Search found 3210 matches

by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 22, 2019 4:52 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Australian rugby is fooked.
Replies: 22
Views: 2594

Re: Australian rugby is fooked.

God has forsaken the Aussie rugby team after their disgraceful treatment of Izzy and thrown his lot in with the tall kiwi birds after they stood by their Maria bird. What a pathetic T O O L you are :lol: even after Maria was instrumental in winning the Netball championships, she still won't be gett...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jul 21, 2019 10:45 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

I somehow managed to forget the game was on so missed it. Caught the highlights but couldn't tell much from them. Sounds like Fafita was shite and Ardie was good. How did Cane go? They must be seriously considering playing them both now. The blindside situation is getting desperate. Well Cane on bl...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jul 21, 2019 1:01 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

Dreadful second half from the ABs, but taking a B team to Argentina is never easy (and increasingly difficult). They smashed a first-string Bok side their last year. The Welsh B team managed a 2 tries to 2 and 2 tries to 1 victory last year also. A team with all those debutantes and bit-part player...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:58 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

Jordie is quality. He ran great lines and had a huge punt on him. Dagg showed what an asset a howitzer punt can be in your back 3, I don’t thin Hansen has forgotten. He just needs to put this game behind him, he’s not know for his droppsies. Take your Hurricanes eye patch off for a moment. Jordie B...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:48 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

Dreadful second half from the ABs, but taking a B team to Argentina is never easy (and increasingly difficult). They smashed a first-string Bok side their last year. The Welsh B team managed a 2 tries to 2 and 2 tries to 1 victory last year also. A team with all those debutantes and bit-part player...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:29 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

A Smith is still top class in most respects, but boy we could do with someone who can snipe from the base.

But still think most of the problems in the AB's are related to a game plan that doesn't work.
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:39 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

Not a worry about BB's pace. Tactical nous more of an issue. Bender had issues, he is very good under the high ball, but heighit counts for something, and well directed kicks are just hard to defend against. Sacreligious it may be, but JB might be better under the high ball, though he has other shor...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:24 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

ABs attacking play was good in the first half consistently finding space out wide. Second half Argies adjusted, and we continued with exactly the same plan and got absolutely nowhere. Eventually we have to realize that we have a forward pack, and actually use them to create space. BB also wanted pri...
by merlin the happy pig
Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:07 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: If there was no NZ player drain to 'easy rugby'?
Replies: 30
Views: 3073

Re: If there was no NZ player drain to 'easy rugby'?

No. The “advantages” of older players leaving (saving NZR money on their pensions, clearing out some of the deadwood) are massively outweighed by the downsides. In short; - the ABs won the last WC because of the geriatrics. That was the most experienced test team of all time, and had the likes of M...
by merlin the happy pig
Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:02 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

Wilderbeast wrote:None of them are outside backs though.
I said I thought he was as quick as bridge. He is an outside back.
by merlin the happy pig
Fri Jul 19, 2019 3:57 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

^ Jordie is basically NZ's version of Reece Hodge, only in the team cause of his boot.. He also is amazing in the air, his height helps obviously, be it defusing bombs or cross field kicks. Hes also able to free his arms in the tackle and get off loads away. Problem is the brain farts. He defines p...
by merlin the happy pig
Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:13 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05 GMT
Replies: 772
Views: 45407

Re: RC 2019: Pumas v All Blacks: MATCH THREAD: Jul 20, 18:05

True Blue wrote:Bold move not to name any Crusaders. Could the Argies actually be favourites?
Personnel wise it's probably not going a big step down, but you would expect combinations to suffer compared to a settled AB lineup.
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 15, 2019 5:34 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Cricket Thread
Replies: 7814
Views: 349350

Re: Cricket World Cup 2019 - OFFICIAL Thread

Forgive me if already suggested.
Another super over each, would seem fairer, but obviously take longer. Too long?
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 13, 2019 6:06 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

Dark wrote:
Fat Old Git wrote:Don't most EVs have an adapter that allows them to be charged off a normal socket in the garage?

