The Silver Fern

@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:

@rapido said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:

O8s there something wrong with old stand at Waikato Stadium? Why was it not used?

@WillieTheWaiter may be able to tell us.

oh yep maybe - does need some earthquake strengthening work done to bring it up to code - didn't think about that.. just assumed they didn't think it would get that big of a crowd.

@bovidae said in All Blacks MOTM v Fiji:

@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks MOTM v Fiji:

Coles, Whitelock, and Havili.

I would have voted for Havili as well but a YC is always a strike against a player in my book. So BBBR as the third choice by default.

I didnt choose him here but I thought JB was solid and BB good (apart from conversions).

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@crazy-horse said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Oh ok yeah you're spot on. GCT and Boshier going overseas are the nails in Foster's coffin,

Wow. That''s not what I said, man. On the smelling salts again?

Are you jailbreak?

nope but you replied to me.

Because you weirdly replied to my reply to him, and I stand by my reply to him.

I thought this was a forum.

Happy for you to fill me in on how GCT and Boshier would have saved us from our catastrophic year this year though.

My point was it is not a fair comparision because there isn't the depth there this year (and actually Josh Blackie, if that is who you mean, was a gold medalist and Junior AB so could play a bit. GCT I'd argue, has been a solid player for the blues even if currently ineligible, I don't think that was a crazy suggestion, it is not as if Patty T suddenly became lethargic in tests when he started).
My second point is if you move the goalposts there won't be a fair discussion. I'm guessing @Jailbreak7 was saying other players should have been tried, and those going overseas were probably let down a tad early.
But you appear to be conflating and extrapolating wildly, focusing on just two of the points @Jailbreak7 made, not the entire post (application, muscle, inventiveness, succession plan, strategically unprepared for NH coaching/experience)...
Yup, you boiled all that down to GCT and Boshier. He/she said that but a helluva lot more.
Since you only want a personal to and fro with a "weird" fragment of @Jailbreak7 posts I'll leave you to your strawman solipsism.
My point, I see, was made by @MN5 but with more subtlety. Kudos.

I am not sure I have ever read the word 'solipsism' on the Fern before.

I’m even more surprised a point I made was described as “subtle”

I've got you on ignore so must have missed what that point was. Even more subtle.

Got me on ignore and then quotes me.

Yeah that’s real choice internetting there bro.

Sorry missed that, got you on ignore.

@no-quarter said in All Blacks MOTM v Tonga:

Guys, for fuck sake, it's Rieko, not Reiko

Sorry, but I'm a bit dyslexic, KO?

(I'll get my coat)

@arhs said in NZ Maori v Manu Samoa II:

Falealii and the Samoan loosies were also impressive in my view. Fomai superb throughout

The Samoan loosies were good. I think they were helped a bit by the Maori selection though. Four locks in the 23 and no specialist loose forward cover. The player they could least afford to get injured was Harmon.. so of course that's what happened

It's strange to think back 2-3 years ago when the Maori were struggling to find any locks. Now they don't know who to leave out

@bovidae said in All Blacks v Tonga:

Some background info on the Tongan team.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/125615499/international-men-of-mystery--just-who-are-these-tongans-facing-the-all-blacks

The loose head prop was playing for Huntly in the Waikato lower grades a few years ago before he moved to a premier side.

@nzzp

Well that one completely passed me by. I didn't really get to read the sordid and gory details of sex in public toilets, I guess.

It looks like Jonathan Taumateine has joined the Samoa squad:

@old-samurai-jack said in AB left wing:

The comments on here about Bridge are ridiculous. He has scored tries for the ABs that young fellas like Clarke (a fern favourite) could only dream of at this stage.

Against Japan.

There was a Ba Bas match or a possible v probables in 91 , Jones was 7 playing against NZ top players and he in the first half played at a level of freakyness - I remember commentators saying they had never seen anything like it.
I watched many a 80's Auckland match and Jones was the man, he also was part of the most in sync loose forward trio with AJ and Zinny. Ahead of them a brutal front 5.
MJ was a freak - someone mentioned height but he was a main lineout target even before lifting due to his athleticism.
I agree with the ...I would pay to watch Jones but want McCaw in a WC final quote

@rancid-schnitzel said in Foster resigns!!!!:

Just saw this:

1 April 2021: Breaking news
Allblack coach resigns
New Zealand rugby has been rocked by the sudden and unexpected resignation of national team coach Ian Foster. Governing body New Zealand Rugby has called an emergency board meeting to discuss his replacement. With the first Allblacks game of the season only months away, the matter will be of one of major urgency.

Potential candidates include Crusaders coach Scott Robertsen and former Lions coach Warren Fatland, however it is understood that Foster’s assistant and fan favourite Scott Mcleod is willing to step into the breach at short notice.

