Planet Rugby Forum

Monkey Magic

It is concerning. My first thought was are these guys at this stage of the season over training ? They have been on the go since February & the early preparation for the Super season was intense. Are these injuries a culmination of workload ? It's been exaggerated a bit due to the head knocks and t...

Monkey Magic

Shit getting real now in terms of the tour. Lions team looks very strong with little if any weak spots. Oz will have to play error free football with a sustained pressure game for at least 60mins and look to take on Lions forwards and punching holes in their defence somewhere to use the backs well ...

Monkey Magic

Dropping like flies. It's definitely not ideal how many of our initial squad are injured. It is concerning. My first thought was are these guys at this stage of the season over training ? They have been on the go since February & the early preparation for the Super season was intense. Are these inj...

Monkey Magic

They’re very different types of 8. Wilson is more similar to Kieran Reed. He’s athletic, rangy, amazing hands, links well, and has a huge motor and effective work rate. Valetini is more similar to Palu in how he plays, but does it from 6. The best the Australian backrow has looked in years was last...

Monkey Magic

I commend this thread spreading knowledge. For a long time there was confusion around some of the dialects in NZ which caused a bit of angst around the place. Little known fact, but the written form Quade Cooper, is actually pronounced Booooooooooo! In a number of locales. Thankfully over time the c...

Monkey Magic

booze wrote: ↑Thu Jul 17, 2025 10:15 am You’ll miss him when he is gone

While I hate that he's doing the cricket, I'm stoked sumo Stephenson has f**ked off from where he can do any big rugby matches - until someone screws the world cup rights

Monkey Magic

All blacks will have a heck of a challenge from that French loose trio. Time for Jacobson and Finau today down a marker

Monkey Magic

I did enjoy the Goldilocks reactions. Unfortunately, unlike the apocryphal adolescent invader, the happy medium remains elusive for our malcontents. NZ rugby fan pages are a living manifestation of the default tenancy to negativity bias. That said, even though I have an almost pathological streak o...

Monkey Magic

Is everyone who complained that last week's selections were too conservative satisfied? Or have we found something new to collectively moan about this week? ;) I did enjoy the Goldilocks reactions. Unfortunately, unlike the apocryphal adolescent invader, the happy medium remains elusive for our mal...

Monkey Magic

We might get a few showers but it doesn't look too bad. Anyway - getting this thread ready for Saturday. I'd have thought with 7 Chiefs in the starting lineup, you would be a happy chappie there Enz! It's a public service for the rest of us to be able to pile in once the chiefs chokers fall apart o...

Monkey Magic

Are we disrespecting France by selecting a B team? I would not be surprised at all if the team selected loses. I would not be surprised at a stuttering or closer performance, but I'd still be immensely surprised if we lost. I still think this team's ability to generate points and opportunities at h...

Monkey Magic

Bench is odd, and really hope ALB steps up, but he hasn't played in an age so to run about against the French is a worry.

I'd rather he came back via bench and give Proctor another run, but can understand wanting his experience there with no Jordie.

Ardie is going to have to be monumental

Monkey Magic

He was polarising when he played amd that hasn't changed. Anyone I knownwho has had any personal interaction with him reckons his brilliant In rugby he started out as offloading every carry and it got predictable, he got good when he also realised he was huge and carrying hard into contact is someti...

Monkey Magic

He really isn’t . Rikki Swannell is excellent IMO. I dont like listening to a female lead commentator, even if she is good in the womens game. Why isnt Tony Johnstone the lead commentator now? Weirdly I saw the Fiji vs Scotland highlights on YouTube (couldn't find the game on sky at all), and TJ wa...

Monkey Magic

I actually don't mind Nisbett, truth be told, but he needs to get his eyes checked again after that commentator blooper. Agree. Reckon he’s pretty good. Is Gordon Bray still commentating? I liked his commentating too. Used to love Bray but surely he's getting on a bit. I don't mind TJ as a play by ...

Monkey Magic

Use it like the Lions do. Pick your elites. This was just a load of piss artists having a chuck around. Mind you, wouldn’t that team be the ABs plusk Valetini and maybe an Aussie centre?…oh and Bell. He’s a gun. It doesn't have to be a copy of the Lions. It could be a chance for players on the outs...

Monkey Magic

Tehui wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:19 am
The Native wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 4:12 am Scott Barrett rumoured to be out for the season?
Not for a calf injury. Unless something else is bothering him? Dr Eugenius did hint at this a few days ago.

As seen in the NBA finals, a tight calf can turn into an Achilles issue pretty quick

Monkey Magic

The joys of being legally required to always carry a physical green card that will take months to be replaced if stolen or lost. That said, if you can’t do a generic Midwest accent after this long in the country you probably deserve to be deported. How's the Texas drawl coming along Mr Mike? :lol: ...

