@jc said in NH International Rugby:
It cannot be denied any more — these All Blacks are all-time sporting greats.
When could it?
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
I love how he just doesn't rate Retallic
Typical Walrus. Praise at the start before he sticks the knife in.
What's the bet he'd have Itoje ahead of BBBR in his World XV?
@bovidae said in NH International Rugby:
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
I love how he just doesn't rate Retallic
Typical Walrus. Praise at the start before he sticks the knife in.
What's the bet he'd have Itoje ahead of BBBR in his World XV?
Who?
@booboo said in NH International Rugby:
@bovidae said in NH International Rugby:
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
I love how he just doesn't rate Retallic
Typical Walrus. Praise at the start before he sticks the knife in.
What's the bet he'd have Itoje ahead of BBBR in his World XV?
Who?
Some bloke named Maria
The crowds for the out-of-window tests this weekend. None of them a sell-out.
Cardiff, Wales v Scotland: 63,188 - capacity = 74,500
Twickenham, England v South Africa: 80,369 - capacity = 82,000
Tokyo, Japan v New Zealand: 43,751 - capacity = 49,970
Chicago, Ireland v Italy: 35,051 - capacity = 62,000
@rapido said in NH International Rugby:
The crowds for the out-of-window tests this weekend. None of them a sell-out.
Chicago, Ireland v Italy: 35,051 - capacity = 62,000
What was the deal for the triple header weekend? Did you need to buy a ticket to each game or the match ticket covered all 3 games?
I didn't watch the Ireland-Italy game but there wasn't as many Irish fans in the crowd for the USA-Maori game as I expected (based on the TV footage).
@bovidae said in NH International Rugby:
@rapido said in NH International Rugby:
The crowds for the out-of-window tests this weekend. None of them a sell-out.
Chicago, Ireland v Italy: 35,051 - capacity = 62,000
What was the deal for the triple header weekend? Did you need to buy a ticket to each game or the match ticket covered all 3 games?
I didn't watch the Ireland-Italy game but there wasn't as many Irish fans in the crowd for the USA-Maori game as I expected (based on the TV footage).
1 ticket for the whole day. No pass outs. 8 hours.
14 days later
So the mini-intra-RWC-stop-teh-friendlies League is gathering momentum, with the proviso that all finals will be in NH. A bit of a diadvantage but TBH I don't give a shit. Tew has it right, this is the important part
"If we use the window better can we generate more revenue than we do now. Then you can discuss how you divvy up the incremental revenue rather than attack the existing model because that's not on the table,"
I.e. you NH Unions will have to accept some revenue sharing for us to play finals up there all the time. We need the cash.
@machpants said in NH International Rugby:
So the mini-intra-RWC-stop-teh-friendlies League is gathering momentum, with the proviso that all finals will be in NH.
Fuck that. I want to go to tests without having to fly halfway round the world.
@antipodean Test windows will be the same, played SH July, NH Nov (basically) so the finals will always be in NH. You'll still see test, just 'round robin' tests.
When (which year) is this League of top 12 Nations supposed to start? Because if the reports in the Irish media are correct, I'm not sure how that fits in with what the Irish media are reporting:
In addition to hosting the All Blacks again in November 2021, Ireland are in line to tour New Zealand for a three-Test series in 2022. It will be Ireland’s first trek there in a decade.
The Irish and New Zealand rugby unions are in negotiations to finalise agreement on the tour, but it is expected that the three-match Test series will go ahead.
End-of-season tours to New Zealand are both the most daunting and desired, generally providing the toughest challenge which any seasonal itinerary can throw up.
@machpants said in NH International Rugby:
@antipodean Test windows will be the same, played SH July, NH Nov (basically) so the finals will always be in NH. You'll still see test, just 'round robin' tests.
Fuck that. I want tours. This is regressive.
@stargazer They Unions will still be pre-planning normal tours, in case the League falls through. League is not anywhere near guaranteed, so you've got to have plans for both.
