Rugby
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They lost and seemed tired
Poisoning = that's how they lost to South Africa in the1995RWC Final -
One emglish player i cant stand is ben oungs the scrum half
What a bitch -
The All Blacks looked really tired alright.
I thought Owen Farrell, Tom Youngs & Manu Tuilangi played awesome for England… we've never even heard of the first two?
Owen Farrell is their number one contender for 10, but Tobby Flood is competing hard for that spot, and Owen is not yet super regular at being spectacular (it would be easier if the scrum were better, of course)
Tuilagi is evolving from a super athlete but very predictable to a complete devil. Like Nonu…
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Once again, France is unable to do anything against Italy. Exhausted, lacking physicality. And some club presidents want to EXPAND the league?!?! It should be the other way round, shrink the fucking French league and give players more resting time… We'll never learn, shall we?
England confirm they're on their way to the RWC final in 2 years
Ireland reaps the benefits of being organized in a few Regions
In the South, Crusaders lost to the Hurricanes?!?! Preseason, sure, but... And I wonder how the 4 quarters affected the game's tempo and intensity. Hemi??
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Back to rugby. Shit, I am not even sure I have the courage to watch France today against Wales. In normal circumstances, we should trounce them, but I am no longer sure of anything. Bookmakers give France.
The game to watch today is Ireland England. I'm guessing England, but then again I am no longer sure of anything! According to bookmakers, it is very very close, slightly in favor of England.
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Don't read to much into the Super 15 pre-season games. They usually rest the top players and give the wider group playing time. I'm looking forward to watching the Highlanders now they've signed Brad Thorn, Tony Woodcock and Ma'a Nonu to go with their other All Blacks. Thorn is an absolute freak of nature, he's won every major trophy in Rugby and League and will be sure to lead this group to some big upsets.
That Italy game last week was awesome! Wales are terrible right now and France are always one of my favourite teams so I'll back them.
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Brad thorne is a favorite of mine, love that guy. Still going strong at … Whats his age now?
Yesterday's game was one of the most boring and weak games Ive seen in a long time. France played poorly, no flair, Wales want much better but executed with slightly more impact and at the end France lost. Cant say it is unfair. france deserved to get their asses wupped, and I think the game against England is going to be a bloodbath. Ive been saying for several months that they are going to be a serious contender for the RWC in 2 years. I hope France gets rid of several older players (however iconic, like Dusautoir) who have been broken down beyond repair by the crazy schedule imposed onto them by this stupid French League.
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This is starting to look like a season in hell for France. We lost. Again. To England. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
This time however, we played well for a half and a half, then played stupidly and gradually lost it. Fofana's 70 meters try is a reason for me to keep watching rugby even in these modern set play days.
A caricature of England-France games: seemingly-unimaginative-but-not-so-stupid England ruthlessly grinding undisciplined romantic idiots from across the Channel.
Next is Scotland or Ireland and we could very well lose BOTH. That would be my first wooden spoon in 49 years of being alive and 43 of watching the 5 nations, oops still cant say six nations…
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Chiefs v Highlanders… great game!
Thanks, after your video, I have found the entire game and holy cow, this is great rugby. The pace is sooooo much faster than in the northern hemisphere. Its like playing a 33rpm record in 45!
I love NZ teams. I have 2 AB jerseys and a Crusader shirt too. I would kill to come to NZ and go see games, and get maori tattoos all over. I spoke to the guy who did SBW's tattoos and his prices are very very reasonable compared to Europe. I just need to fly there, stay a week, including a rugby game week end…Only problem aside from money is that my wife would probably start looking for a lawyer...
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Well, if you do convince the wife or get divorced come down to NZ and I'll take you to a game.
I played professionally for my province and was fortunate enough to wear the NZ Maori jersey. I got to play (but mostly sit on the bench) with guys like Ron Cribb, Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen, Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins, Maa Nonu and a host of other great guys. I was never as good as them but I felt like I had a front row seat to the best show in town.
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Holy shit, that is some ficking serious credentials. Maximum respect in every aspect. I played but only high school and on a different planet than yours, of course. You guys are gods, and those names, man oh man: Cullen, man, what a player, Collins, one of the best ever at his position.
Now that you got me all excited, tell me more about you, real name, province, years, etc… Did you have the super 12 when you were playing?
Geez, I'm finding myself a lawyer!!!
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My name is Hemi Pou and I played for the Wellington Lions. I never played Super 12 but I was the Hurricanes Development Captain. I played Loose Forward which is a competitive position in Wellington… all the guys in front of me were international players. Rugby is so tough in NZ that even the Wellington B team I was a member of had 12+ international players in it from NZ, NZ Maori, Tonga, Samoa & Fiji. I probably should have moved to another province or overseas but I never wanted to go.
