Field Theory by Hadyn Green

But with a lack of alternatives, why don't we try something different? Ignore the media's controverse du jour, support the damn team, play armchair-coach without thinking that you are actually any good at it, and if you have to be grumbly.

Oh Hadyn, if wishing made it so...

I see you got in before I realised I hadn't finished the last sentence of that para

Look, Green...Those of us that start work at ungodly hours of the morning can not be expected to always cut and paste accurately. And you should be nice to us about it, or we'll start saying mean things about you on the internet.

Your cutting 'n' pasting were accurate, I just have been updating post-posting

Very cool base-ball bat tricks.

Here is a question. How come, when it finally IS actually cold and wintry outside, the sum total of decent rugby on our screens during prime time weekend viewing slots has been three games since the end of May?

Those AFL pitches are huge. If only I could work out what they're going on them...

'doh. ...doing on them...

How come, when it finally IS actually cold and wintry outside, the sum total of decent rugby on our screens during prime time weekend viewing slots has been three games since the end of May?

That'll be upped soon when the Air NZ Cup and Tri-nations start

Those AFL pitches are huge. If only I could work out what they're doing on them...

Saw my first live AFL game about a month. It's a much better spectator event for newbies than I imagine rugby or league would be:

They kick the ball down the field. If they catch it they get a free kick. If they can kick it between between the middle posts for six points, or the outside posts for 1 point. The rest isn't really important for a spectator.

Good news for fans of Glenn Jackson (ie. me and a couple of others) he's back in New Zealand as a registered referee!

This after being passed up for the All Blacks too many times. I'm so proud of him.

Haven't McCain been a sponsor of Netball for a long time? Or at least of individual players? What about the "I am. I am looking after myself, Mum" ads?

That'll be upped soon when the Air NZ Cup and Tri-nations start

I realise that. But it is unforgivable that in February you've got six or seven Super 14 matches on that half the country isn't interested in because it is still the middle of bloody summer and in June/July, when it freezing, gets dark at 5pm and everyone is thinkingl casserole and Montieth's winter ale the T.V. is a prime time wasteland for the follower of rugby union.

The test matches don't fill the demand for content either. One game every week or two isn't enough. There needs to be a quality game every Friday and Saturday at this of year, not in February and March. A bit of imagination is required, how about a NZ Maori vs. Junior All Blacks series or Samoa vs. NZ "A" or North Island vs South Island???

Here is a question. How come, when it finally IS actually cold and wintry outside, the sum total of decent rugby on our screens during prime time weekend viewing slots has been three games since the end of May?

Because stupid bloody Oregan Hoskins had to go and put on a series against the Lions right when we woulda been playing Tri Nations!

Hi Haydn
Why is it, every time a sports team has a sub-standard performance (by our nation's pundits' enormous expectations), we endure a round of "collapse of Western Civilisation" stories/too much pampering of our yoof/"SOMEONE MUST PAY" outcries? - think the 2006 Commonwealth Games (or was it 2002) where we had a lot of 4ths - and what did we get? "Not enough bloody mongrel, not enough desire to win in our school system, etc"...! I can tell you (as someone who has been there), athletes DON'T set out to come 4th.

The All Blacks (and Black Caps, but perhaps not the Silver Ferns) all stumble in their initial games before the team begins to play as a team. The ABs played with several key players missing and won - eventually and somewhat unconvincingly but FFS surely there's the building period to get through?

I caught up with Graham Lowe (I'm not the League MG but have encountered Graham in the past) the other night and he thinks the same thing - there's not enough pride in the AB jersey, the professional era has ruined our players and the game and they're all just too soft.

Personally, I get really sick of the bleating.

Welcome your thoughts.

Because stupid bloody Oregan Hoskins had to go and put on a series against the Lions right when we woulda been playing Tri Nations!

Still doesn’t explain why the first 3Nations match, a Bledisloe Cup game, can’t be this weekend.

