Planet Rugby Forum

merlin the happy pig

Bit disappointed De Groot is still preferred over Tamaiti Williams.
Tamaiti is good off the bench, but IMHO he is better value than De Groot if he can put in 50 rather than 30 minutes

merlin the happy pig

I like Lakai but I feel like Sititi has been squandered and mismanaged this season, he’s a generational talent and should be getting as much game time as possible. If he is fit enough for bench he should be fit enough to start. They both have a high ceiling but Sititi’s is stratospheric. Also like ...

merlin the happy pig

Scott Barrett is a better rugby player than I will ever be, but I think his selection is still at the expense of a better player. If he wasn't Razor's Captain, would he be on the park? If I were Sam Darry I would feel a little hard sone by in not getting a bench spot, but I think we should save our...

merlin the happy pig

england starting pack weaker than the bench, plus slow and cumbersome backline i guess the hope is they are within a score at about 50 min and able to finish strong, it's a big gamble Imagine if England are leading when they come on... Wet weather, our issues with the high ball, penalty happy ref, ...

merlin the happy pig

Midfield aint the problem, they are in descending order of crapness: - The high ball, both chasing and defending. - No impact from 10 on attack, and highly variable kicking game - Players still overrunning the pass given an overlap - No natural 6 - 3 short loosies, and no natural 6 Interesting that...

merlin the happy pig

I think half of Proctor problem is the amount of time he is clearing rucks. From another lens; It might speak to his positioning and not setting himself in the right space to attack. I'll have to check that. I know I've seen him skipped with passes or used as a decoy a ridiculous amount of the time...

merlin the happy pig

Probably for me: SA France ----small gap--- NZ Ireland ---small gap--- England Australia Argentina ---small gap--- Scotland nope, more like this methinks SA -----big gap----- France ----small gap---- Nz/Ire/Eng/Argentina (Eng vs Nz will tell more) ----small gap---- Scotland----- -----small gap-----...

merlin the happy pig

not_english wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 9:00 pm
Sonny Blount wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 8:44 pm
merlin the happy pig wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 8:40 pm

Who's at 15 then?
It sounds like he is ready to start Love there.
Yep, I think so

Great, but wish they'd actually given him some game time prior to this.
Hell of a test to just drop him in it.
We've been screaming out for them to do so, don't they take our advice seriously?

merlin the happy pig

not_english wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 8:36 pm I think I would still have DMac off the bench, has worked brilliantly in the last two tests. Jordan at 14 for me.

Who's at 15 then?

merlin the happy pig

How much motivation does this brain dead lump need ffs ? He’s first been shifted , then completely dropped . Geez bro take a hint ! Unless lightening strikes and there’s a miracle I honestly can’t him turning his lack of form around . Although I’d love him to , I think him a busted flush. Ioane has...

merlin the happy pig

8x permitted subs has allowed big fat freaks to tailor their physiques for only 50 minutes of anti-rugby This is my opinion, there are just too many subs. Doesn't matter forwards or backs, just far too many. 5 or 6 is enough. Even if 3 are mandatory front rowers. Players should get tired and defens...

merlin the happy pig

Perhaps, in hindsight, it wasn't ideal for Jordie to be playing rugby without a proper break since the start of the last SR season. I reckon they'll go back to Proctor at centre. Though I think the size of a backline with all three of Clarke, Tupaea, Faingaanuku works really well. I think it did wo...

merlin the happy pig

Always thought was the banana skin game. One of the few teams we've never lost to. TBH they're all losable. ABs are probably on average a few (3) points better than Ireland and England, may be 7 points better than Scotland and 10 better than Wales. String the four together and I think the chances o...

merlin the happy pig

Probably for me: SA France ----small gap--- NZ Ireland ---small gap--- England Australia Argentina ---small gap--- Scotland I agree with that. The only question for me is if the small gap is before or after France . Also, England and Ireland could maybe swap. I think as well as. SA ----small gap---...

merlin the happy pig

Surprised Williams not starting in the front row. Hope Acooter has a massive game as Lord hasn't really done much to inspire confidence he will make a big impact. Fingers crossed the all blacks have fixed their lineout as that fell apart badly during the championship Also surprised that Williams is...

merlin the happy pig

Impressive performance from Canterbury. Forward pack dominated the collisions. Backs also dominated the collisions Mataele my MOM, absolute menace, Otago had no answer for his busts and offloads. . How was the tip tackle in the first half not a yellow, seemed to land on his head. Not a whisper from ...