I've been retired since 2005 but my best memories of Rugby are playing Under 21's for my local club coached by the great All Black prop Scott Crighton. Those were the fun days before it went professional.
Check out the highlights from the Auckland Blues v Canterbury Crusaders last week.
The Blues are on fire at the moment after a horrible 2012 season. John Kirwan has come back to coach and he managed to convince Graham Henry to help. They've got an exciting young team packed full of x-factor and they'll cause some more upsets. Their center Rene Ranger is rumoured to be heading to France so keep an eye out for him. He's an absolute freak on the field and the guy with a beer in his hand and cigarette hanging out of his mouth off the field… A real throw back to the old days.
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My name is Hemi Pou and I played for the Wellington Lions. I never played Super 12 but I was the Hurricanes Development Captain. I played Loose Forward which is a competitive position in Wellington… all the guys in front of me were international players. Rugby is so tough in NZ that even the Wellington B team I was a member of had 12+ international players in it from NZ, NZ Maori, Tonga, Samoa & Fiji. I probably should have moved to another province or overseas but I never wanted to go.
I've been retired since 2005 but my best memories of Rugby are playing Under 21's for my local club coached by the great All Black prop Scott Crighton. Those were the fun days before it went professional.
Check out the highlights from the Auckland Blues v Canterbury Crusaders last week.
The Blues are on fire at the moment after a horrible 2012 season. John Kirwan has come back to coach and he managed to convince Graham Henry to help. They've got an exciting young team packed full of x-factor and they'll cause some more upsets. Their center Rene Ranger is rumoured to be heading to France so keep an eye out for him. He's an absolute freak on the field and the guy with a beer in his hand and cigarette hanging out of his mouth off the field… A real throw back to the old days.
Heck, even if you didnt play the super 12, you are from another planet. Maximum respect in every aspect.
Just wondering what model IH pants fit guys like you!
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Pour isreal dagg, playing winger and getting three tries in his side of the field…
The speed is amazing.
I dont know why NZ players would want to play here in Europe. Its much more boring and slow. Maybe life here is sweeter, I dont know. What is also interesting is that there is barely any European players in NZ, SA or Oz. michalak had a good season in SA, Califano did a season in NZ... But those are exceptions, we need to sendmore players in NZ tostudy the way they play.
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We live on an Island in the South Pacific so kiwis naturally want to travel. Europe & Japan are appealing for Rugby players because of the high salaries.
I'd love to see more European and Argentinian players in our competition. Its tough for players from that part of the world because the speed & skill level is so good here. I think some of the forwards would be welcome additions after all the great Martin Johnson played for King Country and the New Zealand Under 21 side… one of the few players I've ever liked from England and I wish he'd played for the All Blacks.
Fumiaki Tanaka (Japan Halfback) who plays for the Highlanders is the first Japanese player to make a Super 15 team which is awesome!
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There is an ongoing debate here about hiring southern players in droves in French clubs. Some think that by hiring experienced stars from the south we're sacrificing younger French players and dont groom them. For instance about 70% of the props are foreign. Teams like Toulon are all star casts: Wilkinson, mat giteau, dannie roussow, bakkies botha, the armitage brothers, simon shaw, andrew sheridan, chris masoe, carl hayman, fernandez lobbe, and now bryan Habana, and thatson topofall the French players they have broughtin, like Michalak… They have only one homegrown player in their squad. RacingParis is going the same way, they just hired Morne Steyn for next year, on top of another all star squad.
Sometimes Imiss the 70's. they had a ludicrous rule that said that if a player changed teams, he would be barred from playing for France in the international games. Mad, but it ensured that teams were homegrown. The great Beziers was 100% locally sourced, and what a team it was.
When you watch games from that era, it looks like another game. Players look skinny. But they had some serious ball handling skills and knew how to run in zig zags! Back in the days, a winger was 1.80 meter tall and weighted 80 kilograms!!!
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Yes, it is a balance. NZ always looks to develop local talent first in fact you're not eligible for the All Blacks unless you play in NZ. They do give special leave for star players who want a short stint in another country.
I assume teams in Europe are privately owned which means the national team may not be their priority? The NZ Rugby Union still runs everything here meaning all levels of Rugby must support the All Blacks. Every players dream is to play for the All Blacks, every coaches wants to coach the All Blacks and every Club, Provincial and Super 15 teams goal is to produce All Blacks.
