Planet Rugby Forum

Monkey Magic

So a tight game negates all the bad press for weeks about the best players in France not coming? And now no matter what, the all blacks beat the reserves by a little or a lot, they beat the reserves, not the top French team. If the international game is to remain the priority outside of world cups t...

Monkey Magic

There is a clear pattern now whenever Rieko doesn’t start at centre our backline defence gets carved to pieces (this match, Japan and Argentina last year). Goes to show how hard it is to defend and organise at centre at test level and why coaches have been so faithful to him. Hopefully Proctor (or ...

Monkey Magic

Three disallowed tries, all very close calls, the obstruction one ridiculous. Not quite as close as the scoreboard suggests, but hardly vintage ABs stuff. Centre issue still murky for ABs, Proctor didn't do much. Reiko was ordinary on the wing. Vaa'I at 6 was good, Savea outstanding, Holland also g...

Monkey Magic

redderneck wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 12:01 pm Lions back 5 of the pack are playing like individuals. One or two of them like leggy jaded ones.

If that doesn't change, the Tahs have a shot.

Can't imagine tahs holding out once the benches empty

Monkey Magic

The tahs winger got his knees off the ground, so it just depends on if the tackle was complete and so he had to release the ball first.

At full speed it looks like he isn't held

Monkey Magic

Typically untidy first test of the year. If we’re that bad again next week I’ll worry, but no stress for now. We did well to adjust our game in the last 15 and hold on, a Fozzie team loses this one by playing the same way all test and turning down that three. The big positive is Holland. A revelati...

Monkey Magic

It certainly looked poor when Mckenzie, Proctor and Ioane were involved. BB isn't my first choice #10 but I'm struggling to see the rationale for Razor dropping him. Agreed. He set up 2 tries and didn't overplay his hand, as opposed to Dmac. Wasn't anything fancy, just the basics. Midfield was look...

Monkey Magic

Back line was poor as was the support play. It certainly looked poor when Mckenzie, Proctor and Ioane were involved. BB isn't my first choice #10 but I'm struggling to see the rationale for Razor dropping him. Why would you even think of dropping him. He won the game for the All Blacks. Nailed all ...

Monkey Magic

Couch wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 10:33 am
Kahu wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 10:32 am
Couch wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 10:29 am Does Razor have the balls to drop BB?
Why would he? He was ok.
Ok isnt good enough. Not with those stupid kicks

Who are you replacing him with?

Monkey Magic

Akkerman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 10:24 am didn't catch the game, the french were disrespectful or not ?

Extremely disrespectful. They kept tackling and scoring tries. What kind of guest does that?

Monkey Magic

Does Tupaea come I'm at 13 and Tavatavanawai to 14 next week? The defense is the biggest worry, I think they'll be happy with quite a bit of that game - set piece was good, really should have made more of their territory and possession in second half, and made enough in the first half to be further ...

Monkey Magic

Did Razor just say captain barret has a dodgy Achilles?

Monkey Magic

Absorbing 80 minutes. Deservedly edged by ABs. Probably the bravest ever Fre performance in NZ. Defence so much stronger in the 2nd half and one that survived a yellow. Guillard a lion at 8. Villiere and Fickou dogs in defence. They all played well, I don't know what the stats were in the second ha...

Monkey Magic

Well done and hard luck France. The ABs have a lot of work to do. The aimless kicking is still there. Our backs are not working. Too many playmakers trying to be stars cluttering up the moves and ruining flow. Sort that horrible shit out. France, what can you say, it's France, they were written off...

Monkey Magic

message #2527204 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:59 am
JB1981 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:57 am
bimboman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:53 am Well this puts,to bed the idea the crusaders would compete in the T14
I don’t believe an NZ side has ever won a hypothetical match.
They are unbeatable in all of them (apparently)

Allegedly they lost heavily in the hypothetical game in 87 vs the boks...

Monkey Magic

Well summed up by Jordan, our defence was massively exposed at times. The scary thing was just how big the gaps were that they were running through

Monkey Magic

Have we hit that last 20min brick wall again?

