The Silver Fern

One of the intriguing things about this season is highlighted by Daryl Gibson's own words:

"He's really lifted training, obviously having the All Black captain in our team is a real lift for our players. Certainly to see him train at the intensity he trains at for our younger players and even our senior pros, to know that's the level you've got to be at if you want to be at the very best." (Source: Rugby: All Blacks skipper Sam Cane charts return to rugby after long layoff )

While you'd expect the All Blacks captain to lift standards at training, the couple of pre-lockdown training sessions I stumbled across looked relatively chilled. To be fair, not every session can be run at 100%, but so far it's not looking good on the park against better prepared teams.

The coaching team can genuinely point to injuries. I suppose it's hard to know how much preparation comes into some injuries, or not.

@kiwipie said in Hawkes v Bay of Plenty - Shield Match!:

@cpt-kumera said in Hawkes v Bay of Plenty - Shield Match!:

Interesting chase and mitch got subbed early in the 2nd. The last 4.5 years they been our best players

Some of Tiatia's kicking was poor in that first half. And Trask wasn't a calm head at 10. We looked much better with Black at 10 and Trask at 15.

I was pretty happy you left Black on the bench as long as you did, imagine losing to an Of Plenty team with a Manawatu poach at ten. Talk about indignity.

@bayimports said in Auckland v BOP:

boo, no one wanted covid as the reason..

Gutted

Leroy carter had awesome game too even though was on wing

Charity match tomorrow.

boprugby: Ohhh this is gonna be a good game! 🔥 some legends lacing up for tomorrow’s @iamhope_nz XV vs WASPS XV charity game!

This game is all about brining former players, coaches, managers, volunteers back to the game of rugby and to connect them back with the rugby community while advocating for positive discussions around mental health in the game of rugby.

An I Am Hope Give a Little page has also been set up for those who feel they would like to donate to a great cause 👉 https://givealittle.co.nz/fundra.../i-am-hope-xv-vs-wasps-xv

🎟 : FREE ENTRY

🗓 : Saturday 4th December

⏰ : 2.30pm kick-off

📌 : Blake Park, Mount Maunganui

🎥 : Watch free Live-stream on Bay of Plenty Rugby Facebook page

COVID restrictions apply:

Show your vaccine passport at the gate

Scan in on arrival and use provided sanitiser

Please wear a mask

Please keep 1m distance from others

@Cpt-Kumera Good commitment!

@Rapido Great impartial comments , 9 times out of 10 , I support the Magpies , but when the Taniwha played them for the shield .
Fakatava threw at least 3 forward passes off channel 1 runners
I was alongside 2 guys from the Hawkes Bay media and even they were shaking their heads , if you miss one forward pass, that’s one thing , but 3 of them in practically the position on the field , 🤦‍♂️..did not effect the result at the end of day , but certainly was not what the quality off officialdom you be getting at this level.

Am away this weekend so miss the BOP v Harbour match. What a huge one that will be! Back in time for the final v Waikato though. That is assuming that Ta$man and Auckland maintain their current approach through semis. I can dream....

@ARHS I'd be pretty surprised if there's much resting done.

Home advantage is very important for the play-offs, so I don't think either team will be taking any risks unless something very odd happens to secure their positions.

But, don't tell Auckland... 🙂

@mariner4life said in BOP v Canterbury:

@Hooroo said in BOP v Canterbury:

I'm a bit late, are we still dining out on this result??

we?

NZ Rugby as a whole.

Far better back play from bop. Black put players into space this week and both half backs looked snappy. But the manawatu defence did give them space.

Much better effort from Ta$man this week, with everyone contributing.

Christie especially looked like he'd shaken off some rust and things flowed better from there.

However, as above, the forward packs seemed reasonably evenly matched. The Ta$man backs just had more firepower and played with more adventure.

I think it will be a lot better for TTT to stay in NZ and play some rugby rather than sitting in an Australian grandstand watching the ABs. On that performance, I wouldn't want Otere Black very near an AB jersey either.

@Bovidae said in BOP v Auckland:

The thing is that Karpik is a star at this level but has little impact in SR.

just as well this was a Mitre10 cup game then.. let the man have his 5 minutes 🙂 , although a more cohesive performance as a team, his impact at this level is important

@pukunui yeah that's the bizarre thing for me - he also lifted and drove. Seems like he's way more at fault - only mitigating factor being he had his head down and couldn't see what Fuatai was doing?

BOP Lineout kept us in it and made the difference. Need to tidy up everything else...

@Bovidae He was born in 2000, he turned 20 in January

@KiwiPie said in Ultimate NPC: Round 1 BOP v Counties:

@Nepia said in Ultimate NPC: Round 1 BOP v Counties:

@KiwiPie said in Ultimate NPC: Round 1 BOP v Counties:

@Nepia said in Ultimate NPC: Round 1 BOP v Counties:

@Toddy said in Ultimate NPC: Round 1 BOP v Counties:

@KiwiPie you'll need to take that up with Hawkes Bay.

No need to take it up with us, he didn't play for BoP.

I didn't really think it through when I made the comment to be honest - have only just discovered this board.

He might not actually have played but I did once see him sitting the stand - and he wasn't even an All Black when we signed him so we pretty much made him the player he became!

I think his new contract didn't kick over until NPC time in 2012 - the AB website list Hawkes Bay as his province when making the ABs. 😉

But the news broke earlier which was the spur he needed.

Not to mention the best Photoshopping work of the century to date

c47edb54-9459-4017-b1bb-74ca2ea20678-image.png

We don't need photoshop. 🙂

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Dude really is the missing link.

@mariner4life he started his npc and finished it with the bop I think he gave great service went all the games

@Hooroo said in Steamers 2020:

@Snowy said in Steamers 2020:

@Hooroo said in Steamers 2020:

Scott Curry - Midfield Back (Mount Maunganui)

Assume that is only due to sevens being covided?

Didn't know that was midfielder in 15s.

Wow, that's a peculiar fern quote!! I had no idea why that was asked of me.

I need to work on my quoting too, I guess

Because I was too lazy to go back to the original and just cut and pasted from your post.