Good wrap. Lots of sports on!! Just want to say well done on the recent Heath Davis article on Spinoff. Such an interesting subject and story. He is a real character of NZ cricket. BTW is that THE Marc Ellis in the Wellington U-18s with Heath, as well as Simon Mannix?
Thanks Dylan, great summary. Personally I have no problem with the NZR CE going to support the teams at the Commonwealth Games.Presumably that and the 7s World Cup in SA are the big overseas targets for 2022 with RWC22 the big ticket for these shores - for me, good to see him doing that and trusting his staff here at home to look after what was ultimately more smoke than fire- the AB’s are not the only thing in NZ rugby..... AB’s should have their own CE - size of that aspect of business warrants it - part of the governance review outcome? NZR CE is a huge job - perhaps a GM for the AB’s who reports to the NZR CE? As for Scott R, had a listen to the interview with Big Jim, it’s like a manifesto/job interview - made his case and I bet he ain’t popular with some of rugby cognoscenti given some of those views! I hope if foster is let go, they invite applications rather than just give it to him, if they going out to buy him, buyer beware (and/or buyers remorse) are a couple of phrases that spring to mind!
Rounding back on something you commented on a few days back Dylan - the makeup of the Black Caps squad to the WI. I think this was picked before the Scotland series got underway in earnest, but as you noted at the time a stand out feature was the omission of Will Young. No doubt he’s in a funk, but running my eye over the squad there’s a few guys in there who I think he’s just flat out better than - Neesham, Allen, Phillips, Bracewell for starters. Sure guys get picked for different reasons and different roles, and actually I don’t have anything against the four above, but this is shaping as the worst treatment of a potentially long-term valuable asset in the batting order since Mathew Sinclair - and even then Young hasn’t shown any of the rough edges he did. IMO all Young needs is the Bazball treatment and be told to just “go out and play”. Looks to me that the obsession with technique that comes with making yourself into a test opener have consumed him. It will be interesting to see how he is treated post the WI series - where does he stand in the pecking order against the likes of Bracewell and Allen, and even Chapman….?
Good wrap. Lots of sports on!! Just want to say well done on the recent Heath Davis article on Spinoff. Such an interesting subject and story. He is a real character of NZ cricket. BTW is that THE Marc Ellis in the Wellington U-18s with Heath, as well as Simon Mannix?
Yes! Marc was a decent cricketer, but a much better footy player.
Thanks Dylan, great summary. Personally I have no problem with the NZR CE going to support the teams at the Commonwealth Games.Presumably that and the 7s World Cup in SA are the big overseas targets for 2022 with RWC22 the big ticket for these shores - for me, good to see him doing that and trusting his staff here at home to look after what was ultimately more smoke than fire- the AB’s are not the only thing in NZ rugby..... AB’s should have their own CE - size of that aspect of business warrants it - part of the governance review outcome? NZR CE is a huge job - perhaps a GM for the AB’s who reports to the NZR CE? As for Scott R, had a listen to the interview with Big Jim, it’s like a manifesto/job interview - made his case and I bet he ain’t popular with some of rugby cognoscenti given some of those views! I hope if foster is let go, they invite applications rather than just give it to him, if they going out to buy him, buyer beware (and/or buyers remorse) are a couple of phrases that spring to mind!
Rounding back on something you commented on a few days back Dylan - the makeup of the Black Caps squad to the WI. I think this was picked before the Scotland series got underway in earnest, but as you noted at the time a stand out feature was the omission of Will Young. No doubt he’s in a funk, but running my eye over the squad there’s a few guys in there who I think he’s just flat out better than - Neesham, Allen, Phillips, Bracewell for starters. Sure guys get picked for different reasons and different roles, and actually I don’t have anything against the four above, but this is shaping as the worst treatment of a potentially long-term valuable asset in the batting order since Mathew Sinclair - and even then Young hasn’t shown any of the rough edges he did. IMO all Young needs is the Bazball treatment and be told to just “go out and play”. Looks to me that the obsession with technique that comes with making yourself into a test opener have consumed him. It will be interesting to see how he is treated post the WI series - where does he stand in the pecking order against the likes of Bracewell and Allen, and even Chapman….?