Live Blogs
Live Blogs
The 2016 test season was the first where I got to keep people updated with action from games while they were going on. Long story short: I learned how to type really fast. As well as that, it's been really fun dropping pop-culture references in as often as possible.
Originally published Nov 6, 2016 for RNZ
All Blacks vs Ireland - Soldier Field, Chicago
Here's what the most famous rugby moment of 2016 looked like on my live blog:
10:58 - TRY IRELAND! THAT'S IT!
11:00 - Robbie Henshaw scores for Ireland off the scrum! Incredible, everyone thought they'd just hold they ball at the back, instead they got a quick feed and fed the second five, who crashed over. This is history being made people. Sexton converts and it's an unassailable 40-29 to Ireland.
11:03 - Start pouring the beers, there's going to be a party in Chicago tonight. Penalty to Ireland, into the grandstand it goes and IRELAND HAVE BEATEN THE ALL BLACKS.
Originally published Nov 27, 2016 for RNZ
All Blacks vs France - Stade de France, Paris
The All Blacks last test of the year was a bruising affair, here's a bit of the pre-game build up:
It’s fair to say that the build up to the test this week has been completely overshadowed by the fall out from the All Blacks’ brutal vengeance on Ireland last weekend. You can read about what I made of the match’s undoubted physicality here, but chances are you’ve already heard ad nauseam what the Irish and anyone else with an axe to grind against NZ rugby has had to say. It got pretty tiresome after about Tuesday, which is when the first look at the All Blacks new alternate jersey came out. The response has been mixed, to say the least.
One thing is for sure though, the All Blacks are going in heavy favourites for this game. That’s in no small part to the recent history between the two sides, have a look at the absolute chamber of horrors the All Blacks put France through the last time they met.
Originally published Oct 9, 2016 for RNZ
All Blacks vs Springboks - Kings Park, Durban
The biggest hiding the All Blacks dished out was a challenge to keep up with, especially since they did it all over the period of about 15 minutes in the second half. However, I couldn't resist a dig at the TMO:
04:56 - TRY ALL BLACKS. Retallick crashes over from the maul...maybe. We're going upstairs again.
04:56 - Well if they gave the last one then this should be an easy decision.
04:58 - This Scottish TMO talks like a government department recorded phone line.
04:59 - NO TRY. Read and Whitelock are found to have been obstructing. Steyn boots the penalty into touch and that's halftime. 12-9 All Blacks.