@MN5 said in NH Club Rugby:
100th game for this club.
What the fuck is this guy made of !?!?!
And that's without his 61 games for Welly, 39 for the Blues, 44 for San Diego and assorted other teams (I forgot he played for East Coast, that really wasn't fair on the rest of the Heartland Cup).
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 Wessels has been banned. Will miss the tour.
They must have found better footage.
Hopefully Owen Doyle was not the influence in this decision as he had the same view of what happened as those of us watching on the telly.
Owen Doyle is a clown.
This is such a joke . There is no evidence to support the claim that Wessels grabbed Murphys balls. Wesssels gets a 9 week ban based on… Murphys word - the video shows Murphys not even looking at his groin area when it happened.
Wessels should sue the urc panel for defamation.
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
@Steven-Harris He plays like a cross between Israel Folau and Christian Cullen. Probably a question of when, rather than if, he plays for England. One hell of a talent that's for sure.
Yep sparky, I was gobsmacked watching that Saracens game with that kid. I know it's just one game etc, but at 19 he seems to have everything you could want in a winger. i agree about just watch the young fella, serious talent.
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 Wessels has been banned. Will miss the tour.
They must have found better footage.
Hopefully Owen Doyle was not the influence in this decision as he had the same view of what happened as those of us watching on the telly.
Owen Doyle is a clown.This is such a joke . There is no evidence to support the claim that Wessels grabbed Murphys balls. Wesssels gets a 9 week ban based on… Murphys word - the video shows Murphys not even looking at his groin area when it happened.
Wessels should sue the urc panel for defamation.
Thank you for confirming that Josh Murphy must be nothing more than a thug for thumping someone for no apparent reason then.
@Higgins said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 Wessels has been banned. Will miss the tour.
They must have found better footage.
Hopefully Owen Doyle was not the influence in this decision as he had the same view of what happened as those of us watching on the telly.
Owen Doyle is a clown.This is such a joke . There is no evidence to support the claim that Wessels grabbed Murphys balls. Wesssels gets a 9 week ban based on… Murphys word - the video shows Murphys not even looking at his groin area when it happened.
Wessels should sue the urc panel for defamation.
Thank you for confirming that Josh Murphy must be nothing more than a thug for thumping someone for no apparent reason then.
Why go there? Murphy obviously thought someone touched his balls. What is in dispute is that it could have been an accident. It doesn’t look like Wessels was looking at Murphy when this happened. Personally if someone grabbed my balls and squeezed, I don’t think I would be capable of throwing a punch immediately..
Is it possible that Murphy thought he was being targeted, but it was an accident?
Or are you comfortable going along with the verdict?
Best performance I've seen from a 19-year old wing since Jonah The Great was on the rampage in April and early-May 1995.
@Steven-Harris Tamati Tua is still on Exeter Chiefs' books, to my knowledge, but faces rehab from a significant Achilles injury:
Geez just watched another cracker of a game NH Saints against Saracens. By geez they like wingers scoring in multiples don't they? Freeman for Saints touched down 4 times! But bloody good entertaining game I thought!
@Dan54 said in NH Club Rugby:
Geez just watched another cracker of a game NH Saints against Saracens. By geez they like wingers scoring in multiples don't they? Freeman for Saints touched down 4 times! But bloody good entertaining game I thought!
Freeman showing the Wunderkind how it’s done
@Catogrande said in NH Club Rugby:
And last weeks hero
CalorieCalouri (bloody predictive text) barely touched the ball. Reports say he was exposed defensively too? Not that I mean to tall poppy him but last weeks raptures always felt a little premature.
Yep mate, but no way was he going to have repeat of last week. He wasn't bad, I didn't think, just play didn't go his way. I thought he was ok on defence, not great, but also thought he got left exposed by his centre who actually seemed to drift in a couple of times. Geez he can get some height from a standing jump. So really I thought he was ok, and probably ok only, but still looks to have incredible potential to me.
@Dan54 I only saw the highlights so really can't comment with any authority so thanks for the insight. I agree in that I feel his ceiling is very high and as an England fan let's fucking hope he gets anywhere near that ceilng. In truth my post was more a dig at all the press wanking on about him. As Martin Johnson said of Henry Pollock "two tries against a shit Wales team doesn't mean anything".
A point of difference between England and NZ is that when you guys have a generational talent, ie Lomu, whilst you're not afraid to get him in there with some actual game time, you also seem to nurture them, look after them and maybe ensure some cover for their perceived deficiencies. We either wait until they are 29 and have had the opportunity to have any talent coached out of them or give them one shot and expect them to work wonders from the get go before dropping them for "defensive failures".
See also cricket football and God knows how many other England sports.
As I said last week, i'd like to see him in defence before i cast an opinion, he wasn't exactly spectacular. Also, this crap about him being good in the air, he's got a big vertical jump and attempts to take the ball above his head but i'm not sure i've seen him catch one!
Ma'a Nonu, aged 43, is starting at 12 for Toulon tomorrow against Lyon in the Top 14.
Ten years and one day after his second Rugby World Cup win.
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
Ma'a Nonu, aged 43, is starting at 12 for Toulon tomorrow against Lyon in the Top 14.
Ten years and one day after his second Rugby World Cup win.
His father will be cheering from the stands
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
Ma'a Nonu, aged 43, is starting at 12 for Toulon tomorrow against Lyon in the Top 14.
Ten years and one day after his second Rugby World Cup win.