The reason for Foster’s sudden departure is unknown. Speculation has been rife on social media. However the general consensus appears to be that he is a fat, KFC munching muppet who should never have gotten the job in the first place and either came to that realisation or suffered a cardiac arrest because he is a fat, KFC munching muppet.

Whatever the reason, Allblack fans both in New Zealand and around the world are rejoicing and looking forward to a new era of logical selections, a winning game plan and a coach who doesn’t look like he swallowed a pig.

Ahhh if only this was true 😢

@sparky said in Dan Carter hanging up his boots ..:

@nostrildamus Always thought Anton Oliver with his big words would end up at Oxford. More surprising to see DC there.

He did

On Schmidt joining AB selection panel, and where it will take him, I have just finished Steve Hansen's book, he's pretty good mates with Schmidt. He talks of mentions how much trouble Schmidt was having with the pressure while coaching Ireland (had read that before) and though he was NZR's preferred choice to take AB's job he needed a break away. Hope he just takes it easy coming into whatever roles he does and builds from there.

That's just a promotional mashup of names with vague justifications.

Agree that picking a definitive team is quite difficult given the swinging nature of performances across the tourney.

JB at 15 is fairly clear.
Kerevi also.
Fair argument for Cooper given the impact he brought to the team.

Money money money, must be funny, in a rich man's world

http://archive.today/IMIqP

Woodcock

Coles

Hayman

Thorn

Whitelock

Collins

McCaw

Read

A Smith

Dan Carter

Savea

Nonu

C Smith

Howlett

C Cullen

Somerville

Mealamu

Faumuina

Retalick

Kaino

Marshal

Spencer

Rokocoko

Notes:
•Fitzy was before pro era
• no olo brown becuase I've never watched him
•don't reckon wilson would be that good if he was playing now

@Kiwiwomble said in ABs 2020: Who didn't get a fair crack?:

@Chris-B said in ABs 2020: Who didn't get a fair crack?:
> I'm not really a fan of the thread title, because it's the All Blacks and not the Under-10s. If you're not established as the best player in your position then any time you get is a privilege.

Plus - we only had six tests, we struggled, and when Fozzie pushed the rotation button a bit, we lost (though players not on the park had a fair bit to do with that).

That first bit sounds a bit sanctimonious - but, what I mean is a complete newbie like Cullen Grace - any time he got was a bonus.

A slightly different tack - people who I'd want to see in the first test next year (based on what we've seen).

Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett, Akira Ioane, Will Jordan.

I guess that's part of the argument, how do you become established if not given games...and how do you get games if not stand outs in super rugby

Well if you're not a stand out in SR, how did you in the squad?

Development for junior players in the All Blacks comes during the week, not the weekend. Then where injury, rest or opportunity provides they can come off the bench. We don't have the mid-week games anymore so the balance has to be on winning Tests and then worrying about opportunities. This poses the larger problem of having played the best possible team to secure some silverware we make too many changes.

I don't consider anyone didn't get a fair crack this season, hampered as it was by covid-19. That's not the same as pointing out positional selections were debatable.

@kiwimurph said in What’s out there at Second Five?:

Preferred positions are overrated. I'll always remember Jeff Wilson preferring to play fullback. He was a much better right wing.

He essentially said as much himself on the breakdown discussing Havili’s preference for fullback.

@nzzp said in MOTM v Netherlands... err... Argentina II:

@nostrildamus said in MOTM v Netherlands... err... Argentina II:

@Dan54 said in MOTM v Netherlands... err... Argentina II:

I thought Laulala, Akira and perhaps Moody in that order? I been a huge critic of Akira, but he stepped up last night, and hope he keeps to that standard. Thought Cane went well again, backs were generally ok without looking that flash. Jordan scored a couple of smart tries where his pace showed, but it bit hard to give him points when he only on a while and had 2 touches even if they were good.

good? good? You must have been some player if that only counts as good.

woah, you're really fanboying on WJ. Good player, but two intercepts and a linebreak doesn't make him Cullen. He's a really good player, but we haven't seen it yet at the top level

Oh I'm really an Akira fanboy (but others here have been doing the work for me!)

@Snowy said in The Reason I Never Made the ABs:

@Gunner said in The Reason I Never Made the ABs:

I was just a bit shit at rugby, all heart but zero talent.

Nice. I was a bit the opposite - still shit at rugby but had "some" athletic ability. Lacked the aggression. If I was as angry in my teens as I am now...who knows what might have happened. I was even born at the right time.

Actually Outliers is quite interesting but I wouldn't read too much into it.

There should be a version of rugby for grumpy old men.