@antipodean Tours are regressive, they're the past (see number of mid week games and Lions tour length over the last few decades), the future is squeezing every bit of cash out of nothing trophies (see every shield/cup/bowl invented and competed over between each individual country over the last few decades)- not saying I agree but that's the way it is. A league table draws more interest than a tour of the same knackered end-of-season often second string chumps that turn up here every June to play our rusty as fuck scrape the first one or two tests then smash them ABs!
@machpants said in NH International Rugby:
A league table draws more interest than a tour of the same knackered end-of-season often second string chumps that turn up here every June to play our rusty as fuck scrape the first one or two tests then smash them ABs!
How? They'll still be sending their second string chumps.
Ah but then non rugby tragics will have a table to look at and see how exciting their team is. It's a fact that tests are stating to be seen as not tests, the disgusting fucking shit soccer word friendlies has entered the rugby vernacular, even the bloody AB's are happy to accept loses as long as the RWC is won. So, to attempt to stop this inevitable slide of non RWC games into irrelevance, the League is what is proposed. And it is competing for something tangible, even if not the RWC winning the League final will be something worth fighting for, best rugby team of the year, I guess is the plan.
oh good, a shiny new trophy of irrelevance
I have a suspicion that the main driver for this is leverage for the Northern Unions to take back some control of their players. Getting players released for "friendlies" is harder than for a test that means something.
@antipodean Me too, but I hope it does mean revenue sharing rather than the current set up.
15 days later
@mikethesnow said in NH International Rugby:
@tim said in NH International Rugby:
Oh the irony.
It is pantomime season after all.
Oh no its not!
2 months later
@Stargazer Terrible optics considering. Mafi is a shitbag.
Fuck me, this is the same bunch that was chucking money around prior to RWC (like 6 million to upgrade the ABs finals training ground at Pennyhiil Park), and just hosted a hugely successful RWC! That's Ozzie level pissing it up against the wall.
@Machpants That would be astonishingly short sighted.
England team to play the Azzurri announced:-
England team: Daly, Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Te'o, May, Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, George, Sinckler, Launchbury, Kruis, Shields, Curry, Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Moon, Cole, Hughes, Wilson, Robson, Ford, Slade.
Not sure about Tuilagi AND Te'o in the centres and I would have been tempted to start Robson at 9 for the experience as much as anything. I still prefer Wilson over Shields but maybe he needs a bit of a rest.
@Catogrande I think it maybe a trial in the centres, can England get to per centres to work for them? It can work, see Nonu and SBW in the RWC final, but normally fails. And yes why is Jones building depth at nine? It's a real weak point, he knows his preferred, needs more miles on his second
2 months later
Mon 3 June, 2.30am NZT (Sun 2 June, 3.30pm local time):
England XV v Barbarians
.
It's a double header with a women's game starting at 11.45pm on Sun 2 June NZT (Sun 2 June 12.45pm local time):
England Women XV v Barbarians Women
with Kiwis at 2, 3, 6, 8, 9 and 23:
@Machpants said in NH International Rugby:
Also if I ever see Eddie (cheika, Lam), I'll kick him in the nads - finishers FFS
Please do.
See it's sponsored by Quilter.
Who are the wipers and the fluffers?
@MiketheSnow Looks like England B don't have enough PI in it, so stuck with the posh ones LOL
@Machpants said in NH International Rugby:
I guess they're following the new high tackle guidelines? In which case Brock will be on, then back off again after 4 mins with a red card.
Also if I ever see Eddie (cheika, Lam), I'll kick him in the nads - finishers FFS
Ummmmm....Brock James is renowned for high tackles now?
I imagine Butch James used to play for Taranaki...
@Bones said in NH International Rugby:
@Machpants said in NH International Rugby:
I guess they're following the new high tackle guidelines? In which case Brock will be on, then back off again after 4 mins with a red card.
Also if I ever see Eddie (cheika, Lam), I'll kick him in the nads - finishers FFS
Ummmmm....Brock James is renowned for high tackles now?
I imagine Butch James used to play for Taranaki...
Reminds me of when I got Naholo and Nadolo mixed up and you bailed me up on it.
No one likes a corrector.