I honestly declare the New Zealand All Blacks are playing the best rugby I have ever seen!

First topic message reminder :

That just about sums it up.

I think I've watched all their RC games this season and seriously their game plan and execution there of is above and beyond anything I've ever seen before.

You might argue that this hasn't been a classic RC? But not for me, take yesterday's Durban triumph. The Africans were more than game and scrapped for ever inch until the damn could be held no more.

Ok I might concede that both RSA or OZY are average when comparing their teams of yesteryear (OZY 99 & RSA 07), however neither are complete mugs and add to that Argentina are probably at their zenith in terms of team development. So congratulations must be given to the ALL Blacks.

For me they are playing the game of heaven and if they continue as they are they will take a third WC in Japan. Small crumbs but lets just hope that they're peaking to soon and also, thank our lucky stars (England) that we're not playing them till next autumn by which time we might have learnt which end of the ball you'r meant to throw with.

I can't see the Lions having a chance, 05 all over again.

Fair play to NZ.

One more game against OZY and then Soldier Field and Europe for and end of season romp. Hopefully plenty of game and games for everyone to celebrate yet?

Gooseberry wrote:
GG Im amazed you havent exploded reading some of what son here, excellent self control.

That's because I'm not GG. If I was I'd have irritated everyone on here and been banned.

My mistake. So whats your view on Wayne Barnes then, Id be interested to see how the differ from that other chaps.

Probably the same... Refs are a bit of a mixed bag at the moment. Barnes has been around for a while. He's not the worst out there at the moment. It's a pretty thankless job.

It is a thankless job, just go back in time to 2007 and ask Wayne Barnes .

mikey_dragon wrote:It is a thankless job, just go back in time to 2007 and ask Wayne Barnes .

To be fair he shouldn't have been put in that position at the time. He wasn't up to the job. IRB should have take the hit.

Stupid comment there GG.

The French shook his hand and thanked him at the end of the game, they are polite and understand what a difficult job it is.

Wayne Barnes will do the job to the best of his abilities in the ABs v French game like he did in 2007

Craig Joubert .

SA referee right?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Stupid comment there GG.

My point is that I feel that he was too inexperienced to appointed to the knock out stages of a world cup. I think he was about 24 at the time and was in his second year as an international referee and was given arguably the most high stress game in the quarters (the hosts against the favorites). I think he froze.

He had a decent game. Only unfortunate things was NZ lost so excuses for them needed to be made.

No 7&1/2 wrote:He had a decent game. Only unfortunate things was NZ lost so excuses for them needed to be made.

Then how come in the last ten years since he hasn't repeated the same  brain fade?  Nor has any other referee in any other international test since.

Which particular bit?

Barnes has missed a few more forward passes since 07.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Which particular bit?

Jeez 7.5 I am surprised you dont know, when you said he had a decent game I just presumed you must have watched it.

Yeah I'm thinking if he does mean miss a forward pass yes there's been thousands missed since. And I'd put that down to the assistant ref as well as Barnes so he can't mean the pass surely?

Ah the increasing NZ wums then laurie?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Ah the increasing NZ wums then laurie?

Why do you always think that others are wumming when you dont understand their posts? have you ever thought it might be you thats the problem?

There's plenty of posts, and things in life in general, I don't understand and so I ask for more detail. The last time I did, a few posts above, there was a childish wum response hence the reply you received.

No 7&1/2 wrote:There's plenty of posts, and things in life in general, I don't understand and so I ask for more detail. The last time I did, a few posts above, there was a childish wum response hence the reply you received.

Perhaps you shouldnt present yourself as an expert and make sweeping statements founded on only your lack of understanding. just a suggestion as its not conducive to quality discussion.

So you're still wumming rather than discussing. Which bit? Have you forgotten?

No 7&1/2 wrote:So you're still wumming rather than discussing. Which bit? Have you forgotten?

No, not forgotten and it has been the subject of many threads on this forum over the years, does it really have be repeated every time some dikhed comes along making comments like " New Zealand lost so excuses had to be made"?

Shuffle shuffle dodge dodge. Answer the question laurie don't act the big man at your age.

7.5 You really are now starting to look quite silly.

Yeah you make a silly comment you now can't or won't back up and throw insults. You're supposed to be 60 years old.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Yeah you make a silly comment you now can't or won't back up and throw insults. You're supposed to be 60 years old.

Which of my comments is silly and why?

aucklandlaurie wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:He had a decent game. Only unfortunate things was NZ lost so excuses for them needed to be made.

Then how come in the last ten years since he hasn't repeated the same  brain fade?  Nor has any other referee in any other international test since.

Followed by insults and wumming just because I asked you to elaborate. Are you so unsure of yourself that you can't answer?

No 7&1/2 wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:He had a decent game. Only unfortunate things was NZ lost so excuses for them needed to be made.

Then how come in the last ten years since he hasn't repeated the same  brain fade?  Nor has any other referee in any other international test since.

Followed by insults and wumming just because I asked you to elaborate. Are you so unsure of yourself that you can't answer?

Im sure you know what Im talking about, I remember only last year on this forum Taylorman and I running a number of Northern Posters through it, and we have done so many times while this forum (and the old 606) has been running.

Perhaps if you didnt put so much energy into accusing people of wumming you may stay better focused on the actual rugby. just a suggestion.

