New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[The Penguin #6.]

He also sees any team able to beat another as a bad thing and a sign of a lack of quality in the competition. Strange.
Its not the first time by any means Masters has put out some bizarre article. Shame he used to be one of the few journos worth reading.

As I posted in the comments section attached to that article. Roy you could have had a positive spin in that article, or you could have a negative one. You chose the negative.
And true, he used to be an excellent source of information. One of the very few in League circles who could combine fifty (maybe more) of intimate involvement with the game and its` characters and widely read and erudite at the same time.
He is unfortunately becoming increasingly negative with age and probably not as insightful.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

Boxing is " just punching " that's all.
When you strip everything away to just 1 tasks, that tasks becomes very technical. There's levels to the skills in Boxing that a vast majority of the population aren't capable of.

Rugby league stripes back all the other stuff to bare skills .
Some people are better adapted to honing a specific skill set and are suited to league in that respect.
Union is much more technical with a lot more to cover so upper levels to running game and tackling and the potential isn't fully realised. Some players could be great at league if they can adapt to honing a more specific skill set.
In all reality Union players would benefit from a season in league to focus on those physical attributes in the same way fighters in the UFC can benefit from Boxing or kick boxing ect.

So yeah league is easy for those in Union who think " oh you just want me to run the ball, I can do that " no you can't , not at the level you'll be doing it after a year. And if you don't think you can get better at that constantly, you're wasting everyone's time.

These comments from `world-class` union coach Cheika were one right in the eye for all the union knobs who like to bag League out as being "simple". Good on him.

Last year, Cheika confessed his interest in one day mentoring an NRL team, which he called an “awesome challenge”.

“I am starting to understand the language of NRL, that is for sure,” Cheika said.

“I am starting to learn more about it, being a coach you can transition to anything because it is about getting the best out of people.

“The technicalities I am getting a handle on nicely, but for me coaching has always been a two-way street.

“You don’t go looking for anything, you do your best, and when things come your way and the opportunities are there you try to make the best of them because it will make you better as a coach.

“If that opportunity comes it’d be something that would be a huge challenge for me, because not many have done it, but I think it’d be an awesome challenge to take on."

 

[The Penguin #6.]

Interesting Cheika using the term NRL as well. Maybe the name we should be using in the U.S. to avoid any confusion with the other rugby. You know the one, the one that gives the rugby codes a bad name.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

lol, names himself after the shit hobbit but he's too cool to read hobbit books.

Also Latrell is fat.

 

[The Great Dane]

Interesting comments, maybe more reflective of when he went to school from a quality of the teams point of view, as the Wellington schools more often than not lose to the Super 8 teams in the Hurricanes region. Maybe your mate Te Kaha is correct in that basketball, rather then league is going to take over.

In case you're unaware the Super 8 is competition between 8 boys schools in the central north island and is probably the premier competition in the country (6 of the last 10 winners of the Top 4 the national schools comp have been from the Super 8) along with the Auckland comp.

That’s what is happening in Canberra, and many other parts of Australia as well.

People go on, and on, and on about the threat of Aussie Rules, but basketball’s popularity has absolutely exploded as the population has urbanised.

It’s so popular here that local basketball has to turn people away because they can’t support them all and play games until midnight to keep up with demand, and its rate of growth is increasing.

Most people in power don’t seem to have realised it yet but basketball, MMA, and soccer are the sports of the youth, and those youth are starting to make real money.

 

[MugaB]

lol, names himself after the shit hobbit but he's too cool to read hobbit books.

Also Latrell is fat.

Agreed, Latrell is fat

 

[Gobsmacked]

That’s what is happening in Canberra, and many other parts of Australia as well.

People go on, and on, and on about the threat of Aussie Rules, but basketball’s popularity has absolutely exploded as the population has urbanised.

It’s so popular here that local basketball has to turn people away because they can’t support them all and play games until midnight to keep up with demand, and its rate of growth is increasing.

Most people in power don’t seem to have realised it yet but basketball, MMA, and soccer are the sports of the youth, and those youth are starting to make real money.

