NPR

Grandpa wrote: Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:14 pm Posted this in the other place, but it still stands...

I'd dump:

Christie for Weber
Tuungafasi for Moody
Laulala (he has no feeling in his hands FFS) for anyone
Frizell for Flanders
Clarke for Stevenson
McLeod for Goodhue
Ennor for Proctor

I feel for Sotutu not making the back-up squad. he was on fire at the start and middle of the season and just looks burnt out.

McLeod looks like Scott Hamilton to me. A good decent Super player, but that's it.

Gumboot wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 9:32 am

Grandpa wrote: Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:14 pm Posted this in the other place, but it still stands...

I'd dump:

Christie for Weber
Tuungafasi for Moody
Laulala (he has no feeling in his hands FFS) for anyone
Frizell for Flanders
Clarke for Stevenson
McLeod for Goodhue
Ennor for Proctor

I feel for Sotutu not making the back-up squad. he was on fire at the start and middle of the season and just looks burnt out.

McLeod looks like Scott Hamilton to me. A good decent Super player, but that's it.

Yep, he's almost comically clumsy at times.

Kiwias wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 11:07 pm A quick look at the forecast suggests it will be raining heavily on Saturday evening/night.

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:19 am Just watched the Breakdown and almost threw up in my mouth when Jeff Wilson, discussing Stevenson, said that he reckons he is a genuine fullback but faces a situation in which BB, DMac, JB, and Jordan are ahead of him in the race for the AB 15 jersey.

Is that genuinely how he sees the order of AB fullbacks?

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:48 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:19 am Just watched the Breakdown and almost threw up in my mouth when Jeff Wilson, discussing Stevenson, said that he reckons he is a genuine fullback but faces a situation in which BB, DMac, JB, and Jordan are ahead of him in the race for the AB 15 jersey.

Is that genuinely how he sees the order of AB fullbacks?

Jeff Wilson is an employee of NZR, isn't he? Like the rest of the Sky talking heads, he's there to market the message, support the product, toe the line and / or pump the propaganda tyres. What he says will be lapped up by people who aren't really watching rugby because they're busy 'supporting the team'... but most of it is bullshit.

Sumo was pretty blunt about this last year, from his position outside the Zone of Compromise.

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:48 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:19 am Just watched the Breakdown and almost threw up in my mouth when Jeff Wilson, discussing Stevenson, said that he reckons he is a genuine fullback but faces a situation in which BB, DMac, JB, and Jordan are ahead of him in the race for the AB 15 jersey.

Is that genuinely how he sees the order of AB fullbacks?

Jeff Wilson is an employee of NZR, isn't he? Like the rest of the Sky talking heads, he's there to market the message, support the product, toe the line and / or pump the propaganda tyres. What he says will be lapped up by people who aren't really watching rugby because they're busy 'supporting the team'... but most of it is bullshit.

Sumo was pretty blunt about this last year, from his position outside the Zone of Compromise.

Dan54 wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:56 am

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:48 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:19 am Just watched the Breakdown and almost threw up in my mouth when Jeff Wilson, discussing Stevenson, said that he reckons he is a genuine fullback but faces a situation in which BB, DMac, JB, and Jordan are ahead of him in the race for the AB 15 jersey.

Is that genuinely how he sees the order of AB fullbacks?

Jeff Wilson is an employee of NZR, isn't he? Like the rest of the Sky talking heads, he's there to market the message, support the product, toe the line and / or pump the propaganda tyres. What he says will be lapped up by people who aren't really watching rugby because they're busy 'supporting the team'... but most of it is bullshit.

Sumo was pretty blunt about this last year, from his position outside the Zone of Compromise.

No he's not an employee of NZRU. Haha, and even Sumo who I like got all anti everyone on sky etc when he chose the wrong lot to go with when Spark won TV rights for WC, were going to set up this rugby thing and never worked, so Sumo did cricket, and now Spark are gone not sure what he's doing. Pity I enjoyed his commentary too. Hell I never get too upset at what anyone on panels have as opinions, they just that, but didn't he say Stevenson was facing the situation where the others were already in squad who can/have played FB at for Abs, don't recall him saying they better than him. Not that it worries me, as I said his opinion is worth no more than ours. I will say he would of seen them all play more than us , as he actually get's to be at games (lucky bugger)

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 8:24 am Read Kiwias’ post again…

Among the names he suggests are ahead of Stevenson as FB only Jordan plays in that position.

