The Rugby Thread

[pharvey]

NZ vs SA

Christ, WHAT a GAME, WHAT a GAME!! Best Test match I've seen in a long while

Shan't put the score or comments in at the moment just in case people are watching a little later. Certainly wouldn't want to spoil the "viewing pleasure"!!

[PeteC]

Go ahead and let loose, Pharvey. If anyone on the forum in Thailand hasn't seen it, they won't until 1600 Sunday when it's shown again.

[PeteC]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12091832


Of all the crazy rumours that have been spun about possible player movement over the years, Ma'a Nonu returning to the Blues next year at nearly 37 is paradoxically the most ridiculous and yet believable.................

He's signed a 1 year contract with the Blues. Will make the Blue's game in Super Rugby a bit more exciting next year. He could actually be called back to the All Blacks as well if there is a need, but a very slim chance. Pete

[pharvey]

A Year Before Japan 2019, Rugby is Braced for Treat of Natural Disasters


"With exactly a year to go to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan the organisers are unusually bullish. For the first time rugby’s premier tournament is heading for Asia, with all the gospel-spreading potential that involves. There is talk of the event being the most economically impactful in the sport’s history and the knock-out stages, in particular, could be truly spectacular. “We’re confident that Asia’s first World Cup will be very special and successful,” says Brett Gosper, World Rugby’s chief executive.
There is just one niggling unknown for administrators, tourism officials, coaches and fans alike: the weather. September, when the tournament kicks off, is one of the peak months for chaotic conditions in Japan, with an average of three major tropical cyclones per year hitting the country’s main islands. This month the biggest storm for 25 years struck Kobe and Osaka, both of which will be hosting World Cup games, leaving a trail of death and significant travel disruption in its wake.
Conditions were so extreme that, had it been 12 months later, neither of the team camps allocated to Italy or the USA in Osaka would have been available for use.
Such relative inconveniences clearly need to be kept in perspective but given Japan also experiences more than 1,500 earthquakes a year on average, there is unusual scope for disruption even for the most organised squads. On 6 September a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the northern island of Hokkaido and the city of Sapporo, where England will be based for their opening match, killing up to 40 people and leaving millions without power.
The tournament’s director, Alan Gilpin, accepts it is “a real hot topic for us”, acknowledging a similar pattern of events in 12 months’ time would severely complicate matters. “Teams like Australia and England would have been arriving in Sapporo in that time frame. So, yes, we are planning right through from what happens if a team hotel is lost, what happens if a training venue is lost, through to what happens if one or more match venues are lost. Where do you relocate matches to, what are the time frames, how does that affect transport, planning, moving teams around? We are working through all those scenarios.”"

Full Article: - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... -disasters

[pharvey]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12091832


Of all the crazy rumours that have been spun about possible player movement over the years, Ma'a Nonu returning to the Blues next year at nearly 37 is paradoxically the most ridiculous and yet believable.................

He's signed a 1 year contract with the Blues. Will make the Blue's game in Super Rugby a bit more exciting next year. He could actually be called back to the All Blacks as well if there is a need, but a very slim chance. Pete

No way he'll be recalled to the national side, but a good move to the Blues - end his career back home and with family. Made his mark (and bank balance) in France, and fair play to him - hell of a player.

[PeteC]

Round 5 (all times local)

Sat 29 September: South Africa v Australia @ Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,
Port Elizabeth (17:05) (22:05 hours Thai time)

Sat 29 September: Argentina v New Zealand @ Estadio Jose Amalfitani,
Buenos Aires (19:40) (05:40 hours Sunday Thai time)

Both matches televised on Setanta, TRUE channel 669

[PeteC]

Note: Ignore the time on this photo and see above post as to correct time it will be televised in Thailand.

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[pharvey]

^ Will certainly be interesting to see how SBW comes back in, also to see who's going to take the goal kicking responsibilities after Beauden Barrett's display last time out.

Sam Cane will again be key in the loose.

[PeteC]

McKenzie had a death in the family and went back to NZ. He'll rejoin the team in SAF. I would say he would be doing the kicking but not now. Probably Barrett once again? Pete

[PeteC]

Round 6, (Final round)

Sat 6 October: South Africa v New Zealand @ Loftus Versfeld,
Pretoria (17:05) (22:05 Thai Time)

Sat 6 October: Argentina v Australia @ Estadio Ernesto Martearena, Salta (19:40) (05:40 Sunday Thai Time)

[PeteC]

The All Blacks lineup for Round #6. No Damien McKenzie on the bench as apparently still gone after a death in the family.

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[PeteC]

My brief take on the Rugby Championship:

1) The All Blacks are no where near ready for the World Cup. The flow is not as smooth as it was and there is confusion. The current team needs to play more together to gain confidence.

2) The Springboks are back and I for one didn't think it possible seeing their performance not that many months ago. They will continue to improve and their matches against the All Blacks will be the ones to watch going forward.

3) Argentina has moments of greatness, and then literally fall apart. Lineout's, scrums...everything needs improvement. I don't think they're getting the leadership or motivation on the field from their captain, and perhaps not from their coach either. I wouldn't be surprised to see coaching and captain changes.

4) The Wallabies what can I say. They have talent and some great moments, but appear stale much of the time. No idea how they are going to improve themselves.

[pharvey]

Congrats to Pete as the winner of this season's tournament

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Unfortunately had to take the LHG out yesterday, so wasn't allowed to watch the rugby . From the reports I've read, sounds like the SA vs NZ game was quite something, and the better side on the day lost.

....... And how in hell did the Pumas lose a 24 point lead??!!

[PeteC]

What I didn't mention in #3 above for Argentina is fitness. It's been apparent (to me) in the second half of all of their matches, home and away. Pete

[PeteC]

Will leave the below to Pharvey as usual. Just a reminder that it is coming up on Superbru.

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