The stats that show which Barrett brother is the better fullback this season

Two former All Blacks clash on success of 2024 campaign

CD older/wiser 1 hour ago

I wonder how much input NZ Rugby has in the player selection, ie, the ability to sign up fresh new players into the AB player line up. This could be part of the reason Cane and co, have not been let go yet. To many players with long term contracts. In the bygone years of Amateur players, players who didn't perform were gone and replaced at very little or if at any cost.

France outwrestle All Blacks in titanic Test for one-point win

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

You are the biggest whinger.

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Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

Two former All Blacks clash on success of 2024 campaign

Agree CO. Persisting with old selections and strategies has delayed progress IMO. Best advances have been in forced changes - Sititi, Vai'i, Williams, Roigard (he was expected to ascend), Lakai, etc. Too much reticence in this team and fear of failure. Everyone says SR is not a good indicator of success at International level - except this is where we see comparisons between those selected for Internationals and their peers in the same competition. If you shine in SR against your AB peers, you are more than likely to shine at International level - if you have the range of skills required - and should be selected. Obviously, the coaching panel were.

Two former All Blacks clash on success of 2024 campaign

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 1 hour ago

Cane should be deified, he was immense, and has more than earned the right to bully and beat up Japanese university students for a couple of years.

Goddamn legend.

France outwrestle All Blacks in titanic Test for one-point win

Utiku Old Boy 2 hours ago

Missed the live match but just watched the replay. A couple of very poor refereeing decisions had a big impact. Obstruction against Taylor was rubbish. Followed by bad decision in line-out maul (no "use it" requirement of French maul despite going backwards and sideways) leading to go ahead points. Referee was not up to it. He has had plenty of chances but still very poor. That was a big part of the game result. AB's will again get to the level they will overcome poor officiating but they are not quite there yet. Having said all that, France have strength across the board and their result is not undeserved. As widely agreed, the top 5-7 teams are pretty close to any match-day results and small differences in officiating, bounce of the ball or luck can sway a result.

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Head high tackle 2 hours ago

Olympian Moses Leo granted early release by NZR to join NRL giants

NZR needs to stop this stuff. NRL doesnt release players and the perfect example was Sualii this year. A contract is a contract and if they dont like it buy it out.

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DrinkAwayTheConcussion 2 hours ago

Two former All Blacks clash on success of 2024 campaign

Four losses, that’s a poor year.

It’s certainly not all doom n gloom, I’m very positive about how the team is developing, and the 3 of those losses were all within a score and we had chances to win, so it’s a positive year but four losses? Losing the RC, Freedom and Dave Gallagher trophies?

That’s a poor return.

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

Brett McKay 2 hours ago

Yeah, nice comment NH.

There's a concerted focus on holding possession once the Wallabies enter the opposition half, and the quality of the ball-carrying up through the middle is creating those 22 entries - which are now being converted into points..

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

Jordon 2 hours ago

Why can't any rugby analyst remember the final 6 minutes of play? After exchanging kicks we broke their line and got into their half, Jordan had 1 man to beat with Clarke outside and threw it to a Frenchman. We then won the ruck and had numbers wide to the right only for rieko to drop it cold. The revisionist history is astounding.

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JW 2 hours ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Finau was the big body missing. Really think he's going to get mongrelier and tougher.

Barrett can shift there imo and immediately be the worlds best 6 even with his lackluster form.

Shannon Frizell.

Oliver Haig

And those are just the immediate big boys. If Hoskins is given an 8 role next year along with Ardie and Sititi then some of those boys next in line might be thinking they can become the light and nimble sort of 6 that Sititi showed could be useful by switching over, think Flanders, Grace, etc. Jammed up everywhere imo, but definitely up for grabs too!

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

JW 2 hours ago

Yeah fishy. Moana Pasifika are only just now at the point were they would have been on entry if it wasn't a COVID reaction team. Hard to see a league like that coming in with half assed teams in a years time (2026 given kickoff date) and being successful. That part certainly sounds bogus.

I assume by a lot you mean the same amount of money? 700k euro (or maybe pound as on times website) was average wage quoted. Can't see why it wouldn't be enough. Thought this could be done in this neck of the woods and this idea is taking it to the biggest cities/bidders in the world no doubt so the match day/weekend revenue is going to be through the roof if they sell out venues like the 7s does.

