Point: Ongoing speculation on the All Black coach for the last 18 months has added a new dimension to the game and its fans.
Counterpoint: It would be preferable to punch yourself in the balls every day upon waking.
Point: Examining all the benefits and risks of continuing Sir Graham Henry and Steve Hansen’s template of success through into the Foster era, or embracing the brash, modern style of Scott Robertson’s Crusaders team is crucial.
Counterpoint: An eternity in Hades watching the Sky rugby show is more appealing.
Point: To be the best requires a robust process of reviews and debate over a long period of time, rushing important appointments leads to bad decisions.
Counterpoint: I have seen more dynamic glaciers.
Point: Our coaching stocks are the envy of the world, and the global network of code fans has been fully invested in future direction of the All Black’s leadership group.
Counterpoint: Please. People in Toulouse openly laugh at us in the street.
Point: Injecting the experienced Joe Schmidt into the mix and kind of making him decide who should be the next coach and then kind of not and then just hoping it would all go away was a masterstroke.
Counterpoint: Clown cars are more organised.
Point: Things get really exciting when we start talking about the forwards coach or assistant coaches.
Counterpoint: Who hurt you?
Point: New Zealand’s sporting media has been allowed the time and space to examine all the issues around the coaching make up and contributed to the nation’s clear thinking.
Counterpoint: When global warming forces my family to live on a roughly fashioned raft made of pallets at the Pacific Ocean’s mercy, it’s the trees sacrificed to print this poe-faced and wholly unnecessary commentary I’ll mourn most of all.
Point: When the time comes, it’s important to move quickly. Going from board presentation to appointment to signing a contract to fronting media an hour later showed leadership and decisiveness.
Counterpoint: I’m sorry, that was simply a bit weird.
Thanks for reading - Richard
This week's best NZ sport content
A history of New Zealand drug cheats, from balding cures to brazen discus throwers [Sportsfreak]
Their account is poignant. It details the vivid diminution of a high-achieving person. The sad fact is that it is not unique. Many stories have already been told of rugby stars who believe the sport they loved contributed to their dementia, and there will be many more to come.
What elevates their story is that they fought the system and won. It’s a significant victory, though in some ways a hollow one: Wyllie will eventually die with no idea as to the significance of his case, or how many people might benefit from his trailblazing.
Dylan Cleaver with an important landmark in the CTE / rugby story [Spinoff]
Sport Review still dreams of the time it took two wickets and a run out in an over against a Huntly school team, so imagine how this kid that took six will feel in the future [RNZ]
Every sport needs more referees - Natasha Ganley and her colleagues are hoping the boosted interest in women’s rugby will also bring more officials into the game [Locker Room]
How Cyclone Gabrielle is set to divide East Coast rugby this season [NZ Herald]
Video nasty
Long read
Phenomenal read on Premier League referees, from the soaring pressure of making career changing decisions in front of thousands of people to the mundanity of motorway services breakfast buffets [Guardian]
Recommendation
If you only know Brett Goldstein as Ted Lasso’s angry, sweary Roy Kent, you’ll be surprised to learn he’s also a laid back, wry film nerd podcaster - Films To Be Buried With is highly recommended [Apple podcasts]
Bring back the gif
When it starts getting cold.