Where does he rank in your list of favourite All Black locks?
Super Rugby Pacific 2023
Very much this. It will generate pressure on other players.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:18 am It's great to see so many fringe ABs starting the season in such good nick. Even some that I'm not that keen on, like Ennor, Clarke and Fainga'anuku, look sharper than they did last year.
Sotutu's another who's exceeding my expectations. The new scrum laws really suit his game - he's been making some big metres off the back. Thought he'd dropped off the pace a bit last year, and didn't really expect him to feature much in RWC shortlist discussions, but he's playing very well.
They're without a doubt the finest locking combo I've had the pleasure of watching.
Absolutely this. At their peak they were dominating matches and also playing the full 80mins, without any seeming slowdown toward the end. Thinking in particular of RWC2015.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:35 amThey're without a doubt the finest locking combo I've had the pleasure of watching.
I can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:47 am It's going to be strange next year, with neither of them featuring after being nailed on starters for so long. End of an era.
Yeah, the '97-'98 changing of the guard, with Fitzy, Brown, Iceman, Little, Bunce etc all bowing out was another watershed. Think I'm more excited about the blank slate of 2024 than the upcoming RWC, which I don't think we have any chance of winning.Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 amI can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:47 am It's going to be strange next year, with neither of them featuring after being nailed on starters for so long. End of an era.
The end of the golden era of the 70s saw McLeod, Ken Gray, Meads, Lochore, Nathan, Tremain, Laidlaw, Kirton, Davis, MacRae, BIrtwhistle and Spooky Smith all go. It was a bad time for the ABs because back then you had no replacements in matches so it was hard to develop understudies.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:47 amYeah, the '97-'98 changing of the guard, with Fitzy, Brown, Iceman, Little, Bunce etc all bowing out was another watershed. Think I'm more excited about the blank slate of 2024 than the upcoming RWC, which I don't think we have any chance of winning.Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 amI can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:47 am It's going to be strange next year, with neither of them featuring after being nailed on starters for so long. End of an era.
OK, so having just watched highlights of the Saders - Blues game, the impression I once had that Caleb Clarke started the season fast and lean and much improved on defence was blown apart by his woeful dereliction of duty as Fainga'anuku scored just after halftime. As has become all too common with Clarke, he had plenty of time and space to make the tackle but didn't even lay a finger on him. Pitiful.
How good was Grahame Thorne? I remember as a kid there was a bit of "if only" intrigue about him.
He was the Charlie Puatau of his generation, an absolutely astoundingly talented centre who was played all over the bloody shop and never let settle in his best position, then buggered off to Bokland after the 70 tour to marry some bird he met there.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:32 amHow good was Grahame Thorne? I remember as a kid there was a bit of "if only" intrigue about him.
We never saw anything near the best of this superb player.
He was a natural centre, big, strong, fast, quick off the mark, great step off either foot, and a smart player with it. He should have played 50 tests at least.Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 2:27 am ^ Cheers. Shame there's so little footage of him.
Edit: just checked allblacks.com and he played 7 tests on the wing and only 3 in the midfield.
Highlanders vs Force kicking off in Invercargill in a few minutes.
The only negative factor for him was that he played for Auckland
I thought De Groot would get a red card for that high tackle in the first ten minutes... the guy had to go off.. but not even a card? Bizarre... where was the TMO?Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:28 am Highlanders finally break the drought 43-35.
That Landers replacement Finn Hurley looks about 15 years old.
I think they looked at it and he was deemed to have gone in low enough, but we've seen other players carded for similar hits. He was very lucky.Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pmI thought De Groot would get a red card for that high tackle in the first ten minutes... the guy had to go off.. but not even a card? Bizarre... where was the TMO?Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:28 am Highlanders finally break the drought 43-35.
That Landers replacement Finn Hurley looks about 15 years old.
He was lucky.... had that been in the 6 Nations he'd be off! Though I agree he went pretty low.. but that doesn't seem to matter in a lot of cases...Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:17 pmI think they looked at it and he was deemed to have gone in low enough, but we've seen other players carded for similar hits. He was very lucky.Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pmI thought De Groot would get a red card for that high tackle in the first ten minutes... the guy had to go off.. but not even a card? Bizarre... where was the TMO?Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:28 am Highlanders finally break the drought 43-35.
That Landers replacement Finn Hurley looks about 15 years old.
