The Silver Fern

As a middle-aged man that has dealt with hair loss and been the subject of never-ending numerous jokes on the situation from family, friends, and pretty much everyone, I feel like my wife has let me down by not slapping my tormentors. She'd have to slap herself quite a few times though....

Bloody hell! Pack of grumpy shites! Night games were serious bonding sessions with the old man. Only dad and I would be up, toast and cup of tea at halftime. Old fella going on about the cheating northern bastards lying on the ball and the incompetent refs allowing them to do so (I carry on this family tradition very well )...Bill McClaren......you could feel the atmosphere through the TV.....Mourie in at the corner....
Still get excited about night games to this day! Can't wait!

@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

@MajorRage Ardie overlooked for the captaincy, albeit for a very good candidate in Scott Barrett

Akira Ioane, nowhere to be seen, although he's signed to go to Japan.

Hoskins Sotutu not included, but given some encouraging comments by the Head Coach.

We might not like it, but questions will be asked if there's a pattern here?

Oh, cripes. American society's mental disease has finally entered the conversation. Go bash your head against a wall.

@Frank Oh how we laughed when the Aussies persisted with two opensides when it was obvious it wasn't working....

@taniwharugby So did I until 5 seconds ago.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/127232137/ian-foster-reflects-dissects-and-says-the-all-blacks-will-find-the-answers

I am not particularly anti-Fozzie but the signs aren't great. The game has well and truly moved on and the ABs are now being reactive to better teams rather than being innovative or revolutionary. Basically chasing the pack.
What worries me the most is that some players are being scapegoated but I truly believe, no matter who you put in this old and tired system that has been worked out and surpassed by other teams, the results will be the same. The writing was on the wall for change in 2017, and we are now heading into 2022 with talk of tweaks and changes in selection to make the "system" work.

Can I hate the Irish team for their "soccer" antics and pressuring the ref?

Uptight rant here. I wish Foster and co would just shut the fuck up about saying they are disappointed about losing to Ireland in NZ. We are too but that is not it you fluffybunny! It is the obvious decline in AB rugby since arguably 2017 and the fact that it is getting worst not better!!! This decline has been obvious to everybody, the NZ fans, the opposition teams, etc, all except fucken NZR and Foster! Do they think we have forgotten about 2020, 2021? There has been no game plan, no defense, shite attack for friggen years and people are fucken sick of it! To be honest, I think the NZ fans have been incredibly patient and have given Foster and his team a lot of time to sort out obvious problems. All we have gotten back is lip service and excuses. Just fuck off!

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/

Well, at least he is still somewhat elusive....

@pakman said in Memes:

It's all theory of course. It can't be practically applied.

Ireland has done us a favour.
Test rugby has always been about the team that makes the less mistakes wins. As a person who experienced test rugby in the 70s (can't remember much to be honest), the 80s, 90s up to now, the rugby that the ABs play now doesn't feel like test rugby. There is a lack of territorial awareness which means a lack of pragmatic kicking, they invite chaos near their line which more often than not has negative results, etc, etc.
It is hard to explain but in the Foster era, they give it up too easily.

Holy shit! Sam Cane must have been in charge of selections, game plans, defense, and attack. I had no idea! Well, in that case, good riddance Mr. Cane.

So the Richie, Beauden axis didn't work in 2019. Having a lock at 6 didn't work in 2019. Having a high-tempo game, and running the opposition off their feet didn't work in 2019.
Add poor exits and a short kicking game from your 22 in 2023.
Tell you, Foster is a stubborn bastard but you have to admire his ability to stick to his original ideas.

I think if you go back and read again, one of the many frustrating things about the previous AB period was the passive defense. Watching opposition players skip around, do a fancy head swish before running up to the AB defensive line behind the ruck has contributed to my declining mental health. Finau has brought a smile to my face.

I think we have the players. The problem seems to be the same old shite since 2016 and the game has moved on. If I was a Wobs fan, even losing, I would see something new being tried. The Irish and French are steaming ahead. As an AB fan, we are seeing a slight decline year after year but this is being papered over by the brilliance of some of the players and the ABs ability to be flat-track bullies (always have been, even the great teams). Coupled to this is the complete lack of innovation or any new approach, good new players yes, but they are going into the same old systems and approach. It is the staleness of the last years of the Hansen era. This is "Hansen light."

Bit close to home this issue, daughter, half-Japanese, in a NZ high school after being raised mostly in Japan. Anyway, if she speaks, some people seem to think it is funny to laugh at her accent and mimic her. No problem for her, she understands she is going to meet some people she needs to avoid (being identified as Asian in NZ is an instant asshole detector...).
Anyway, the lack of self-reflection on how the Kiwi accent sounds is quite remarkable.

How good has Lomax been?

@gt12 I don't mind Wheeler. As far from a racist as you'll ever get I reckon but jeez, keep that joke to take the piss out of your close Japanese friend(s) in the right context. Don't say it on TV and encourage arsewipes to do the same!

Notice there was no fucking around in the Crusaders 22 this week. The exits were excellent. Made a grumpy old man smile.