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Our last visit to the home of the Highlanders was a disaster of Cheetah-like proportions on a wet miserable night in Invercargill. Although it will be warm and dry this time we never find the Highlanders easy to beat away. In my pre-season predictions I had this game down as a real 50-50...

Agree! In the first half the Rebels scrum was going backwards on most inputs. Credit to them, they didn't give away a tight head but they were nowhere near parity. Still, they've got an easy scrum to play this week, I suspect they'll go a lot better.

NZ Rugby had a nice World Cup, but the cost of running it and paying the extortionate fees required by the IRB meant they made a multi-million dollar loss. They knew all along that would be the case so there's no point executing people for it now. But... there is just no money left in the...

That's how it looks, but we'll know for sure next weekend. I know the Kiwi's and Saffers think the Aussie franchise is pretty easy but we are yet to see any cross-franchise games in the Oz conference. Based on how well the Canes have gone in SA and the fact that I tipped them for the spoon...

I think Ulugia has proved himself capable of playing at the Super level, so we won't be toast if TPN goes down unless its a serious, long term injury. The key issue now is to find someone to bring into the squad so we can bring someone new into the EPS. It would be nice to see some older guy who...

Nobody should post "I haven't seen the footage, but......" The citing commissioner and the judiciary have seen the footage, whatever it is like, and have formed a conclusion. It is legitimate to argue "I have seen all the footage and I disagree with the outcome of the citing because....." But...

They'll need to be switched on for about 15-20 minutes next week, that's all. Its the trip to SA where the intensity will be required.

If you listen carefully to that "boring-as-shit" AFL show you will find more detailed discussion of the game and issues surrounding it in just 5 minutes than you will in the whole hour of the rugby club. Fox is trying to make the rugby club interesting to morons. Because they don't understand...

I'll try again, one last time. Its not that I'm blaming the ref for an ill-disciplined team. With all referees over the last eight or so years the Tahs win significantly more than 50% of their games. But when Kaplan is the referee they win just 11% of the time and lose 89% of the time. The...

If you call 16 losses and 2 wins doing well then all power to you! There are whole threads on G&GR about how Kaplan has repeatedly screwed the Waratahs. The Waratahs have an over 55% win percentage with all referees over Kaplan's time as a referee in Super Rugby. Under Kaplan the win...

The thread on the second Tahs/Reds game last year burnt a hole in my computer screen it was so hot. This philosophical discussion about the nature of luck would be better conducted in a first year philosophy course. It ain't about the rugby.

Geez I wish I knew more about how they decide who will ref which team. For the Waratahs, the two worst referees and the worst assistant are Kaplan, Bryce Lawrence and Ian Smith. That seems to guarantee that we will get them two or three times a season each! Last week the crucial decision was...

Its a nice list but I would want to know how successful he was in those roles. Many of the greats have had a crack at coaching but surprisingly few have been all that successful. Still ex-THP's seem to go OK.

Don't use the blue button either. Based on the two packs you would have to give the Force some hope in this one. No Higgers, a LHP who is a weak scrummager, a new hooker.... No Wykes or Brown, but the rest looks very strong. The backs have Taps out of position, though I rate Lance - he's a...

Based on the Tahs form last week you would not rate any of these forwards against their direct match-ups except maybe Pyle and Saffy, and that's a real maybe too. I fear the Rebels are in for a long night.

As I've stated previously, I agree that it should be a penalty for taking him out in the air. But your analysis raises some issues that I think are pertinent: Virtually no Super referees are happy with a one metre gap. A one metre gap means that the two sides should be able to almost touch...

Who does now?

Even at test level it seems. The worlds best coach used that justification for selecting two defensive centres last year.

You must have gone to the Kaplan school of refereeing. He was always quite happy to let the ball go down the opposition side but immediately penalised anyone who closed the gap so they could compete. Yes it was a penalty, but only because the attempt was clumsy and hit the tackler while he...

If my memory is correct (happening less and less frequently these days) then the only player better than Pocock (but I don't think he played enough to get 100) was........Jono Jenkins.