Was strange, but Lochore actually retired in 1970, was hauled out in 1971 for 1 test (bloody stupid I thought when it happened), but we had already got over his retirement, and he was No8 anyway, so never really a locking partnersip.Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 amI can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:47 am It's going to be strange next year, with neither of them featuring after being nailed on starters for so long. End of an era.
I actually wondered if they didn't look at the Force player who seemed to dip his head into De Groot, so probably what saved him. The red card in English/French match was ridiculous I thought.Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:32 pmHe was lucky.... had that been in the 6 Nations he'd be off! Though I agree he went pretty low.. but that doesn't seem to matter in a lot of cases...Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:17 pmI think they looked at it and he was deemed to have gone in low enough, but we've seen other players carded for similar hits. He was very lucky.Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm
I thought De Groot would get a red card for that high tackle in the first ten minutes... the guy had to go off.. but not even a card? Bizarre... where was the TMO?
Calling him out of retirement and forcing him into lock was a disgraceful act. I did not mean to claim he and Pinetree were a locking partnership. The lock I really loved watching in the late-60s~early-70s was Sam Strahan.Dan54 wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:29 amWas strange, but Lochore actually retired in 1970, was hauled out in 1971 for 1 test (bloody stupid I thought when it happened), but we had already got over his retirement, and he was No8 anyway, so never really a locking partnersip.Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 amI can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:47 am It's going to be strange next year, with neither of them featuring after being nailed on starters for so long. End of an era.
Do you mean the England v Ireland game? Where Steward was sent off?Dan54 wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:31 amI actually wondered if they didn't look at the Force player who seemed to dip his head into De Groot, so probably what saved him. The red card in English/French match was ridiculous I thought.Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:32 pmHe was lucky.... had that been in the 6 Nations he'd be off! Though I agree he went pretty low.. but that doesn't seem to matter in a lot of cases...Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:17 pm
I think they looked at it and he was deemed to have gone in low enough, but we've seen other players carded for similar hits. He was very lucky.
Crusaders vs Brumbies kicking off soon in Christchurch.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett (C), 5-Zach Gallagher, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Sione Havili Talitui, 9-Mitchell Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-Dallas McLeod, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Pepesana Patafilo, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18-George Bower, 19-Dominic Gardner, 20-Christian Lio-Willie, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Will Gualter, 23-Chay Fihaki
Brumbies: 1-Blake Schoupp, 2-Connal McInerney, 3-Sefo Kautai, 4-Jack Wright, 5-Cadeyrn Neville, 6-Rory Scott, 7-Luke Reimer, 8-Charlie Cale, 9-Ryan Lonergan (C), 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Corey Toole, 12-Tamati Tua, 13- Ollie Sapsford, 14-Ben O'Donnell, 15-Andy Muirhead
Reserves: 16-Lachlan Lonergan, 17-Fred Kaihea, 18-Allan Alaalatoa, 19-Nick Frost, 20-Jahrome Brown, 21-Pedro Rolando, 22-Jack Debreczeni, 23-Declan Meredith
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett (C), 5-Zach Gallagher, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Sione Havili Talitui, 9-Mitchell Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-Dallas McLeod, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Pepesana Patafilo, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18-George Bower, 19-Dominic Gardner, 20-Christian Lio-Willie, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Will Gualter, 23-Chay Fihaki
Brumbies: 1-Blake Schoupp, 2-Connal McInerney, 3-Sefo Kautai, 4-Jack Wright, 5-Cadeyrn Neville, 6-Rory Scott, 7-Luke Reimer, 8-Charlie Cale, 9-Ryan Lonergan (C), 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Corey Toole, 12-Tamati Tua, 13- Ollie Sapsford, 14-Ben O'Donnell, 15-Andy Muirhead
Reserves: 16-Lachlan Lonergan, 17-Fred Kaihea, 18-Allan Alaalatoa, 19-Nick Frost, 20-Jahrome Brown, 21-Pedro Rolando, 22-Jack Debreczeni, 23-Declan Meredith
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Guy Smiley
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Forgot this was on...
after waiting 4 years because of visa issues and then Covid, I finally have a wife with me here in NZ. Picked her up yesterday at 6am. She's in the shower just now and I remembered this... welcome to Friday nights at home, honey.
after waiting 4 years because of visa issues and then Covid, I finally have a wife with me here in NZ. Picked her up yesterday at 6am. She's in the shower just now and I remembered this... welcome to Friday nights at home, honey.