Planet Rugby Forum

Ali's Choice

We dont cry about it. Soup is dead to us. The cry come from NZ. You were the one that posted an article about the SARU president crying about it… We couldn’t even come back into the country without government approval and yet apparently needed SARU approval even to arrange our own domestic rugby du...

Ali's Choice

Brodie said he didn't want to play test rugby any more. He didn't have a choice though, did he? Anyway, instead of debating about the relative merits of former AB's, we should really be focusing on the impact that picking offshore players has had on the Springboks. They've won every RWC since they ...

Ali's Choice

But even then isn't that going to encourage top players to leave? At the moment only Mounga who would still be picked is overseas.. and he's coming back... so why encourage more top players to leave? I don't understand the thinking... as I said.. if we have players like Ardie, Jordan and Roigard go...

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See post above. You hadn't set a threshold when I answered this post. Noone has ever suggested that overseas selection wouldn't have strict parameters. And if the opponents didn't realise that there would always be criteria set, then they haven't thought enough about this important issue. Asleep at...

Ali's Choice

I’d like to see a poll of openness to reconsider our overseas selection policy on ABs with 50+ caps (or something of the like) broken down by age. I suspect a paradigm shift is required for us to be able to look at it with fresh eyes. Both Australia and South Africa are doing it successfully but it...

Ali's Choice

No pressure on Razor or the team.

Ali's Choice

Where: Auckland, NZ https://www.newzealand.com/assets/Tourism-NZ/Auckland/img-1536065871-6217-4403-p-10D1D0BD-B88E-AAB3-AE3F2E903EF65717-2544003__aWxvdmVrZWxseQo_CropResizeWzE5MDAsMTAwMCw3NSwianBnIl0.jpg When: Saturday 27th September Venue: Eden Park, Auckland https://dynamic-media-cdn.tripadvisor....

Ali's Choice

Relaxing New Zealand rugby’s eligibility rules is a solution that won’t work for a problem we don’t have. Dumb post. Firstly, you have no idea about how aligning our eligibility rules with all the other SH tier 1 nations might impact our team. They all allow overseas players to be picked, we don't....

Ali's Choice

Relaxing New Zealand rugby’s eligibility rules is a solution that won’t work for a problem we don’t have. Dumb post. Firstly, you have no idea about how aligning our eligibility rules with all the other SH tier 1 nations might impact our team. They all allow overseas players to be picked, we don't....

Ali's Choice

massive_field_goal wrote: ↑Sun Sep 14, 2025 10:28 am that was a hell of a game

If I was a Raiders fan I'd be gutted. I look forward to watching Ricky Stuart's post match presser.

Ali's Choice

Brumbie_Steve wrote: ↑Sun Sep 14, 2025 9:40 am
ROLDY wrote: ↑Sun Sep 14, 2025 9:29 am Bronc Nation!

Shit team, shit game.

Shit game? I'm a neutral but that was an amazing game. You must live a joyless life if that was a shit game?

Ali's Choice

There are over-the-top takes on both sides of the Scott Robertson issue. On one extreme, you have reactionary hotheads demanding that Razor be fired now. On the other extreme, vacuous buffoons suggesting that eligibility rules are the problem rather than poor coaching. The sensible, moderate positi...

Ali's Choice

No. It’s a brain-dead hypothetical question that confuses cause and effect at a level a toddler should be able to spot, and ignores the fact that some of the forward pack that mauled Razor’s scrum for fun are based in South Africa. Your repeated refusal to concede what is clear and obvious, that th...

Ali's Choice

There are over-the-top takes on both sides of the Scott Robertson issue. On one extreme, you have reactionary hotheads demanding that Razor be fired now. On the other extreme, vacuous buffoons suggesting that eligibility rules are the problem rather than poor coaching. The sensible, moderate positi...

Ali's Choice

After being excited and supportive of Razor after Fozzie, I'm starting to realize there is a reason that previous all black coaches were encouraged to gain international experience before taking on the all blacks. Its clear that the coaching staff overall is out of their depth at this level. I find...

Ali's Choice

And everything to do with our starting tight five being owned all over the park. We did well to be leading at halftime if, as you say, our tight five was being owned all over the park. It's almost as if you're being hysterical? Is that not down to Kolbe dropping the ball? So yes Jordie did well to ...

Ali's Choice

Speaking of our tight five, I don’t understand how Holland went from being our best tight forward in the opening tests of the year to the bench for this. Holland/Barrett/Vaii was working. I also think we’re missing Aumua more than we’ve given credit for. We're also missing Codie Taylor's excellent ...

Ali's Choice

Put up or shut up: Who are the overseas-based New Zealand players who would have stopped the All Black scrum being shunted backwards at will? I don't watch NH club Rugby, especially given that those players are all ineligible for the AB's. But given there are hundreds of kiwi pro Rugby players in t...

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For all I despise the man, Rassie Erasmus has accrued fantastic rugby achievements. Scott Robertson, to date, is an abject international coaching failure. And yet Rassie wouldn't win a single test if his home union adopted the same eligibility rules that Robertson is forced to endure. All the best ...

Ali's Choice

Couch wrote: ↑Sun Sep 14, 2025 4:46 am And everything to do with our starting tight five being owned all over the park.

We did well to be leading at halftime if, as you say, our tight five was being owned all over the park. It's almost as if you're being hysterical?