Monkey Magic

Usually I'd say take the points, but with the kickoff getting France back down our end I'm not so sure

Monkey Magic

Shut up Jeff Wilson

Monkey Magic

Unfortunate for the yellow, he's been a menace at the breakdown

Monkey Magic

Congrats Kirifi.

Hope he has a blinder

Monkey Magic

Wtf is with this defense, France finding massive holes

Monkey Magic

Bloody hell Jordan scoring every time he touches the ball

Monkey Magic

Jesus that ended up being a 5 on 2

Monkey Magic

Thinking back to this time last year, we were playing a much better side in England, but we are looking a hell of a lot smoother than we did then

Monkey Magic

shereblue wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 8:50 am HT not soon enough for tiring Fre fwds. NZ controlling tempo. 21-13

It does have the look of a team that could get blown apart in the last 20min, but the half time reset can do crazy things

Monkey Magic

Some of the stuff from the backs is impressive but it's being set up with some massive efforts from Taylor, Savea and Vaa'i. I like it

Monkey Magic

Need to just keep getting ardie involved.

Not too sure what Ioane offers on the wing that Clarke doesn't without bringing Clarke's aerial ability

Monkey Magic

It's almost a complete b side. Front row is second choice (Amone injured?) Second row is first choice but shit anyway Backrow has first choice 6 and 7 Scrum-half is second choice but good Fly Half- who knows they chopped and changed Centres - first choice but a bit shit. We might get Joey 'tom Cart...

Monkey Magic

When the Wallabies toured, way back, every player was issued with a number which they retained for the whole tour. I cannot remember how they were allocated, but they had nothing to do with playing position. When I played clubv rugby, back in the dark ages, the fullback was #1 wingers were 2 and 5 ...

Monkey Magic

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 2:41 am Jerseys will be tested.

It's only been a few meat pies since I last wore my supporters jersey, I reckon it will be able to handle it

Monkey Magic

It's baffling how some are so quick to forget Rieko's good to great performances at 13. To term his tenure at 13 as "screws up" is a bit lazy and lacks any nuisance. He's had some outstanding performances at 13. I agree, he has failed to develop into a world class 'distributor', but that's like try...

Monkey Magic

In theory we should have an early advantage with being used to Nic Berry, but I still have a nasty feeling we're going to end up down to 14 at least once Maybe a genius idea to beat Rassie to? Start the match with 14 men... so that when the predictable yellow card comes.. you can sub someone on.. a...

Monkey Magic

In theory we should have an early advantage with being used to Nic Berry, but I still have a nasty feeling we're going to end up down to 14 at least once

Monkey Magic

Holy shit, this team naming just exorcised about 4 years of Fozzie trauma! - An actual 2m+ behemoth at lock! - A proper, world-class lineout option at 6! - Ardie's back at 7! - We selected a specialist 8! That's the best balanced All Black loose trio in how long? -Proctor at 13 and an established c...

Monkey Magic

Thank fvck for that. Razor has finally woken up & shited Ioane out of the midfield. NZ rugby public can at last take a deep breath & not live in the fear of having to witness this guy screwing up our midfield any longer. I am happy to see him on the wing though. He was & probably still is an outsta...

Monkey Magic

The big question for me is will he have the mobility to play 6 to an elite level.

Good luck to him, his progress the last 2 years has been very impressive. And obviously putting in the yards off the field

Monkey Magic

It will be interesting to see how they use the bench. That was a part of the games last year which didn't seem to work well or provide the requires impact. I'm assuming dmac would come on and slot in at fullback moving Jordan to the wing with one if reece or Ioane leaving, rather than pulling BB. Al...

Monkey Magic

Reuben Love came onto the right wing and scored two tries in 10 minutes on his test debut. It wouldn't be the first time a fullback was started on the wing for the AB's at 14. Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Jordie Barrett, and to a lessor extent Will Jordan spring to mind. He's a fullback and I...

Monkey Magic

Go with relatively first choice for the first two tests, lock up the series and then bring on some newbies in the third test. I think NZ should see these games as a great opportunity to blood newbies and advertise it as such. It's a great opportunity for the fans to see kids prove themselves and ra...

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