Pacific Cup 2024

[Blair]

View attachment 95578

It took me about twenty seconds to make the connection. Hoppa less so, I reckon.

 

[Matua]

`Can't disagree on the set up by the Aussies, of course they dirtied the pool, they always do, in everything they do, Aussie is a synonym for cheating.
The Tongans sell out stadiums in New Zealand and sing hymns during the tests. Them and Samoa drive around Auckland waving flags from vehicles and hosting street parades as far off as the united states. So yes they are the evolution of the sport there is no getting away from that.

Take a visit to Penrose and drive the blocks of streets around Mt Smart and see Tongan flags flying from houses all year around. We have seen nothing like it from a league audience.

Don't get me wrong, it's good for fans of those countries, but it hasn't been as revolutionary as is suggested. International league is still a distant third cousin to club and origin. Only Tonga has anything close to its top side of the big 4 down here (I don't know enough about the Poms squad to comment on them) and we're watching a dud tournament where we don't even get all teams playing every week.

 

[Matua]

Do you mean the change allowing Tier 2 aligned players to also play Origin?

If so, it seems the only scenario where the Kiwis have been (additionally) disadvantaged is when a player is:

- eligible for the Kiwis; and
- eligible for a Tier 2 nation; and
- eligible for Origin; but
- commits to Tier 2 instead of the Kiwis, for the sole purpose of playing Origin.

The last part is hard to know for sure unless a player outright admits it.

But unless I’ve missed something, that still feels like a pretty small subset of players? maybe Isaiya Katoa?

Plus if the benchmark is beating the Roos and Poms, both Tonga and Samoa have done that over the last few years since having a bigger pool of players who've committed.

So if the change has made things harder for the Kiwis, its at least helped the broader game.

That's only looking specifically at NZ PIs. Think of the Ponga's and Howarth's, Aussie-Kiwis who don't have the opportunity to play origin and for NZ even if they want to, whereas Aussie-Samoans like Luai get the opportunity to play both - Luai is also an Aussie-Kiwi but he's denied that option even if he wants it.

As for the last part we know that a couple of players did so while thinking they were eligible for Origin, and when finding they weren't they switched to NZ not to the PIs (I'm not using the term Tier 2 because how can those teams still be considered Tier 2 if they're beating the Poms, Oz and NZ? Pretending they're Tier 2 is having our cake and eating it).

 

[sup42]

Factoring in the lack of rep match exposure, I thought Tonga looked promising last night against an Origin prepped Aussie side. Their try line defence was outstanding.
Usually after losing a man the Kangaroos will thrash you severely, the score flattered the Kangaroos.

They will trouble the Kiwis no doubt. The Kiwis need to roll Aussie straight off the bat.

 

[Blair]

They will trouble the Kiwis no doubt. The Kiwis need to roll Aussie straight off the bat.

We need a run of good results against them in order to make things interesting. One-off wins are great but it can't be back to 'normal' now where the Roos are just too good.

In the '90s and early/mid2000s I just recall far too many hidings. It was almost two decades lost.

 

[Blair]

Who put the Roos in the stew? The Kiwis, that's who!

If anyone can tell me where that famous banner appeared you'll be in top form.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

PNG beat Fiji 22-10, 2 intercept tries by PNG off Kikau passes.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Who put the Roos in the stew? The Kiwis, that's who!

If anyone can tell me where that famous banner appeared you'll be in top form.

Palmy North in 91?

 

[warriors 95]

Who put the Roos in the stew? The Kiwis, that's who!

If anyone can tell me where that famous banner appeared you'll be in top form.

Melbourne 91’?

 

[Blair]

Good guesses, I'll find an image to put you all out of your misery. It wasn't a league test. It was before one of the wildest days in NZ sport...where crowd control was in its infancy. The old Eden Park Terrace was mayhem.

 

[Big Marn]

Nz vs Australia in the cricket ODI 1982? Eden Park?

