Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#3467008 5-Mar-2026 14:36

It seems that more and more the NZ media are stating things as fact, without checking that they're actually correct. Maybe due to the scramble to get stories out following a big announcement like yesterday.

e.g. In Rennie's press conference he said "I don’t come from a team where I’ve had a lot of these guys previously". Somehow from that, Stuff got to a statement today that "None of his players from his last Chiefs squad remain with the All Blacks". That's clearly not true, as Anton Lienert-Brown was in that Chiefs team and (rightly or wrongly) has been in the ABs squad up to and including 2025.

tukapa1

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#3467872 8-Mar-2026 16:59

https://youtu.be/nUPKtBKCgII?si=eqHR68d5zyUI5mYi

Refreshing to hear an open and calm response to interview questions.

This approach is why Dave Rennie builds culture and a team that wants to play for him.

Looking forward to what he brings.

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#3468091 9-Mar-2026 12:42

It was as I predicted, a case of the Crusaders not being able to backup what they managed in Hamilton, in Auckland. Much due to a strong (defensive) performance by the Blues, who as I predicted, would be hurting and looking to put in a statement performance in front of home fans.

We paid a high price for putting players in unfamilar positions and we missed Will Jordan (as much due to unfamiliar combinations in my opinion). We created stuff, but seemed to fall short of finishing. We gave away a huge deficit early on, and it just made us chase the scoreboard, though I will note, we do recover well from those situations.

Clarke, amazingly, still hasn't learned to intercept legally. He needs to fix that reflex.

Fihaki looks like the best player in the air in NZ right now. There are a lot of players who could learn a thing or two. We need this skill fixed ASAP for us to improve as an AB's team.

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#3468129 9-Mar-2026 15:45

I see Rennie has made the statement he is going to select on form.

This is what the average Rugby punter thinks is a good idea, but does not neccessarily a good team make.

For example, there is a pretty decent chance that Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, and Richie McCaw made not have received black jerseys at various times during their career(Carter wouldn't have been selected for the 2015 RWC, but we would have struggled to win it without him), and that is obviously farcical.

You can't select a team of the 23 best players in the country and expect they will win matches. As I have said before, sometimes players are selected for the non showy things they do, thier ability to teach, communicate, lead, that is more important. Ryan Crotty was selected despite not being the form center, because his ability to organise the backline, esp in defence, was second to none.

I am certainly interested to see how this approach of replacing a guy with a 78 percent win rate, and 7 SR titles, with a guy who's test win rate was 38% who won 2 SR titles.

I might work, they hired Ted after an abysmal time with Wales, though he didn't get good as a coach (by his own admission) until the 2017 Quarter Finals Loss. I'd say you'd see that kind of turn around in a coaching philiosphy once in a lifetime.

Time will tell. If we retain the Bledisloe and win 2-3 in SA, I'd consider that a reasonable result (though I'd have expected no less from Robertson).

tukapa1

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#3468165 9-Mar-2026 17:41

networkn:

If we retain the Bledisloe and win 2-3 in SA, I'd consider that a reasonable result (though I'd have expected no less from Robertson).

You would consider winning the series in SA (even a clean sweep of 3 wins) as a reasonable result? I'm assuming you mean tests and not midweek games. That would be an absolutely outstanding result for most people I would think.

I think winning one of the tests in SA would be a reasonable result. This is the hardest tour the AB's have faced in decades. Even at our best a series win in SA was a fantastic result.

Robertson wouldn't have won one test on this tour with his muddled messaging and confused game plan.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Jason Ryan stay on in the coaching setup, but Scott Hansen has to go. By all accounts he was one of the main reasons for the poor player feedback, and Robertson's lack of desire to do anything about it.

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#3468188 9-Mar-2026 20:28

tukapa1:

Robertson wouldn't have won one test on this tour with his muddled messaging and confused game plan.

There is no way to know that. We won against a full strength SA team at home (A match no-one seriously thought we could win based on both teams form at the time), and tripped up massively the week after. IF Robertson had been retained, major changes would have been implemented, who knows what that might have looked like?

Actually, not by all accounts. There were varying reports, some saying Hansen wasn't great, others saying he wasn't considered the main issue. Who really knows? What I do know, is that JJ was likely to keep him on, as a result of being someone he highly regards and considered instrumental in Japans strong years. The team went down hill once he departed, and never got back to where it was before.

I don't really gel with Hansen, but I don't think your take is that accurate either. He may end up being replaced, mostly, I suspect because Rennie has already said he was going to take a broom to the assistants, and prefers people he trusts (which I will remind you, people melted down over when Robertson did the same).

You would consider winning the series in SA (even a clean sweep of 3 wins) as a reasonable result? I'm assuming you mean tests and not midweek games. That would be an absolutely outstanding result for most people I would think.

