Your New Zealand World Cup Squad if selected today...

[Flem274*]

Super Rugby is trying it's best to ruin any allegiance to a local community though. The Chiefs playing "home" games at Yarrow Stadium in Taranaki for example is a prank. We hate Waikato and they hate us. Taranaki and Manawatu being under the Wellington Hurricanes previously/currently is no better.

Sport is moving from local allegiance to nationalism and franchise allegiance.

 

[Zinzan]

You're not picking on merit though, you're picking on reputation. This isn't 2007 anymore, Mills isn't the same bowler he once was and wouldn't be anywhere near as effective as Milne in all probability will be at some point.

I know you like to keep repeating that it's not 2007 with Mills like some sort of mantra, but the fact remains he's looked every bit of the Kyle Mills we've seen for the last decade in the few games he's had of late. So only you seem to think he's suddenly deteriorated.

When picking on merit, of course one's record (reputation) comes into play, naturally with a weighing to more recent performances. You make it sound like suddenly Mills is getting hammered all over the place, and it's just palpably untrue.

 

[Flem274*]

I don't know why you're bothering. He already said a few weeks ago he doesn't rate Kyle Mills. Mills is not a Howsie player because he's slow, old and not from ND. You won't convince him.

 

[Zinzan]

I do question what value proposition Milne provides over both Mills & McClenaghan when his speed isn't up though, especially considering he's not really a big swinger of the ball.

 

[Greenlite]

The funny thing is in spite of the fact I'm an obsessive NZ cricket fan, I've honestly never really given a toss about NZ domestic cricket in terms of which team wins.

I've always been more interested in watching/following domestic cricket with the bigger eye on the national side & watching those players staking a claim for national honours.

Even with rugby, I don't really care about the domestic stuff much, provided the team wearing a Black jersey wins. I swear some Canterbury supporters care more about the red & black jersey than the plain black one, something I've never been able to relate to.

I think it's a function of being born in Christchurch, but living in Auckland for the majority of my life. I think many Aucklander's are the same...

You sound like a selector, or my dad lol, who likes playing a scout following growth of young players with potential and takes satisfaction when some kids come through.

I grew up in the Blackadder/Smith/Deans era, we didn't like AKL, they didn't like us (rugby wise), John Hart picked a bunch of AKL players and Cantab boys like Toddy, Angus, Mayerhofler, Berryman, Lily are missing out on even the wider squad when we won 3 in a row, and that disastrous 98-99 period and Taine Randell was in a heap of sh*t too as the cap of the worst AB team...then that bloody Carlos gesture to the Chc fans after that 100m try...I think that's the psychology behind it. Then a the whole AB team was made up of Cantab players in the Richie and Dan era, and we won like another 4 titles, and communication got better, people move, media reports less hate between Cantab/AKL, earthquake, and the fact that AKL has been awful the last few years that kinda killed the rivalry and people starts to care for the ABs more...I think

Super Rugby is trying it's best to ruin any allegiance to a local community though. The Chiefs playing "home" games at Yarrow Stadium in Taranaki for example is a prank. We hate Waikato and they hate us. Taranaki and Manawatu being under the Wellington Hurricanes previously/currently is no better.

Sport is moving from local allegiance to nationalism and franchise allegiance.

Is that why they have more games in Taranaki than Rotorua, trying to win over you guys, that's why I gave up buying season tickets, 3 games outside Hamilton. Even the Crusaders had a game in Napier as a home game v Hurricanes, weird. I remember Counties became crap after Lomu/Vidiri so the Blues swapped them to the Chiefs and boy the Chiefs utilized the talents well. I like how ITM cups gave the smaller towns to show thei passion and colors and actually win shields or the comp, but the standard really drops compare to the 90s and 00s.

 

[Bahnz]

Milne definitely hasn't been as quick since his side strain twinge last month. Given that the Australia game is our last serious match prior to the knock-out (no disrepect to the Bangers but they're still of a far lower standard than the teams we'll need to beat in the semi's/final) stage. So if the thinking is that Milne isn't 100%, or is starting to lose rythym, then I almost think that he should be dropped for Saturday's game, because we aren't going to be able to seriously test his capabilities again before the QF. Mills is a known quantity and will be very handy at the Stadium in similar conditions to Friday's game - but I wouldn't want him coming into the team completely cold. If it's starting to look like Milne was the wrong call, then I'd prefer to get Mills in the team now.

However, I suspect that NZ were persist with Milne pretty much all the way through at this stage (unless he takes an absolute pasting at Australia's hands - which is possible). Hesson has shown again and again that he's big on consistency of selection for important matches.

