North Island vs South island

[Umaga's Witness]

Full Time - South wins 38-35. Awesome game!

I was really quite surprised how well the north island played , I expected more rust. Just goes to show how it can be better to have less structure if your players have sufficient vision and skills.

mckenzie was the standout player for me, but there were a lot of good performances. The outside backs and 10 Choice are going to be hard for the all blacks, as well as picking between goodhue and rieko to join alb. I don't know who will start in the all blacks loosies but sotutu, frizell, savea, and cane make up the 4 for the starting and bench. Christie and Akira played well too, and papalii has been a standout all year

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Looks like a cracking game.

 

[The Seeker]

Looks like a cracking game.

When I posted that this was an awesome game I couldn't think of a better word to describe it. I was in awe, because it was awesome! This is the first time they've played the North v South game since 2012, and I hope they'll keep playing it every year from now on.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[The Seeker]

I wish I could take a sabbatical to New Zealand for a year to watch and study rugby union as much as I can. I know they didn't invent the game, but they sure did perfect it.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Most people I've talked to thought it was a poor game with a few moments of class, poor scrums, poor line outs etc...pretty normal for these kinds of exhibition games, mostly disappointed we didn't see an old school tap move, wall and all

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Half Time - South 17 North 14

That Steinlager logo is making me thirsty.

There is a very good reason we export it, no one drinks it in nz unless it's a sponser

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Most people I've talked to thought it was a poor game with a few moments of class, poor scrums, poor line outs etc...pretty normal for these kinds of exhibition games, mostly disappointed we didn't see an old school tap move, wall and all

A poor game In some respects but a very highly enjoyable one with a huge amount of skill and class demonstrated.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

A poor game In some respects but a very highly enjoyable one with a huge amount of skill and class demonstrated.

Yeah, enjoyable...sad it's been used to pick a squad

 

[Yulia]

I wish I could take a sabbatical to New Zealand for a year to watch and study rugby union as much as I can.

Haha, I thought the same )) plus,NZ players are super energetic! I don't know how can they keep all that energy during the whole game, that's amazing!
Watching North v South 1995 (shared here by The_Blindside)

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Reddit going crazy over will Jordan. Someone needs to give josh ione some credit. It's funny, because that season when Beauden was regularly doing these kicks for Jordie to score off, for the canes, it was Beauden who got the most accolades, not jordy. So it's not like there is generally more appreciation for catching the ball in the air at the top of your jump, on the run, as Jordie was doing that all the time. Jordie was recognised, for sure, but Beauden got greater accolades. And now it is again that the trending player gets the bulk of the accolades. This time it's about 100 to 1 in favour of Jordan over josh ione.

 

[The Seeker]

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Reddit going crazy over will Jordan. Someone needs to give josh ione some credit. It's funny, because that season when Beauden was regularly doing these kicks for Jordie to score off, for the canes, it was Beauden who got the most accolades, not jordy. So it's not like there is generally more appreciation for catching the ball in the air at the top of your jump, on the run, as Jordie was doing that all the time. Jordie was recognised, for sure, but Beauden got greater accolades. And now it is again that the trending player gets the bulk of the accolades. This time it's about 100 to 1 in favour of Jordan over josh ione.

first time in the professional era Otago hasn't had an allblack J'oane by far our best chance.....now hoping all the AB's get wraped in cotton wool for the NPC

 

[TheOvalBall]

Incredibly entertaining game.
Will Jordan is such a talent.

The skill level on display from both teams were amazing.

 

[The Seeker]

Incredibly entertaining game.
Will Jordan is such a talent.

The skill level on display from both teams were amazing.

 

[Larksea]

yeah this match was an absolute classic, I cant think of a single player on that field that didn't have their stock rise. Clarke gifted a try to Will Jordan but he also put on a running game worthy of attention. he needs to learn that moves like that dont really have a place in test rugby (this was test level quality and intensity). McKenzie and Weber silenced some critics. DMac was arguably the man of the match and weber was instrumental in the souths efforts and IMO the pick of the halfbacks on display. Jordie was very good. Tom Sanders went *** for tat with Sotutu, both were excelent. If anything the Beauden vs Richie show didn't materialize which was a shame. IMO, north looked the better side, more organised and dangerous on attack but they gave away a huge number of silly needless penalties in the forwards which easily cost them the game.

 

[The Seeker]

yeah this match was an absolute classic, I cant think of a single player on that field that didn't have their stock rise. Clarke gifted a try to Will Jordan but he also put on a running game worthy of attention. he needs to learn that moves like that dont really have a place in test rugby (this was test level quality and intensity). McKenzie and Weber silenced some critics. DMac was arguably the man of the match and weber was instrumental in the souths efforts and IMO the pick of the halfbacks on display. Jordie was very good. Tom Sanders went *** for tat with Sotutu, both were excelent. If anything the Beauden vs Richie show didn't materialize which was a shame. IMO, north looked the better side, more organised and dangerous on attack but they gave away a huge number of silly needless penalties in the forwards which easily cost them the game.

It sure was!

 

[Umaga's Witness]

yeah this match was an absolute classic, I cant think of a single player on that field that didn't have their stock rise. Clarke gifted a try to Will Jordan but he also put on a running game worthy of attention. he needs to learn that moves like that dont really have a place in test rugby (this was test level quality and intensity). McKenzie and Weber silenced some critics. DMac was arguably the man of the match and weber was instrumental in the souths efforts and IMO the pick of the halfbacks on display. Jordie was very good. Tom Sanders went *** for tat with Sotutu, both were excelent. If anything the Beauden vs Richie show didn't materialize which was a shame. IMO, north looked the better side, more organised and dangerous on attack but they gave away a huge number of silly needless penalties in the forwards which easily cost them the game.

And, to that last point, aumuas stocks fell, with two penalties and two not straight throws. A shame as he was spectacular in his start against the blues, looked like world class material.

 

[Larksea]

And, to that last point, aumuas stocks fell, with two penalties and two not straight throws. A shame as he was spectacular in his start against the blues, looked like world class material.

yeah you have a point, lineouts and scrums were a bit messy all round. Maybe a reflection of the tension between the teams
I have an issue with those quick throws to the front the south were doing, they weren't down the middle the ball was passed straight to the front player. How can that be considered straight? Imagine that ball keeps going, where does it end up? At the first fives feet?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

yeah this match was an absolute classic, I cant think of a single player on that field that didn't have their stock rise. Clarke gifted a try to Will Jordan but he also put on a running game worthy of attention. he needs to learn that moves like that dont really have a place in test rugby (this was test level quality and intensity). McKenzie and Weber silenced some critics. DMac was arguably the man of the match and weber was instrumental in the souths efforts and IMO the pick of the halfbacks on display. Jordie was very good. Tom Sanders went *** for tat with Sotutu, both were excelent. If anything the Beauden vs Richie show didn't materialize which was a shame. IMO, north looked the better side, more organised and dangerous on attack but they gave away a huge number of silly needless penalties in the forwards which easily cost them the game.

i'm constantly amazed how different people can watch the same game and see things completely differently, another forum im on is full of chat about how DMac was lucky to make the squad on that performance, theres a 30 point list on everything he did, for every person he put in space he threw a hospital pass, for every line break there was a horizontal run that ended in a turnover, he's not making most peoples 23 let alone starting