Field Theory: This one has rugby in it
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Not 100% true on the 20% playing position thing there.
It's "Playing History" which of course means they can dismiss where teams come this year and look at the past 1, 2, 5, 10 years (or whatever suits them).
They are going to end up with law suits flying all over the place if they try and relegate teams that didn't finish in the bottom 4.
I sense another backdown and more people realising that the NZRU are a total bunch of incompetent dorks.
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They are going to end up with law suits flying all over the place if they try and relegate teams that didn't finish in the bottom 4.
I think the relegation at the end of this season isn't just based on position. There's a formula which includes population, registered player base, financial situation, previous years performances will all be considered. They agreed on something a couple of months ago.
I suspect, even if they come dead last, Auckland couldn't be relegated this year on the basis of the formula. In future years, possibly.
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Last time I looked the teams from the country's population base were in the bottom 5 spots:
Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Counties, Waikato.
Can't really see those 5 teams merging into one - even if it ended up that way!
Mind you, the provinces have less on to watch - maybe the Made For TV rugby would be more entertaining with large provincial crowds.
OB costs would go up though.
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My views on who should be relegated
Demoting Auckland would be an exercise in futility. They have shareholders etc who would still stump up cash for their big name players, so they'd dominate premier division [or whatever it's getting called] and pop back up the next season. Though I do think it should be done. And it'll probably get some form of fan loyalty with it.
As to 'Read-O' it was probably given by Dingo Deans. 'Rodders' So'oialo isn't much better, and Carter and McCaw don't have nicknames [Megan's Boyfriend The King Captain Tackles McCaw doesn't count 'cause if you called him that, he wouldn't turn around until the McCaw part].
Donald's nickname: Beaver.
AdM? Conan / Mega
Leonard? Harry.
Masaga? Flash
Mils? Mils.
Hosea? H.
Cory? CJ / Siege.
Weepu? POW.My favourite has to be Dom's designation of Nonu as the Predator.
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Regarding the Dingo Deans comment, we all know the Australian formula for nicknames right? Here's the Aussie team to play this weekend by their nicknames.
Jamesy
Lach-o
Coop-o
Barnesy
Drewy
Git-o [don't let the 'eau' fool you]
Lukey
Browny
Smithy
Rock-o
Sharpey
James-o
Aly
Moorey
Rob-o -
[Megan's Boyfriend The King Captain Tackles McCaw doesn't count 'cause if you called him that, he wouldn't turn around until the McCaw part].
I think you'd find he'd turn around well before that.
And not to be all fan-girl, but he does have a nickname, apparently the Canterbury boys call him fluffy. Though I've always wondered if that's to his face.
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Carter and McCaw don't have nicknames
Surely Carter is 'DC'?
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Carter and McCaw don't have nicknames
Dan Carter is Desi, or DC
Richie is a nickname (short for Richard), but I remember Richie saying in an interview that Justin Marshall changed his website profile to "Fluffy". It was to do with his hair. That's where the nickname came from. Here's the man himself. He mentions "a couple" of nicknames but doesn't say what the other one is.
Richie's Confessions of a Crusader interview
And Dan Carter talks about his nicknames, and cold showers too.
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but I remember Richie saying in an interview that Justin Marshall changed his website profile to "Fluffy". It was to do with his hair.
Justin Marshall giving someone a hard time about their hair...
I think I’ve heard it all now.
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I have to say private schools generally have a better class of nickname for teams.
I recall a "Woodcock" getting the moniker of "Penis Radiata" - surely a testament to the power of Latin to shape young minds. And an ancient fellow was nicknamed "Fossil". My somewhat wild curly hair earned me "Tufty" whilst my younger sibling got called "Skinny", which annoyed me vastly as I wasn't particularly fat.
No one didn't have a nickname, and the ultimate sin was to use a first name.
Nowadays i still have a nickname amongst my friends and associates, which is handy during team sports and a bit odd when out on the town.
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Mind you, I feel like I was part of a vanished age in sport. I was watching the video brawl between Kelston and AGS and I was struck by how poorly turned out the boys were.
When I played college rugby, if you turned up and your boots weren't polished to a reflective glory that would have pleased the Brigade of Guards and your white shorts a dazzling monument to your mothers domestic prowess you didn't play, not matter how good a player you were.
