The Silver Fern

They're either very confident in doubling down with that loose forward trio, or they're on track for Robertson to be the first one-year All Blacks coach of the modern era.

So far, watching Ethan Blackadder at Test level is like watching Internet Explorer trying to keep up in 2024.

Meanwhile in Brazil.

The outage probably saved the server from exploding completely at the time of Ardie's chip kick on Saturday night...

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:

@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:

None of this is ideal

Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down

Do you mind not doing any more crystal ball gazing?

In a world full of change and uncertainty, it has been nice just to confirm one universal law. Once a halfback, always a halfback.

“The better team” never loses a game 19 - 3.

Whatever else he does in cricket from now on, Santner will be forever remembered by a generation of Indian fans.

Worth a try

I think NZ rugby took the wrong lessons out of Henry and winning in 2011 after not being sacked in 2007.

Experience only counts if you’re good enough. The argument that we won in 2011 because of not sacking Henry in 2007 didn’t prove that you must have experience, it just proved that if you’ve got the right coach - keep them.

I’ve never been particularly convinced that Grizz would have won in 95, Hart in 03, or Mitchell in 07 just by being retained. 50/50 on Laurie in 1999 maybe.

Unfortunately the NZRU is conservative enough without learning that lesson incorrectly, and the experience lesson has now landed us with Foster instead of Robertson, Rennie, Cotter, or any of the other names who would also be better.

Vaea Fifita: the Akira Ioane that they do pick...

I'm an old fashioned git too.

Useful or not as a rule, I suppose it does get kids used to following appearance rules for when they matter later in life. Be it hi-vis vests, or realising that facial tattoo's are fine so long as you don't then expect to work for Emirates, etc etc. I guess I'm also a grumpy old git who gets fed up of all such media stories trying to fuel outrage on relatively trivial matters...

The "How soon is Fozzie going?" thread.

If it had been the other Sam captaining for the last ten minutes of this game, the Fern would have completely melted down...

Razor shouldn't be shocked. Running the top job based on jobs for his mates, and somehow blind ignorance of the loose forward positions he actually used to play in - means the result shouldn't be a shock.