It's just that thing again were it needs to start off with a hiss and a roar, can't see it happening by 2026. France has over 200 foreign players alone you'd think would be happy to do the same thing they do in France, just in more varied cities, and for a much shorter period of time. Going to have to see a lot of players taking up 1-2 year extensions/contracts before we know something is building up.

Seven Springboks changes for tour-ending game versus Wales

Cantab 2 hours ago

Can't see the Welsh getting close to the Boks. A massacre in prospect.

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LW 2 hours ago

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

No question that eddie jones is the biggest myth of a coach in rugby... bigger even than gatland and that's saying something

Former All Blacks have their say ahead of Italy team selection

SM 3 hours ago

Get rid of Jeff Wilson, he is the most,"NEGATIVE THING," I have listened to since his first appearance on a Rugby Channel!

Eevery person that has coached the The All Blacks, Jeff Wilson has to run them down, or badly Belittle them, as "THOUGH little Jeff wilson THINKS he's the man FOR THE JOB.

To give you a look into a jeff Wilson coaching session.

(1) Arrive at 5.30pm on dot, leave training gear changing room, then head to the bar upstairs.

(2) Grab a empty glass, size doesn't matter behind bar then head to keg at end of bar fill your glass and drink........

(3) Wait until everyone has turned up, until everyone has turned up I want you to do your elbow bending exercise.

(4) After 3 and a hours when anyone, or everyone has had enough of elbow bending, you can all go home.

THANK'S FOR COMING!

Same Time Tomorrow.

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JW 3 hours ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

BOO hahaha

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

JW 3 hours ago

You must not understand the point WN. France were every chance to win in 1995, so close in that rain sodden match it was literally a toss of the coin. Ditto in 2011.

The point being it shows teams whether or not they have the metal, so even if you have examples of full strength sides losing every game, they still know the kind of bar they need to meet (NZ being in this case just a team that is nearly always up around that bar needed to win). France sends a side missing key components? It's very easy for them to believe they are still good enough when they aren't, or their best players not to release they need to try and acheive getting better..

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

JW 3 hours ago

Is that about the prestige of the crown more than the participation with those teams though?

I reckon the other europeans country's teams really enjoy having a classic French club visit for Cup pool games etc?

It's not "and they are the most successful..", it's "because they are the most successful..", but I digress, I agree with your point, I just wonder that if because the other two comps/teams likely want more filler games (a pre knockout pool stage), and LNR's might be getting to the stage where they don't, skipping that part might be a fair common ground to meet (so not above having your cake etc).

The real shakeup could be this new world league though. None of the French mercenaries are going to say, 'yes, please I want to be working for 10 or 11 months of every year' to the LNR teams trying to keep their coachs and players from joining the rebel league.

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

NH 3 hours ago

Nice one brett and full circle for these brumbies boys who also formed the spine of Rennie's wallabies for a chunk of his tenure. As you and others have said, I'm most happy for Noah given the ups and downs he has had over the last couple of years. I have spent alot of time telling others to be patient and to point out the good things he was doing in those earlier games this year while everyone seemed fixated on the 2-3 errors he was making. Luckily shmidt is patient and level-headed and persisted with him allowing his confidence to grow. I said from the start, I didn't care who he picked at 10 out of noah, donno and lynagh (although I thought noah deserved it on SR form), we had to stick with them and let them grow in the new system, we couldn't chop and change. As you say, to me noah is playing like Ford or Foley where his skill is in organising the play and getting the ball to the right person, at the right time, in the right part of the field rather than a quade/M smith (also quality players) who are going to create 5 linebreaks a game single handedly. What hasn't been talked about enough under schmidts tenure and in these winning games because the focus has been on the flashy tries, is that the wallabies are finally managing the game well. They are getting more 22 entries, more territory, less penalties, less turnovers etc etc. These are things the wallabies have struggled with for a long time and are finally getting right. The difference in turnovers at the ruck and lineout was a huge factor in this wales game, suaalii and his restart turnovers vs england etc...