That’s just sadly funny.

What it does is magnify the complacent old boys mentality that rules in NZ rugby. A top flight sporting organisation would ideally be challenging itself to be the best. The whole AB marketing bullshit revolves around that theme. Instead, what we are looking at is a cowardly refusal to look honestly at itself from everyone associated with spinning the company wheels.

BB and DMac are named as 10s alongside Mo’unga. Jordie is named in the midfield.

Suggesting those guys are rated as being better FB options than Stevenson, who has been in consistently excellent form all year, is laughable.

Sure… we could sit back here and airily wave our hand and say it doesn’t matter because we all have opinions. My preference is not to do that. I’d rather be blunt and rude about the bullshit we’re looking at.

Guy Smiley wrote: Sat Jun 17, 2023 8:52 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Jun 17, 2023 8:50 am The lads will be booking their flights to Hamilton now.

Boxing practise this week to prepare for the niggle.

Ymx wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:38 pm You have.

Remind us, what was that anecdote about you again?

Gumboot wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:51 pm

Ymx wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:38 pm You have.

Remind us, what was that anecdote about you again?

Ha! I'd forgotten about that. Think it was just before the England test in November. I'd been bitching and moaning about Clarke all week as usual, when some random bloke at the local pool said that he had a nephew (cousin? can't remember tbh) in the ABs. When I asked him who, he proudly announced that it was Caleb Clarke! First time this guy had ever spoken to me. Spooky...

Ymx wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:53 pmThat was the one. Could have gone so badly had you not found that out first and started a rant.

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:34 pm Reason nails it

give it a click and post your favourite part of the article. I could have copied the whole thing but you guys deserve some satisfaction.

Beauden Barrett refused to kick for territory and for the umpteenth time was outplayed by Richie Mo’unga who has become Barry John to his Phil Bennett.

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:31 pm

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:34 pm Reason nails it

give it a click and post your favourite part of the article. I could have copied the whole thing but you guys deserve some satisfaction.

Beauden Barrett refused to kick for territory and for the umpteenth time was outplayed by Richie Mo’unga who has become Barry John to his Phil Bennett.

The players know what’s what. They know that this squad is riddled with favouritism. Foster said sadly: “There's still a couple [of players] I've left texts and messages and haven't heard back from, which hurts a bit.”

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:10 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:31 pm

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:34 pm Reason nails it

give it a click and post your favourite part of the article. I could have copied the whole thing but you guys deserve some satisfaction.

Beauden Barrett refused to kick for territory and for the umpteenth time was outplayed by Richie Mo’unga who has become Barry John to his Phil Bennett.

I didn't get that part... is he implying that Phil Bennett was poor?

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:10 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:31 pm

Guy Smiley wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:34 pm Reason nails it

give it a click and post your favourite part of the article. I could have copied the whole thing but you guys deserve some satisfaction.

Beauden Barrett refused to kick for territory and for the umpteenth time was outplayed by Richie Mo’unga who has become Barry John to his Phil Bennett.

I didn't get that part... is he implying that Phil Bennett was poor?

Kiwias wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 8:11 am

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:10 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:31 pm

I didn't get that part... is he implying that Phil Bennett was poor?

I reckon he meant that Phil Bennett may have been pretty good but he was never as good as Barry John, a view with which I fully agree.

Ymx wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:34 am

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:10 am

Kiwias wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:31 pm

I didn't get that part... is he implying that Phil Bennett was poor?

Other way around, I think.

BB = Barry John
RM = Phil Bennett


Did Phil Bennet own Barry John?

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 9:55 am

Ymx wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:34 am

Grandpa wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:10 am

I didn't get that part... is he implying that Phil Bennett was poor?

Other way around, I think.

BB = Barry John
RM = Phil Bennett


Did Phil Bennet own Barry John?

No one owned Barry John! He was the Dan Carter of his time.

Kiwias wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 3:32 am Big Sam in red and black one last time. Otherwise, unchanged from the semi.

Kiwias wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 6:37 am And the opposition have a strong line-up too.

Guy Smiley wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 7:37 am

Kiwias wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 3:32 am Big Sam in red and black one last time. Otherwise, unchanged from the semi.

looks strong

Gumboot wrote: Sat Jun 24, 2023 6:51 am Fifteen minutes to kickoff. Fizzing. Go, Chiefs!