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I really can't see my beloved Counties avoiding the drop at the end of this season, especially if they carry on playing the way they are at the moment. They've already played two of the supposed weaker teams and lost both games, so I'm not holding my breath :(
I'll just carry on living in the halcyon days of my youth when Counties (NOT Counties-Manukau) were one of the top teams in the country, played exciting, dangerous rugby (think Wellington on steroids), and played a series of heart-breaking Ranfurly Shield challenges that ended in 1 or 2 point losses, or even more tragically draws against Canterbury and Waikato.... *sobs*
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Jo S,
Rugby nicknames are great.
My brother used to play prop for his high school, and one of his best mates was a flanker in the same team.
I still don't know what his actual real name was, because even my parents called him "Munter". -
Jo S,
that would be the best mate not my brother <grin>
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Dan Carter is Desi
Now that would be unexpected.
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I still don't know what his actual real name was, because even my parents called him "Munter".
The fencing coach at my club has an unfortunate talent for memorable nicknames (Titch, Bodicea, Windows, Dr. Olive Oil...). In some cases it took me literally years to find out what people were actually called. And then we call them by their nicknames anyway because now they're trained to respond to them.
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I think the relegation at the end of this season isn't just based on position. There's a formula which includes population, registered player base, financial situation, previous years performances will all be considered. They agreed on something a couple of months ago.
I suspect, even if they come dead last, Auckland couldn't be relegated this year on the basis of the formula. In future years, possibly.
That's my point Kyle.
Because they have all these other (stupid) criteria they will end up relegating teams who don't come in the bottom 4 and all hell will break loose.
There's two criteria that matter.
1) They can pay their players and staff
2) They are good at rugbybringing population and all that guff into it is moronic. After next year they will let the winning division two team come up and so all the population, playing numbers stuff won't be considered. So why is it now?
The answer is of course to protect their mates in the bigger provinces from the ignominy of going into the second division but if sides come 9th and are financially OK but get chucked out they will spit the dummy and good on them.
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What Yam said.
I just can't see the issue of an Otago / Auckland playing a year in Div 2.
It's hardly as if the game would fold in those areas. Would be good for the Heartland comp or whatever they call it these days, it would be fair (gulp) and it wouldn't actually do the players any harm either.
And they'd come straight back anyway.
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What isn't there to like about the Air New Zealand Cup?
I just watched a gutsy Manawatu beat an Otago team that featured a somewhat petulant Adam Thompson, the entitlement dripping from him was well and truly rubbed in the dirt by a Manawatu team that just wanted to win so much they made it happen.
The third Manawatu try was so beautiful it make made me want to weep. League has got nothing on union when try like that is scored. It is like watching an orrery of God's of rugby unfold.
Aaron Cruden played a faultless game then came off and said with perfect aplomb and no false modesty that they "like to play with flair and finesse" and they managed it.
Hubris. Honesty. Beauty. Talent. Who needs stale Super rugby and the tired tri-nations, what a great competition so far.
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Jo S,
...truly rubbed in the dirt by a Manawatu team that just wanted to win so much they made it happen.
and oh the TACKLING
I haven't enjoyed watching a game of rugby that much in quite some time .... -
The amount of righteous rugby anger out there in non-Super land is scary to behold.
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The amount of righteous rugby anger out there in non-Super land is scary to behold.
And when 4 sides, picked randomly from the points table, are demoted at the end of the season it will slip into a new gear altogether.
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Hey, this one has rugby in it.
The Herald is asking "Should gay couples be able to adopt?" Amid the predictable pro and anti arguments, comes this provocative question from WelshJerry of Waiheke Island:
Just suppose Richie McCaw and Dan Carter got together - how many kiwis would still object to them adopting?
Indeed, we'd merrily donate our infant manchilds to the happy couple.
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That’s an absolute gem Robyn. Where to start...
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I say this as a Waikato fan, but I'd be happy to see the bottom four teams demoted at the end of this season. Given that there is automatic relegation/promotion happening at the end of a season, it is not impossible for any of the S14 unions to be relegated at some point in the future - and there's no reason to shield them from it now.
Likewise, if Tasman (or Counties, or Manawatu etc) finish 9th but get dropped based on "other factors" - will the NZRU also move to block their re-entry to the top division via promotion?
Drop the bottom 4, and let them scrap to get back into the top if they're good enough.
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