Ah well, I tried to engage in a discussion but you can't explain yourself and want to wum instead. I'll leave you to it, I don't mind people disagreeing but when they can't even make a basic point...

No 7&1/2 wrote:Ah well, I tried to engage in a discussion but you can't explain yourself and want to wum instead. I'll leave you to it, I don't mind people disagreeing but when they can't even make a basic point...

Are you serious?

RWC 2007 was an accident waiting to happen,an inexperienced Captain
in McCaw.Wrong selection one of the brains of AB`s Backline Aron
Mauger wasn't even on the Bench.
Graham Henry himself admitted the team was a bit arrogant,in 2006 the
were undoubtedly the best in the World.Unbeaten till the last game of the season people were talking as now NZ A and NZ B would be the best in the
world.
NZ couldn't believe France could go the whole half without conceding
kickable penalties.McAlister was yellow carded which didn't help.
The Drop Goal more or less went out of NZ`s armoury with the loss
of Andrew Merthens.Nick Evans and Dan Carter were both of the field
by the time it became obvious it was the only hope.
Mauger would have realised what was required and done the job himself.
Wayne Barnes performance has been debated as much as Joubert`s in
2011.
The 1970`s was ruled by Wales and France[ who were either Great or poor]
Barry Who?I read comments by J.B.G Thomas he was the missing link twixt
Dai Watkins and Phil Bennett both he considered better.
Mike Gibson was the best 10 in the World for much of the 1960-70`s but was
played out of place to accomedate John among others.
I have no opinion on John myself but he was certainly a great goalkicker
for his time, JBG was the most one eyed writer I`ve read about Wales.

NZ couldn't believe France could go the whole half without conceding kickable penalties (with all the possession)

There you go 7.5

Would you like to 'discuss' this?

Sure. What of it?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Sure. What of it?

Might pay to watch the game first, although I must admit I havent watched it for 7 or 8 years.

Great, let us discuss the absence of penalties

Were France amazingly brilliant and displayed a discipline in defence never witnessed before or since

Or

Was Wayne Barnes woefully out of his depth and froze

It's either one or the other

Yeah its never the other team being good against NZ!

I thought you wanted to discuss Wayne's performance

ebop wrote:I thought you wanted to discuss Wayne's performance

EBOP I wouldnt waste my time on 7.5, hes only here to be abusive, and it doesnt help that us New Zealanders have to suffer his jealousy because the All Blacks are the best team in the history of the game and still are.

Deep down he probably wishes he was a Kiwi so that he could be an AB fan.

Yeah sure ebop, what was wrong with it?

First we need to establish whether a) France were out of this world amazing in defence of the like never seen before or since or b) Wayne Barnes froze

Once you answer this we can discuss

Just a simple a) or b) will do

Can you do that?

Well France were class that day, Barnes was fine and NZ bottled it a bit. You had loads of opportunities, particularly for drop goals but wanted to walk the ball over. You've actually learned from that day so at least the team privately at least looked at themselves rather than moan. So nearer a than b but not as simple as you'd like to make it.

Yup, the ABs bottled it a bit and 2007 was a watershed event so you speak the truth with both there (imo). Guess it's just the relative contributions of a) and b) that will 'always' be in dispute. We think quite a bit more b) but everyone else with an axe to grind or that relish seeing the ABs being tripped up think Barnes did a great job. He didn't. But that's ok.

Yeah it can be hard to break that man u mentality of everyones against us. But that's ok!

Everyone is 7.5, not unlike what it is with England but maybe for different reasons.

Don't see it from people I know, in either case.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Well France were class that day

Wouldn't go that far but they did win thanks to one of the most inept refereeing performances in modern history. France in 1999 were class (on the day) when they knocked us out.

In every RWC there have been two things shock results[flukes?]and
debateable Refs decisions.1991 final,2007 qtr final,2007 final,2011
qtr final/final.2015 Scotland match etc.You just have to accept the results
and move on.
I`m more interested in the SH at the moment,NZ have decisions on
selection at 9and 10 which frankly.In my opinion the relavent players
continue in NZ.
Australia will be weaker for the loss of Genia but are beginning to
look more balanced.SA when they pick Goosen,Leroux,Pollard,Lambie
and similar backs.They will start scoring tries again the Japan RWC
match was a shock,BUT don`t forget SA outscored them 4 tries to 3.
How often has an important match been sorted by a last minute decision?
Japan going for the corner and scoring,Robshaw trying the same and
failing.OR SA `s 2014 win by Lambies last minute penalty,
IF there was another 5 mins on the Clock would SA still have won?
Argentina are tactically naïve and have poor ball retention once
that`s sorted they will be formidable.
Where the NH is we will find out in the 6Ns won`t we especially those
sides with home advantage.

At half back I'm more than happy to see Perenara get more game time (Im not judging the Aaron Smith fiasco either). to me TJ is one of those players that just improves/develops by being out on the Park.

At 10,  I would now like to see Sopoaga also get more game time even starting at the expense of  BB, and playing him  as an impact player off the bench. Cruden played the second half on Friday night for Manawatu so he also is starting to come back into the mix, although there is a also a rumour that he may cut short his All Black contract, which has a year left to run and go to Montpellier.

Anyway it's great to see everyone appreciates good rugby!

I now think its fair comment to say Hansen has moved beyond Henry in terms of who is the 'better' coach. Obviously massively subjective and ofcourse their both exceptional.