merlin the happy pig

So Trump has stabbed Ukraine in the back, again, after talking on the phone with Putin. Yep. Donald Trump demanded that Ukraine submit to Vladimir Putin’s peace terms or face destruction in an angry meeting at the White House last week, it has emerged. The US president, who spoke with his Russian c...

merlin the happy pig

Canterbury defense absolutely brutal.
Hawkes Bay have some great attacking plays, but Canterbury just kept snuffing them out and preying on the mistakes.
Hard to see Otago taking out the final, much as I would love them to.

merlin the happy pig

Would have loved to have seen Bailyn Sullivan in place of Ennor for the development XV.
Ennor is OK, quick enough top end, but hardly elusive or powerful.

merlin the happy pig

Hamas are a given bunch of cnuts. There is no point discussing them as no one disputes this... We focus on what Israel are doing because they are not a terrorist organisation... so we don't expect them to behave like one... To you they may be. Pretty clear not everyone shares your view on that thou...

merlin the happy pig

Definitely disappointed we didn't get at least a couple of new faces in the team. Only 2 years until the workd cup, a great chance to have a go with at least 1 more young winger. There's a bunch of fresh faces with decent gas we could definitely do with. I know the midfield is crowded, but Bailyn Su...

merlin the happy pig

Great weekend of quarter finals.
God I wish the NPC was still the top tier of NZ rugby instead of Super Rugby.
Don't get me wrong, Super Rugby quality was excellent this year, but you can't beat traditional rivalries.

merlin the happy pig

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Thu Oct 09, 2025 11:26 pm Just relax and enjoy the fact that rugby outside of the world cup is suddenly important again.

I do love that

merlin the happy pig

Whether there’s a peace deal signed or not, the Israelis have really cooked themselves for a generation or more in terms of international standing. I can’t imagine many millennials/gen z in the West having the same affinity towards Israel for religious/historical reasons like my parents’ generation...

merlin the happy pig

Manganese is used WITH Lithium in Li-Ion batteries, nit instead of In terms of moving away from Lithium, Sodium is looking like the most promising option - higher energy density , and obviously far more readily available The reverse is true. Sodium is just cheaper than lithium. Capacity is about 20...

merlin the happy pig

Yeah, I'd disagree that the gap is that big. The Boks are consistent & well drilled, but the only real thing that separated them in this tournament was the scrum. The Bokke performance was inconsistently consistent with selection changes. When they click they are superior in scrum, break down & att...

merlin the happy pig

Jordie & QT were the best Ive seen that midfield look in some time. They were given fast ball because of Roigard and Dmac and that gave them the extra meter of space. Dmac had plenty of his own issues but quick service was not one of them. Been years since the ABs have had a set 12/13 & I hope to s...

merlin the happy pig

SA the best side, if a little inconsistent.
Clearly have the highest ceiling of all the teams.
Much closer on the table than in reality.
.
Great competition this year

merlin the happy pig

Good finish by the ABs.
Much better work at the rucks in the last 20.
Good value from the subs, especially Tosi and Bower.
.
Is it just me or does Tamaiti have tits for hands?

merlin the happy pig

Grandpa wrote: ↑Sat Oct 04, 2025 12:59 pm Glad they spotted that quick... hope he's ok...

merlin the happy pig

Mr Bungle wrote: ↑Sat Oct 04, 2025 12:56 pm
merlin the happy pig wrote: ↑Sat Oct 04, 2025 12:55 pm Hate the out the back pass.
So clunky
Sometimes it works. But mostly it's performed by big fatties with poor ball handling skills and they're not accurate enough passes.

Often thrown like a bullet too

merlin the happy pig

Hate the out the back pass.
So clunky

merlin the happy pig

ABs jumpin in lineout on their own line again.
Tactics such shit

merlin the happy pig

The pass out the back is ruining the ABs passing. Sometimes you just need to give the straight pass.

merlin the happy pig

ABs playing like crap again a man up

merlin the happy pig

The ABs have got to sort out their lineout. For whatever reason, our thrower and jumpers are not in sync, and it's affecting our possession. And I'm getting sick to death of seeing players in the midfield area throw passes to a team mate's shoulder. ABs support players guilty of continually overrun...

merlin the happy pig

Really bizarre half of rugby.
Aus really unlucky, but not great defensively
ABs awful for much of it but finally got their shit together

merlin the happy pig

WTF is going on with DMac's goal kicking?

merlin the happy pig

Good work Tupaea. Shit tackling though

merlin the happy pig

WTF DMac?

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