Roar Pro
Joined September 2017
46.9k
Views
24
Published
83
Comments
A NZer living in the Middle East who’s passionate about rugby.
Published
Comments
Red cards are a bone of contention. Whether it’s a clear-cut call, like the Sonny Bill Williams head-high shoulder charge on Anthony Watson in…
In a 2021 interview, Cate Sexton, NZR Head of Women’s Rugby, stated, “Next year is absolutely huge for women’s rugby and this [Super Rugby…
The Six Nations has concluded for another year, and a very deserving French team took the honours. But perhaps the biggest story throughout the…
There has been a bit of discussion and debate about the turnaround time between games at RWC 2019. So I thought I’d take a…
And cue the good old haka debate after an All Blacks win! First of all, Irish rugby writer Ewan MacKenna is not the first…
This month, a RugbyPass article exposed the state of officiating by South African referees. The piece pointed out that the “objectivity of South African…
More refereeing consistency is required in rugby union. I think most of realise refereeing isn't an easy job. I also think most of us…
Supporting a sport has many benefits – socially and psychologically. Team association can drive our self-esteem, it gives us a sense of belonging. According…
I’ve been astounded at the amount of online criticism of Japan concerning their request for players and tourists to cover tattoos during the rugby…
Language is not only the most significant tool of communication, but a powerful force when it comes to propaganda and manipulation, and the media…
Watching sport is a popular pastime. A 2015 study found 60 per cent of Americans identified as being a sports enthusiast. In 2016 approximately…
There’s been a lot said over the last few days about the latest Serena Williams saga... and let’s face it, it is the latest…
The Brad Shields and Pete Samu debate has been used to perpetrate the New Zealand poaching myth... again. This propaganda has a clear agenda,…
We all make comparisons. We debate the merits of rugby union over league, rugby over football and rugby over American football. We also discuss…
It seems every team is permitted to try new combinations and blood new players in relative comfort, except the All Blacks. After Rugby World…
As a Kiwi I'm interested to see who the next All Blacks coach will be when Hansen retires after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.…
So the mighty All Blacks have fallen and the world has continued to spin. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I…
Back in August, Sean Fitzpatrick said, “The All Blacks don't have a point to prove” and he was right. While the BILs series was…
I'm expecting a backlash to this article, but it's something that I've been thinking about for a while (mainly as a result of reading…
After reading an article about Matt Todd, I started thinking about the number of players who have left our shores. There's always a lot…
The replacing of the word “man” in other words isn’t an issue for me. I’d rather be guaranteed equal pay for equal work!
Poor sportsmanship is not a gender issue
The definition of hope, “a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen”, is something that still keeps me glued to my TV every time the ABs play: will they win; will they play well; will they start strong (instead of the scrambling we’ve been seeing lately); will such-and-such a player score… there’s still a lot of questions to be answered in a match.
Test matches aren’t a given. And anything can happen in the RWC. Look at our track record there!
While it’s true, I do expect them to win on most occasions, there are games when it’s closer to hoping they’ll win. But for me at the moment, with all the combinations that Hansen has been trying out, each game brings a new dimension. And I’m enjoying watching how that all unfolds.
I prefer sitting on the edge of my seat, seeing the ABs tested, but primarily I want to see exciting, fast, running rugby. I want to see them play well.
Are the All Blacks still happy when they win?
No doubt lol, but facts are facts!
Fake news: 'Poaching' allegations the latest slight against the All Blacks
And yet the French academies are hardly ever mentioned! The whole scholarship thing doesn’t sit particularly well with me, but they do provide a huge opportunity for the young men. And what’s the alternative? A blanket hands off ruling? Would that be fair to those young men? So many would miss out on professional careers. There’s no easy answer.
Fake news: 'Poaching' allegations the latest slight against the All Blacks
Thanx. Glad you liked it.
Although it took quite a bit of time researching each PI-born AB, I think it was well worth it. The ‘poaching’ accusation is one that will never go away – and it will never matter that other countries have more foreign-born players us.
Fake news: 'Poaching' allegations the latest slight against the All Blacks
Yeah, sorry about the length…
Fake news: 'Poaching' allegations the latest slight against the All Blacks
No, NZ isn’t the only country that’s doing it. Can’t actually see where I stated that – what I said was, in NZ the ABs come first and everything feeds into that. I also referred to Brian Lochore’s opinion that it’s the centralised system that makes NZ rugby strong. However, while other countries (for example Wales, Scotland, Ireland) do have centralised stystems, are they being managed as effectively as it is in NZ? In an interview, Eddie Jones asked, ‘How can you manage your players when they are controlled by other organisations?’ And that was my point… making national teams the main priority will close the gap.
No, the All Blacks' domination is not bad for rugby
The Boks defense was def world class. It’s ages since I watched a game on the edge of my seat.
As a rabid All Blacks fan, why was I okay with this shocking loss?