 

[Blair]

Nz vs Australia in the cricket ODI 1982? Eden Park?

That's it, bro. Pure pandemonium and repeated again the following year against England.

The NZ administrators were caught out with how big and wild the crowds at Eden Park were. We'll never see it like that again.

The banner I mentioned was brought on to the field during the official team photographs before play, the guys just ran up behind them and both teams turned around to see it.

NZ won both games in '82 & '83, which added to the thrilling madness.

The closest we ever came to matching that vibe would be the opening game of the '92 World Cup. Pictures of Marty running off the field, after scoring a century and setting Australia a big run chase, is iconic, in the best sense of the word.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

That's it, bro. Pure pandemonium and repeated again the following year against England.

The NZ administrators were caught out with how big and wild the crowds at Eden Park were. We'll never see it like that again.

The banner I mentioned was brought on to the field during the official team photographs before play, the guys just ran up behind them and both teams turned around to see it.

NZ won both games in '82 & '83, which added to the thrilling madness.

The closest we ever came to matching that vibe would be the opening game of the '92 World Cup. Pictures of Marty running off the field, after scoring a century and setting Australia a big run chase, is iconic, in the best sense of the word.

I was yet to turn 10 in 1992, but can still vividly recall Harris and Cairns in the field producing run outs at crucial times

 

[Meth]

Melbourne 91’?

First game of international league I ever watched. I re-watched it so many times (didn't ever re-watch games 2 and 3 in that series)

Still remember Lonergan doing a haka-siezure after the first hit up. Then coming back on to play lol

Such a mismatch, on paper, looking back. Tony Kemp v Wally Lewis. Mal Meninga v Dave Watson.

I still remember Paul Hauff having an absolute shocker.

 

[warriors 95]

First game of international league I ever watched. I re-watched it so many times (didn't ever re-watch games 2 and 3 in that series)

Still remember Lonergan doing a haka-siezure after the first hit up. Then coming back on to play lol

Such a mismatch, on paper, looking back. Tony Kemp v Wally Lewis. Mal Meninga v Dave Watson.

I still remember Paul Hauff having an absolute shocker.

So typical of that era(80’-early 90’s) in which the kiwis would match it with the Aussies and even win 1 game before getting pumped in the other 2 like Great Britain.

dave Watson actually had a good game as did Blackmore&mccracken who I believe made their debuts.

 

[Meth]

Yeah Dale Shearer couldn’t match Blackmore that night

 

[Meth]

Also remember Friend starring off the bench

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

First game of international league I ever watched. I re-watched it so many times (didn't ever re-watch games 2 and 3 in that series)

Still remember Lonergan doing a haka-siezure after the first hit up. Then coming back on to play lol

Such a mismatch, on paper, looking back. Tony Kemp v Wally Lewis. Mal Meninga v Dave Watson.

I still remember Paul Hauff having an absolute shocker.

Yea man likewise, had that game on VHS and must've watched it hundreds of times. Never ever got tired of the Blackmore/McCracken try in the corner.

And doing "the Lonergan" became a thing after that game didnt it lol... way funnier at the time than it probably should've been, but different times.

 

[Meth]

Yea man likewise, had that game on VHS and must've watched it hundreds of times. Never ever got tired of the Blackmore/McCracken try in the corner.

And doing "the Lonergan" became a thing after that game didnt it lol... way funnier at the time than it probably should've been, but different times.

I remember Bradley Clyde pulling off a cover tackle on McCracken and McCracken punching him as he was standing up. No hint of a whistle.

I also remember Bob Lindner breaking his leg and one of the Kiwis blatantly knocking the ball out of his hands. The ref calling knock on and play on and we scored in the corner with Lindner laying on the ground.

different times indeed

 

[warriors 95]

Also remember Friend starring off the bench

Clayton friend should have had a better career at domestic level I feel.

very, very underrated player.