7 out of position. It was therefore easy to ignore them.

Interviewer: How were you able to overlook Akira Ioane?

Foster: He is everything I dislike in a player. He has physicality and is exciting and I cannot tolerate that in an All Black team.

Interviewer: There was criticism of the composition of the squad. Another Big Bucket?

Foster: Thanks. Yes, I understand that, but politically I could not have taken any more Chiefs players.

Interviewer: There has also been criticism of the inclusion of some of the players who had a very average SRA

Foster: Well in some cases it was a close call between the likes of Damian McKenzie & Brad Weber and more experienced Chiefs players, but I tried to balance any bias out by not selecting Anton Leinart-Brown in his best position.

Interviewer: Akira Ioane has made a great impact in SRA. Why was he not in the original team?

Foster: He has never played for the Chiefs. How could I have been expected to know whether he is any good?

Interviewer: Why do you keep playing Jordie Barratt at 14?

Foster: I feel that the familiarity, which the players built up in their best positions, breeds complacency. By the way, thanks for the extra fries.

Interviewer: You have been widely criticised for the team's display against Argentina. How do you react?

Foster: Listen, I am a world cup winner. I give interviews to Sky. I can inspire a team playing any sport you care to name. Do you think that I am put off by ill-informed criticism? And I coached the Chiefs.

Interviewer: You are accused of ignoring Crusaders players. How do you react?

Foster: The fact that they won the Super Rugby Aotearoa playing exciting rugby with a Plan B really counts for nothing. But do they know all the attack lines from the Chiefs playbook of two seasons ago? I know what it takes to win against second string sides. It is a war of attrition.

Interviewer: It seemed to some observers that the All Blacks lacked discipline and made mistakes under pressure while Argentina were disciplined and handled the pressure well.

Foster: Some clever dicks in the press and former players always want to comment on things they know nothing about. Any chance of some more fried chicken?

Interviewer: The line-out did not go well and the All Blacks lost a lot of their own throw-ins.

Foster: Well that is a good example of what I am up against. I wanted to play Tyler Ardron but IRB rules prevented me doing that. And John Plumtree insisted that at least one non-Chiefs player be selected to give the team balance. Scott McLeod, a Chiefs man, agreed.

Interviewer: Scott Barrett has a poor disciplinary record at critical times. How do you turn that around?

Foster: It is my philosophy to turn every set back to our advantage. It's clear that he needs a change of focus during games. I'm playing Scooter at 2/5 for the next test.

Interviewer: The handling of the rush defence by the AB's continues to be a worry.

Foster: This is because most of them are unfamiliar with Chiefs tactics. We really need to sort out our midfield. It's important we be proactive there, and I have been in contact with Charlie Ngatai.

Interviewer: What did you make of Sam Cane's comments on fans after the loss to Argentina?

Foster: Only a complete fool criticises his captain, but I think he's totally wrong on that - even if he is a Chiefs player. Sam needs to dial down the rhetoric and the passion. Personally, I go out of my way to chat to supporters when I pop into McDonalds for lunch. You can learn a lot over a second Big Mac.

Interviewer: You indicated that the first season with you in charge would be critical.

Foster: Look, I am doing my very best on a paltry budget of $20m. Do you know that we have fewer coaches / back-up staff than players? How can you expect me to demonstrate my management skills under these circumstances? Positivity is what it is all about and I cannot see how I can be expected to do my job if results on the pitch are constantly being thrown back at me. It is also unfair I get the blame if non-Chiefs players can't perform out of position?

Interviewer: Final question, Ian . Were you right to pick Ritchie Mo'unga at 10?

Foster: Perhaps not. I wanted to pick Aaron Cruden but Ritchie's been playing well for the Crusaders. I thought of Ritchie at half-back, but I needed to pick some players in their favoured positions.

Interviewer: Thank you for your time.

Foster: Don't mention it. It's always good to take a break from coaching. Pass me that second Big Sharing Bucket will you?

