Match thread

antipodean

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

Isaia was a generational talent.

KiwiMurph

@tubbyj said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Really goes to show how shit the Chiefs were not only in this years final but also the 2025 final. They were so bad they made Rivez Reihana look like a contender at 10.

Don't forget Blues destroying Chiefs in 2024 final (shameless excuse to reference Blues)

Nepia

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

Just send him up to Ireland to work with Bundee Aki's trainer.

KiwiMurph

Ito the Japanese 10 is a joy to watch

Bones

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

That's weird eh, Taele looks like a midget, I find it hard to believe he's 6'

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

Isaia was a generational talent.

Indeed. I'm not comparing him to Toeava as a talent. I think Taele can put on another 10kg as Toeava did.

antipodean

Amazing how much better they look with Nock directing play.

antipodean

Laughable by the TMO. The ball is always miles behind Bailyn.

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

That's weird eh, Taele looks like a midget, I find it hard to believe he's 6'

He looks the same height as Toeava to me.

Bones

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

That's weird eh, Taele looks like a midget, I find it hard to believe he's 6'

He looks the same height as Toeava to me.

Ardie hair

Mr Fish

Haven't been completely focusing on this match but to me Nock's been overplaying quite a bit and the turnaround has been more to do with much better work from the forwards to finally get some possession.

@Mr-Fish said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Haven't been completely focusing on this match but to me Nock's been overplaying quite a bit and the turnaround has been more to do with much better work from the forwards to finally get some possession.

I think there were two darts from the base from Nock which were unlucky not to win a penalty against Japan for offside. He's been miles better than Lennox though.

Bones

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Amazing how much better they look with Nock directing play.

Kemara also setting that backline up better.

But yeah forwards are actually applying themselves.

KiwiMurph

Poor old Rivez taken some hits on high balls today

Nepia

Rehiana looks to be carrying an injury, or, he's a snail.

Bones

Ref is a douche, Reihana clearly taken out in the air by a player doing nothing but run underneath him

Mr Fish

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Ref is a douche, Reihana clearly taken out in the air by a player doing nothing but run underneath him

A handful of times too.

Finally Kyle Brown is on - no idea why it's taken so long.

Nepia

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Ref is a douche, Reihana clearly taken out in the air by a player doing nothing but run underneath him

Very odd for a NH ref, they're usually all over that, I'm still giving him credit for telling his TMO to go fuck himself.

antipodean

Excellent effort by Kemara.

I reiterate my point from earlier - Nock's service from the ruck is making a huge difference.

KiwiMurph

That's a horrifically shit decision from Reihana

antipodean

Reihana still doing his best to lose this.

Bones

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Excellent effort by Kemara.

I reiterate my point from earlier - Nock's service from the ruck is making a huge difference.

Lennox just seems over excitable, needs to not pop the cold and flu before the game.

Victor Meldrew

Great composure in the last few minutes to defend a slim lead...

ref sure was keen on blowing us up for not straight to the lineout seems to have forgotten about that rule on the last 2 Japanese throws

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Excellent effort by Kemara.

I reiterate my point from earlier - Nock's service from the ruck is making a huge difference.

Lennox just seems over excitable, needs to not pop the cold and flu before the game.

He's a very good ball runner, and works well sniping around the ruck, but does seem to make some basic errors, frustratingly so.

KiwiMurph

Japan dudded there.

Landers92

Taele seals it at the end. What a prospect 😉 Great come from behind win for the Maori Abs. Big second half.

antipodean

@KiwiMurph I agree. You don't require high definition footage to know that that ball has been touched.