Ali's Choice

Box kick seems to be the default play in NZ rugby for static ball It's the default play in every country. Test Rugby is currently dominated by box kicking. It's a great tactic because it's likely to force a error. If the kicking team catches it, the defending team's defensive line is compromised. A...

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It takes some batshit mental gymnastics to suggest Razor has a better international coaching record than Rassie. At this stage, Razor’s record is an abject failure, and instead of fudging numbers or gormless attempts at misdirection, it’s better to just acknowledge that objective fact. In terms of ...

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Catch the box kicks and have a functioning lineout we probably stay in that game and manage to exert our own pressure which would fatigue the boks Box kick seems to be the default play in NZ rugby for static ball It's the default play in every country. Test Rugby is currently dominated by box kicki...

Ali's Choice

It takes some batshit mental gymnastics to suggest Razor has a better international coaching record than Rassie. At this stage, Razor’s record is an abject failure, and instead of fudging numbers or gormless attempts at misdirection, it’s better to just acknowledge that objective fact. In terms of ...

Ali's Choice

Boredies who have been talking up the potential of Williams, Holland, Newall, Scooter have now flip-flopped and have come out saying we have no players who can play test rugby. That our expectations should be much lower than they were up till (checks calendar) the beginning of the 2024 season. I mu...

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Will this be the impetus we need to finally try something different at 10? It’s just becoming definition of insanity stuff with BB. Unlikely. He seems locked in at 10, regardless of performance. The problem is we simply aren't producing the 10's we once did. We used to have a pipeline of internatio...

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Since the end of Apartheid, this was the Springbok team many AB's were excited and worried about seeing in the future. A team built around a hulking Afrikaner pack, and athletic, explosive and skilful African backs. This is the blueprint for the Springboks in the future. For years on this forum, Spr...

Ali's Choice

I don’t buy the cattle argument. Looking through the squad, there is plenty of talent there. A well coached team plays greater than the sum of their parts. We’re seeing the opposite. Yep, the same 'cattle' were good enough to win against the same opposition the week before. I wouldn't have selected...

Ali's Choice

Is it a mental problem? Last week we looked hungrier.... at least for an hour. And won. This week... we were leading at half time... but still didn't look hungry like last week... Today SA were hungrier... and NZ were too satisfied with last week... no hunger. SA don't win every match either.. they...

Ali's Choice

Very disappointing result. Hopefully NZR uses this loss as a catalyst to finally rethink our amateur-era eligibility rules. Can you imagine if the Springboks adopted our outdated eligibility rules? They wouldn't be competitive with anyone. They've moved with the times, whereas we have stubbornly ret...

Ali's Choice

Looks like a great atmosphere at Allianz Stadium. How good is the energy surrounding Australian rugby these days? Its amazing what a difference a few good wins has made.

Ali's Choice

Does anyone have an image slide of the Springboks team that I can add to the OP?

Ali's Choice

It's hard not to think that Rassie Erasmus had already picked his teams for both tests prior to flying to NZ. Perhaps he's a crazy genius, but I would have thought that the Springboks would have benefited playing largely the same team and building cohesion? A clunky attack doesn't usually get better...

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Neverwas wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 6:56 am
mrbrownstone wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 6:42 am
FujiKiwi wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 6:32 am Wouldn't Martin Guptill be considered a great New Zealand cricketer? I defer to "Beyond Cow Corner" on this.
In white ball cricket? 100%, he walks into an all time XI.

Shit Test player, mind you.
Is he the Rmo of cricket???

Ali's Choice

I'm very optimistic about our chances in Wellington. The AB's were under immense pressure at Eden Park. All the pressure was on the AB's to retain their 50 test streak of not losing at Eden park, and the Springboks would have targeted this test all year. That pressure has now been lifted. Not only i...

Ali's Choice

Thoughts on the Springbok's midfield lineout? I love innovation, but to me this is going too far, and is more about Rassie's ego than genuine innovation. It comes across as arrogance. This is just trying to look clever. I can't see this working because teams know how to counter it, just smash them f...

Ali's Choice

This would be my starting and bench forwards; 1. Williams 2. Taylor 3. Lomax 4. Holland 5. Barrett 6. Vaa'i 7. Savea 8. Sititi 16. Taukeiaho 17. Tosi' 18. Newell 19. Tuipulotu 20. Parker Savea plays 80 mins every test. Wallace can cover no.7 if Savea is injured. Well looks like Taylor is gone And P...

Ali's Choice

I’m not sure what I’d do with Parker/Vaii/Holland, but it’s a hell of a good problem to have. Yup. Tempted to bring in Holland but I think that's mostly about the scrum, where as I suspect Vaai was largely responsible for the shit night the Bok lineout had. I guess I'd probably stick with Vaai and ...

Ali's Choice

Leicester Faingaʻanuku is the Charlie Ngatai of 2025. You can't have more than one a year. Rubbish. No one is talking about Faingaanuku except butt-hurt North Islanders. Eugenius and Mr. B have been campaigning relentlessly demanding he start for the ABs based on his performance at centre in easy r...

Ali's Choice

I’m not sure what I’d do with Parker/Vaii/Holland, but it’s a hell of a good problem to have. Interesting that Vaai and Parker are about the same height and weight. Fwiw, I don't think Holland is a bench player, because he doesn't offer impact. He's like Sam Whitelock, a great lock but not an impac...

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