Can we now stop fetishising the All Blacks?

[zer0]

TBH we don't have the greatest coaching team. It's not bad, but it's certainly not in a patch on Henry's setup, and it'll get weaker when Smith retires after the RC. But that should be rectified when Cotter and Schmidt take over in 2020.

The other RC sides are pretty much in the doldrums so the Ireland result in Chicago and the Lions tour are a much better barometer of how good this All Black side is.

Why would the Chicago result be more indicative than the Dublin result?

[Digby]

It'll be difficult to not unless Retallick stops slapping his thighs during the pre-match dance. Watching a man that handsome doing something that erotic makes me question my sexuality.

The prime of Brodie

Brodie is a hell of player and an icon for the ABs. Perhaps their most important key player. If you succeed in keeping him relatively quiet, you go a long way to giving the ABs a competitive game and nudging ahead in the mind game stakes. The Lions pack, especially Itoje, did a grand job in this respect of policing him in the last two tests.
A drawn series is a little disappointing for both sides but a pretty fair outcome.

Retallick and Co were on the up in the 2nd half today once Smith decided to go back to test 1 basics, i.e. ignore BB who was being more wasteful than Farrell going left to right, and send the forwards tacking off 9. Luckily for the Lions Smith was promptly subbed off by Hansen to save Smith for the big games coming up

[Puja]

TBH we don't have the greatest coaching team. It's not bad, but it's certainly not in a patch on Henry's setup, and it'll get weaker when Smith retires after the RC. But that should be rectified when Cotter and Schmidt take over in 2020.

The other RC sides are pretty much in the doldrums so the Ireland result in Chicago and the Lions tour are a much better barometer of how good this All Black side is.

Why would the Chicago result be more indicative than the Dublin result?

I would've said the Dublin result was also fairly indicative. You won it, but you were far from dominant. You're human, like the rest of us.

Puja

[morepork]

Again, I'm struggling to see this as a revelation. If you have an issue with your media pundits engaging in a bit of remedial hyperbole re the ABs, then write a strongly worded letter to the editor.

[Puja]

Again, I'm struggling to see this as a revelation. If you have an issue with your media pundits engaging in a bit of remedial hyperbole re the ABs, then write a strongly worded letter to the editor.

Not the media - people on here!

Mind, speaking of media hyperbole, the NZ Herald is setting a new record for it in declaring that Hansen has lost control of the All Blacks and that "things must change" before the RWC. It's a fairly impressive meltdown.

Puja

[skidger]

Again, I'm struggling to see this as a revelation. If you have an issue with your media pundits engaging in a bit of remedial hyperbole re the ABs, then write a strongly worded letter to the editor.

Not the media - people on here!

Mind, speaking of media hyperbole, the NZ Herald is setting a new record for it in declaring that Hansen has lost control of the All Blacks and that "things must change" before the RWC. It's a fairly impressive meltdown.

Puja

In fairness when you look at who that article is written by you can instantly brush it off.

[Digby]

Again, I'm struggling to see this as a revelation. If you have an issue with your media pundits engaging in a bit of remedial hyperbole re the ABs, then write a strongly worded letter to the editor.

Not the media - people on here!

Mind, speaking of media hyperbole, the NZ Herald is setting a new record for it in declaring that Hansen has lost control of the All Blacks and that "things must change" before the RWC. It's a fairly impressive meltdown.

Puja

In fairness when you look at who that article is written by you can instantly brush it off.

Suggests it's a Rattue article, those seemed based on several tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti, a lot a laxative, and the NZ Herald publishing whatever comes out

[skidger]

Not the media - people on here!

Mind, speaking of media hyperbole, the NZ Herald is setting a new record for it in declaring that Hansen has lost control of the All Blacks and that "things must change" before the RWC. It's a fairly impressive meltdown.

Puja

In fairness when you look at who that article is written by you can instantly brush it off.

Suggests it's a Rattue article, those seemed based on several tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti, a lot a laxative, and the NZ Herald publishing whatever comes out

It is. Like a southern hemisphere mash up of Stephen Jones,Beefeater,Stuart Barnes and a twist of Scott Quinnell.

[Which Tyler]

In fairness when you look at who that article is written by you can instantly brush it off.

Suggests it's a Rattue article, those seemed based on several tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti, a lot a laxative, and the NZ Herald publishing whatever comes out

It is. Like a southern hemisphere mash up of Stephen Jones,Beefeater,Stuart Barnes and a twist of Scott Quinnell.

Which means that he's still an upgrade on Gregor Paul, who is to rugby what the Daily Mail is to Medical Research

[Oakboy]

In fairness when you look at who that article is written by you can instantly brush it off.

Suggests it's a Rattue article, those seemed based on several tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti, a lot a laxative, and the NZ Herald publishing whatever comes out

It is. Like a southern hemisphere mash up of Stephen Jones,Beefeater,Stuart Barnes and a twist of Scott Quinnell.