Tom’s right. We get 7 matches a weekend in the cricket season, and now in what should be about the biggest rugby weekend of the year, we get nothing.

@Mark G,
I don’t think the world is coming to an end, I just think Henry, Hansen and Smith are stale and should be replaced.

Apparently that makes me some kind of treacherous spy; probably on the North Korean payroll. Not sure why.

The All Blacks (and Black Caps, but perhaps not the Silver Ferns) all stumble in their initial games before the team begins to play as a team. The ABs played with several key players missing and won - eventually and somewhat unconvincingly but FFS surely there's the building period to get through?

As opposed to teh Warriors, who start convincingly and fall apart due to injuries and odd coaching and on-the-field decisions.

Still doesn’t explain why the first 3Nations match, a Bledisloe Cup game, can’t be this weekend.

It's to give Australia time to complete it's court case :)

I don’t think the world is coming to an end, I just think Henry, Hansen and Smith are stale and should be replaced.

Apparently that makes me some kind of treacherous spy; probably on the North Korean payroll. Not sure why.

You know, that's exactly what a spy would say.

The problem with stale is that they haven't been beaten yet. And until the opposition can beat us consistently, and they are far from doing that yet, then I see no reason to change. (interestingly it's something you hear a lot in American Football, keep doing it until they can stop you) And I can't see a decline either.

Feel free to complain about the season, I don't like it either. I was getting used to going to the pub again and now I've got a gap with no real reason to go out drinking. Feel free to complain about the organisation and the lack of transparency. Feel free to complain about selections and general play.

But I can't agree with the argument that we should replace the coach because we're bored.

HG,

I’m not saying it’s out of boredom (and you know that)

I’m saying that there is every evidence that they are not learning from the mistakes that they said they would learn from. In summary, there are the favourites (Toeava), there is the playing people out of position (4 out of 15 in Dunedin!!), the lack of cohesion.

And now there are even gaps in defensive work; previously the strength of the side.

And don’t get me started on the lies, although their employers are probably the worse offenders there.

I just think it is odd that when Tew keeps banging on about how important TV revenue is to the game here the NZRFU is seemingly happy to let - what - twelve? Fourteen? 7.30pm T.V. Slots unfilled at a time of the year when arguably the audience is going to be far more tuned into watching rugby than it will be in February or November.

Those Super 14 players who are not in the All Blacks effectively have been on holiday for all this time.

I think they'd be far, far better off getting rid of the frankly second rate performances we get in the June tests, give the players a holiday for a fortnight (assuming they made the final, otherwise it would be up to a three week break) then getting them all into the Air New Zealand Cup. It would make for far better continuity - we would already be into round four or five of the Air NZ Cup, and players who need game time like McCaw or Rokococo could be playing serious opposition.

It would make for far better continuity - we would already be into round four or five of the Air NZ Cup, and players who need game time like McCaw or Rokococo could be playing serious opposition.

I imagine there are numerous silly reasons why. "Well SKY won't broadcast Rugby when the moon rises over scorpio because of the Feng Shui"

I will try to bring it up next time there's a press conference (which annoyingly was two days ago while I had another meeting).

I don't like it either. I was getting used to going to the pub again and now I've got a gap with no real reason to go out drinking

Because it's Friday.

I was getting used to going to the pub again and now I've got a gap with no real reason to go out drinking.

Pub Trivia. Gets me down my local for a few quiets with the team. Plus whipping a bunch of PhDs makes us feel good :-)

Thanks to the lack of rugby, I've discovered the Tour de France - Its curiously addictive -

I think the reason for the lack of rugby is attributable to the window between Super 1x Rugby and the Air NZ Cup set aside for Club rugby.

Which if you ask me is pretty dumb. I've always wondered why it doens't go -

Club Rugby Season starts
Halfway through that Air NZ Cup Starts
At end of that Super Rugby Starts
Then Internationals.