How many rentals have garages or even off street parking?
About half the ones I was in.
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:19 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

Are we in danger of actually having a sensible informative discussion on a politics thread? Yes we are! :shock: :thumbup: I've just been down to Briscoes. They have 4 charging points. On day they'll all have them. The new parking buildings in Christchurch have some as well. But it wasn't the places...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:24 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

Hmmm WTF happened to my response? Short form, watts/pax/Kim is ultimately what we need to minimize. Public transit without denser cities doesn't deliver this. Another solution is Transport As A Service. Robo taxis (yes not available yet) allow you to have a fleet where the average size is not much b...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:14 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

That’s probably why he said “let your tiny mind explode over this” This is my read anyway Ahh so he was agreeing with him, fair enough, odd way to do it but there you go To boil that down, ultimately its about less energy per passenger per kilometer. Currently we have a lot of non renewable energy ...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 13, 2019 12:22 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

Will be interesting to see what impact hydrogen powered vehicles might have on all of this. It has felt like a technology that might be arriving too late to be a serious competitor to EVs, even with the obvious benefits that you just fill up so don't have the recharging down time, but I've started ...
by merlin the happy pig
Fri Jul 12, 2019 9:02 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The one and only Tennis thread
Replies: 2255
Views: 267256

Re: The one and only Tennis thread

saffer13 wrote:
Winnie wrote:This is entertainment
How can Williams deserve to earn the same amount as these guys
She doesn’t deserve to.
We should open up tennis to trans athletes to raise the standard, big win for tennis fans and feminists.
by merlin the happy pig
Fri Jul 12, 2019 12:01 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: TVNZ, announce Beauden Barrett Blues Bound.
Replies: 119
Views: 10882

Re: TVNZ, announce Beauden Barrett Blues Bound.

It really is daming that the Blues have come last in the NZ conference for six years straight. That's bad. Even worse though is that they haven't had a good first five since Carlos Spencer who left 15 f**king years ago. You could even argue he wasn't an Auckland boy since he was from Levin original...
by merlin the happy pig
Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:59 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Cricket Thread
Replies: 7814
Views: 349350

Re: Cricket World Cup 2019 - OFFICIAL Thread

The final will be very different, NZ have been here before and absolutely will not want a repeat of last time, and there's an understandable danger of England getting ahead of themselves. Maybe on paper we're the better team, but that simply does not matter any more. I'll be gutted if we lose but p...
by merlin the happy pig
Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:52 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

FFS The govt has moved up a notch Now it says Climate Change is not their generation's "nuclear free moment". It is the equivalent of WWII https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/07/julie-anne-genter-declares-climate-change-our-generation-s-wwii.html Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Gen...
by merlin the happy pig
Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:24 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: TVNZ, announce Beauden Barrett Blues Bound.
Replies: 119
Views: 10882

Re: TVNZ, announce Beauden Barrett Blues Bound.

Interesting news. The Hurricanes will definitely miss Barrett at no.10, he and TJP have been the driving force behind that team for years. But this will free up some serious dollars for them to use elsewhere. I'd build the team around TJP and play a NH style game, where the 9 is the chief playmaker...
by merlin the happy pig
Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:17 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Milk
Replies: 50
Views: 5566

Re: Milk

Was really hoping the thread title was a typo.
Actually MILF and dairy products do have a certain synergy.
by merlin the happy pig
Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:50 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Next All Blacks Coach
Replies: 93
Views: 8289

Re: Next All Blacks Coach

Would love to see What Tony Brown could do with all that talent. As a coach he seems to be able to get a team to play to a pattern that finds space on the field. The ABs have not consistently done that in the last few years. He is a successful innovator, and I think we need that to stay ahead of the...
by merlin the happy pig
Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:39 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Cricket Thread
Replies: 7814
Views: 349350

Re: Cricket World Cup 2019 - OFFICIAL Thread

I have to admit my faith in the black caps was tested.

Kane, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:31 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Who should the Crusaders poach for 2020?
Replies: 33
Views: 1501

Re: Who should the Crusaders poach for 2020?

Akira Ioane.
If anyone can get the best out of him, they can.
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jul 06, 2019 11:27 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 190
Views: 10871

Re: Electric Cars

The killer for hydrogen is its low efficiency compared to electric. If we are getting our energy from renewables, then the source of hydrogen is electrolysis, max 60% efficiency. Then you put it in a fuel cell with 50% efficiency. You get 30% of your renewable energy left to drive the vehicle. With ...
by merlin the happy pig
Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:13 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: QLD may raise mobile phone use while driving fine to $1000
Replies: 36
Views: 1457

Re: QLD may raise mobile phone use while driving fine to $10

Crucifixion's too good for them.
Nail them up I say.
Nail some sense into the bastards!
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:46 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: All Black 2019 RWC squad discussion
Replies: 766
Views: 45254

