New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[Dan54]

Have just finished my reading of latest rugby news, and they had an extra mag on 1st XV rugby. very very interesting and looking forward to catching more of it on TV. Was interested to read Aaron Mauger has gone from coaching Highlanders in super rugby to doing 'The Johnies" 1st XV team in Otago. To add to it they had Jamie Joseph assisting him with them preseason before he headed of back to Japan.

 

[KiwiM]

There is a good argument for Lumpy getting shafted, especially when you look at what tenured donkey golden boy Jack Goodhue has largely dished up during his seemingly unimpeachable AB career

Well hopefully the Goodhue at 12 plan is now shelved - he's a 13 only.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Well hopefully the Goodhue at 12 plan is now shelved - he's a 13 only.

12 ALB
13 Goodhue

.....would seem to make sense on paper. Goodhue obviously has a centre's sense..... so I'm predicting numbskull "50% Is Fine" Fozzie to knuckle down and go with

12 ALB
13 Rieko

Actually would.....

12 Rieko
13 ALB

..... really be as mental as it appears at first glance? Rieko obviously starves his outsides when he plays 13. But if he moved in one, wouldnt his quick acceleration and impactful running actually be quite handy? Maybe would fall flat as he is in no way a kicking option. But then its not like ALB/Goodhue are either.....

 

[KiwiM]

To me the combo they should look to try is

12 Havili
13 ALB

Both have been in excellent form in those positions in Super this year.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

The daft part is whoever Fozzie chooses is going to look a million bucks vs Italy and Fiji and vindicate his selection.

All the drums banging for Havili but I'm far from sold he's more than a journeyman. Like Mounga, take him out of the Cantab machine and biff him in versus a rampaging tier 1 test side trampling a feeble, dogshit, backpedalling, rudderless AB forward pack circa RWC2019semi and what have you got?

Ennor must feel a bit salty getting injured at the worst time.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Italy have already cancelled & you've gotta wonder how many A-list Fijians & Samoans will want to fly in from wherever & do 14 days in MIQ for the sake of two (in the case of Fiji) let alone one (Samoa) flogging v AB.

Player-wise I'm with KiwiM as things stand & would've picked Goodhue at 12 if fit, he's the straight runner AL-B needs to play outside to stop him crabbing. JG has developed something of a kicking game in last 12-18 months, needs working on but he's at least at Nonu level itr.

 

[Dan54]

^ Italy have already cancelled & you've gotta wonder how many A-list Fijians & Samoans will want to fly in from wherever & do 14 days in MIQ for the sake of two (in the case of Fiji) let alone one (Samoa) flogging v AB.

Player-wise I'm with KiwiM as things stand & would've picked Goodhue at 12 if fit, he's the straight runner AL-B needs to play outside to stop him crabbing. JG has developed something of a kicking game in last 12-18 months, needs working on but he's at least at Nonu level itr.

You mean Havili at 12, that's what kiwi said. I agree, he plays the old 2nd 5 style of play rather than centre role. Also don't have to worry about 2nd playmaker quite so much as he is right there!

 

[Dan54]

Just had an afternoon at rugby, proper grassroots stuff again, but real interesting. It was Okaiawa club, just up the road a bit.
It's easy to find, just head up the road from hawera towards Manaia, go past the Ohawe trun off and next on right take Scott's rd towards Kapuni, about 3 kms you come to Okaiawa. The thing that is Okaiawa had about 15-20 houses (and a pub), the rugby club was formed in 1896 and is still going so i25 year celebrations this year, admittedly just in Division 3 but it pretty good effort I thought. Bloody good and a stubby is only $4, flash stuff like heinekin etc is $5, and I think the trendy coruba and coke drinks etc $6. They obviously aren't in it for the money. But great for anyone who wants to see rugby without the bullshit!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Kieran Read has retired from all rugby after his Toyota Verblitz were knocked out of Japan's Top League in SF (by Panasonic Wild Knights):

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ter-japan-semifinal-loss-to-robbie-deans-side