@mn5 said in Movie review thread...:

Some formulas shouldn’t be messed with I don’t reckon. If they want to do spin offs with other leads they can fill their boots and every black/disabled/lesbian/midget can have a crack at defeating Spectre and saving the world

I'll give it 5 years..

@kiwiwomble said in Movie review thread...:

I have mixed feelings, I kind of feel we should be able to create original non white male characters rather than co opting these exiting characters…but I’m also not worried and I’ve never considered any of the bond story to be ABOUT him being white…so I think they can still tell the same kinds of stories with a black actor

I tend to agree - it's Bond's character that's important. which is why I thought Elba would be bloody great, but as @MN5 has pointed out, at 50, he's too old.

@broughie said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

They should have focused on those at risk rather than controlling a healthy population.

The problem is that sounds OK but not in the real world. If you take that approach, you have to effectively long-term quarantine all at-risk sections of society like, say, the over-60's. and/or forcibly vaccinate them to protect them from Covid.

All to allow another section of society to live un-vaccinated and unrestricted lives.

@donsteppa said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

If those particular protesters had a half a mind,

That might be the problem.

@crucial said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

Don't know why you think they are complicated when the changes and process are explained out like she is addressing a bunch of schoolkids.

That might be the problem. Perhaps she should treat people as adults instead?

Study shows booster jabs massively increase protection from Covid

Booster jabs “massively” strengthen the body’s defences against Covid, according to key results that have raised hopes of strong protection from the Omicron variant.

A third dose not only increased antibody levels thirtyfold, but roughly tripled levels of T-cells, a part of the immune system that experts believe could be the critical weapon against the heavily mutated Omicron strain.

The long-awaited results of the trial underpin Britain’s decision to press ahead with a mass booster campaign. They found that Pfizer and Moderna performed best as boosters out of six vaccines that were tested.

Omicron is a concern, in part, because it has a large number of mutations in the spike protein that the virus uses to latch on to and break into cells. This may mean that antibodies, which bind to the spike to prevent new infections, work less well. There are only a limited number of places on the spike that are recognised by antibodies, with six being particularly important for preventing infection. The fear is that Omicron’s mutations will alter them.

But T-cells, which can destroy infected cells and are thought to guard against severe disease, can recognise more of the spike, making them less sensitive to mutations. Professor Francois Balloux, of the UCL Genetics Institute, said: “The Omicron variant carries around 30 mutations in the spike protein and some are expected to compromise antibody binding, but T-cell immune recognition should remain largely unaffected.”

Rhys Blakely, Science Correspondent | Chris Smyth, Whitehall Editor

Covid-19 booster jab results raise hopes of beating Omicron

Booster jabs “massively” strengthen the body’s defences against Covid, according to key results that have raised hopes of strong protection from the Omicron va

@muddyriver said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@victor-meldrew I completely to agree with that, but the pro mandates argument is that the vaccine has significant effects vs transmission thus your a bad person if you don't get it, even if your risk of hospitalization is extremely low.

I dispute this point because despite the trials data, as stated above there has been very rapid infections rates in 100% areas.

Fair enough - though vaccination does reduce transmission by 60+%

@muddyriver said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

@victor-meldrew his point was on vaccine effects vs transmission so it is relevant.

In the real world the number of infections transmitted really isn't that much - it's the reduction in serious cases, deaths and hospitalisations (which cause big numbers of secondary deaths thru medical resources being stretched) which is relevant

@stodders said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

Gibraltar is 100% vaccinated. Numbers are rising.
Portugal is 100% vaccinated. Numbers are rising.

Not sure the number of infections v % vaccinated is all that relevant in the real world.

The vaccine is really, really good at stopping you being hospitalised and dying, with something like 90-95% of people in hospital from Covid being unvaccinated

@jc said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@victor-meldrew We should be grateful that we are breaking down these barriers. Now that women can have penises too, we are providing equitable opportunities to indecent exposers right across the gender spectrum. Gender-neutral sex offenders are a real sign of social progress. What a time to be alive.

Personally, I think it's akin to racism.

Appropriating a penis is the same as appropriating culture in my SJW book.