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Post by commond on Jul 19, 2024 16:38:21 GMT -5
England ended up winning the U-20 title ending France's run of dominance. New Zealand won the third place match over Ireland.
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Post by commond on Jul 20, 2024 16:55:17 GMT -5
All Blacks vs. Fiji spoilers: {Spoiler: Click to show} I don't think it's worth dining out on the performance since it was against Fiji, but I do think a number of new players made a claim for starting some of the Rugby Championship games. I think we'll see a different looking All Blacks side by the end of the year.
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Post by berkley on Jul 22, 2024 1:42:24 GMT -5
All Blacks vs. Fiji spoilers: {Spoiler: Click to show} I don't think it's worth dining out on the performance since it was against Fiji, but I do think a number of new players made a claim for starting some of the Rugby Championship games. I think we'll see a different looking All Blacks side by the end of the year.
Yeah, it was mostly interesting just to see the new players. Everyone looked good - as they likely would in such a one-sided game, so as you say, one can't really draw many conclusions. I would like to see Leinert-Brown or Procter start ahead of Ioane in some more serious matches - especially when facing northern hemisphere sides, where they could use a more physical presence.
Damian McKenzie looks fantastic at times, but for me he still often kicks the ball away too soon, giving away possession when it seems like they could have tried a few more phases before deciding it was going nowhere; and he also kicks it too far, allowing an easy, no-pressure catch by the opposing team. He's done it in all three of these recent games so I'm starting to wonder if it's something he's been told to do by the coaching staff - which for me would be more worrying than if it was just an individual player's problem that could be fixed.
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Post by DubipR on Jul 25, 2024 17:09:38 GMT -5
Nice to see the GOAT back on the mound. Clayton Kershaw throwing and looking great. 6Ks in 4 innings. 50 more strikeouts until 3000.
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Post by berkley on Jul 31, 2024 0:36:48 GMT -5
I watched the Olympics Women's Rugby Sevens final between NZ and Canada. After the first , very early NZ try and then seeing Canada pinned back near their own goal line when they finally got a bit of possession,I thought this was going to be a blow-out for NZ but it ended up pretty tight with Canada even grabbing the lead going into the 2nd half. NZ were deserved winners in the end and I think really are a class above but great spirit and tenacity shown by the Canadian women.
I was a bit disappointed that Fancy Bermudez, who I thought was really impressive in Canada's Fifteens historic win over the Black Ferns a few months ago, wasn't brought on as a sub. And in fact I think there was a slight tactical miscalculation on Canada's part in not bringing on all their subs a little earlier as they looked gassed on the last NZ try. Easy to say in retrospect of course.
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Post by commond on Jul 31, 2024 16:31:59 GMT -5
Obviously very happy for the Kiwi girls. The women's rugby sides are outperforming the men's sides on the world stage and having fun doing it.
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Post by commond on Aug 9, 2024 5:20:04 GMT -5
Here's the All Blacks side to face Argentina tomorrow:
All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a, Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara; Ardie Savea (capt), Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder, Sam Darry, Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan De Groot. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan.
Jordan returns to the side via the bench. Reiko Ioane has been dropped from the starting side in favor of Anton Lienert-Brown. TJ Perenara returns from injury to take the starting halfback spot. He's leaving for Japan at the end of the year after failing to reach a deal with NZ Rugby through to the next World Cup but will be available for the All Blacks for the rest of the season. Christie is out of favor with the coaching group, which is hardly surprising. If the locks look weak it's because Scott Barrett was ruled out of the next two tests and Patrick Tuipulotu injured his calf in training.
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Post by commond on Aug 10, 2024 16:35:10 GMT -5
New Zealand vs Argentina spoilers: {Spoiler: Click to show} Well, the honeymoon is over. Fortunately, for Razor it was on a day where New Zealand won 3 gold medals to take them to a record haul. Some shocking mistakes from the All Blacks, but also a ton of belief from Argentina, who now play us regularly enough that we should expect them to beat us. Robertson still hasn't gotten the makeup of the team right. One positive was the young lock Darry. The Cake Tin remains a bogey venue for the All Blacks, but if we're playing this badly at home I hate to think what's going to happen overseas.
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Post by commond on Aug 14, 2024 19:51:56 GMT -5
I guess Berkley is on vacation.
