Field Theory: Four Years Ago
262 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 6 7 8 9 10 11 Newer→ Last
-
Sacha, in reply to
ferries FTW. This city needs more of them
Hence Joyce cutting govt funding for expanding them, including shore infrastructure.
Like the new harbour bridge pedestrian clip-on, I guess ratepayers can stump up instead (including a PPP premium). Heaven forbid truckers should pay their share of our transport network though.
-
Meanwhile, in Wellington...
Don’t sing in the railway station – it’s banned because of the Rugby World CupBecause of the rugby rules, you won’t be allowed to sing or play a musical instrument in either of these areas, or in part of Bunny Street which is sinisterly branded as a “clean zone”.
The city council will be sending staff into the streets to say “move along” to anyone who might be seen or heard making music in the wrong places.
-
Tangental to the way the topic is running.
Can someone explain to me what the most common reasons are for getting penalised in a ruck or maul? Wikipedia is some help, but much of the time I can't work out what the referee sees to make him blow his whistle.
-
BenWilson, in reply to
That strikes me as one which could be mocked so easily. Every single person going through it should make a point of singing as loud as they can. Try and stop Poms on their way to a game singing!
-
Jackie Clark, in reply to
Clearly, you and I need to go to more adult parties, at the same time. I wasn't even aware that smoke was something you did.
-
Sacha, in reply to
You need to rub him the right way #badoomtish
-
Rich Lock, in reply to
They shit on buses and trains - you can get up and wander round, get a coffee or a snack, or a beer or wine even (on the way home I hope). The infrastructure needed is not great (and usually is a nice place as well, widely used for other purposes). More!
They are also far more cycle-friendly than buses or trains. There's plenty of space for the bikes, and the ferries come equipped with bike racks or hanging hooks to keep them out of the way. There are no significant issues with loading or unloading bikes, they can just be wheeled on or off and then through the terminals. My anecdata suggests usually about a dozen cyclists or thereabouts on each of the main commuter-times ferries. From the look of them, the ferry journey is a mid-point in what could be quite a reasonably long road trip at one or both ends.
-
BenWilson, in reply to
True. A vital link if you are from the Shore and want to cycle to work, and are just too soft to take the Upper Harbour Highway. Or too sane.
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
I’m reasonably confident that the transport system could have coped with either getting 60,000 people to and from Kingsland or getting 200,000 people to and from the city centre.
Well, yes and no. It would have been a lot easier if 1) a lot of people were willing to hang out at Eden Park all day and/or 2) the opening ceremonies had been held on Saturday and a fairly substantial bus fleet dedicated to school runs would have been free(-ish).
-
Can someone explain to me what the most common reasons are for getting penalised in a ruck or maul?
For tackles and rucks:
If it’s them, it’s because they’re lying on the ball/tackler preventing us from securing it.
If it’s us, it’s because the ref made a mistake (or Richie has performed one of his 'optical illusions').For mauls:
Usually collapsing it or not binding fully.See the IRB laws site for the laws and video examples, but don’t expect to see them applied consistently in practice.
-
Key now says govt "not interested in finger pointing" - despite doing little else since Friday, and unable to see the irony in this:
Asked if Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully was wrong not to apologise he said no. "Party central worked perfectly".
The Government had responsibility for The Cloud the police and the opening ceremony.
Most got to the game but a small group did not. Key said he was more than happy to apologise, but responsibility was with the delivery agents in Auckland.
Joyce and McCully have been beavering away quietly with the Auckland Council folk over the weekend, apparently.
-
Ian Dalziel, in reply to
RWC - Rugby With Consequences...
Meanwhile, in Wellington…
Don’t sing in the railway station – it’s banned because of the Rugby World CupWhat next...
Sorry Pet, ya can't do that either...
and a couple for Auckland... -
DexterX, in reply to
The busker ban is incredibly short sighted and dull.
-
Marcus Turner, in reply to
Thanks. That consistency does seem to be a problem, and the extent to which there's room for interpretation.
I'm trying to answer questions from my offspring ....
-
Just a thought - As a matter of contrast - I think with Clarke as Prime Minister we would right now likely be delighted as the approach to RWC (and the opening) would have been to under promise and over deliver. This would have been achieved by an attention to detail and Clarke's office keeping things in check.
Contrast this to Key's approach, which appears, photo opportunity first and everything else a very distant second. I felt in Key's short opening speech he sounded drunk and meaningless and presented as an embarrassment.
To my mind, from the way they both present themselves, neither John Key nor Len Browne have the cognition or wit to deal effectively with the roles they presently hold.
-
DexterX, in reply to
Playing pin the sorry tale on the Donkey???
