Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

Forums › Sports › Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

1 | ... | 697 | 698 | 699 | 700 | 701 | 702 | 703 | 704 | 705 | 706 | 707 | ... | 725

622 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 19

#3508885 6-Jul-2026 08:22

looks like this weekends game starts at 17:10 (5:10pm) - don't get caught out like I did a couple of years ago and tune in at 7pm to find the game had just finished! LOL!

tukapa1

786 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 257

ID Verified

#3508889 6-Jul-2026 08:39

OnceBitten:

looks like this weekends game starts at 17:10 (5:10pm) - don't get caught out like I did a couple of years ago and tune in at 7pm to find the game had just finished! LOL!

Good catch - thanks. I'll have to finish my weekend jobs early.... 😂

JPNZ

1806 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 904

#3508894 6-Jul-2026 08:48

OnceBitten:

looks like this weekends game starts at 17:10 (5:10pm) - don't get caught out like I did a couple of years ago and tune in at 7pm to find the game had just finished! LOL!

Yea NZR was aiming for a family friendly kick off time and was selling discounted family passes to try and fill the stadium.

"Discounts of up to 20% have been offered on tickets to the All Blacks’ July 11 match against Italy in Wellington, with families in particular targeted to help fill the Cake Tin.

The Post reported last month that thousands of tickets remained unsold as Wellington proved to be a tough market, particularly with the less-fancied Italians as opposition."

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

OnceBitten

622 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 19

#3508897 6-Jul-2026 08:52

JPNZ:

Yea NZR was aiming for a family friendly kick off time and was selling discounted family passes to try and fill the stadium.

"Discounts of up to 20% have been offered on tickets to the All Blacks’ July 11 match against Italy in Wellington, with families in particular targeted to help fill the Cake Tin.

The Post reported last month that thousands of tickets remained unsold as Wellington proved to be a tough market, particularly with the less-fancied Italians as opposition."

Italy aren't the draw card like France / Ireland are.... and although they have improved in recent years, it should be a comfortable win for the AB's

MikeAqua

8728 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4335

#3508901 6-Jul-2026 08:59

JPNZ:

The Post reported last month that thousands of tickets remained unsold as Wellington proved to be a tough market, particularly with the less-fancied Italians as opposition."

For a second-tier game like this, a lot of people will be waiting for the weather forecast.

Mike

OnceBitten

622 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 19

#3508908 6-Jul-2026 09:15

MikeAqua:

For a second-tier game like this, a lot of people will be waiting for the weather forecast.

you can't beat Wellington on a good day... and I believe they had one in 2013? 😉

the long range forecast is fine and 9 degrees

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

Earbanean

1298 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 455

#3508913 6-Jul-2026 09:23

Pass mark for me at best. However, the ABs have a long long history of starting a bit rough in the first test of the year - and back in the day that would often be against Samoa, Italy, etc. So challenging to play a good (not B) French team after only 2 weeks together and try to play with that sort of ambition. They'll get a lot better.

Interesting to see who they pick against Italy. Everyone seems to be saying that they'll pick all the payers yet to get a run. I'm not so sure. Maybe only in terms of bench roles. We desperately need to build cohesion and combinations before we go to SA, and I'm not sure massively changing the team each week is the way to do that.

For me it was a massive weekend of footy. Started with my U15 Girls team narrowly losing on Sat morning. Then that was followed by my game of the weekend, with the Rosmini v Westlake first XV game that I went to (also televised). Westlake are a real rugby power house. They led 21 - 0 after around 15 mins. But Rosmini fought back and won the game 31-21, in an unbelievable performance. So good. Then the Northcote Women's team won the Auckland Div 2 comp in only their second year of having a 15-a-side team. Then of course a whole night of international footy. Nice.

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3508926 6-Jul-2026 10:15

Earbanean:

Pass mark for me at best. However, the ABs have a long long history of starting a bit rough in the first test of the year - and back in the day that would often be against Samoa, Italy, etc. So challenging to play a good (not B) French team after only 2 weeks together and try to play with that sort of ambition. They'll get a lot better.

Interesting to see who they pick against Italy. Everyone seems to be saying that they'll pick all the payers yet to get a run. I'm not so sure. Maybe only in terms of bench roles. We desperately need to build cohesion and combinations before we go to SA, and I'm not sure massively changing the team each week is the way to do that.

For me it was a massive weekend of footy. Started with my U15 Girls team narrowly losing on Sat morning. Then that was followed by my game of the weekend, with the Rosmini v Westlake first XV game that I went to (also televised). Westlake are a real rugby power house. They led 21 - 0 after around 15 mins. But Rosmini fought back and won the game 31-21, in an unbelievable performance. So good. Then the Northcote Women's team won the Auckland Div 2 comp in only their second year of having a 15-a-side team. Then of course a whole night of international footy. Nice.

I want everyone to get a run, but a couple of players a week is all I would be keen to see. We need to see what this team looks like with a fairly stable spine. I felt the weekend was pretty unconvincing in many ways, and of course it's only the first test and a new coach and gameplan, so you'd hope to see improvements. I agree about the need to build cohesion.

MikeAqua

8728 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4335

#3508931 6-Jul-2026 10:54

OnceBitten:

\you can't beat Wellington on a good day... and I believe they had one in 2013? 😉

the long range forecast is fine and 9 degrees

That's unfair. There are at least couple most years.

Mike

Earbanean

1298 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 455

#3508939 6-Jul-2026 11:38

BTW, my favourite (only in rugby) moment of the test was when de Groot nearly scored. After they patched up his face, he got to his feet and told the ref "I didn't score it". In the meantime Luke Pearce had already determined from TMO that it wasn't a try, and answered dryly "Sadly not". I thought Pearce had a pretty good game.

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3509281 7-Jul-2026 15:35

I am disappointed to see that during some analysis videos, it became apparent a number of players didn't have their missed tackle count calculated, because they were so far out of position, they weren't in a position to make the tackle. Caleb Clarke is one of those.

He really needs to sort it out. I imagine it would have been captured by the coaches, and hopefully, he is given specific training and instruction for it. It's long been an issue for him.

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3509402 8-Jul-2026 11:43

Conrad Smith appointed as head of Mens High Performance for NZR.

Awesome.

lchiu7

6557 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 560

Trusted

#3509404 8-Jul-2026 11:51

networkn:

Conrad Smith appointed as head of Mens High Performance for NZR.

Awesome.

Of our best ever centres with a great rugby tactical mind as well as the disciplines of being a lawyer. What's not to like

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

JPNZ

1806 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 904

#3509430 8-Jul-2026 13:43

The France v Aus game should be all out attack. Will be a nice watch after the AB's. France to paste them IMO

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

tukapa1

786 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 257

ID Verified

#3509450 8-Jul-2026 15:06

JPNZ:

The France v Aus game should be all out attack. Will be a nice watch after the AB's. France to paste them IMO

You could be right, but I wouldn't write the Aussies off yet. Plenty of confidence out of last week's game, just don't know how much the mental side of it will play a part.

1 | ... | 697 | 698 | 699 | 700 | 701 | 702 | 703 | 704 | 705 | 706 | 707 | ... | 725