Roar Guru
Joined February 2019
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Former New Zealand journalist teaching in Istanbul. Fave teams - Canes and Jags. Can be found chatting live on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IstanbulWingman
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Last weekend, China booked their place at the Olympics. Hosting the Asian qualifying tournament in the southern city of Guangzhou, the Chinese women amassed…
The Six Nations begin to resemble Wile E. Coyote with their collective failures at the Rugby World Cup. Just as the Looney Tunes character…
I have to confess I did not watch the World Cup final live. That would have required time off work and a trip to…
The international rugby community's attention will be fixed on the World Cup semi-finals this weekend, with many wondering if the Brits can defy the…
South Africa's Bitzbok top the bill as the Safari Sevens return to Nairobi this weekend, thanks to a lucrative sponsorship deal with Kenya Breweries…
In reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, Japan have single-handedly hauled this World Cup out of the flames of disaster. The typhoon-induced cancellations,…
Japan stands on the brink of qualification for the World Cup quarter-finals after victories over Russia, Ireland and Samoa, but still needs to get…
It has been said that the 'real' World Cup begins with the quarter-finals. That is because the tournament is invariably confined by this stage…
The Rugby World Cup's expansion from sixteen teams to twenty after just three tournaments appeared premature, to say the least, but it also gave…
Nothing livens up a World Cup tournament like upsets, and while Fiji were one of the main hopes to produce a surprise in Japan…
Back in the day, it was fashionable for teams to include stop-off Tests in minor rugby-playing nations during overseas tours, and this undoubtedly helped…
Zimbabwe won the Victoria Cup on Saturday with a 41-5 defeat of Zambia in Lusaka. The four-nation tournament was revived this year after the…
World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has blamed World Rugby for failing to stand up to the Six Nations and force through its…
One question that has certainly been settled in the World Cup era is that of hemispheric dominance. Those of us of sufficient vintage will…
The tiny island of Nauru made its international debut with an 89-5 loss to hosts Papua New Guinea in the Oceania Championships last weekend,…
Tiny Nauru made its Test debut in an 89-5 loss to Papua New Guinea on Friday, Zimbabwe got one hand on Africa's Victoria Cup…
Russia were beaten by Italy in their World Cup warm-up fixture at San Benedetto del Tronto last weekend, predictably enough, though it appears there…
Rugby is the ninth most popular sport in the world but its global appeal is restricted by too many players, complex rules, the widening…
If player numbers per capita are an accurate gauge, the most rugby-mad nation in the world is not three-time World Cup winner New Zealand,…
May the best team win at the Rugby World Cup in Japan this year, but preferably that won't be the All Blacks. Now, firstly,…
Shrewdly observed, Derm. & that was precisely my point 👍
Collective failure of the Six Nations
I work in an expat community dominated by Poms and Yanks, Derm. Have done for 20 years. So it gives me a pretty good insight. But I’m just as critical of my own country sometimes (NZ) and have copped a bit of flack around here for that. In fact, one of the previews I wrote was entitled ‘Anybody but the All Blacks.’ 😂 Got my wish and would’ve been happy to see England win. But SA winning was even better 😁
Collective failure of the Six Nations
56-21 overall to the Rugby Championship teams over their 6 Nations opponents, pm. That’s almost a 3/4 success rate.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
The best finals are down to the wire, like 95, 03 and 11. They may not feature a lot of attractive rugby nor even any tries, but they’ll keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Finals tries aplenty are also good of course, like 87, 99 and 15, but the outcome was determined in each of those games long before the final whistle.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
You forgot DNA, Max. & something in the Southern Hemisphere water 😁
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Nice to see South Africa get across the line for the first time in a final tho. 3rd time lucky!
Collective failure of the Six Nations
So the Lions might have won a World Cup or two, but the Southern brigade would likely have hogged the silverware anyway.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Those points were made in the article, OJ. It wasn’t about this World Cup alone, however, but the repetitive failures of the northern teams over eight of the nine tournaments.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Do you know what the All Blacks’ record is against the Lions? 😂
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Brazil survived a long-range penalty attempt at the death to win 26-24.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Brazil is leading Portugal 21-12 at halftime in Sao Paulo right now. I am watching it like on Facebook live-stream.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Africans can bring similar dynamic qualities to the Springboks as the Polynesians have to the All Blacks – and there’s 50 million of them in SA alone 😁
Rugby retrospect: What is truer than true, debunked, or seen anew?
& Kenya qualified from this weekend’s Africa tournament.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Haven’t the All Blacks been pre-tournament faves every time?
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Wales actually had a great tournament by their standards but will forever be remembered for yet another hiding from the All Blacks – and this wasn’t even a good All Blacks team, as far as they go.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Yes, it takes a different approach and strategy to win these kinds of tournaments. Kiwis took a long time to figure it out.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Yes, I was fully expecting Italy to deal to the All Blacks . . .
Collective failure of the Six Nations
At least your honest, Suzy. Seems like almost everyone else is claiming they knew the Boks were going to win all along now 😂
Collective failure of the Six Nations
First point may have some merit. The World Cup is held completely off-season for the Northern teams. Not sure how much that effects them, however, given they have four years to prepare for it.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
I seem to have been stuck on 66.8K views for ever. How often do they update?
Collective failure of the Six Nations