@Kirwan said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:

I hope you aren’t expecting me to be consistent with my arguments?

This both made me laugh and so resonated with me. Maybe it is age - I have been on here for decades - but I am appreciating the unfiltered, yet amazingly sane commentary (from many but especially the old-timers) so much.

France vs England

@taniwharugby said in NPC Form Team:

@Bovidae just been posted for this week

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Who is Segnar ?😛

@MN5 said in Black Caps in Zimbabwe:

@Crazy-Horse said in Black Caps in Zimbabwe:

@MN5 why don't you think Jamieson will be back? Is he injured again or are you basing it on his history?

The latter.

…..and I say that as a massive fan. I hope I’m wrong.

Jamieson will be ok he is fully fit now had the fusion and rod surgery on his back .
He just didn't tour due to his first baby being born.

@Mauss said in NH International Rugby:

@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:

George Ford did his George Ford thing vey well.

I thought Ford was pretty spectacular. If there’s any young first fives in New Zealand who wonder how you should play flat to the line, they’d do well to take a close look at George Ford’s game against Argentina in La Plata.

I’ll highlight just one period in the game which I think exemplifies Ford’s flat style of play, focusing on the English multiphase sequence in the 28th minute in the first half originating from a lineout attack near the Argentina 22. During the six phases that follow the successful lineout, Ford touches the ball 6 times, each time in touching distance from the Argentina defensive line.

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Ford made sure to play right on top of the Argentina defensive line, constantly being in motion while drawing defenders onto him, before releasing the ball to other players in movement. He made sure to vary his distribution, constantly shifting the point of the attack.

https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZWJqZHkxdXNqenE2am1xZml1ZTBoMmoxcDg5aWRwcHEwMDFrbDl3ZSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/GJzydC0D1yGRPk882g/giphy.gif
https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbmYxb2tpd3hwZXJ4enpjdWp2Z3Q0cmt5bDZ3cnBka3l0YXJua2tndiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/9pE7HubMstmwIC5yLi/giphy.gif
https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdmdsY2R3OGJwOGM2ZHljOWd1Yzl4eTFzYXZ6aTI2dTd0MTlwdXAyZyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/d2iOphlC2jeT5bCIio/giphy.gif

With the Argentina defence fragmented and running out of numbers, Ford ups the tempo further and moves into an even flatter position, seeking to land the killer blow.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeDRjOXkxc254bWVpZXlwbm9iem1uc3d5cDhjbHlhZmFmYnJ2NDlhaiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/TCUDU9sqt6yCQPaulW/giphy.gif

It was very nearly a perfect attacking sequence. While the movement ultimately came to naught due to a Roebuck knock-on, it was a sign of things to come. Ford would further dismantle the Argentinean defence in the second half, the game eventually finishing 35 to 12 in favour of the visitors. While Ford has his detractors, I’m not sure there are a lot of first fives in rugby union who come close to his ability to play flat. When he’s on like this, he’s a joy to watch.

After the Poms ambushed ABs in 2019 semi, TWM were reported as wondering where Ford had been hiding. Always felt he was the premier attacking English 10, but coaches preferred Farrell, who is an attacking cart horse in comparison.

https://rugbylad.ie/brian-odriscoll-slams-joe-schmidts-conservative-game-approach/

@Machpants said in Auckland stadiums - Eden Park, Western Springs etc:

@Duluth said in Auckland stadiums - Eden Park, Western Springs etc:

I see Eden Park released a video about the 3 stages. After a minute of fluff there is some details on distances in the different configurations

Looks good. Soooooooooooooo, where's the money coming from?

https://media1.tenor.com/m/Rp7cT2IGAbUAAAAC/money-tree.gif

As ever with stadium builds and procrastination.

People moan about the money but if you dont do it at the time and kick thw can down the road, it only becomes more and more expensive

Last year's third placegetters likely non starters this season

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360785917/former-league-champions-western-united-brink-collapse-licence-stripped?cx_testId=48&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

Am very keen on getting to as many RWC games as I can.

That'll all depend on who is playing where, when, and how I can get there, and where I can stay.

I suspect prices for Finals, even knockout games may be beyond me, especially when you add on travel and accommodation. Won't be any games near Hervey Bay ...

So today's demand for $750 can get fucked.

Nine rookies for the Argentineans. Emiliano Boffelli and Thomas Gallo are out injured. Matías Moroni, Tomás Lavanini, and Gonzalo Bertranou have missed selection.

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@KiwiPie All good points but (being forever the pessimist) I'm not getting too excited just yet. I think its far to early to judge the merits of that win till we see how we play without Leroy and Emoni and see how Ta$man perform as the season progresses. There's still plenty to be pleased about though ! I see the TAB rates us now third after Ta$man and Canterbury . We were Fifth before the season started . You have to be pleased how the team has progressed over the last few years though. It wasn't that long ago when we were getting beaten by most teams and now are genuine title contenders. I will bask on that thought after that win.

Son Heung Min is leaving Spurs with immediate effect. Such a great servant for the club. But he's diminished and this way Frank isn't pressured to play him, and Sonny doesn't suffer the prospect of riding the bench for a team when he always used to be first name on the sheet. Let him go wherever he wants to, although ideally he doesn't stay in the Prem 😉

Couldn't be bothered finding another thread

Eagles flying high in Wellington.

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@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

I think it was the second Test when Holland dropped a few kickoffs?

Yeah, one where he misjudged the depth of the kick, at around the 15' mark, where Attissogbe beats him to the ball in the air (but knocks on himself). And the other one was at the 2nd half restart, with the ball slipping through his fingers and eventually going into touch.

For all three Tests, the ABs kicked off in the first half and received the kick-off in the second. Interestingly, they weren't able to secure one of those 2nd half restarts (Test 1: Ioane knock on; Test 2: Holland error; Test 3: Villière beats Tuipulotu to the ball). It was a consistent aspect of the pressure the ABs put themselves under at the beginning of the 2nd half, giving the French easy 22 access, alongside the quick impact of the French bench forwards who would come on around the same time.

NZ NBL

https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/23-07-2025/unpaid-wages-and-walkouts-the-downfall-of-the-nbls-indian-panthers?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Now Dame back to the Blazers. What a rental - gets his bag, the Blazers get him back, and they got how many picks?

A bit strange that they traded for Drue though.

And after all of that he's just recommited to the Knights til 2027. Well done to his agent playing the game 👏.

@Windows97 said in NZ Rugby Collective agreement:

It was a great one-off injection of cash into the game and grass roots no doubt...

I could see the theory - that Silverlake leverage their digital/marketing knowledge to grow the AB brand and revenue.

In practice, that did not happen. NZR+ was a shocker and a money pit. That's the sort of shit that happens in a corporate. Foster's pretty scathing of the 'commercial focus' of NZR - but they seem to miss that getting the onfield stuff right leads to off field success as well. Crusaders have the best back office and it supports onfield success. Most other Super bakc offices seem ... poor to mediocre.