Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Networkn
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#3489213 9-May-2026 17:09

I have to say, I felt bad for Stephen Perofeta last night, He had an absolute howler. Probably the worst night I've seen at the office for quite a long time.

Nothing he tried to do came off. Hopefully, it doesn't dent his confidence too much, whilst inconsistent, he is quite a capable player when he is at his best. He was the Blues best player a couple of seasons ago, and was pegged for AB's 10 (though, I felt it was far too early for that commentary).

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#3489483 10-May-2026 17:28

Such a dumb way to end the U20 Rugby Championship where regardless of win or lose, you get a bonus point for 4 tries, and SA win regardless, and because of that, they kicked the ball out for a draw. Eww.

I have to say, and I know I already said it, but on both sides the speed of some of those players including the props, defies belief.

The red card was a red, no question, but I am really geninely unsure how, when the game is played at that pace and a player runs into you before you have a chance to move or avoid a situation, what they expect to do for player safety.

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#3489825 11-May-2026 14:02

Dingbatt:

^
Is this the use of the Royal “We”, otherwise what position were you playing?😂

I assume you are talking about the Crusaders/Blues match at Te Kaha 8 May 2026.

It was a game where the Blues essentially imploded in the final quarter and the Crusaders took full advantage as champion teams do. To not capitalise on a two man advantage is unforgivable.

i know it’s only two games, but is this the start of a fortress?

Also a good ground out win for the Chiefs over the Reds. The best part of the game. The constant whinging about the ref by the Aussie commentators.

While I’m on my hobby horse, please use player’s names rather than initials. This isn’t a Crusaders Fans Reddit thread.

What a miserable post, feel better soon.

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#3489826 11-May-2026 14:03

NZHerald have a headline that AB's depth is challenged due to Stephen Perofeta considering an overseas move.

He's played 6 tests, one of those was like a 2 minute cameo from memory.

I think they are overstating it.

Earbanean

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#3489888 11-May-2026 15:20

networkn:

NZHerald have a headline that AB's depth is challenged due to Stephen Perofeta considering an overseas move.

He's played 6 tests, one of those was like a 2 minute cameo from memory.

I think they are overstating it.

While Perofeta has only 6 caps, if you took out our two highest capped 10's, then he has the next most test caps of any 10 currently available/eligible for the ABs. So that definitely affects depth.

Remember 2011? We lost three first choice 10s in the space of about 3 weeks. If we lost Barrett, DMac and Love, then who starts at 10? It's either Perofeta, or we go with someone like Jacomb (an uncapped player not even starting regularly for his super team).

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#3489898 11-May-2026 15:39

Earbanean:

networkn:

NZHerald have a headline that AB's depth is challenged due to Stephen Perofeta considering an overseas move.

He's played 6 tests, one of those was like a 2 minute cameo from memory.

I think they are overstating it.

While Perofeta has only 6 caps, if you took out our two highest capped 10's, then he has the next most test caps of any 10 currently available/eligible for the ABs. So that definitely affects depth.

Remember 2011? We lost three first choice 10s in the space of about 3 weeks. If we lost Barrett, DMac and Love, then who starts at 10? It's either Perofeta, or we go with someone like Jacomb (an uncapped player not even starting regularly for his super team).

Based on Friday night's performance, I'd start Leicester Fainga'anuku at 10! Perofeta had a nightmare of a game and pretty much gifted it to the Crusaders (gratefully received thanks), while our man LF could do little wrong. Those two kicks for tries were pure magic, as was the bust through the middle through 3 tacklers, who looked to have got him, to set up yet another try was as good or better than Ardie at his best. A permanent role as first receiver might be quite interesting...

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Earbanean

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#3489914 11-May-2026 16:28

More interestingly re the ABs 10 situation, I've been contemplating over a coffee the Mo'unga situation. Steve Lancaster confirmed Mo'unga is not eligible till he has played provincial in NZ. So he misses the cutoffs to be selected for the July tests and the SA tour. However, Canterbury play NPC 1 August, SA tour starts 7 August and the first Bok test is 22 August.

There are 3 SA tour games before the first test. If one of our 10's is injured in one of those 3 games, then can/will they bring Mo'unga straight over to Africa? If they do that, can/will he play in any of the tests if there aren't any further injuries?

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#3489917 11-May-2026 16:37

He's eligible if injuries make it neccessary ala, whomever it was I think last year who was called into the squad.

I understand and agree with the eligibility rules, though this particular instance of it feels not ideal.

I am not claiming he would be our saviour, but the biggest issue in my opinion with Scott Robertsons tenure was his lack of a decent test grade 10. My one major criticism of Robertsons tenure was him not coming out at the start, and saying 'we are going to blood and develop new players". This means we may not be as good or consistent as we would like, but means we have depth which is part of my job. Having NZR back that comment, would have removed a LOT of the pressure on him, given us more options at 10, and probably would have had a better outcome.

Love should have been given 40 minutes every week perhaps at 15 to start, and then had him move to 10 for the last 20, then 30, then 40, then starting him.

If not Love, then whomever else was worth considering.

Not a year of DM struggling.

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#3489928 11-May-2026 16:48

networkn:

Love should have been given 40 minutes every week perhaps at 15 to start, and then had him move to 10 for the last 20, then 30, then 40, then starting him.

Yep, agree totally. Robertson was bold with selections like Sititi and Parker, but was overly conservative with Love. It'll be fascinating to see where Rennie sees the pecking order. If Love is going to be 10 or 22 in SA, then IMO he needs to get serious game time in the July tests. I guess we'll see - and injuries could well play a massive part in that.

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#3490018 12-May-2026 08:07

There will be an "injury" one way or another and RM will be on the plane to SA. All IMO of course

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#3490028 12-May-2026 08:34

JPNZ:

There will be an "injury" one way or another and RM will be on the plane to SA. All IMO of course

Ha ha , yeah Fletcher Newell will do his calf and it'll be "get Richie on the plane". Or will it be, "get him a taxi from his hotel down the road in Joburg"?

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#3490042 12-May-2026 09:00

Fletcher Newell will still be getting behind the offside line in one of those rucks from last week's Blues game.

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#3490048 12-May-2026 09:12

We are down for conspiracy theories now? Is there whitebait in SA?

Anyways...

I see Rennie is back in NZ talking to Super Rugby Coaches. There is also talk that Graham Henry will become one of the selectors. Initially, I thought this was potentially a pretty decent idea, but I recall several interviews with Henry in the past 3-5 years and recall wondering if he was living on a different planet re some of his commentary and ideas. Maybe we need some out of the box thinking

I feel Rennie is going to get a free pass as a result of the way he entered the role. If he wins, it will be all his doing and he's genuis, and if he loses, people will make all manner of excuses to explain it away.

I am going to be really interested to see his approach to selection. It will be interesting to see how the healthy tension between working with people you know, especially when the environment is new and you are introducing lots of changes, sticking to his own statement he would be selecting on form, and how that all plugs together with an independent selector.

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#3490049 12-May-2026 09:14

Re Mo'unga it's a weird one. You usually wouldn't take a player straight from Japan, to NPC and then into the cauldron of a test match against your biggest foe, cold. That seems like a great way to set someone up for failure.

I wonder what the rules are, him being adjacent to the team so he can learn the calls and understand the game plan and style they want to play, whilst he's still supposed to be comitted to the team and competition he is actually playing in.

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#3490051 12-May-2026 09:20

GV27:

Fletcher Newell will still be getting behind the offside line in one of those rucks from last week's Blues game.

You are nothing, if not consistent.

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