Here is the All Blacks' side for the second test against Argentina:
All Blacks: 15. Beauden Barrett, 14. Will Jordan, 13. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 10. Damian McKenzie, 9. TJ Perenara, 8. Ardie Savea (c), 7. Dalton Papali’i, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 5. Sam Darry, 4. Tupou Vaa’i, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Tamaiti Williams
Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Sam Cane, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Mark Tele’a
There's been some pressure on Robertson to drop Perenara as his delivery is too slow and the All Blacks are struggling to get on the front foot in recent tests, but Robertson doesn't appear to trust Ratima to start yet. A new pair of wings this week. Perhaps a little unfair on Tele'a, who is trying his best but clearly prefers to be on the right rather than the left. Blackadder gets another start despite being pinged a lot last weekend. Tamaiti Williams is an injury switch. Ioane is back in the starting lineup presumably because he fits better with Jordie. That was a weak one-week experiment. Sam Cane makes his first appearance for the All Blacks since being sent off in the World Cup Final. It's his final year as an All Black along with Perenara. It will be interesting to see how many caps he earns.
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Post by commond on Aug 17, 2024 17:12:49 GMT -5
New Zealand vs. Argentina spoilers: {Spoiler: Click to show} Huge improvement from the All Blacks across the board. They fronted up physically and were able to dominate the collision area. Great defense led to typically good NZ offence, though as Ardie kept saying it shouldn't take a loss fo that to happen. Pretty much everyone played well and did what they needed to do at any individual level. The first half performance in the wet was excellent. The second half lost its shape as it so often does in a blowout.
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Post by Calidore on Aug 21, 2024 21:25:32 GMT -5
Happy birthday to Loyola Ramblers chaplain Sister Jean Schmidt, who turned 105 today and is still on the job!
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Post by berkley on Aug 22, 2024 0:34:54 GMT -5
I see that Commond has commented on something, probably the first weekend of what used to be the Tri-Nations, but I can't quote it for fear of seeing the scores. I just got back late tonight and the first thing I did was to start downloading the NZ-Arg game, the result of which I've managed to avoid hearing so far. I'll try to see the SA-Aus match too, but I think I've already gathered who won that one from a Guardian headline I saw inadvertently.
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Post by berkley on Aug 22, 2024 17:07:50 GMT -5
Well shoot. I just realised that in my eagerness to see the game as soon as possible I forgot that I missed two rounds while I was away, not just one. So I'm watching the second NZ-Arg match and of course they already gave away what happened in the first. I'll still watch it but now I'll miss the drama since I know the result, though not the exact score. This second one is shaping up to be a blow-out win for the ABs.
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Post by commond on Aug 23, 2024 16:43:59 GMT -5
Good to see you back, berkley. The big news in NZ right now is Leon McDonald "quitting" as assistant coach. Apparently, he didn't see eye-to-eye with Scott Robertson about the backline. McDonald left on the eve of the All Blacks' trip to South Africa. NZ rugby pundits are making a big deal out of the South African tests being some sort of benchmark for where the All Blacks are at, but they'll do well to win 1 out of 2, imo. Especially since the Boks are bringing guys back while the All Blacks are still carrying injuries.
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Post by berkley on Aug 23, 2024 18:48:24 GMT -5
Good to see you back, berkley. The big news in NZ right now is Leon McDonald "quitting" as assistant coach. Apparently, he didn't see eye-to-eye with Scott Robertson about the backline. McDonald left on the eve of the All Blacks' trip to South Africa. NZ rugby pundits are making a big deal out of the South African tests being some sort of benchmark for where the All Blacks are at, but they'll do well to win 1 out of 2, imo. Especially since the Boks are bringing guys back while the All Blacks are still carrying injuries. Thanks, good to be back. The next games aren't until August 31 so I have time to catch up now. I think I'll go back and watch the warm-up game against Fiji that I missed and then the first NZ-Arg match that I'm annoyed with myself over for hearing the result by mistakenly watching the 2nd game already.
Interesting about MacDonald leaving, as problems with the backline were at least as important in their series loss to Ireland as was getting out-muscled up front. The ABs have had a lot of trouble in recent years creating space for their supremely talented backs when playing against certain defences, Ireland being prominent amongst them, so dissension within the coaching staff over that area is a little worrisome. What was the relationshi like beween the two, I wonder. Both Crusaders guys, but looking them up there doesn't seem to have been a huge overlap in their times tere. I remember MacDonald as a player very well but must admit I only recall Robertson as a coach, even though I was saw a fair number of Canterbury Super Rugby games when he was a player.
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