NPR

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:01 am

Enzedder wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:57 am Wow. Whitelock is ageing bloody well

My favourite.

Where does he rank in your list of favourite All Black locks?

Blues blew that one.

That was probably the best result for the Chiefs apart from the losing bonus point.

But... I would prefer to see the Crusaders miles away from the playoffs.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:03 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:01 am

Enzedder wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:57 am Wow. Whitelock is ageing bloody well

My favourite.

Where does he rank in your list of favourite All Black locks?

All-time? Pinetree and Sam W.

Pro era: Sam W and Retallick

I'd have Retallick just ahead of Whitelock to partner Meads... win/win of course.

Enzedder wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:07 am That was probably the best result for the Chiefs apart from the losing bonus point.

But... I would prefer to see the Crusaders miles away from the playoffs.

You can always dream

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.

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.

Very much this. It will generate pressure on other players.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:12 am I'd have Retallick just ahead of Whitelock to partner Meads... win/win of course.

We wouldn't lose anything regardless of whether it was SW or BBBR

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.

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:32 am

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:12 am I'd have Retallick just ahead of Whitelock to partner Meads... win/win of course.

We wouldn't lose anything regardless of whether it was SW or BBBR

They're without a doubt the finest locking combo I've had the pleasure of watching.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:35 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:32 am

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:12 am I'd have Retallick just ahead of Whitelock to partner Meads... win/win of course.

We wouldn't lose anything regardless of whether it was SW or BBBR

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.

Moana Pacifika giving the Bumboys a bit of a shake-up

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.

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 can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 am

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 can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.

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.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:47 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 am

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 can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.

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.

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.

Who's Spooky Smith?

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.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 10:19 am Who's Spooky Smith?

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=806

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:06 am

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 10:19 am Who's Spooky Smith?

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=806

How good was Grahame Thorne? I remember as a kid there was a bit of "if only" intrigue about him.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:32 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:06 am

Gumboot wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 10:19 am Who's Spooky Smith?

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=806

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.

We never saw anything near the best of this superb player.

^ 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.

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.

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.

The only negative factor for him was that he played for Auckland

Clan vs Force is a bit like basketball — with each team pretty much scoring at each attack inside the oppo 22.

Highlanders finally break the drought 43-35.

That Landers replacement Finn Hurley looks about 15 years old.

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 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?

Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm

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 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?

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.

Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:17 pm

Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm

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 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?

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.

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...

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 am

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 can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.

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.

Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:32 pm

Gumboot wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:17 pm

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?

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.

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...

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.

Dan54 wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:29 am

Kiwias wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:53 am

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 can remember what that felt like when Pinetree and Lochore retired in 1971. THe next year was weird.

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.

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 6:31 am

Grandpa wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:32 pm

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.

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...

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.

Do you mean the England v Ireland game? Where Steward was sent off?

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

Shame we are missing Sam W but it still looks like a strong team. Dunshea is starting at 5. Is Gallagher injured?

EDIT: just heard that Gallagher was injured at the last minute

Brumbies not so keen on tackling tonight.

McLeod and Ennor's defense is very very good

Not taking those easy points may come back to hurt us

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.

Some unusually casual play by the boys