waiheke1

Crap cricket all round. Poor from Matthews - naive and showing total lack of awareness. But equally I'd be mortified if NZ took a wicket like that.

Absolutely, intense is the right word. Boks deserving world championship, but the ABs could hsve somehow done it with 14 if they'd landed their kicks. Proud of the team. What a game by Du Toit absolutely immense. Nearly matched by Savea who I thought was outstanding. No complaints about the refereeing, thought they were largely excellent and got most things right and there was always a clear explanation. A couple of 50/50s didn't go our way, but that's sport and it's embarrassing seeing the amount of whinging from some fellow kiwis.

I was another that he has several run ins with on here, but still saddened to hear this. RIP John/Speedy Guy/Gustix etc.

Should be a super tight final. Still think the Boks and Ireland are better teams than the ABs right now. But a less physically demanding semi final and extra day for recovery could even things up a little. Been a good tournament, pleasantly surprised to be in the final, really looking forward to next weekend

Any update on whether this autobiography will still be published this year, or any other news? If prior to Christmas, I know what my Christmas reading will be...

Ireland All Blacks was one of the great all time games. The first time I've gone into a world cup knock out game expecting the ABs to lose. Thought they deserved the win, but if Ireland had got over at the end Id have said the same about them. One of those games where you have to have sympathy for the losing team. Ireland still the best team in the world right now I'd say.

78 world final it maybe cost him the title. And cost him probably a silver medal in 81

I think he would hsve done. Scored a max in the world pairs final as well iiirc, and was favourite for the final. Drew two heats in gate 3 which scored only around 19pts all night...always needed a little luck to be world champ, and he never had it.

Fair point ArnieG! That said, I think racers may peak earlier in their careers than gaters

Emil is one of my all time favourite riders, and will go into discussions about the greatest riders never to be world champion. Bur his peak years he was missing from the series of his own volition. Similarly, I wouldn't have sympathy for Darcy if the only reason he missed out was his ban. Agree that at this point, he is, imo, less of a threat to Zmarzlik than the young talent in the series.

Every final in the 80s was missing a genuine contender, with the possible exception of 81. And had at least 4 riders that you couldn't see winning a ride. Zmarzlik as you say is an all-time great - if GPs were present in the 80s, would Nielsen have cleaned up from 83 onwards and we be bemoaning the lack of competition? - but the title went to the last heat. Holder, Bewley and Lambert are improving each season. Woffy reminds me of a post-77 Peter Collins, both he and Doyley would have an outside chance in a one off final, unlikely to be world champion agsin in this format, but are top ten riders. Freddy, Vaculik and Mads capable of pushing Zmarzlik close if they have a great season, though I can't see any of them being world champ. The rider we still miss in this era tbh is Darcy.

Fricke is very unlucky, and deserved a place imo. I can understand going Kubera over Janowski/Dudek, and I think in the past we've seen an unwillingness to seed riders from nations that already hsve 3 representatives. Would have liked to see Becker higher in the reserve list. I'm not as disappointed with the wildcards as others, though obviously would hsve liked (from a speedway perspective) to see Artem and Emil in rather than Lebedevs and Huckenbeck. And while those latter two may be in, at least partly, to give representation to more nations; they will be far more competitive than the continental riders in the world finals of the 80s (Muller excepted of course). And outside the Russians, there is noone who would hsve been fighting for a medal missing from thr series

Thinking outside thr box, but sounds like a terrible proposal tbh!

Well, that was quite a nice effort by the lads. NZs two fastest ever world cup centuries, in the same innings, and breaking our world cup record partnership by a hundred.

It's also why I think Dan and Robert are probably going to be the closest rivals to Zmarzlik in the coming years. Just need to be a little tougher, and mentally stranger in the crunch heats