How potential coaches have done in difficult times seems important. Apparently can't just pick the most successful super coach since they may not have experience with ongoing tough times and opposition.

this is a pretty good game, some good plays on both sides of the ball from both teams, once again in freezing weather.

@MN5 said in Black Caps tour of India - 2026:

@Virgil said in Black Caps tour of India - 2026:

Had a look, if he can score another 100 in his next ODI innings he will tie the record for quickest (least innings) to score 10 x ODI's 100s
The record is 55 held by SA's Quentin de Kock

More on Mitch......

An extraordinary average of 58.47.

Unlike other ODI champs of the past this is not padded out by loads of not outs, eight in 54 innings ( by comparison Michael Bevan averaged 53.58 with 67 not outs in 196 innings )

Also a strike rate of 95.72. This is amazing given he quite often is in that awkward rebuild stage ( it's the Black Caps remember, collapses are always imminent ) he's getting his runs consistently at pretty much a run a ball.

In one sense its a damn shame he's 35 this year but then he could have started early, been fucked around and been in and out of the side and become a forgotten "what if" like so many others. It seems he's taken a few years to work out his game and is benefitting at the highest level given his FC stats don't particularly stand out.

Let's keep enjoying his contributions while he keeps making them.

He grabbed his chance when it came and hasn't looked back

https://www.theroar.com.au/2026/01/17/hit-for-six-wallabies-star-to-miss-start-of-super-rugby-season-after-knee-surgery/

@mariner4life said in Irrelevant Rugby BS:

as much as i hate to break up such an interesting circle jerk, but don't the entire team wear the exact same coloured boot?

alt text

So apt that Ardie (albeit in trainers) is wearing a different colour to the rest.

@Cyclops said in EPL 2025/26:

Awful penalty kick. Mendy didn't so much save it as be the grateful recipient of it.

I think there have been a very few occasions where a team has disagreed with a penalty and passed it to the keeper rather than trying to score it. If it wasn't for Diaz looking so distraught after I'd have thought that was the case here too.

Pretty poor from the ref to not just call the game in Morocco's favour when the Senegalese abandoned the pitch. Whether its a good decision or not, leave the temper tantrums elsewhere.

Incidentally, Senegal now leading 1-0 in extra time.

I was tracking the game on live scoring and did wonder why the game reached over +20 in added time! Craziness.

EPL games are getting increasingly dull, hardly a goal to find across 9 games this weekend. And so many draws that the table appears frozen.

@sparky said in Aussie Open:

@canefan said in Aussie Open:

Pommie Cam Norrie overcame a poor start to win out in 5 sets

A Saffa who grew up and went to high school in NZ. Bit of a plastic Pom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Norrie

You mean Plastic Tiki Pom?

@Donsteppa said in Black Clash:

@Biorealism said in Black Clash:

It must be a fine line for guys like Wagner and Southee with the bowling as even though it's meant to be a light hearted game no one wants to get smacked around in front of a big crowd.

I guess it's an interesting challenge for those guys in festival cricket. Pace off won't turn them into dibbly dobblies... probably like predictable slower balls, but still with plenty of pace to work with for hitting big.

after being subjected to the Fox coverage of the Ashes for 6 weeks with endless frothing over their fancy special camera that recorded bowlers actions i can expertly say those bowlers still have their wrist snap speed which surely they cant just turn off.

A good day for the SA franchises. Bulls finally win one after the 7 game losing streak. Hopefully they are now on an upward trajectory after the shedding of jake the snake.
The one bulls try was quite weird though, watching it live was eyebrow raising.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/international-referee-slammed-over-bizarre-33252345

@Bones said in Sports Memes:

@W32 Ted II

I'm not sure Ted Lassos touchy feely will work though. My wife loves that show and doesn't approve when I call him Ted Loser

@canefan said in RIP Grant Batty:

@Virgil said in RIP Grant Batty:

@Victor-Meldrew said in RIP Grant Batty:

@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:

@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:

Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.

Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...

Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.

Easy to forget now that players were amateurs and not getting paid. No doubt it was a massive honour playing international rugby but it meant forgoing a career and income.
Look at David Kirk, he left at his peak to further his education and career prospects too

Players of that era ever considered rugby to be a job

One that didn’t pay
Which is why several played overseas in Italy or France (JK did that a lot)
It was crazy to think back then releasing an autobiography could cause drama because it would mean making money from rugby

@nzzp said in NZ Cricket best XI's:

@Virgil said in NZ Cricket best XI's:

Corey Anderson who has 60
I suspect it will eventually be only Anderson though

Corey Anderson was a prodigious talent. Pro contract at 15 or 16 and just nuts. Injuries and possibly some mental stuff meant we didn't see long term high performance from him. Still got that insanely quick ton in Queenstown I believe.

Yup briefly held the record for the fastest 100 in ODI before ABdv took
Funny enough the fern fav Ryder scored a ton in that game too but it was over shadowed by Anderson’s

Neither NZ team made the SFs. The Men lost 24-7 to the Ravuka Sharks in the QF, the beaten finalists. The Women were beaten 38-19 by Briars (Aust).

Good game to go to and a win for the good guys who secure 1st spot. I thought the Stars botched their innings by sending in Cartwright ahead of Maxwell. The pitch in Perth isn't easy to bat on so you need extra time to get yourself set on it, and they should have had Maxwell in with Stoinis to set up for the power surge.

The only Stars bowler to get anything out of the wicket too was Rauf with his extra pace.

@MN5 said in Other Cricket:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pakistan-tv-break-232-year-old-record-for-defending-the-lowest-total-in-first-class-cricket-1519850

NZ could have tried a bit harder to defend 26 by the sounds of things........

They didn't get the chance. They were down by 46 after both teams had batted first (200 vs 246), then spectacularly failed to make England bat again.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-new-zealand-1954-55-61780/new-zealand-vs-england-2nd-test-62788/full-scorecard

@pakman said in FFS get a grip:

@pakman said in FFS get a grip:

I was deeply unhappy when I viewed 30 to 50 of England tape.

BUT I just want ABs to continue the legacy.

ABs were ahead at HT in 10 of 12 tests this year.

The clear inference is that the starting selection is the best in World Rugby.

I know that doesn't fit the current narrative, but those are facts, and we led the Boks at HT in both games.

AND in general our last quarter is fine.

NO NEED TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH BATHWATER!

We have quite a few key players out: Lomax/Vaa'i/Paddy T/Jordie/Narewa.

The decision not to hook Beauden at 30 cost us the England match. We should have been out of sight at HT.

And yes, we dropped our bundle when Codie was shown the absurd yellow card.

BUT this team isn't that far from where we need to be.

When we get behind (as all teams do occasionally) we just need to work through our processes and let our superiority count. NO NEED FOR MIRACLE PLAYS.

The coaching staff needs to eat some humble pie and apologise to the squad.

Including recognising that fresh legs sometimes are more important than playing the best players into the ground.

So subbing the releavant starters at 45/50 is now the smart play!

So get back on the horse and focus on giving the Welsh one hell of a beating.

END OF RANT.

The coaching staff needs to eat some humble pie and apologise to the squad.

Certainly the decision to leave Beauden Barrett on the paddock to start the second half AND play 15 minutes was insane.

I don't think I have ever seen a coach leave an obviously injured player on the pitch for that long, not just in rugby but any match or sport I have ever been watching.

Id really love to one day find out the truth about why he played and trusted Barrett to the degree that he did in 2025 because it never made any sense from an outsider perspective.

"Are you going to the party at Tony Brown's place?". "I don't appear to have an invite...."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360925870/young-star-sam-ruthe-pips-sam-tanner-record-breaking-800m-race

@Chris said in Blues 2026:

I rate Wrampling he has a bit of mutt about him.

With the haircut of a bogan poodle.