Jamie Wall

Today marks exactly 100 years since the first ever All Blacks v Springboks test, played at Carisbrook in Dunedin. It was the start of the most heated and controversial rivalry in rugby, on and off the field. Read about all of it in my book The Hundred Years’ War:

@PronouncedHare @Haimonaetc Is it 'it's football not soccer' time of the year again

Wellington is not “uninterested in sports”, but Wellington is full of people who won’t support the local team because they’re actually from Christchurch or Waikato or Auckland. Hard to build a fan base for a new team when most of the city hails from another (NZ) town.

@martindevlinnz @aleaguemen @fc_auckland @ThePort_AFC How can you lit up in black

Dear Skytower, On a night like tonight, @aleaguemen final @fc_auckland @ThePort_AFC Why aren’t you lit up in blue & black?

Tupou Vaai’s at it again

If you haven’t found the New Zealand Provincial Rugby YouTube channel yet, do yourself a favour and have a look. First time I’ve actually seen a replay of this try by the criminally underrated Brad Fleming from 2000:

@WSCupCricket Really it should be Healy's Law since he's the 'victim' here

This is why runners are no longer permitted. It should be officially named Arjuna's Law

NPC rugby at its most glorious, 90s best 📺: YouTube New Zealand Provincial Rugby

Absolutely first rate medical attention here too

Rugby highlight of the weekend:

RIP Scott Hastings, who scored this try against the All Blacks at the 1995 World Cup. Fun fact is that while the final score was 48-30, the try and his brother Gavin’s conversion meant Scotland equalled the record at the time of highest total conceded by the All Blacks. That was then broken a year later, again by Scotland in a 62-31 loss in Dunedin. Sad fact about is that with Scott’s passing, three of the try scorers in this game (along with Doddie Weir and Jonah Lomu) are no longer with us. 🇳🇿🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Incredible scenes at Bristol yesterday, as Gloucestershire opened with two nightwatchmen to protect Ben Charlesworth, who was on a king pair Both of them got out and Charlesworth completed his king pair anyway

Vern Cotter when asked about Beauden Barrett’s current form:

How good’s club footy

@CharlieFelix This could be the game that reverses the narrative around which comp has poor defence* * almost certainly not though

This can be the game that changes the Prem’s try bonus-point system, at least.

Time up, tries to kick the ball out, fails… Chiefs ended up scoring another try after 2 more mins of play

@FreemanrugbyJPN Rich check your DMs please

Eddie Jones suspended from Brave Blossoms duties for 6 weeks (from April 24 to June 5) & handed pay cut following incidences of verbal abuse against local match officials during Japan U23 tour of Australia in April Misses 2 games vs HK China, 1 vs Maori All Blacks & 1 vs Italy

Looks at this absolute bullshit from Auckland Prem grade, water boy impedes a quick throw in and gets floored

@SquidgeRugby Finally

Tonight, a video I've been wanting to make for ages, on a rugby story that remains far too under-told. Here's your hint:

Great chat with John again, looking forward to taking him for a beer in Wellington when the Canes host the final

Sad day, never had a bad result in Red Square

@JoelMacManus Hmmm, not quite given that North Harbour was originally part of the Chiefs. Maybe after they settled on the boundaries that got rid of that discrepancy, but keep Counties in the Blues region, also the last shift that saw Taranaki join the Chiefs from Canes.

The case for Super Rugby-based regional councils. The perfect map for regional government already exists. It was drawn by a rugby administrator in 1995. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/11-05…