The Silver Fern

I expect Papakura will be back and one of Waiuku, Te Kauwhata or Onewhero will be the eighth team.

Ireland looked better for their hit out against the All Blacks. Wallabies looked exhausted, easily exposed in defense as if they no longer had the engine to get to the spaces required or trust in each other had evaporated.

Not the end of the season I expected given their start.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360890321/major-change-results-shows-how-all-blacks-aura-has-been-damaged

@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks MOTM v England:

My bad

Lord

I still reckon I should have voted Holland

The tide definitely turned this week. Goldie does not like losing to England, I know that much. He was pissed.

Goldie, Mils and Beaver went in about as hard as I’ve ever seen them. Lots of good points. Didn’t quite get the pitchforks out like we do on here but just stopped short of it that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

@Steven-Harris said in November Internationals 2025 : Wales v Japan:

Huge ramifications for Welsh rugby ,what is this commentator on ?
Its not as if you have beaten a top 5 team ..

But as others have mentioned we’ve given ourselves a fighting chance at the next RWC

A loss yesterday would have consigned us to where Welsh football was for over 50 years

Unable to make the Euros or World Cup because we were the third ranked team in the group and the other 2 of 3 teams were of our standard

Wales blew so many good chances and didn’t utilise our best strengths - LRZ - but there is already improvement in just two matches

In two years time we will be giving Top 5 sides a fucking good game

Thought Mann had another great match and whilst he’s no Jac Morgan cemented his place in the back row

Tomos is rocks & diamonds

Best game I’ve seen from Dan Edwards

But I still prefer Jarrod Evans

Nails to kick that penalty to win the match

Adams can be put out to pasture now

Dumb, dumb, dumb

We’re going to get well beaten the next two matches

The key is to do what we’re trying to do better, with more accuracy

If we can score 3-4 tries against both NZ and SA by opening them up then the rest of it will fall in to place

@mohikamo said in What is decline?:

@nonpartizan

This is one advantage that NZ should have over everyone else.
So you'd like to think they were all on the same page.

I'd say coaching philosophy is a big part of the AB head coach selection process, and NZR Pro Rugby would ensure that that philosophy is in alignment with all other NZ & SR teams.

Having said that; an environment like that might stifle the introduction of fresh ideas.

Yeah, agreed on that, you don't want to stifle the imagination that is for sure. I guess finding that happy middle ground is the challenge.

The big one for me would be the AB staff relating down the chain of command where they see skill deficiencies and positionally where they see the biggest areas of need.

Bricklayers Arms in Bromley was pretty good last time I was there.

@canefan we did clear the bench and give some of our young fellas a run and only lost it by 3 points.

But generally it’s been our final 5 minutes of games that has cost us at least 3 or 4 games this season.

@Chris-B said in For The Skiers Out There : Return To The Silk Road:

@MiketheSnow It's pretty cool seeing where some of those guys ended up. Rob Des Lauriers appears to have become a realtor and from the videos, he might be well suited to that! 🙂

Went to Cappadocia in 1986 - it was summer - scorching hot - no idea you could ski there and I can't recall the volcano. Probably couldn't see it for the heat haze.

Apparently there's good ski-ing in the various Stans, but I figure I need proximity to decent medical facilities for my ski-ing excursions these days!

Anyway - Dan's a winner from my viewing. I bought his book as a Christmas present for my bro-in-law. I should've asked you if it's any good but fark him (my bro-in-law) - he can like it! 🙂

Yeah, Dan one of the few of that era who's still in the sport.

Cappadocia is perfect in Winter. We had one day of light snow there which made it look really pretty. The rest of the time it was around 10C and sunny. Lovely walking around weather. And far less people than Summer.

There's great skiing all through Turkiye, the former Eastern Bloc, and the old Russian Empire.

Slowly heading further and further East each Winter.

His book is an easy and very good read. Dan's had quite the life.

@pakman said in Scotland v All Blacks:

@BerniesCorner I want Parker in 23, and think it makes sense for him to start. Wally is brilliant to come off bench at about 50.
Flexibility to end with SSP or SSL depending on how things are panning out.

Flexibility seems a bit optimistic. I think I'm right in saying that in the last game we had 2 loosies who had a 10 minute rest, and we left the guy who hadn't had a rest on, and subbed the guy who had just had his rest?

@Dan54 said in Wales v Argentina:

Thanks Mike, I feeling a bit for all you Welsh supporters etc, but regardless great little write up. I will have a peek at the game today sometime, though maybe just the highlight package.
I keep my fingers and toes crossed that things inprove for Welsh rugby!

Yeah, just watch the highlights

Great fucking week. Big crowds on the two good weather days, unsurprisingly not so many on cup day, and most especially the bitterly cold Stakes day.

Turnover through the roof, viewership still on the up. A 2nd Aussie horse in a row, and this one Aussie bred, trained and owned has definitely helped.

Some fucking great racing over the week. There are few sporting locations like Flemington, amazing place.

Racing highlights were Jamie's ride on the MC winner, the overhead visions is crazy, VS running past them even on a heavy 9, Ceowulf's last 100m (fuck you!!!!), Pride of Jenni doing what she does on Derby Day. But i saw a lot of great finishes.

@canefan said in England A v All Blacks XV:

@pakman said in England A v All Blacks XV:

@nostrildamus said in England A v All Blacks XV:

Fakatava still looks like a great AB bench option to me. What is he missing?

Based on the highlights he'd be an asset in the AB squad.

Has to get pass Christie first 🤷

I don't want to bag Christie but he isn't the best option if they want to play fast attacking rugby.

@SouthernMann said in Rough tips and other bets...:

Some of you lads are eating steak tonight!

steak for weeks!

Tindall now looks like he will stop in the middle of the M25 and approach you if you honk at him.

Elliot Daly added to the wider squad. Cue anther change at full back?

Jeez we looked half asleep. Ball was so slow and F Smith was too deep. Marcus is not a starting full back, really need Furbank IMO.

Hope we pick our best pack to start next week