I think winning one of the tests in SA would be a reasonable result. This is the hardest tour the AB's have faced in decades. Even at our best a series win in SA was a fantastic result.

ROFL. We dominated SA home and away for years. People keep comparing now to then and crying over 78% win rate. (Oh no! Argentina beat us, despite beating every tier 1 nation multiple times home and away before us).

England just got rolled by ITALY and Scotland just rolled France. It's a new world order.

There are 4 matches. 2 would be an acceptable result, 3 would be great, and I agree, 4 would be an incredible achievement. I hope I am wrong but I expect us to do poorly over there.

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lachlanw

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#3468217 9-Mar-2026 21:26

To be honest a win over there will be acceptable to me. It's a big assignment and the boks will be looking to make a statement.

tukapa1

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#3468221 9-Mar-2026 22:01

networkn:

There is no way to know that. We won against a full strength SA team at home (A match no-one seriously thought we could win based on both teams form at the time), and tripped up massively the week after. IF Robertson had been retained, major changes would have been implemented, who knows what that might have looked like?

We won against a SA team at home that played the wrong game plan (hence the changes the next week), against a team that had Sir Wayne Smith overseeing it and playing for a continuation of the record at Eden Park, not playing for Robertson. When it came to playing for Robertson the next weekend, with nothing else on the line, they capitulated. They gave up. They weren't interested in fighting. That is the first time in all my years of watching the AB's that I have seen surrender.

networkn:

Actually, not by all accounts. There were varying reports, some saying Hansen wasn't great, others saying he wasn't considered the main issue. Who really knows? What I do know, is that JJ was likely to keep him on, as a result of being someone he highly regards and considered instrumental in Japans strong years. The team went down hill once he departed, and never got back to where it was before.

I don't really gel with Hansen, but I don't think your take is that accurate either. He may end up being replaced, mostly, I suspect because Rennie has already said he was going to take a broom to the assistants, and prefers people he trusts (which I will remind you, people melted down over when Robertson did the same).

ROFL. We dominated SA home and away for years. People keep comparing now to then and crying over 78% win rate. (Oh no! Argentina beat us, despite beating every tier 1 nation multiple times home and away before us).

There are 4 matches. 2 would be an acceptable result, 3 would be great, and I agree, 4 would be an incredible achievement. I hope I am wrong but I expect us to do poorly over there.

England just got rolled by ITALY and Scotland just rolled France. It's a new world order.

I suspect you are right about JJ. He has worked successfully with Hansen in the past. But I very much doubt he would have made him the head coach like Robertson did.

We have played SA in SA 54 times. They have won 28. We have won 25. There has been one draw. Wouldn't call that domination. They are a much better unit than us at the moment. Expecting us to head over there and roll them is ridiculous. One win over there and then a win in the US where nobody except the sponsors really cares is the best we can expect I fear. Maybe they will prove me wrong.

Only three of the upcoming matches are in SA. One win would be respectable. Two would be fantastic and would be a series win in SA. You know we have still only won one series in SA right? Ever?

Weren't the Six Nations results great! Looks like both England and France (and most likely Ireland) have all peaked too early. Again. Love it when they lose.

lachlanw

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#3468227 9-Mar-2026 23:00

They gave up. They weren't interested in fighting. That is the first time in all my years of watching the AB's that I have seen surrender.

My initial take was SR had lost the dressing room. But later on I thought a lot of those players would never had played the Bulls Sharks etc in SA and experienced that special level of physicality south African teams bring. It's such a loss for our rugby development that SA teams moved to the Nth Hemisphere.

Earbanean

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#3468319 10-Mar-2026 09:25

networkn:

I see Rennie has made the statement he is going to select on form.

This is what the average Rugby punter thinks is a good idea, but does not neccessarily a good team make.

For example, there is a pretty decent chance that Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, and Richie McCaw made not have received black jerseys at various times during their career(Carter wouldn't have been selected for the 2015 RWC, but we would have struggled to win it without him), and that is obviously farcical.

You can't select a team of the 23 best players in the country and expect they will win matches. As I have said before, sometimes players are selected for the non showy things they do, thier ability to teach, communicate, lead, that is more important. Ryan Crotty was selected despite not being the form center, because his ability to organise the backline, esp in defence, was second to none.

I am certainly interested to see how this approach of replacing a guy with a 78 percent win rate, and 7 SR titles, with a guy who's test win rate was 38% who won 2 SR titles.

I might work, they hired Ted after an abysmal time with Wales, though he didn't get good as a coach (by his own admission) until the 2017 Quarter Finals Loss. I'd say you'd see that kind of turn around in a coaching philiosphy once in a lifetime.

Time will tell. If we retain the Bledisloe and win 2-3 in SA, I'd consider that a reasonable result (though I'd have expected no less from Robertson).

