Un-Australian Activities 2019

[waiopehu oldboy]

Kiwi Jack is healthy again so DMac stays at 15:

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Sean Wainui, Tumua Manu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Solomon Alaimalo, Jack Debreczeni, Brad Weber, Tyler Ardron, Lachlan Boshier, Luke Jacobson, Mitchell Brown, Brodie Retallick (c), Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tevita Mafileo, Nepo Laulala, Michael Allardice, Jesse Parete, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Alex Nankivell, Ataata Moeakiola.

 

[zer0]

Five minutes in and Whitelock again demonstrates that he really isn't a #8. Turned over off the base of the scrum just beyond his own line.

 

[zer0]

On field try so TMO needs conclusive proof to overrule the try. Old Skeeny takes one quick look at the angle where the ball is entirely obscured and decides that's conclusive. Someone throw a dictionary at him.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Entertaining game, but with the terrible kicking, lots of dropped ball and scrum being dominated, it's a bit to familiar for this Aussie

 

[zer0]

 

[Dan54]

Enjoyed the game, plenty of mistakes, but some good rugby in the midst of it all. Blues would be happy I imagine, there were some good performances by players in both teams I thought.
Reiko was pretty bloody good for Blues, thought Nonu's experience showed up at times. PT was bloody awesome when he came on, thought Akira is continuing to play well this season.
For the Clan, Frizell is looking more and more like an AB No 6 to me, think young Lomax looks bloody good, and Smith boys are obviously class.

 

[Dan54]

On field try so TMO needs conclusive proof to overrule the try. Old Skeeny takes one quick look at the angle where the ball is entirely obscured and decides that's conclusive. Someone throw a dictionary at him.

I was glad he didn't piss around watching replay after replay, it always looked forward, and the last thing we need is wasting more time than we have too!!

 

[Derpus]

Rieko single handedly carrying my draft team

 

[KiwiM]

What a win Blues! Bloody stoked with that.

A decent coaching setup and look what happens. The backs have an actual plan and the forwards work hard.

Special shoutout to TJ Faiane at 13. Playing out of position he had an absolute blinder. Best performance by a Blues 13 in an NZ derby for a very very long time.

 

[zer0]

100% agree on the influence of a proper coaching setup. MacDonald absolutely needs to be retained until at least 2023. Ideally until 2027, I'd say (ditto Coventry, if possible). That'd really let him get stuck in and setup all the structures needed to sustain a modern franchise. By the time he moves on -- whenever that may be -- we'll need a setup that's more post-Deans Crusaders, than post-Rennie Chiefs.

Also agree on Faiane. He should be back to, and starting at, second five next season when Nonu and Williams move on. Take the money saved on their salaries and throw half of it at Ennor (to be our starting centre) and the other half at decent hooker (of the rugby variety, of course). Even if it means it's an international player. I'm sure there's some monstrous Georgian playing in the backwaters of the Pro D2 we could pickup off the curbside.

 

[Dctarget]

Rieko is really on his own level isn't he, fuck me the kid is good and he's only going to get better.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

Took Clan by 8 in my tipping so Bloos by 7 was always on

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I'm in Melbourne for a wedding tomorrow, wifey & two of her aunties are hitting the tables at Crown & I've discovered The Pub which has Heineken on tap & 'canes on a biggish screen mere metres from the main, cinema-size one that is of course showing AFL. I'm the only one watching the Rugby & there's no-one watching the Loig.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

What a run from ASav & finish from Beaugan. Anyone other than the 'canes I'd be saying game over but like they say in their ad "unexpect the expected".

 

[Dismal Pillock]

The 2 curtain raisers out of the way, now we're ready for the main event. Yes, beaming in LIVE from Singapore, in front of a crowd of 63 investment bankers and 74 spoilt-shit expat children it's the phantom limb Sunwolves phranchise vs the mummy, mummy, hometown playoff seed NOW please mummy Lions!

The locals can hardly bear the tension:

​

 

[Dan54]

Well obviously pleased with Cane's win, was a bit worried with all the changes, and the big Stormer's pack, but everyone stood up and did the job! I not sure why anyone wants to seriously move BB to 15 when not needed, he is controlling games so bloody well Los is in his ear?) and Ardie is sure working his arse off. I know Blackwell is to small for a Lock at this level, but he not doing a bad job of disguising it at moment. So pleased with win as I thought Canes had a few players that I consider ITM cup level and not super!

 

[wamberal]

The Stormers did pretty well, I thought.

 

[Dan54]

Well f*** me , how is anyone meant to pick in this comp?? Chiefs were absolutely shithot against Bulls, thought whole team went well, with DMac and Lurch fighting it out for MOTM. Aussie Jack went of injured after 10-15 minutes and M MacKenzie went bloody well coming on at 10, ALP was crook but again Nankivell went bloody well at 12. That is a pretty tasty Chief's pack, they went real well.

 

[Dan54]

The Stormers did pretty well, I thought.

Yep I thought Stormers went well to Wamb, why I was so pleased the Canes hung on.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Lions/Sunwolves an exercise in existential futility. God help the 8 paying customers in that enormous stadium. Ref decided right from the outset to refer EVERY single decision to the TMO. "TMO check, check, just want to have a look if I wiped my bum top to bottom or bottom to top this morning. Please review the footage. Take your time, we've got all fucken day here." Ref had decided he didnt want to adjudicate on anything. Then the TMO couldnt organise the right camera angled replay with his local producer, a certain Mr Magoo. The 8 punters were left sitting there for hours at a time as we the worldwide audence of 64 joined our stadium incarcerated brethren in a breathless wait for nothing. Shroedinger's cat laughed as we cried. Malcolm Marx helped himself to 12 first half rolling maul tries before I turned it off. Who won? Nobody won.