This is a funny 1 that keeps popping up.
I played basketball at little lunch, big lunch and had a hoop at home! All my mates did, basketball is awesome! It's great fun! My daughter plays it now too and loves it ! We always do the hoop challenge thing at timezone too , also great fun.
Why am I telling you all this?

Because I'm a Rugby league tragic! I watch nearly every game... I'm on a forum ffs
My daughter plays and loves Aus tag! Scored a try the other day

Point is , enjoying basketball has zero impact on me or my daughter loving league! Zero!
The same way fishing or playing golf doesn't..
Why?
Because they're completely different things!

So please stop this ridiculous assessment, waste of time.

 

[Gobsmacked]

That’s what is happening in Canberra, and many other parts of Australia as well.

People go on, and on, and on about the threat of Aussie Rules, but basketball’s popularity has absolutely exploded as the population has urbanised.

It’s so popular here that local basketball has to turn people away because they can’t support them all and play games until midnight to keep up with demand, and its rate of growth is increasing.

Most people in power don’t seem to have realised it yet but basketball, MMA, and soccer are the sports of the youth, and those youth are starting to make real money.

I'm actually on a trip down to Canberra to do some work for my mate, they have a hoop and we'll likely play basketball with him and his kids! Great fun ! Probably have a skate too...
They were all at the Raiders game on the weekend and all is kids play league..
Of ZERO concern.

 

[Gobsmacked]

One sided matches and a lack of teams makes unsuper rugby very boring

What's really hilarious is that out of a 12 team comp, only 8 are viable...
Thier finals... drum roll..... is a top 8!
Everyone gets a prize

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Agreed, Latrell is fat
View attachment 74224

 

[Wb1234]

Wow I think they fixed austadiums website and they are back to publishing crowds for our football codes

 

[Gobsmacked]

Wow I think they fixed austadiums website and they are back to publishing crowds for our football codes

So close to a 20k average

 

[Pippen94]

That’s what is happening in Canberra, and many other parts of Australia as well.

People go on, and on, and on about the threat of Aussie Rules, but basketball’s popularity has absolutely exploded as the population has urbanised.

It’s so popular here that local basketball has to turn people away because they can’t support them all and play games until midnight to keep up with demand, and its rate of growth is increasing.

Most people in power don’t seem to have realised it yet but basketball, MMA, and soccer are the sports of the youth, and those youth are starting to make real money.

Ppl saying that for 40 years & opposite has happened

 

[Wb1234]

So close to a 20k average

Compared to 5k

more good news mt smart just got a new sponsor

 

[MugaB]

No, its fat shaming

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Compared to 5k

more good news mt smart just got a new sponsor

Yeah hopefully it might result in some $$ being spent on the joint. Mt Smart is a reasonable stadium now but it could actually be upgraded to a pretty damn good one for a comparatively modest amount.

 

[Wb1234]

Yeah hopefully it might result in some $$ being spent on the joint. Mt Smart is a reasonable stadium now but it could actually be upgraded to a pretty damn good one for a comparatively modest amount.

It’s minor but the new seats look better on tv

 

[SpaceMonkey]

It’s minor but the new seats look better on tv

Totally, its really spruced the joint up. Now imagine if that uncovered end stand was replaced by a covered stand matching the main grandstand and wrapping around to meet it, the place would be a cauldron.

 

[Wb1234]

Totally, its really spruced the joint up. Now imagine if that uncovered end stand was replaced by a covered stand matching the main grandstand and wrapping around to meet it, the place would be a cauldron.

The open end on the left of screen could use a terrace

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The open end on the left of screen could use a terrace

Thats the north end, I don’t think it’ll ever get permanent stands there for a couple of reasons. 1: the tunnel at the northeast corner that leads to the training ground is a kind of historic feature now- it’s where the Warriors ran out from in their first ever game and they still utilise it sometimes.
2: more importantly Mt Smart is regularly used for big concerts/festivals and that’s where the stage is always erected. Having that flat asphalt area behind the dead hall line is perfect for that. But they’ve put a tier of temporary seating there previously, they could probably move the current southern stand there if it was replaced with a permanent grandstand as I believe it’s just a temporary structure. They could also put some temporary or permanent terracing on the hills behind the current big screen, which would be behind the area used for staging and wouldn’t impede it.