 

[Zinzan]

You sound like a selector, or my dad lol, who likes playing a scout following growth of young players with potential and takes satisfaction when some kids come through.

I grew up in the Blackadder/Smith/Deans era, we didn't like AKL, they didn't like us (rugby wise), John Hart picked a bunch of AKL players and Cantab boys like Toddy, Angus, Mayerhofler, Berryman, Lily are missing out on even the wider squad when we won 3 in a row, and that disastrous 98-99 period and Taine Randell was in a heap of sh*t too as the cap of the worst AB team...then that bloody Carlos gesture to the Chc fans after that 100m try...I think that's the psychology behind it. Then a the whole AB team was made up of Cantab players in the Richie and Dan era, and we won like another 4 titles, and communication got better, people move, media reports less hate between Cantab/AKL, earthquake, and the fact that AKL has been awful the last few years that kinda killed the rivalry and people starts to care for the ABs more...I think

Tbf, the whole Canterbury hating Auckland meme is just 'big brother/little brother' mentality in the same way as some NZ'ders are with Australians.

The little brother really cares & loves to hate & bring big brother down, whereas the big brother really doesn't care much, just finds the little brother to be a pain in the arse most of times, but is primarily preoccupied with bigger things.

Much to the disdain of Cantabrians, most Aucklanders really don't care about domestic competitions, but instead take interest in the national teams.

 

[Athlai]

Thats because Aucklanders are ****. Worst city in the country. I hate it.

 

[Flem274*]

the national teams they contribute nothing to

canterbury and auckland are as dire as each other though

edit: and what athlai said

 

[Zinzan]

the national teams they contribute nothing to

canterbury and auckland are as dire as each other though

Again, you'll find that's utterly irrelevant to most Aucklanders.

 

[Howsie]

I don't know why you're bothering. He already said a few weeks ago he doesn't rate Kyle Mills. Mills is not a Howsie player because he's slow, old and not from ND. You won't convince him.

I honestly couldn't give a stuff which province he plays for, if Tim Southee was 36 years old and past it I'd want him out too. I mean big whoop, I rate Southee, Boult and Williamson and spent the best part of 3-4 years harping on about them getting some decent chances, they're world class cricketers at the end of the day. If they all played for Otago I would've said the same thing too.

 

[Flem274*]

Again, you'll find that's utterly irrelevant to most Aucklanders.

contributing nothing to the national sides not mattering to aucklanders is the biggest reason they're so detestable obvz

 

[Zinzan]

Thats because Aucklanders are ****. Worst city in the country. I hate it.

Classic little brother antics...

I know plenty of Aucklander's who say similar things about Australia.

To me there's good and bad in all cities/towns. I'm wouldn't rave too much about Auckland myself, but it is interesting it was recently voted 'best city in the world to live families' by an international publication.

 

[Flem274*]

only if those families like spending all their income on rent, mortgage and travel.

i suppose though if you live in auckland the traffic ensures you never see your family which is probably why families get on so well.

 

[Zinzan]

contributing nothing to the national sides not mattering to aucklanders is the biggest reason they're so detestable obvz

I wasn't aware they've contributed nothing in the history of NZ rugby & cricket for example, but I'll take your word in spite of the fact 90% of the All Blacks were from Auckland during our great '96-97 era when I was growing up, then a whole bunch retired, Zinzan, Fitzy etc and it all turned sour for the AB's.

 

[Zinzan]

only if those families like spending all their income on rent, mortgage and travel.

i suppose though if you live in auckland the traffic ensures you never see your family which is probably why families get on so well.

I'm not sure what factors they were taking into consideration & don't really care.

 

[Flem274*]

yeah we couldn't win the world cup without 15 aucklanders on the paddock.

oh wait...

aucklands modern apathy towards sport in general is dire.

 

[Mike5181]

I've always found the Auckland hate quite baffling.

 

[Howsie]

It's not 2007 anymore but it's not 2019 yet either.

More of a chance the 2019 Milne turns up this World Cup than the 2007 Mills. Anyway where exactly does Mills fit with both Southee and Boult in the playing XI, you can't seriously tell me you'd take the new ball of either of them.

 

[Zinzan]

yeah we couldn't win the world cup without 15 aucklanders on the paddock.

oh wait...

aucklands modern apathy towards sport in general is dire.

Ok, let's leave it there then. I honestly don't care, I'm not particularly over-protective about Auckland & I don't really want to engage in firing shots at cities/regions in my own country, because I love NZ.

Auckland is just another international 'city', a lack of community and unity compared with smaller towns/city comes with the territory.