Non-Australian Super Rugby Matches - Round 5

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yup, 4/4 after 3 & a draw last week, 4 teams in the Top 8 regardless of how badly the Reds or 'tahs lose today............

I remember someone posting pre-season that the NZ teams would struggle due to the post-RWC exodus. That person obviously forgot that those guys moving on means there's now 3-5 other guys scrapping for the vacant jersey.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

there's now 3-5 other guys scrapping for the vacant jersey.

Just about time to engage in the Greatest Pleasure Known to All NZer's Both Living and Dead, that being discussing the composition of this year's New Zealand Rugby Football All Blacks.

With the Blues having successfully negotiated the Bye (see Dismal Pilllock's thread to read how they just snuck home with their risk adverse strategy),

Other teams cope fine with the Bye but for the Blues it becomes a very tricky hurdle to negotiate indeed.

Let's face it: The Bye definitely have an I.Q (Unknown Quality) about them. And factor in the Blues complete lack of basic fundamental skills and the self-doubt creeps in, they start chasing their own tails, start seeing shadows, then they wake up in the carpark outside a strip club to stage the Monday morning post-match debrief and some passerby on their way to work says "you bums lost to The Bye" and they say "shit, sorry, I can't remember a fucking thing after about Friday night."

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

"GOLD TO FACE JUDICIAL HEARING

"SANZAAR has completed an investigation into the alleged conduct of Sharks' head coach Gary Gold during the Sharks v Crusaders match played at Growthpoint KINGS PARK on 26 March 2016.

"SANZAAR has referred the matter for a hearing in accordance with SANZAAR's Disciplinary Rules.

"The matter will be heard by SANZAAR Judicial Officer Nigel Hampton QC (Quade Cooper) via teleconference on Tuesday 5 April 2016: 16:00 (AEST), 18:00 (NZST), 08:00 (SAST), 03:00 (ART).

"SANZAAR will be making no further comment until this process has been completed."

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/gold-to-face-judicial-hearing/

Anyone know what he's meant to have done? (Other than coaching the most boring as batshit rugby team South of the equator, obviously).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Gold has been fined A$ 10K plus 1k costs for twice abusing the TMO:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/sharks-boss-gold-guilty-of-abusing-tmo/

A$ 2,500 of the fine is suspended for 12 months so effectively a good behaviour bond, I'm guessing the Shawks will pick up the rest.

 

[Hawko]

That's absolutely amazing! He must have gone to the TMO's booth not once but TWICE to give him a gobfull. Surely one of his assistants would have grabbed him the second time knowing what the consequences would be.

I am absolutely flabbergasted that the fine is only $7.5K. That's just chump change for a mistake of this magnitude. Must have been because he said something like "Excuse me Mr. TMO I think there is a slight possibility you might have made a mistake".

 

[Blue]

Also pretty out of character for Gold who seems like a rather nice guy.

No excuse though.