All Blacks 2024

@mariner4life oh come on, prior to the world cup Donald was one of the most "hated" guys in NZ rugby. Everyone read that bit and nodded hard.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@mariner4life oh come on, prior to the world cup Donald was one of the most "hated" guys in NZ rugby. Everyone read that bit and nodded hard.

Yep, NZ fans did themselves proud with that carry on.

I for one was thrilled he did what he did.

@Punch_up I'd hardly consider him a loss either as he only played 7 tests.

@Punch_up said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Leicester is the only real loss, but tbh test quality wingers emerge every few years months in NZ.

FIFY

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@mariner4life oh come on, prior to the world cup Donald was one of the most "hated" guys in NZ rugby. Everyone read that bit and nodded hard.

I white knighted for him. thought he was under-rated... Hong Kong wasn't his fault. Fella got really unlucky.

Narratives stick though...

@nzzp I was also in that camp iirc.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp I was also in that camp iirc.

Same. I compared him to Bok legend Henry Honiball.

Years later I stand by this

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp I was also in that camp iirc.

Same. I compared him to Bok legend Henry Honiball.

Years later I stand by this

haha you're a mad lad. Honiball was excellent. Donald was a bit like Barnes - solid, but then had the odd stuff up each game.

@African-Monkey Yeah, I think Leicester will find that the landscape will have changed a lot in 18 months. Some wingers will have "runs on the board" (Ito number of test caps compared to his handful). The obligatory pair of uncapped young flyers making compelling cases for selection will be there. He might be looking up at Sevu Reece (who himself might be 5th in ABs wing pecking order at that time).

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Narratives stick though...

So do legendary moments: Beaver coming on in a size-too-small shirt, the ABs with a penalty and as nervous as buggery, and he simply says "Just give me the fucking ball"

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

For a blast from the past, I leave below Rattue's take on the worst XV of the Henry era - just prior to the 2011 RWC.

Aged like milk.

View embedded content

What a hateful article, just putting the boot into everyone.
Besides it being totally wrong, as some of those guys are now legends, just saying this crap about guys being given a shot in the AB's, through injury or coaches trying new things.
This kind of stuff just pisses me off.

@Darren Well congrats to very obvious troll Rattue on still getting bites after 12 years.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Narratives stick though...

So do legendary moments: Beaver coming on in a size-too-small shirt, the ABs with a penalty and as nervous as buggery, and he simply says "Just give me the fucking ball"

That hasn't happened at the time of the article obviously. But that game changed the narrative around Donald. Negative narratives take on a life of their own, and people stop seeing a balanced view of players.

@Tim it is better now they have his name in the headline so i already know what most of the article is about and that it is 99% BS.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Every time we have a go at Stephen Jones we should really stop throwing stones in our glasshouse and hang our heads in shame that we come from a country that actually pays Chris Rattue to write about Rugby.

Add Reason to that. But Rattue is the reason(no pun intended) why I have never brought a Herald after hin writing he would not support ABs after Deans missed out on AB job after 2007 WC.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@mariner4life oh come on, prior to the world cup Donald was one of the most "hated" guys in NZ rugby. Everyone read that bit and nodded hard.

IMHO hated sounds too strong. Most people did not want him anywhere near the AB squad that is sure. I was not a fan but was thrilled for him to get the chance at redemption, as he seemed like a nice guy

I was just kacking my pants, as we lost ten after ten after ten. It's not like there was anyone else, Donald was obviously next cab, but he was flaky. Didn't do much in the final, but nailed the clutch moment

@Darren said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

For a blast from the past, I leave below Rattue's take on the worst XV of the Henry era - just prior to the 2011 RWC.

Aged like milk.

View embedded content

What a hateful article, just putting the boot into everyone.
Besides it being totally wrong, as some of those guys are now legends, just saying this crap about guys being given a shot in the AB's, through injury or coaches trying new things.
This kind of stuff just pisses me off.

Yeah me too. Even guys on here naming ABs who aren’t that good gets tiresome after awhile ( puts hand up in guilty fashion for past misdeeds ) but for a “professional” to do a whole article like that is really pathetic.

If I was any of those players I’d be tempted to go up to him and punch him on sight to be honest.

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Narratives stick though...

So do legendary moments: Beaver coming on in a size-too-small shirt, the ABs with a penalty and as nervous as buggery, and he simply says "Just give me the fucking ball"

That hasn't happened at the time of the article obviously. But that game changed the narrative around Donald. Negative narratives take on a life of their own, and people stop seeing a balanced view of players.

Interestingly, in his book, McCaw rated Donald's character and commitment as an AB really highly in his book

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

Narratives stick though...

So do legendary moments: Beaver coming on in a size-too-small shirt, the ABs with a penalty and as nervous as buggery, and he simply says "Just give me the fucking ball"

That hasn't happened at the time of the article obviously. But that game changed the narrative around Donald. Negative narratives take on a life of their own, and people stop seeing a balanced view of players.

Interestingly, in his book, McCaw rated Donald's character and commitment as an AB really highly in his book

I just thought he was a bit limited in the natural talent department and the incumbent was the opposite, so there was a bit of chalk and cheese going on when he played, compared to what we were used to.