Super Rugby Pacific 2023

[Guy Smiley]

Another thumping win for the Kiwi side in a trans Tasman match.

[Gumboot]

I'm going to pass on the next game and splash some random colours around my dining room walls instead.

[Certain Navigator]

Very solid win by the Blues against an under-strength Tahs side. That was the good news. The bad news was listening to Muliaina and realising what we're going to have to endure at the RWC. Quite apart from all his other deficiencies, anybody who doesn't know the difference between simple and simplistic should not be allowed anywhere near a microphone.

[Kiwias]

Just browsing through the stats section on the Super Rugby main site and came across this astounding stat.

BEST WIN RATIO
Team Win Rate

Crusaders 71%

Brumbies 59%

Hurricanes 57%

Chiefs 54%

Blues 54%

Waratahs 50%

Highlanders 48%

Reds 45%

Rebels 32%

[Grandpa]

It would be great if he tried being a half back instead of that.

Zarn Sullivan has looked absolute class every time he's touched the ball since he came back from injury. I reckon Razor would like the look of a strapping young man like that in black.

Sullivan reminds me of a more physical version of Dan Carter.. his mannerisms are similar.. left footed too... and what a boot... (can he kick goals?) ...he glides and shimmies the same way as Carter... deceptive acceleration and strong... one day the All Blacks, like they did with Carter will see the light and build their team around him... with him a starting 10...

[Gumboot]

It would be great if he tried being a half back instead of that.

Zarn Sullivan has looked absolute class every time he's touched the ball since he came back from injury. I reckon Razor would like the look of a strapping young man like that in black.

Sullivan reminds me of a more physical version of Dan Carter.. his mannerisms are similar.. left footed too... and what a boot... (can he kick goals?) ...he glides and shimmies the same way as Carter... deceptive acceleration and strong... one day the All Blacks, like they did with Carter will see the light and build their team around him... with him a starting 10...

Fully!

[Kiwias]

Another thumping win for the Kiwi side in a trans Tasman match.

The Clan are letting the side down rather badly.

[Guy Smiley]

Very solid win by the Blues against an under-strength Tahs side. That was the good news. The bad news was listening to Muliaina and realising what we're going to have to endure at the RWC. Quite apart from all his other deficiencies, anybody who doesn't know the difference between simple and simplistic should not be allowed anywhere near a microphone.

You're a fan of Justin Marshall's commentating, yeah?

[Kiwias]

I am not a fan of the Clan's default setting to kick possession away.

[Deepsouth]

Gutsty win from the Force.

Still a bit of ticker in the West.

[Kiwias]

Crusaders team for Le Crunch vs Chiefs. Grace starting but still no Blackadder or Jordan and we have McLeod on the wing. I'd prefer Ennor on the wing and McLeod at centre.

[Kiwias]

Razor's explanation for the wing/centre choices is that McLeod offers more on defense out wide.

[Guy Smiley]

He's going to have his work cut out for him, then

[Kiwias]

I actually think that Ennor is a pretty decent defender, particularly with his good low tackles.

[Guy Smiley]

I actually think that Ennor is a pretty decent defender, particularly with his good low tackles.

Agreed... he's also bloody quick. He's like....

the Black Rieko.

[FalseBayFC]

Crusaders team for Le Crunch vs Chiefs. Grace starting but still no Blackadder or Jordan and we have McLeod on the wing. I'd prefer Ennor on the wing and McLeod at centre.

Only been watching the highlights of the competition. How is Tamaiti Williams going? Always intrigued by freakishly big props. He's bigger and taller than Jamie Mcintosh, Andrew Sheridan etc.

[Gumboot]

I actually think that Ennor is a pretty decent defender, particularly with his good low tackles.

Yes, he's a solid defender, but I agree that he should be on the wing and McLeod at centre.

[Guy Smiley]

Crusaders team for Le Crunch vs Chiefs. Grace starting but still no Blackadder or Jordan and we have McLeod on the wing. I'd prefer Ennor on the wing and McLeod at centre.

Only been watching the highlights of the competition. How is Tamaiti Williams going? Always intrigued by freakishly big props. He's bigger and taller than Jamie Mcintosh, Andrew Sheridan etc.

