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Amidst the disappointing news of a weak French team I got the personal good news today that I would like to share.
I was able to get tickets to attend the captains run in Hamilton and it will be either Conrad Smith or Stephen Donald hosting and discussing their career etc. Beyond excited. Just two weeks till we fly to NZ to visit for the first time and the time can't rush by soon enough.
Been in NZ for a few days now, having arrived Friday in Auckland and just today drove down Highway 1 to Roturua..... Thought Auckland was a lovely city, did a boat tour in the harbour from the NZ maritmne museum.
Love it tbh...... To say its clean is an understatement, every part of NZ we have seen so far is spotless and immaculate, the drivers are all very courteous too even when I am driving a tad too cautious and slow no-one is giving me a hard time and have loved the green rolling hills of Waikato en route to Rotorua.
@Tim I think it was available to allcomers - when I registered for the presale the email I got when sales opened gave the option of "Black jersey pass" which included the chance to watch the captains run.
Iirc the tickets were NZD $425 each but since it is my first trip to NZ and first time seeing the All Blacks I figured it was worth the money to have a never to be forgotten experience.
Thanks for your assistance in planning an epic trip.
Some highlights were the drive from Taupo to Waitomo - beautiful countryside, stunning and capped off by coming into Te Kuiti. There was a Colin and Stan Meads exhibition in the tourist office (which we just stumbled upon) with lots of his memorabilia including his first All Blacks jersey. One of the locals took us down to where he farmed and it was a magical experience.
Then on our last day we had time to kill en route to Auckland so.stopped off in Pukekohe and Counties were training right next to the stadium. Watched that for half an hour or so and then asked for directions to Wellesley college - again, pretty magical to see where Jonah went to school and the fields he played on.
Overall, incredible trip, got to see Auckland, Rotorua , Taupo, Waitomo, Raglan, Hamilton, Tauranga and the Coromandel peninsula. Very beautiful country, pristine tbh and can't wait to visit again.
Thanks again.
@MN5 said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@nonpartizan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
Amidst the disappointing news of a weak French team I got the personal good news today that I would like to share.
I was able to get tickets to attend the captains run in Hamilton and it will be either Conrad Smith or Stephen Donald hosting and discussing their career etc. Beyond excited. Just two weeks till we fly to NZ to visit for the first time and the time can't rush by soon enough.
Two of New Zealand Rugbys best roosters. You'll be happy either way.
Yes, I just found out today and am ecstatic. Two champions.
@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
We turned the ball over 16 times to their 12
12 seems like a lot of times to turn over the ball for a team with fuck all possession and no BB/WJ.
27 points seems a lot of points for a team to concede when they have 62% possession.
That try Gulliard scored was soft as butter. They made a break and we can only defend 1 forward carry close to the line before he powers over.
Indeed.
Contrast that with the French defence - they did a pretty good job covering and scrambling after line breaks.
Tbh 31 points and 3 disallowed tries is a pretty decent attacking output - it's conceding 27 with France having less than 40% of the ball that was the problem.
Very touching how Ardie reached out when he was at his lowest point. The players really had his back, Gilbert Enokas statement too was an incredible endorsement.
@Bovidae said in Help with a travel itinerary to NZ:
@nonpartizan Unfortunately TSF died on the day of the Hamilton test as I was going to post a couple of options to watch either a 1st XV game or club SF game before the AB test. Good to read you had a great time and I hope you got the obligatory photo with the Colin Meads statue in Te Kuiti, and enjoyed your rugby experience at FMG.
Thanks, yeah no worries, I could not access TSF and I was assuming that it was just problems being overseas on the internet with my cell phone. We ended up going to the Fraser Tech clubhouse to park but the game that was being played just finished as we pulled in.
Te Kuiti was such an unplanned bonus, nothing more than dumb luck - I knew that Colin Meads was from that neck of the woods (King country) but it wasn't till I saw the Waitete ground and the signs that I realized we had stumbled upon his hometown. The drive from Taupo to Te Kuiti was just so wonderful that this experience was the icing on the cake.
Driving in the countryside in New Zealand is so enjoyable. At some points in Waikato we did not see another car for miles upon miles and you are surrounded by this stunning greenery with just some sheep and cattle dotted on the landscape.