The Silver Fern

In one scrum Porter got to 45 degrees with Tupou He ended up packing parallel with the halfway line!

Joe marking Andy’s homework?

@Dodge said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

Didn’t see the game as was standing in a passport queue in Porto for most of it. Selections killed us, but fair play to the wobs, love how much they cared

That Porto one is the worst in recent times I can recall.

@mariner4life All French rugby fans do!

@sparky injury cover.

Ref’s style suits Wallabies.

@NTA said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

@Canes4life said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

Fk I hope Skelton puts a hit on Owen

I hope Farrell puts a shoulder into some one and finally gets a red card

Please God.

The interesting thing for me is the injury cover, if any, for Jacobson.

There were 33 squad members named for French.
The addition of Darry seems quite straightforward.
Which means another body required.
If Lakai added, will it be an addition, or to replace, say, Kirifi?
Might still be another required.
They could add Havili, increasing midfielders to 7!
Then add in injury cover, Narawa, Dyer, etc.

@Steven-Harris said in Wellington v Canterbury:

Christie has shaded Lakai which also a concern given the latter is highly rated

Lakai’s ceiling is much higher.

@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2026:

Looks like Rameka Poihipi is leaving

Tremendous player.

BPA is an upgrade.

I wonder what Mickaël Guillard‘s best bronco is?

Nick Gill is very big on the bronco test. But maybe 6’ 5” loosies ought to cut some slack, and accept that they’re gassed after 55 - 60, at which point you can potentially bring another on?

@Mauss said in Auckland v Waikato:

I was interested in the blindside match-up in this game – 1.95m, 114 kg Xavier Saifoloi vs. 1.94m, 105+ kg (he looks to have put on a bit of weight?) Che Clark – as they’re two bigger bodies with a lot of potential.

Watching a player like Saifoloi, however, constantly hanging around in the 15 metre channel while watching the play unfold on the other side of the field – neither finding ways to get himself involved, nor his teammates succeeding in getting him involved – was more than a bit frustrating.

Part of this is on Saifoloi, of course, not having the rugby sense to make the play come to him (this also becomes further apparent when comparing his positioning and involvements to Andrew Smith, his replacement, who was much more active in looking for ball and contact). But part of this is also, I think, on NZ Rugby’s inability – I believe it’s a countrywide issue – to properly find ways to both (1) create game plans which gets the most out of these bigger bodies and (2) upskill and develop these players to their full potential.

A player like Saifoloi isn’t meant, in my view, to play 73 minutes while barely getting any involvements. You use a player like that to physically bully the opposition and dominate the gain line, making him empty the tank for 45 minutes and then sub him.

Watching last week’s Test between the Wallabies and British and Irish Lions, it was obvious how valuable big bodies are in modern day rugby. There are plenty of players like Skelton and Valetini in New Zealand; the issue, however, is you need to start using them to the best of their abilities rather than just make them play the same 1-3-3-1 edge forward template. Give players like Saifoloi the ball in his hands and tell him to smash the opposition until he’s out of gas.

Good game, though.

Are the ABs/Super teams too ‘refined’ to employ such blunt instruments?

@Duluth said in Auckland v Waikato:

The issue was the subs. Choat lasting for a few minutes meant we had no impact in the loose forwards and the starting lock, Cribb, had to move into loose forward

Not sure what happened in the backs. Were both Spencer and Vai injured? They both went off in the 70th minute replaced by Gordon and Arscott and Funaki had to go to the wing

Defence was a mess with compromised loose forwards and outside backs in the last 10mins. Probably shouldn't have gone for that penalty kick and gone for a 5m lineout

This reminds me of Lions 2017 II. We were handling Lions with 14 until SOB stiff armed Naholo. That muntered the makeshift defence and Lions sneaked an EPIC victory.

That series could and probably should have been a Lions whitewash.

Young Auks have some real talent. Green as cabbages, though.

Tupou and Porter will be binding at right angles.

I have Taele marked as FAB.