The Silver Fern

Worst game from the Black Ferns for ages.
Renee Holmes should never have been in the starting side. Sure she had a couple of decent games but that was against minows. Terrible defence as she has shown her entire career.
We played much better when she went off and Sorensen-McGee moved into fullback.
Bremner had a shocker, continued to get in between the backs and mess things up as she has done all tournament. Demant had one of her worst games ever, disappointing in her 50th.
In another chat group, I suggested that Portia, who hasn't looked good all tournament, in fact, hasn't looked good since the record breaking game against the US, should not have started. Leti-I'iga should have started.
Again, we looked a lot more dangerous in the back three once Holmes went off and I think we finished the game with a back three of Waka, Leti-I'iga and Sorensen-Mcgee with Brunt and Setefano in the centres but I stand to be corrected as by then I was seeing red at the absolutely shite referring that was on display.

Best on park for the BF's:
Stacey Waka - WotM

and as someone said earlier in this thread, when Stacey retires, the AB's should bring her in as catching coach!

@Snowy said in Womens RWC 2025:

@Bones said in Womens RWC 2025:

No Risi?

A bit odd and there doesn’t seem to be any comment on it anywhere.

AI says: “ This decision is part of the Black Ferns' overall team rotation and tactical planning for the knockout stages of the tournament. ” but fuck knows where it made that up from.

Definitely looks like rotation. Risi has clearly been our best halfback since coming into the 15's from the 7's.

Last game against Ireland, she did look a bit gassed and her passing wasn't as good as it has been. A rest will probably do her good and this game should help choose who is her back up, Joseph or Hohaia.

Disappointed that Leti-I'inga isn't getting another start as she really sparked things when she replaced Portia against Ireland.

Black Ferns team v South Africa (Test caps):

1. Chryss Viliko (16)

2. Georgia Ponsonby (34)

3. Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (2)

4. Maiakawanakaulani Roos (35)

5. Alana Bremner (32)

6. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (32)

7. Jorja Miller (5)

8. Kaipo Olsen-Baker (13)

9. Maia Joseph (13)

10. Ruahei Demant (48) – co-captain

11. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (31)

12. Theresa Setefano (22)

13. Stacey Waaka (29)

14. Braxton Sorensen-McGee (6)

15. Renee Holmes (26)

16. Atlanta Lolohea (8)

17. Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (8)

18. Kate Henwood (12)

19. Laura Bayfield (4)

20. Kennedy Tukuafu (32) – co-captain

21. Iritana Hohaia (18)

22. Amy du Plessis (22)

23. Ayesha Leti-I’iga (28)

Unavailable due to injury: Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (head).

Team named for Quarter Final v South Africa

Black Ferns set to take on South Africa in Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final

Black Ferns coaches have selected their match-day 23 to play South Africa this Saturday (1.00pm BST/Sunday, 12.00am NZT) at Sandy Park in Exeter.

@Mattasaurus said in Final - Crusaders v Chiefs:

If Ethan was anything but a Crusader, people would love his work rate on both sides of the ball ..... never seen such a prolific tackler get so maligned.

Prolific tackler? Plenty of tackle assists but not a single dominant tackle or turnover.
And 30 carries for less than a meter...

It's not "maligned" if it's an accurate reflection of the actual results.

Blackadder, 30 carries for 0.8 metres.
Exactly why he is so overrated and shouldn't be in the ABs.
Busy but so ineffective in both offence and defence.

Going for the all NZ sweep:
Crusaders, Blues, Canes

Bloody amazing year from the Women!
Head and shoulders above the rest of the world, winning 4 of 6 tournaments plus the championship.

And well done to Jorga Miller, doulbe awards, Player of the Final as well as Women's Player of the Year!

It is scary just how good she is and how much better she might well get, absoultely deserved!

As for the Men, best not to mention them except to say this tournament was one of their better ones given a third place finish, their first podium finish for the season.

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2025:

@RoninWC said in Black Ferns 2025:

That's a strong lineup for the training camp. Looks like a better squad than that which went to the UK.

A couple of non-selections too, which are justified (e.g., Pip Love).

Agreed, also ommitted from the camp is a personal favourite but someone that hasn't performed to her best since the last world cup final, Joanah Ngan-Woo.

She was coming back from injury but sadly could not earn a start in a side that was the worst performing team in Aupiki.

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2025:

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-unveil-first-camp-invitees-player-list

That's a strong lineup for the training camp. Looks like a better squad than that which went to the UK.

Will be very interesting to see who they pick in the initial squad as I've got tickets to watch them play Aus in Newcastle on May 11, can't wait!

@Snowy said in Fernies - Nominations - Best Memer (King of Memes):

@dogmeat said in Fernies - Nominations - Best Memer (King of Memes):

Is it @rembrandt that sporadically posts 20 or so incredibly dark memes and then disappears off the thread again?

Anyway - that guy.

@RoninWC dumped a heap at once a few times. Usually dark or pervy IIRC. Not judging, just describing . Don’t think he’s been around for a while.

Still here, just not posting memes these days.

Another movie my brother has just finished working on, this one for almost a full year on the SFX...

The Gorge, on Apple+ next year, 14 Feb.

@MN5 said in TV Serieseseses:

Just started Dune Prophecy

Decent so far

Spoiler

Anyone know why the Valya Harkonen isn’t bald and pasty like the rest ?

My brother did a lot of the SFX on this production including designing the vehicles used.

