SRA 2021

[morepork]

Dunno what was worse. Listening to Grant Nisbett trying to pronounce Samoan and Tongan greetings or Joe Wheeler's hilarious Asian accent.


Just kidding. Joe wins.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Dunno what was worse. Listening to Grant Nisbett trying to pronounce Samoan and Tongan greetings or Joe Wheeler's hilarious Asian accent.


Just kidding. Joe wins.

BT Sports presenters could do with learning how to pronounce Maori and PI names along with Maori place names. Some of the pronounciations at the weekend were appalling.

[Lizard]

What gets me is that apparently it’s hard to pronounce only one part of “Leicester Fainga'anuku.” (One of the best names in rugby, BTW).

[Cameo]

No games going to a golden point for a year and then two come along on one weekend. The last two weeks have really spiced up the competition in this year's edition. It had felt like it was drifting to an inevitable Crusaders Blues final (which is still the likely outcome but everyone has looked dangerous).

The golden point rule has also tested drop kick skills.

Less sure about the captain's challenge rule. Used quite well by the captains today but it sits a bit weirdly with the refs' discretion to check things anyway. For example, Crusaders scored a try from what looked on first viewing like it could be a forward pass, ref decided not to check it, Hurricanes reviewed and lost their review. Fine in a way and right outcome reached but without the review system there (or just another ref), I feel they would check it anyway. I wonder whether the system is best used just for foul play, which the victim should notice but the refs might not without a prompt.

[morepork]

Fark. Lost to the Chuffs. DM controlled things pretty well for a wee felly.

[Cameo]

Fark. Lost to the Chuffs. DM controlled things pretty well for a wee felly.

Yeah, don't know if something has gone a bit wrong for the crusaders over the last few weeks or if they are just building towards the final in a few weeks.

[morepork]

Sooo....with Mo'unga doing the damage and DMac's new Balls of Steel, what chance of BB getting back in the starting 15 when he is finished fucking about in Japan?

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Sooo....with Mo'unga doing the damage and DMac's new Balls of Steel, what chance of BB getting back in the starting 15 when he is finished fucking about in Japan?

Coaches have some interesting chats to be made about selection in a number of positions.

[Lizard]

So the Hurricanes/Highlanders dead rubber turned out to be a very silly, very entertaining game.

Dane Coles and Mitch Hunt got simultaneously binned for handbags off the ball.

Later, 'landers co-captain Ash Dixon made the worst ever Captain's Referral, and one which may stand as the worst for all time no matter how long the Law trial continues. He referred potential foul play by Dane Coles (already on a yellow, remember) at a ruck where his foot had made contact with a prone Highlander's neck. The replay clearly showed the Coles had been shithoused and held in the ruck by another Highlander, causing him to stumble and accidentally tread on the bloke on the ground. The bloke on the ground took umbrage and deliberately reached out and grabbed Coles' ankle to trip him as he tried to run back to rejoin play. So the Highlanders not only lose their referral, they are also penalised. The penalty is kicked out. Hurricanes win their lineout, maul and Coles scores a try by steam rolling over the other co-captain, Aaron Smith. LOL.

[J Dory]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

[morepork]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, that was naff. Codie Taylor is nailing it though.

[Lizard]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, that was naff. Codie Taylor is nailing it though.

A couple of weeks ago someone described Asafo Aumau as playing like Codie Taylor if Codie Taylor was built like two Codie Taylors.

Got to say - there a lot of form players across the park right now.

[Cameo]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, and his whining to the ref that he is just having a bit of fun is annoying (although the commentators lapped it up). Fair enough, a bit busy up every now and then but continuous niggle takes the fun out of it for most people, and makes life impossible for the refs.

[Cameo]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, that was naff. Codie Taylor is nailing it though.

A couple of weeks ago someone described Asafo Aumau as playing like Codie Taylor if Codie Taylor was built like two Codie Taylors.

Got to say - there a lot of form players across the park right now.

Taylor then Aumau would be my starter and sub at the moment.

Backrow will be fascinating. Would like to see Frizell, Sotutu and maybe Papalii for an early test but that might seem Blues heavy given their form.

[morepork]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, and his whining to the ref that he is just having a bit of fun is annoying (although the commentators lapped it up). Fair enough, a bit busy up every now and then but continuous niggle takes the fun out of it for most people, and makes life impossible for the refs.

Andrew Hore once asked of the ref after a penalty for clattering Carter, "Are we not allowed to tackle Dan Carter".


Then he went and shot some seals.

[J Dory]

Coles is a niggly player. The elbow in the face of the guy on the ground that got him the yellow was shitty.

Yeah, that was naff. Codie Taylor is nailing it though.

A couple of weeks ago someone described Asafo Aumau as playing like Codie Taylor if Codie Taylor was built like two Codie Taylors.

Got to say - there a lot of form players across the park right now.

That sounds like a perfect prelude to a Cas form 15 ABs thread. Where is Cas, banned again?

[morepork]

No, he isn't. Probably shooting for the NZ Apprentice, or Love Island Pakatoa or something.

[morepork]

Chuffs gave it a good go but no sale. Mo'ounga still carving it up, but he needs to smile more, the grumpy shit. DMac up for an AB recall, surely?

[Lizard]

There's a part of me wants to moan about the reffing, but you can't expect to win a final if you fuck up 3 or 4 lineouts in the first half and miss 3 shots at goal.

I didn't even get to watch the final live - I'd bought tickets for Beastwars back when we had no chance of making the finals.

[morepork]

If you'd watched live, maybe they'd have won. Instead you chose Beastiality. The Tron will be divided on those priorities.