He's been starting and putting in some pretty solid shifts. Last year, you'd maybe say he was still struggling a little to get 'match fitness' and was more of a bench / impact player. This year it's the opposite and I think it's fair to say he's developing nicely.

[Kiwias]

Only been watching the highlights of the competition. How is Tamaiti Williams going? Always intrigued by freakishly big props. He's bigger and taller than Jamie Mcintosh, Andrew Sheridan etc.

He's been starting and putting in some pretty solid shifts. Last year, you'd maybe say he was still struggling a little to get 'match fitness' and was more of a bench / impact player. This year it's the opposite and I think it's fair to say he's developing nicely.

What this bloke said. He also looks trimmer and is more mobile around the field, as well as being bloody good at his first job.

[Gumboot]

Canes vs Brumbies kicking off in about 10 minutes.

Hurricanes: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6-Devan Flanders, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea (c), 9-Cam Roigard, 10-Aidan Morgan, 11-Salesi Rayasi, 12-Jordie Barrett, 13-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Jacob Devery, 17-Tevita Mafileo, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Caleb Delany, 20-Brayden Iose, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Harry Godfrey, 23-Kini Naholo

Brumbies: 1-James Slipper, 2-Billy Pollard, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 4-Nick Frost, 5-Cadeyrn Neville, 6-Rob Valentini, 7-Rory Scott, 8-Charlie Cale, 9-Nic White, 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Corey Toole, 12-Tamati Tua, 13-Ollie Sapsford, 14-Andy Muirhead, 15-Tom Wright
Reserves: 16-Lachlan Lonergan, 17-Fred Kaihea, 18-Sefo Kautai, 19-Darcy Swain, 20-Luke Reimer, 21-Ryan Lonergan, 22-Jack Debreczeni, 23-Ben O'Donnell

Go, Capitalists!

Oh, wait...

[Kiwias]

The good capitalists are leading 14 - 7 with some good tries being scored

[Guy Smiley]

The Morgan kiddie…

Is he related to the Barrett’s?

[Enzedder]

Currently 22-14 to the Canes.

Happy for it to stay like that

[Kiwias]

Morgan definitely looking the goods

Canes lead 32 - 19

[Guy Smiley]

Morgan definitely looking the goods

Canes lead 32 - 19

Yeah… nah. Too many errors and misguided, aimless kicking.

Another DMac in the making. Enough good moments to cover the bad hours.

[Kiwias]

Morgan definitely looking the goods

Canes lead 32 - 19

Yeah… nah. Too many errors and misguided, aimless kicking.

Another DMac in the making. Enough good moments to cover the bad hours.

Who else do the Canes have at 10? Where is Ruben Love?

Brumbies grab a bp to stay ahead of Canes in the table.

[Gumboot]

Who else do the Canes have at 10? Where is Ruben Love?

Hope they give Harry Godfrey a go there.

[Guy Smiley]

So, a losing BP for the Brumbies and the 'Canes bank a home win.

Lots to like about the game... best for me was the form of Aumua who continued to impress when he had the ball but played a good hooker's game around the park. He's looking very good.

[Kiwias]

Walker-Leawere was also pretty good today

[Certain Navigator]

Only been watching the highlights of the competition. How is Tamaiti Williams going? Always intrigued by freakishly big props. He's bigger and taller than Jamie Mcintosh, Andrew Sheridan etc.

He's been starting and putting in some pretty solid shifts. Last year, you'd maybe say he was still struggling a little to get 'match fitness' and was more of a bench / impact player. This year it's the opposite and I think it's fair to say he's developing nicely.

What this bloke said. He also looks trimmer and is more mobile around the field, as well as being bloody good at his first job.

If Jager gets back up to speed, Williams will be heading back to the bench as he's thus far still only an average scrummager. There were signs in the Crusaders last match that they were looking to use him in the Angus Bell ball-carrying role, but he's not up to that.

[Certain Navigator]

Very solid win by the Blues against an under-strength Tahs side. That was the good news. The bad news was listening to Muliaina and realising what we're going to have to endure at the RWC. Quite apart from all his other deficiencies, anybody who doesn't know the difference between simple and simplistic should not be allowed anywhere near a microphone.

You're a fan of Justin Marshall's commentating, yeah?