He said it was quite challenging coming up with designs for the vehicles such as the spice miner that is 10,000 years before Dune Pt. 1 was set.

They needed to look familiar but ealier tech which applies to the whole series.

@nzzp said in Beer thread:

@MN5 said in Beer thread:

@RoninWC said in Beer thread:

West Coast IPAs are a style that's been around for a long time but coming back into fashion after the rise and slight decline of the East Coast Hazy styles.

A West Coast IPA will be clear and crisp with a strong hop flavour that tends towards a more bitter, dank and piney, resin flavour.

Typically you would use classic hops like Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, etc.

Pliny the Elder and now Pliny the Younger are considered the best examples of these. Others are like the Sierra Nevada Torpedo.

Yeah I’m a bit over Hazys……( just a bit, I’ve got one brewing as we speak ) so always keen to sink a West Coast IPA when given a chance !

I get it, but I love them.

I was pissed when the sour revolution was on. Some craft places seemed to only have sour and brown ales ... neither are my bag really. So yeah, hazy awesome, WCIPA fantastic - basically anything hop forward is good for me!

WCIPA were all the rage about 12-13 years ago; people went nuts for the hop bombs and the bitterness balanced with the alcohol. So yeah, watch out for those 9 percenters now (although the hazies are up there too these days)

100% the same and the beer I brew most frequently.

As there are so many variables when brewing a Hazy/NEIPA, I just can't get enough of experimenting with grain bills, yeast and hops and they are where I get the most satisfaction jboth in terms of brewing and then drinking.

West Coast IPAs are a style that's been around for a long time but coming back into fashion after the rise and slight decline of the East Coast Hazy styles.

A West Coast IPA will be clear and crisp with a strong hop flavour that tends towards a more bitter, dank and piney, resin flavour.

Typically you would use classic hops like Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, etc.

Pliny the Elder and now Pliny the Younger are considered the best examples of these. Others are like the Sierra Nevada Torpedo.

Wolfs on Apple+

The George Clooney and Brad Pitt collaboration. What a romp, just bloody good entertainment watching two actors who clearly love what they do, do what they do best. Wife and I really enjoyed it on Sunday evening enjoying a bottle of wine.

Two "cleaners" called into the same job and things just go from there.

Tit watch zero

@nzzp said in Beer thread:

@RoninWC said in Beer thread:

In my opinion, Sunrise Valley is the best hazy I've tried.

I agree, it's one of the best.

Wife and I thought Willamette Valley was better. Different - not as ripe mango - but I thought a sensational beer. Fresh on tap is just awesome.

Haven't had the pleasure of tasting Willamette Valley as yet. Will do an active search for it here in Aus.

Thanks for the heads up on that, cheers!

@nzzp said in Beer thread:

Went and got Garage Project valley series. Tasted all 4. Had 2 L last night with my mate ... 8% hits you, but it's damn well worth it.

Was planning to go on Friday to the only venue where the Valley Day was being held in Sydney, the Beer Barrel in Chippendale. Unfortuneately for us in Australia, they only had three beers available:

• Sunrise Valley, brewed with hops from Freestyle Farms.
• Yakima Valley, brewed with hops from Yakima Chief Hops.
• All New Valley expression a new release, brewed with hops from Coleman’s Alluvial Farm, Oregon.

Was showered, shaved and getting dressed when a severity 1 outage hit a major state-wide systems that one of my teams supports. So there went those plans.

I've had Sunrise Valley and Yakima Valley a few times, alwayys in cans, but have never had the experience of trying it on tap along with it's stablemates. In my opinion, Sunrise Valley is the best hazy I've tried.

I've even tried to do a clone of this which turned out pretty good.

What was your favourite of the 4 beers and what was the 4th brew that you tried?

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2024:

@RoninWC said in All Blacks 2024:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2024:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - selection:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2024 - selection:

Oh, get a grip. So Sotutu is now the finest player not to get selected and everyone else is a journeyman. I find it funny how by attacking another player from a rival team who doesn't even get selected as a No.8 is the main focus of the argument. Just so friggen stupid.

you are talking about EB?
Where would you rank him on his 2024 season against the other 6s and 7s?

One of the most effective loose forwards in the comp in a dysfunctional team when playing. Hence pretty much every pundit outside this echo chamber putting his name in the mix.
Being made of glass and a lack of a body of work is a reasonable argument though...

LOL, I call BS on this statement.

One of the busiest, sure, but effective, NFW!

He's there because he's the coaches pet and son of a mate and because the fan boys fawn over the few minutes he plays each season.

Should never have walked into the squad let alone starting given how few minutes he's played and how actually ineffective he is when he plays. Busy doesn't mean efffective.

God you're repetitive and full of shit. He didn't walk into the starting side. The starting loosies against England were DP, AS, SF. EB and LJ had their first starts vs Fiji. EB performed, SF had not, and of the options available he earned the starting spot.
I wouldn't have picked him initially due to a lack of playing time, but he has performed well and justified his selection. Stats back that up.
To say he's been selected because he's the son of a mate paints you as quite the fluffybunny.

HAHAHA, look who's talking. It's my opinion, you have yours and I have my own.

And it's as clear AF that he should never have been picked in the first place. He did walk into the side without merit, that much is clear.

And I completely disagree that EB has "performed" as I have put in only 1 single previous post, I do not believe that he is effective. He's busy but effective, far from it in my opinion.

You have yours, but that is not reason to call anyone a fluffybunny, especially from one such as yourself!