That's at LEAST five more years he could have played for the ABs.
So selfish, especially considering the donkeys we've had since him.
27 days later
@sparky He will need to be pressed into service pretty quickly as they are struggling to get over no hopers The Dragons away 10 - 17 with about five minutes to go in this morning URC game
EDIT Reverse jinx as they increase their margin to a more comfortable 14 points with a converted try real close to fulltime.
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
Reiko Ioane has arrived at Leinster:
Leinster must be stoked with Razor resting him for the majority of the last few months so he's fresh for their campaign.
Antonie Dupont is back. He's been named on the bench for tonight's Toulouse fixture against Racing 92.
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
Pita Ahki's last game for Toulouse so the Kiwis at the club performed Ka Mate for him.
The Toulouse instagram feed is loaded with Ahki posts. The French do celebrate individuals well
I have not seen much of him play since he left NZ. The fans seem to rate him very highly.. the highlight videos look great.. how has his form been in the last year or so? Still near his best?
@Duluth From what I've seen he fits very much in the "club legend" model. A very good player but not world class.
He's had the benefit of playing for France's and probably Europe's best team in recent years.
When fit, he's been Toulouse's top choice 12 for about about seven years. He looked very good during Covid times. A mid-fielder in the Garry Ringrose model. A very good organiser who others like Dupont and Ntamack could play around. He's won five French Championships and two European Championship with Toulouse.
That's said I can't remember him shining on a big occasion. He went off early in the 2024 European Cup Final and he's had a lot of injuries in the last 18 months.
He's a solid signing for the Blues, especially as they will miss Reiko's calmness in midfield next year. But I don't expect him to play the house down.
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
@Duluth From what I've seen he fits very much in the "club legend" model. A very good player but not world class.
He's had the benefit of playing for France's and probably Europe's best team in recent years.
When fit, he's been Toulouse's top choice 12 for about about seven years. He looked very good during Covid times. A mid-fielder in the Garry Ringrose model. A very good organiser who others like Dupont and Ntamack could play around. He's won five French Championships and two European Championship with Toulouse.
That's said I can't remember him shining on a big occasion. He went off early in the 2024 European Cup Final and he's had a lot of injuries in the last 18 months.
He's a solid signing for the Blues, especially as they will miss Reiko's calmness in midfield next year. But I don't expect him to play the house down.
I agree. He rarely sets the world on fire but he is a good distributor, defends well and has a good vision of the game. At 31, after multiple injuries, he is on the downside IMO. He could be as valuable as Bryce Heems was a few years ago.
@cgrant said in NH Club Rugby:
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
@Duluth From what I've seen he fits very much in the "club legend" model. A very good player but not world class.
He's had the benefit of playing for France's and probably Europe's best team in recent years.
When fit, he's been Toulouse's top choice 12 for about about seven years. He looked very good during Covid times. A mid-fielder in the Garry Ringrose model. A very good organiser who others like Dupont and Ntamack could play around. He's won five French Championships and two European Championship with Toulouse.
That's said I can't remember him shining on a big occasion. He went off early in the 2024 European Cup Final and he's had a lot of injuries in the last 18 months.
He's a solid signing for the Blues, especially as they will miss Reiko's calmness in midfield next year. But I don't expect him to play the house down.
I agree. He rarely sets the world on fire but he is a good distributor, defends well and has a good vision of the game. At 31, after multiple injuries, he is on the downside IMO. He could be as valuable as Bryce Heems was a few years ago.
downslide (not downside).
What did Antoine Hastoy get his red card for in the opening minute? That must be the quickest ever.
@Bovidae said in NH Club Rugby:
What did Antoine Hastoy get his red card for in the opening minute? That must be the quickest ever.
Champions League starting this weekend
Round 1
Fri 5 Dec Sale Sharks v Glasgow Warriors (8pm)
Fri 5 Dec Bayonne v Stormers (8pm)
Sat 6 Dec Saracens v Clermont Auvergne (1pm)
Sat 6 Dec Bulls v Bordeaux-Bègles (3.15pm)
Sat 6 Dec La Rochelle v Leicester Tigers (5.30pm)
Sat 6 Dec Leinster v Harlequins (5.30pm)
Sat 6 Dec Scarlets v Bristol Bears (8pm)
Sat 6 Dec Bath v Munster (8pm)
Sun 7 Dec Pau v Northampton Saints (1pm)
Sun 7 Dec Toulouse v Sharks (3.15pm)
Sun 7 Dec Gloucester v Castres (3.15pm)
Sun 7 Dec Edinburgh v Toulon (5.30pm)
@MiketheSnow Thanks. Unfortunately that video is restricted but I did find another.
Stormers win was a copy of the Springbok NH tests. Brok Harris school of fatties paying dividends. Doesn't matter who play, they demolish the opponents in the scrums. Players who didn't play last night
Warrick Gelant, Damian Willemse, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jurie Matthee, Cobus Reinach, Stefan Ungerer, Oli Kebble, Vernon Matongo, Frans Malherbe, Zach Porthen, Ruben van Heerden, Deon Fourie, Louw Nel, Keke Morabe
@OomPB
Bayonne fielded a B-C team too.
For those who haven't watched the Saracens vs Clermont game, Harry Plummer had a mare. From what I have seen, he could not have been the answer for the All Blacks at first five (meh kicking, weak tackling, kick directly into touch from a restart, unseen with ball in hand, standing still as a first receiver ...). But maybe it was an off-day for him.