Re: All Black 2019 RWC squad discussion

Akira burned out in the final 5 weeks. He needed a rest - but never got one. Why Lachlan Boshier over Frizell? We running with 3 7s in the 23? :? Who plays 8 if Ardie goes down? And Ofa is making the team ahead of Gus (and Lomax, who I like - but come on...). Agree about Akira, like him, loathe him...
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:41 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: How long have aboriginals been in Australia?
Replies: 69
Views: 5625

Re: How long have aboriginals been in Australia?

i'd say no more than 20-25k years.. mind you the first man traveled from africa like 50k years ago..i won't deny a group may have landed in australia 40k years ago but i'd say a large part of the migration took place 20-25k years ago and not via the sea but actually across land via India, from wher...
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:30 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: SR Final: Crusaders vs Jaguares: MATCH THREAD: Sat 6th July
Replies: 501
Views: 22228

Re: SR Final: Crusaders vs Jaguares: MATCH THREAD: Sat 6th J

Not hugely impressed by the performance of a mostly ABs pack for the Crusaders. They got no more than parity against a largely no name Canes pack. Barrett will be a huge loss, by far the best performing AB forward for the Crusaders this year. Think the Crusaders will win, but probably only because o...
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:13 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: SF1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes: MATCH THREAD: Chch 29/6/19
Replies: 695
Views: 45491

Re: SF1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes: MATCH THREAD: Chch 29/6/19

Ali's Choice wrote:
Fat Old Git wrote:AC already has a "How did you celebrate your team's 10th title?" Thread in draft for if we can pull it off.
:lol:
He'll probably pull it completely off if they do 8)
by merlin the happy pig
Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:04 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Americas Cup - OFFICIAL match thread
Replies: 3250
Views: 300450

Re: Americas Cup - OFFICIAL match thread

I see the Prada team principal has said that the AC75 is difficult and dangerous. I see that as a good thing, a real test of.sailing ability and boat handling. I cannot wait for this thing to start. The AC50 cats were also difficult and dangerous. BUT I agree, these look a whole other level of unst...
by merlin the happy pig
Mon Jun 24, 2019 10:28 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NZ Politics Thread
Replies: 59458
Views: 4366798

Re: NZ Politics Thread

We're victims of our own success. Compare with Ireland which is still shitty enough that people of talent want to be politicians. This is something I have pondered as well. Parliament no longer attracts top talent because we don't have enough in the way of actual problems to solve. (I accept global...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:27 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Cricket Thread
Replies: 7814
Views: 349350

Re: Cricket World Cup 2019 - OFFICIAL Thread

At this stage I would rank the teams. India, England, Australia, NZ. Despite England's troubles, I think they have the firepower to destroy any side on their day. India have no real weaknesses. NZ especially have too many flaws, they need luck to go their way, and I can't see it happening for both s...
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:18 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Beauden Barrett's form
Replies: 100
Views: 7731

Re: Beauden Barrett's form

The sad thing is that Barrett seems to have regressed in terms of 2 of his core roles of kicking from hand and setting the backline going. His goal kicking is if anything better than it used to be. His long kicking frame is long enough, it just seldom seems to be tactically astute. The running strai...
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:42 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Official SR QF4 Hurricanes v Bulls Match Thread
Replies: 260
Views: 17874

Re: Official SR QF4 Hurricanes v Bulls Match Thread

Congratulations Canes.
Some really good tries.
Addie played the house down, Perenara was very good too.
But overall the game lacked the intensity I expected especially on defense.

Can't see the Canes getting much closer than the clan Unless they take some serious angry pills.
by merlin the happy pig
Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:35 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Beauden Barrett's form
Replies: 100
Views: 7731

Re: Beauden Barrett's form

Wasn't really good tonight
turning sideways to face the person he is passing to is killed some good front foot ball.

Typical Canes performance.
Looked a million bucks for 30, then hit the snooze button and never woke up again.
by merlin the happy pig
Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:11 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: QF1: Crusaders vs Highlanders: MATCH THREAD: Fri 21st June
Replies: 320
Views: 11192

Re: QF1: Crusaders vs Highlanders: MATCH THREAD: Fri 21st Ju

Just can't see the highlanders getting close.
Their organization both on attack and defense is only occasionally solid.
The fast totally flat pass is overdone, there needs to be more variety in their attack.

Sadists by 15