-
Geoff Willmott, in reply to
Marcus - I think the easiest way to learn tackle/ruck is to think in terms of the chronological order things happen.
If a 'tackle' happens (=ball carrier brought to ground by an opponent), then:
1. Any opponent who brought that player to ground must release that player and/or roll off him. Infringements occur when an opponent wants to slow the play down, or when they think they have complied but haven't
2. The ball-carrier must release or immediately play the ball (place it or pass it, not get up again unless he is 'not held' by an opponent) Infringements typically occur when an opponent is doing everything right, tugging on the ball, and the tackled player is 'holding on'. c.f. Heinrich Brossouw
3. Everyone arriving has to do so from the direction of their own goal line, i.e., not in the side [Exception: any 'tackler', who brought the ball-carrier to ground AND went to ground themselves, can come from any direction] Infringements typically occur when a team is going backwards quickly and a player takes a short-cut
4. Everyone arriving is supposed to support their own weight on their feet. Infringements are very frequent because there is often a fine dividing line or you can't help falling over, and generally the lower your body position, the better you do in the contest
5. Once a 'ruck' is formed (= at least one player from each team on their feet in contact over the ball on the ground), players are not allowed to use their hands, and anyone not involved has to get back behind the offside line.Once a 'maul' forms (= ball carrier + at least one player from each side in contact on their feet), there are 4 likely reasons to blow the whistle
- intentional collapse of the maul = penalty
- players joining the maul from the side instead of the back = penalty (see 3 above), or similarly, players standing in front of the offside line (like 5 above)
- obstruction. This occurs when the ball-carrier's team break away from the maul with a non-ball-carrier in front ... usually ruled accidental (= scrum) and known as 'truck and trailer'
- ball not emerging. If the ball is locked up, not coming out and the maul isn't going anywhere, then the team who didn't take it in gets the feed to a scrum. This also applies to mauls which have collapsed unintentionally.When the whistle is blown, it can most often be explained by the offences above, although you will see plenty of times these things aren't blown up because the offence wasn't material to the contest.
-
Hilary Stace, in reply to
That's sad. I wonder where that man playing the er hu will go, or those very talented music students who often busk in the tunnel.
-
3410,
I have to say, the coverage of the actual games has been decidedly average.
How is it that - in 2011 - we don't have a second angle of that Welsh penalty? Also, when super-slo-mo has been around for a few years now, they don't seem to have even normal slo-mo. And no rail-cam either. It all looks kind of ten years ago.
-
Marcus Turner, in reply to
Thanks Geoff. Some of those things I had a good grasp of; others, I'll watch out for later in the week.
I suppose a referee has to go through all your paragraphs in the blink of an eye, and it's not surprising that confusion occurs.
-
he sounded drunk and meaningless
I've been assured this is just how Key sounds independent of any actual imbibing of the latest JK vintage.
Meanwhile, one elements of a compliant media buy the line that chaos is all the Auckland Council's (and more specifically the mayor's) fault.
-
Have finally watched all the games now, I conclude that the spread in skill levels between top and bottom has indeed reduced a lot. Only Italy didn't score a try, and even then, only because of bad luck, their pushover had an unlucky spill out. Awesome tournament so far. Strikingly good performances from Romania, Argentina, and Wales. Very promising work from Japan, USA. Tonga had a great game. Solid performances from most of the favorites, making the best of lengthy ball denials, in most cases only running away at the very end. Some good looking running play from Ireland, Scotland and France. Grinding (but to my eyes dull) professional play by England and South Africa. Only Ozzie and NZ played as they always do, hard, fast, interesting rugby, crushing lesser teams with dynamic back play and excellent forward defense.
But everything can change so fast. I think all teams will grow during the tournament.
ETA: I left out the excellent improvements made on previous form by Namibia, and exciting play by Fiji......too many games now, have blurred....Also, I was busy making sure my house hadn't been destroyed by a freak tornado at the time.
Looking forward to seeing what Samoa, Canada, Georgia and Russia have to offer.
-
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
There's a huge element of luck to these things.
The train stations were closed around Hyde Park at 10pm after the Live 8 Concert in London in 2005 causing a bit of a major also.Several hundreds of thousands had no transport that night too. T'was a bit of mayhem. I think after a lot of walking we found one open.But at least it was finished and not yet to begin :)
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Meanwhile, one elements of a compliant media buy the line that chaos is all the Auckland Council’s (and more specifically the mayor’s) fault.
PS. That was before Len Brown was elected, too.
-
the coverage of the actual games has been decidedly average.
We don't have interactive in NZ?
Post your response…
This topic is closed.