The Silver Fern

The cards were easy decisions but I didnt like the way the ref controlled the game from the start, creating flow is a must between nz teams, other than that i feel wellington scoring after a minute was the worse thing that they did as after that they seemed to relaxed, b4 they knew it and 1 million free kicks later it was still only 5nil. But well done blues finally got sm rub of the green.

Mallett and de Bruin analyse the Stormers loss to the Blues

With Lamborn only making 1 tackle last week, I'm hoping we put Papali'i at 7 this week. We have to roll out our very best line-up against the Stormers.

Hopefully Rieko is ready to go this week.

@Bones that chiefs game was heavily influenced by all black substitutions though. Two different sides in each half for each team.

Edit; literally a game of two halves. Goddamnit, I finally did it; used a cliche in a genuine and appropriate sense

@RoninWC said in Waratahs vs Blues:
With Beaudy to come in and steer the cutter behind that pack has me looking forward to the remainder of the tournament.

And... Akira who?
Sotutu played really well and didn't deserve that yellow card. What has impressed me most is his work-rate. With him and Patty T working in tandem we have two imposing defenders.

Akira came on and looks fat and disinterested, yet again. That guy just doesn't seem to have it between the ears. All the talent in the world but doesn't look to have the drive.

There was that one tackle where his jersey got pulled right up exposing his trunk and quite frankly, what you saw was very disappointing for what should be a first class athlete.

So he's fa..., sorry, "working on his conditioning".

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Chiefs:

just put a different halfback in rather for some reason always defaulting to Ruru as the starter

you would hope Nock will get a chance this weekend, and he has a massive opportunity to claim that jersey, if not, Christie will get his chance and the merry-go-round will continue.

@booboo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Bones said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Chris said in Hurricanes v Blues:

Totally agree the percentage of kicks neutralized by players skill sets this year far out way how effective the kicks made have been.

[booboo mode] out weigh[/booboo mode]

You wouldn't believe the Engrish I decline to correct ...

Here you are posting on the Hurricanes versing Blues thread...

Which could be a thread about a couple of rugby teams in a poetry competition. I didn't actually realise that was a word but found it from this sauce:
verse
/vəːs/
verbARCHAIC
gerund or present participle: versing
speak in or compose verse; versify.
"he began to verse extemporaneously in her ear"

Thread diversion complete - I will now Blexit (so still here really).

@Nepia I'm fine with players from outside playing for us, but on the condition they have been playing cub footy here (super players excepted) which is a rule that has been in place for a number of years now.

Yeah not sure a draft system would work in NZ, I think the current one, is probably as good as we will get, much better than the one where players were all but made to sign for a province in the Super teams catchment.

I dont really support the Blues any more than any other NZ team, reasons are more than just they are/were cnuts to Northland 😉 I want all Kiwi teams to go well and will always support a Kiwi side over a foreign one.

@booboo said in Blues v Bulls:

@Stockcar86 said in Blues v Bulls:

Good to see Robinson using his boots to ruck the yarpie out of the way of that ruck

This!

yes old school rucking, awesome

I think that another fast outside would be useful, but also having a halfback who makes a big effort there would be good. It’s an important part of TJ, Weber, and Smith’s games.

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Otere didn't even get off the bench in this game. Actually, 3 players didn't get off the bench, which is pretty rare these days. I bet the coaches were almost going to make it 4, but they somehow convinced themselves to let Pulu come on.

@Nepia said in Blues v Hurricanes:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:

@Nepia said in Blues v Hurricanes:

So after watching this game I’ve decided that Tony Johnson is either @Rancid-Schnitzel or Jordie Barrett’s publicist. I swear if JB had crouched down and taken a dump in the middle of the field Johnson would have been praising him for the consistency of the tutae (hopefully the advertisers algorithms don’t speak Maori).

And I could swear you're related to the Ioanes or in love with them or both.

Don't forget Josh!

You still loved Weepu, even when he was (extra) fat and shït. Now that's loyalty!

@taniwharugby That was Nock's first start this year and he played really well - quick decision making, fast pass, good box kicks, covered well. The Blues look so good when their big forwards maintain their structure and hit the advantage line and he was part of that. Of recent times he has had some time off the bench and looked much better than last year (even with one intercept pass) - the key being the quicker decision making. I don't know what has happened but either he has woken up or the coaching and tactics have improved. I do think with MacDonald we are seeing a more structured uptempo game plan. I want to see him get some more game time and see how he goes. If he plays like he did on Saturday then he deserves to be there. The fact that the Coaching team gave him a start says that they were also are pleased with his cameo's to that point. He is the perfect example of a player selected too early - his quiet nature has probably been part of that, but to me he looks like he starting to step up. But I wold like to see him run more more as he is quick and to keep working on his physicality which has improved.

@Chris said in Highlanders vs Blues:

@pakman if you wish to be pedantic

Or not confusing

@Nogusta Well that's fucked for the young bloke. He was starting to really show some form too at fullback.

@No-Quarter said in Blues vs Waratahs:

@ACT-Crusader said in Blues vs Waratahs:

@taniwharugby so openside and midfielders need to have the same fitness levels - the Ardie to 12 is not so outrageous afterall

I'm just gutted we'll never see a Dagg - Ardie combo at 10 and 12. Would have been impossible to contain.

Especially with DMac at 9 and Messam at 13

@Kirwan said in Blues vs Stormers:

@pakman said in Blues vs Stormers:

@Kruse said in Blues vs Stormers:

@taniwharugby said in Blues vs Stormers:

@Kruse yeah kinda (although isnt that just catch it full stop, not be on the ground?) but given there arent off-sides and > It simply isnt an easy fix because this game is all about the contest, but as soon as the ball goes in the air, one person seems to have all rights and the other doesnt, meaning there isnt really a contest.

Yeah - the "AFL" call was a facile comment,
But anyway - at the moment - which "one person" has all the rights? Some people seem to think it's the person who jumped first, some who think it was who jumped the highest, some who think it's who was in place first. And generally - it turns out to be (in the ref's eyes) who got least injured in some sort of potentially career-ending collision.
It's fucked.
And yeah, your particular suggestion - I'm not sure I agree with it being the best one, but it's certainly an option. Possibly one that achieves the effect both I was thinking of, and Mariner's.

If I were involved in the rule setting I'd get a couple of AFL experts in and ask how within their rules they ensure people don't break their necks. Those jokers climb up each other's backs, but I'm not aware (perhaps because of sheer ignorance) that lots of neck/back injuries result.

This a good question, would prefer a skills based solution

Mainly because they're jumping in the same direction, leaping upwards as opposed to forwards. The increase in forward velocity in rugby contests in the air make someone invariably unstable and easier to rotate when they hit another player who becomes a fulcrum. The faster both players in rugby are travelling at each other, the greater the moment (turning force) when they collide.

@Bones said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:

He’s a commentator that wants the Blues/Auckland to lose.

Stuff that other teams do, he pulls the Blues up on and just doesn’t mention it for the other four.

Like what though? It thoroughly perplexes me too.

Yeah I have been listening out for it too, but just don't hear it. Nobody seems to give any specific examples either.

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Sunwolves:

I thought it was interesting to see quite a lot of chat out on the field. Both Ioane brothers, Nanai, SBW etc. I'm used to seeing the Blues walk around with puzzled looks on their faces so it was good to see some chat. SBW commented on it post game.

You could see them joking and staying relaxed too. TJ seems to be in the middle of that, like he was for Auckland.
In previous years you could see the pressure building as a team got close.. which would result in the inevitable loss in the last 5mins