I'd rate him the best AB 8 of the pro era & second only to Zinzan in my rugby-watching lifetime (only saw Sir BJL play once & that was in a testimonial match two years after his second retirement ).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

AB July Test schedule & support matches revealed:

All Blacks vs Tonga, Saturday 3 July, 7.05PM, plus Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa (kick-off TBC), Mt Smart Stadium, AUCKLAND

All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 10 July, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN

All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 17 July, 7.05PM, plus Tonga vs Samoa (kick-off TBC), FMG Stadium Waikato, HAMILTON

https://www.allblacks.com/news/bloc...-all-blacks-maori-and-pasifika-rugby-in-july/

Edit: Will defo try to get tix for FMG double-header. Tonga v Samoa is a RWC qualifier so expect both sets of fans to be well-represented & there's a sizeable Fijian community here in the Tron & surrounds. Will have to buy tix early.

 

[Dan54]

AB July Test schedule & support matches revealed:

All Blacks vs Tonga, Saturday 3 July, 7.05PM, plus Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa (kick-off TBC), Mt Smart Stadium, AUCKLAND

All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 10 July, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN

All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 17 July, 7.05PM, plus Tonga vs Samoa (kick-off TBC), FMG Stadium Waikato, HAMILTON

https://www.allblacks.com/news/bloc...-all-blacks-maori-and-pasifika-rugby-in-july/

Edit: Will defo try to get tix for FMG double-header. Tonga v Samoa is a RWC qualifier so expect both sets of fans to be well-represented & there's a sizeable Fijian community here in the Tron & surrounds. Will have to buy tix early.

Can see a few turning up to Mt Smart with the Samoa-Maori game amd you know Tongans will turn out for the test with ABs!

I waiting t see when the AB/Wallabies is on at the Caketin, might take a trot down to it.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

AB July Test schedule

All Blacks vs Tonga
All Blacks vs Fiji
All Blacks vs Fiji

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Investment firm Forsyth Barr have countered the Silver Lake offer by proposing an IPO for 5% of future NZR revenues, claiming it could raise as much as $650Mn.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/si...new-zealand-rugby/GSBD4DYOYHS5ZMITT53I53DJJA/

I'm a little troubled by the fact that FB's Chairman is David Kirk who's also President of NZRPA.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

George Bridge has had his appendix out & will miss the rest of SRT-T, 4-to-6 week total expected recovery time.

 

[Dan54]

Investment firm Forsyth Barr have countered the Silver Lake offer by proposing an IPO for 5% of future NZR revenues, claiming it could raise as much as $650Mn.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/si...new-zealand-rugby/GSBD4DYOYHS5ZMITT53I53DJJA/

I'm a little troubled by the fact that FB's Chairman is David Kirk who's also President of NZRPA.

And to top it off, Kirk has been invited to present case to nZR this week, but now says he hasn't got a dull proposal?

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

I'm a little troubled by the fact that FB's Chairman is David Kirk who's also President of NZRPA.

Or just the fact he is Australian?

 

[Dan54]

Or just the fact he is Australian?

Since when has Kirk been an Australian??

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Since when has Kirk been an Australian??

26/01/2009

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Or just the fact he is Australian?

Given I had no idea he was now an Australian citizen until your post above, that's a No - and had I been aware that he was now an Australian citizen, that's still a No. Can't quite put my finger on why, but somehow being President of a non-commercial organisation that's opposed to a commercial proposition whilst simultaneously being Chairman of a commercial entity putting up an alternative proposition just doesn't feel right.....

Edit: Kirk needs to recuse himself but afaik he hasn't & continues to be quoted in both his capacities.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Given I had no idea he was now an Australian citizen until your post above, that's a No - and had I been aware that he was now an Australian citizen, that's still a No. Can't quite put my finger on why, but somehow being President of a non-commercial organisation that's opposed to a commercial proposition whilst simultaneously being Chairman of a commercial entity putting up an alternative proposition just doesn't feel right...

Edit: Kirk needs to recuse himself but afaik he hasn't & continues to be quoted in both his capacities.

Just a wind up bud.