Afghanistan v New Zealand - Only Test

[Zinzan]

Five stages of grief can describe this test
Match.

And continues a miserable few weeks for NZ mainstream sport fans following the All Blacks losing back to back to the Springboks, and for league fans, the Warriors failing to make the top 8 in the NRL.

All this in addition to Southee still being our Test skipper and hence being a lock with the ball.

Bleak times.

 

[Silver Silva]

And continues a miserable few weeks for NZ mainstream sport fans following the All Blacks losing back to back to the Springboks, and for league fans, the Warriors failing to make the top 8 in the NRL.

Fittingly Day 5 ends on Friday the 13th

 

[andruid]

Fittingly Day 5 ends on Friday the 13th

Retribution for boycotting your 2003 WC match in Nairobians IMO.

 

[Daemon]

Neck and neck so far from both sides

 

[SteveNZ]

And continues a miserable few weeks for NZ mainstream sport fans following the All Blacks losing back to back to the Springboks, and for league fans, the Warriors failing to make the top 8 in the NRL.

All this in addition to Southee still being our Test skipper and hence being a lock with the ball.

Bleak times.

To be fair, we were **** hot at the Olympics and Paralympics, and that means a lot to me. But otherwise, yes, awful.

 

[SteveNZ]

I'm not a big fan of boycotting Afghanistan, whereas there was significant legitimacy in being anti-tour in the 1981 Springbok tour, cutting Russia out of world events etc.

Afghanistan and the issues relating to the Taliban don't compare. The Taliban don't give a **** if people don't tour or play against Afghanistan. They are zealots who couldn't give a **** what you do. Whereas with SA and Russia, they build their indoctrinated nationalism off their sporting efforts. South Africa needed that connection with the rugby (and cricket) world. Russia have an ego about doing well on the world stage, as do China. Take it away from them, and they hurt. They have been sporting superpowers. Afghanistan never have, and the Taliban couldn't care less. So efforts like Australia in saying no we won't tour (but hey we'll try and take 2 points off you in a World event) really amount to virtue signalling, as much as I hate that term. We may as well tour, because not doing so only hurts those who are trying to do the right thing. It very likely does **** all to people (especially women and children) suffering from Taliban rule.

 

[chris.hinton]

And continues a miserable few weeks for NZ mainstream sport fans following the All Blacks losing back to back to the Springboks, and for league fans, the Warriors failing to make the top 8 in the NRL.

All this in addition to Southee still being our Test skipper and hence being a lock with the ball.

Bleak times.

Wasn't aware the All Blacks lost to South Africa in Rugby. Blimey

 

[TheJediBrah]

So efforts like Australia in saying no we won't tour (but hey we'll try and take 2 points off you in a World event) really amount to virtue signalling, as much as I hate that term

Even that's being generous. Let's be honest, it's a purely financial decision because Cricket Australia don't give a **** and don't want to waste their time with a bilateral series against them. The political/ethical considerations are an excuse after the fact

Still the right decision though

 

[Fuller Pilch]

To be fair, we were **** hot at the Olympics and Paralympics, and that means a lot to me. But otherwise, yes, awful.

Terrible at the paralympics

 

[Third_Man]

Since and including their first test in 2018 Afghanistan have had just 12 tests scheduled. 3 have seen no play for different reasons; covid, politics, rain

 

[SteveNZ]

Terrible at the paralympics

Oh okay, I didn't know and didn't want to be seen leaving that event out. Poor from me

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Oh okay, I didn't know and didn't want to be seen leaving that event out. Poor from me

All good.

We only won 1 gold

 

[_Ed_]

All good.

We only won 1 gold

Didn't help that our 11-time gold medallist was in the TV studio instead of the pool!