Monkey Magic

What’s with all the whooping and crowing? It was the nature of some of the performance , especially when down to 14 . Accurate and innovative, attacks from all over the place with nice variation. We could have just done the usual running it wide again and again with the counter attack . Relying on ...

Monkey Magic

Winners generally do! I only watched first half and a smattering of the second but seemed like he was very good alright. Me too. Even though France well down on the penalty count - but that was a reflection of the AB performance. Ridley was balanced in his interpretation and exuded calm control. Ex...

Monkey Magic

Not sure I understand the criticism of the the kicking game in the first half. The ABs generated three try’s off line out set piece. Generated by…….deliberate kicking tactics. +1, plus a lot of them seemed to be called by players coming through on the chase. I thought our tactics were good! Man som...

Monkey Magic

Anyone still calling for Havili to be in the squad? Funny how so many were outraged at his non selection. He was absolutely terrible last night. Apart from everyone else already mentioned, I thought Codie Taylor was brilliant. Staunch in defence, nailed his core roles and involved in an important t...

Monkey Magic

I don't want to see BB in the 23 next week, and Rieko can piss off for good. BB kicked some really good front foot ball straight down the throats of the fullback 3 or 4 times. It seems his first instinct is to kick the ball. I get kicking for territory, but he just overdoes it. The AB backline will...

Monkey Magic

Oh... I missed that one... I was playing soccer that afternoon against the Navy... pissed me off to miss it. Played rugby in the morning for the school. I was there for that game, behind the posts rather than the usual Millard stand. Actually gave a good view of how Trapper led the game around the ...

Monkey Magic

Tbf we said the same last year about our 6 issues being over once Sititi emerged.

Monkey Magic

forrester wrote: ↑Sat Jul 12, 2025 12:23 pm LCD up and about

Good news

Monkey Magic

It's a shame the aunz team have no real live wire who could spark something from nothing to give them a sniff

Monkey Magic

The big unknown is how the invitational team front, would be great to see Lam, Sotutu and fakatava go well

Monkey Magic

Not an especially focused finish for the All Blacks. Another mark against Ardie's captaincy abilities. Nah... another mark against McKenzie as an impact Sub. Was disappointed in how he went, but in saying that I don't know hiw much of that was also down to the replacement French pack giving a bette...

Monkey Magic

First half points, apart from the Ardie break came from kicking into space and forcing France to either kick it out or chance thier arm

Monkey Magic

Ratima doesn’t do anything outrageously wrong, he’s solid but compared to Roigard there is a distinct lack of x factor. Think Hotham could make much more impact off the bench. Well he did botch a rolling maul with Samisoni. They both lacked imo Taukei'aho hasn't really hit the heights this year in ...

Monkey Magic

Think the biggest issue was the best chief went off. Vaa'i is quickly making himself one of the most important players we have on the field. Day and Night difference between Vaa'i and Finau. I think I've seen more, and better, from Vaa'i than I ever have from Finau. Vaai went from ordinary to sudde...

Monkey Magic

Not an especially focused finish for the All Blacks. Another mark against Ardie's captaincy abilities. The chiefs players came on and stopped all momentum. Think the biggest issue was the best chief went off. Vaa'i is quickly making himself one of the most important players we have on the field.

Monkey Magic

Good coaching on display . Far more direct - better intensity and option taking . Had a feeling the team was threatening this . All the nay sayers are hiding behind their sofas now. Go AB’s a couple of great combination tries . Everyone stepping up . Patty T having probably his beat game of the yea...

Monkey Magic

Entertaining half (maybe not for French), both sides making attacking metres but the all blacks spending more time at the right end. Well done Proctor to make that play at the end of the half to deny the French a chance to bounce back before the break. French lineout is killing them, you can't win ...

Monkey Magic

Entertaining half (maybe not for French), both sides making attacking metres but the all blacks spending more time at the right end. Well done Proctor to make that play at the end of the half to deny the French a chance to bounce back before the break. French lineout is killing them, you can't win w...

Monkey Magic

He ended up giving it away, but good to see vaai purposely putting himself in position to get the French slap back from the kick

Monkey Magic

Yep, although you have to say he benefited massively from the early 2000's England actually being good. Once they reverted to being a bit shite, his comments came across as delusional which took the sting out of him. Plus it was about then that they paywalled the Times. I think his subsequent work ...

Monkey Magic

mightyreds wrote: ↑Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:11 am watching them limp out to sea in their burning longships.

Not the first load of tourists to get an STI

Monkey Magic

He had a prime? Twenty or thirty years ago he had the knack of winding up kiwi rugby fans down to a fine art. Yep, although you have to say he benefited massively from the early 2000's England actually being good. Once they reverted to being a bit shite, his comments came across as delusional which...

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