Bloody hell, poor old Beef has had some stick on here but bracketing him with those three fools is OTT.

[Scrumhead]

TBH we don't have the greatest coaching team. It's not bad, but it's certainly not in a patch on Henry's setup, and it'll get weaker when Smith retires after the RC. But that should be rectified when Cotter and Schmidt take over in 2020.

The other RC sides are pretty much in the doldrums so the Ireland result in Chicago and the Lions tour are a much better barometer of how good this All Black side is.

Why would the Chicago result be more indicative than the Dublin result?

I would've said the Dublin result was also fairly indicative. You won it, but you were far from dominant. You're human, like the rest of us.

Puja

My point was that the Lions tour and Chicago demonstrated that the All Blacks are beatable. Puja is correct too - the return game in Dublin was a hard fought contest that suggests that the best of the NH (specifically Ireland and England) are better equipped to beat the All Blacks than the RC sides are right now.

[skidger]

Suggests it's a Rattue article, those seemed based on several tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti, a lot a laxative, and the NZ Herald publishing whatever comes out

It is. Like a southern hemisphere mash up of Stephen Jones,Beefeater,Stuart Barnes and a twist of Scott Quinnell.

Bloody hell, poor old Beef has had some stick on here but bracketing him with those three fools is OTT.

Liked to wum,talk nonsense and obsessed with big men. I think its reasonable.

[oldbackrow]

Liked to wum,talk nonsense and obsessed with big men. I think its reasonable.

Shes never posted on here, as far as I know, but you seem to be describing my wife!

[morepork]

Again, I'm struggling to see this as a revelation. If you have an issue with your media pundits engaging in a bit of remedial hyperbole re the ABs, then write a strongly worded letter to the editor.

Not the media - people on here!

Mind, speaking of media hyperbole, the NZ Herald is setting a new record for it in declaring that Hansen has lost control of the All Blacks and that "things must change" before the RWC. It's a fairly impressive meltdown.

Puja

Rattue has to make his infrequent mewlings count so he tends to go overboard with that rag of a periodical whenever it gives him the chance.

[bitts]

Quite a lot of handling errors from them all series...and a huge number from their Super teams in the warm up games. Suspect they've spent a bit too much time in recent seasons playing against flimsy second rate defences, making that aspect of their game look a bit better than it actually is.

Meeeaow!

In the last 18 months England have averaged 35 points and 3.4 try's per game against rugby championship opposition. If the shoe fits...

Got sky for the tests, and thought cool I'll watch Super Rugby. Do you all remember when Super Rugby was this amazing thing far beyond us plodding Northern hemisphere people?

Well I watched Brumbies V reds and Stormers v Sunwolves. They were all rubbish. Don't know what has happened to Quade Cooper either. He looks like he's been drugged.. It can't be helping NZ teams if that's the standard they are facing.

[morepork]

Are you after a cuddle? There are some bitter mofos on here. You did well. Enjoy it.

[Peat]

Are you after a cuddle? There are some bitter mofos on here. You did well. Enjoy it.

You are only now realising that this board is mostly made up of the bitter?

Anyway, we merely have to say we're fetishing the 2011-15 All Blacks, problem solved. Much like Dairy Milk, the new recipe has some things to improve on.

[Mr Mwenda]

Cuddles always welcome, mind.

[skidger]

Are you after a cuddle? There are some bitter mofos on here. You did well. Enjoy it.

You are only now realising that this board is mostly made up of the bitter?

Anyway, we merely have to say we're fetishing the 2011-15 All Blacks, problem solved. Much like Dairy Milk, the new recipe has some things to improve on.

Yes that sums it up. How can you lose McCaw,Carter,Nonu and Smith and not look a little more beatable.

[skidger]

It will be the same when Tom Wood and Haskell hang up their England boots. We won't look so superhuman.

[Mikey Brown]

Are you after a cuddle? There are some bitter mofos on here. You did well. Enjoy it.

You seem oddly defensive about all this.

I certainly get what Poo-jar is saying to some extent, I'm very surprised the Lions got as close as they did, yet there was a whole lot room for improvement. Though the ABs could say the same.

[morepork]

Are you after a cuddle? There are some bitter mofos on here. You did well. Enjoy it.

You seem oddly defensive about all this.

I certainly get what Poo-jar is saying to some extent, I'm very surprised the Lions got as close as they did, yet there was a whole lot room for improvement. Though the ABs could say the same.

That's a flimsy second rate critique.

I suppose I can't help chiming in. The points raised are valid, I'll admit.

[Mikey Brown]

What's second rate about it? I am surprised. There was vast room for improvement from both teams. I barely watched any of it because it didn't really grab me, so can't offer much more detail. But is anyone bitter about it? I may well have missed that too.