One would have to be stone deaf to think Muliana's an improvement on Marshall, or that he's there for anything other than 'diversity' reasons.

Ditto Stanaway. If Sky must have some feminine fluff involved, they should use McGoldrick — at least she's articulate and funny. It's astounding how Sky have managed to identify two such good women cricket commentators in Mackay (especially) and Martin, but can't come close in rugby.

[Torquemada 1420]

Hard watch between 2 awful teams.

[Gumboot]

Ditto Stanaway. If Sky must have some feminine fluff involved, they should use McGoldrick — at least she's articulate and funny.

So, holding their female commentators to a far higher standard than their male commentators, then...

"feminine fluff" ffs.

I seem to recall some other gammon referring to Nadia Lim in similar derogatory fashion a while ago. Ah, here we go...

In a May interview published by NBR, Simon Henry - chief executive and founder of DGL - described Lim, a degree-qualified dietitian who won cooking competition MasterChef New Zealand, as a “TV celebrity showing off her sensuality”, when commenting about the company’s disappointing entry into the public market.

He said: “When you’ve got Nadia Lim, when you’ve got a little bit of Eurasian fluff in the middle of your prospectus with a blouse unbuttoned showing some cleavage..."

Uncanny.

[Gumboot]

.

[Guy Smiley]

Very solid win by the Blues against an under-strength Tahs side. That was the good news. The bad news was listening to Muliaina and realising what we're going to have to endure at the RWC. Quite apart from all his other deficiencies, anybody who doesn't know the difference between simple and simplistic should not be allowed anywhere near a microphone.

You're a fan of Justin Marshall's commentating, yeah?

One would have to be stone deaf to think Muliana's an improvement on Marshall, or that he's there for anything other than 'diversity' reasons.

Ditto Stanaway. If Sky must have some feminine fluff involved, they should use McGoldrick — at least she's articulate and funny. It's astounding how Sky have managed to identify two such good women cricket commentators in Mackay (especially) and Martin, but can't come close in rugby.

I didn't suggest Mils was an improvement over Marshall. Those are your words. I'm suggesting that complaining about Mils' style when you're a fan of Marshall is laughable hypocrisy.

The rest of your post is simple offensive bullshit. Mils is there for 'diversity reasons'... uh huh. Goldie, of course, another ex plsyer who can hardly string sentences together gets there on account of being white, then? Then there's the 'fluff' angle...

you're a stoneage retard, mate.

[Gumboot]

Taylah Johnson, anyone? I think she's very good.

[Guy Smiley]

Yeah, she's fine.

I don't really take a lot of notice of the tv commentary team because most of them are, for me at least, just bloody annoying and superfluous. There's way too much chatter during games that usually drowns out the really informative stuff coming from the ref's mic.

There are some decent presenters sprinkled in the dross, often on the 'sideshow' programs. James Parsons is a great example of that, he's surprisingly insightful and articulate.

[Gumboot]

Yeah, she's fine.

I don't really take a lot of notice of the tv commentary team because most of them are, for me at least, just bloody annoying and superfluous. There's way too much chatter during games that usually drowns out the really informative stuff coming from the ref's mic.

There are some decent presenters sprinkled in the dross, often on the 'sideshow' programs. James Parsons is a great example of that, he's surprisingly insightful and articulate.

Yeah, some of the comments people seem to think they have a duty to breathlessly fill every second of every break in play with their "expert analysis". Ben Castle's OK, and I used to quite like Kane Hames' input, but then he seemed to get carried away with rapidly demonstrating his vast knowledge of the lawbook at every scrum collapse, and I found that quite off-putting after a while.

And Ken Laban is instant reach for the mute button time for me. I almost prefer all the shit stadium filler music.

Just let the bloody game breathe.

[Guy Smiley]

Laban's the worst by a country mile. Jesus H Christ he's bad.

[Kiwias]

Yeah, she's fine.

I don't really take a lot of notice of the tv commentary team because most of them are, for me at least, just bloody annoying and superfluous. There's way too much chatter during games that usually drowns out the really informative stuff coming from the ref's mic.

There are some decent presenters sprinkled in the dross, often on the 'sideshow' programs. James Parsons is a great example of that, he's surprisingly insightful and articulate.

There should be an automatic switch that cuts the commentary mike whenever the ref is talking.