He made some throw away comment about selecting on form, in the context that he didn't have any existing loyalty to players he coaches. Somehow you've extrapolate that to infer he'd not select a Dan Carter.

And you're back to comparing Robertson's win rate with Rennie's. These comparisons are totally not apples with apples. You can come up with almost anything you want from statistics. e.g. Robertson has 25% win rate vs the Boks, while Rennie has 75% vs the Boks. Who cares.

Oh and only one ABs team in the 100+ year history of rugby union has ever won a series in SA. For you to consider the current team doing that as just "a reasonable result" is absolutely absurd. Nonsense.

Seriously, the issue is now over, Robertson is gone and Rennie is the coach. It's happened. It's history. Without going all Queen Elsa on you, you really do need to move on.

networkn

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#3468500 10-Mar-2026 15:35

Earbanean:

He made some throw away comment about selecting on form, in the context that he didn't have any existing loyalty to players he coaches. Somehow you've extrapolate that to infer he'd not select a Dan Carter.

And you're back to comparing Robertson's win rate with Rennie's. These comparisons are totally not apples with apples. You can come up with almost anything you want from statistics. e.g. Robertson has 25% win rate vs the Boks, while Rennie has 75% vs the Boks. Who cares.

Oh and only one ABs team in the 100+ year history of rugby union has ever won a series in SA. For you to consider the current team doing that as just "a reasonable result" is absolutely absurd. Nonsense.

Seriously, the issue is now over, Robertson is gone and Rennie is the coach. It's happened. It's history. Without going all Queen Elsa on you, you really do need to move on.

I am a bit over your continued attempt to control what is and isn't discussed in the thread about rugby. If you want only fact, this isn't the right thread to have that expectation. Rugby, performance, coaching choices, aren't binary. Opinions will be expoused, comparisons made, disagreements will occur. So long as that's done with respect and there is an ability to agree to disagree, then I don't see what the problem is? I find it interesting and a bit of fun to discuss things which may not be absolutely going to happen. What if's etc.

Your claim it was a throwaway comment is interesting. Is that fact or just your opinion? Can we not trust what he says in a public forum? It was widely reported, I believe most people will now be expecting the AB's will be made up of high performing SR players and last years top ABs?

Yes, I am comparing win rates. So what? If it bothers you, ignore it. It's relevant in my eyes. If Rennie can't do better than Robertson, what was the point? What is the measurement that is meaningful to benchmark success in the AB's?

Under Robertson I expected us to win 1-2 from the four tests, assuming he had stayed on and made some pretty obviously needed changes.

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lachlanw

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#3468610 10-Mar-2026 22:28

Everyone be cool.

lachlanw

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#3468611 10-Mar-2026 22:31

It annoys me that England can operate at such a high level in crunch matches and then come up with the dreck they served up vs Italy. Seeing the players bitch at the Itoje for taking three vs lineout in the corner blows my mind.

Earbanean

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#3468639 11-Mar-2026 07:58

networkn:

I am a bit over your continued attempt to control what is and isn't discussed in the thread about rugby. If you want only fact, this isn't the right thread to have that expectation. Rugby, performance, coaching choices, aren't binary. Opinions will be expoused, comparisons made, disagreements will occur. So long as that's done with respect and there is an ability to agree to disagree, then I don't see what the problem is? I find it interesting and a bit of fun to discuss things which may not be absolutely going to happen. What if's etc.

Ha ha, no I definitely wasn't trying to control what's discussed on this thread - not that I could anyway. I was more thinking in terms of your mental health.

Personally, once a coach is named, I'll back them and the team, whoever they are. I get not everyone sees it that way. We had constant negativity through Fozzie's era and plenty at the start of Henry's. I find that a bit tedious, but if angry eye-patchers want to sit in the stands with 'Bring Back Razor' signs, then good luck to them.

networkn

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#3468650 11-Mar-2026 09:03

Earbanean:

Ha ha, no I definitely wasn't trying to control what's discussed on this thread - not that I could anyway. I was more thinking in terms of your mental health.

Personally, once a coach is named, I'll back them and the team, whoever they are. I get not everyone sees it that way. We had constant negativity through Fozzie's era and plenty at the start of Henry's. I find that a bit tedious, but if angry eye-patchers want to sit in the stands with 'Bring Back Razor' signs, then good luck to them.

You started that so well. Shame about the end. For someone claiming to be so focused on people being postive, you aren't really walking the talk.

My issue is mostly with NZR. The way it handles it's head coaches is awful.

Rennie will have my support when he earns it (Results + Proving he can lead a team who don't resort to thugby, and intentional ill discpline to win). The AB's will have my support always.

On his current record he has some work to do in my opinion.

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