Well, hi everyone, welcome to all our readers here in New Zealand & around the world, I'm Whetu Ngapo & you're tuning in to my KiwiAvenger blog here on blogger, but first that I was rewatching the 2006 Super 14 final on April 10th this year on Sky Sport here in New Zealand between the Crusaders & the Hurricanes at Lancaster Park in Christchurch for what was the strangest Super Rugby final ever (But they should've called off the final, then postpone it to the next day, & who's here after Chiefs-Crusaders 2023 as the most controversial final in Super Rugby history? Because of a yellow card by Sam Cane for entering from the side that gifted Richie Mo'unga the penalty goal that wins them their most recent Super Rugby Pacific championship (As well as Anton Lienert-Brown receiving a yellow card & an off-field review for which it stayed as a yellow, for deliberately grasping into Dallas McLeod's head as he was subbed off for a head injury assessment, therefore his final being cruelly cut short (But failed), & then in all of a sudden after the final that Lienert-Brown had copped a 3 week ban (Later cut to a fortnight by attending tackle academy) for his sanctions, therefore missing the AB's opening 2 Rugby Championship tests against Argentina & the world champion Springboks outfit, while O'Keefe had missed an obvious forward pass by the Crusaders that went unnoticed (And after the final that O'Keefe were booed & jeered for his poor decisions that he made which sent the Chiefs crashing down to earth), & after that when New Zealand referee Ben O'Keefe became the victim of online abuse from those angry but overzealous Chiefs fans who acted like mobsters who target & bully a certain individual of showing hostility towards them (Just like English football/soccer referee Anthony Taylor getting assaulted by unruly AS Roma fans after the UEFA Europa League final through appalling refereeing decisions which resulted victory to Sevilla FC, but both Cane & Ofa Tu'ungafasi expressed support to O'Keefe of tracking those abusers down in order to bring them to justice), in which they addressed a zero tolerance abuse approach on social media in which they're cracking down on (And following that it was English referee Wayne Barnes for ruining a great men's Rugby World Cup final that was when we suffered a defeat against the Springboks who were still champions of the world (And after that as they remained as the only side to maintain a perfect record every time they appear in a final of a men's Rugby World Cup with a record 4 wins out of 4 final appearances), after the All Black captain of Sam Cane was the first man to be red carded in a World Cup final (I watched the final, but after a yellow card & an off-field review being shown against Sam Cane for taking Jesse Kriel out of commission that I stopped watching in protest, fearing that Cane could potentially be shown the red card (And Dad alluded to me on the phone after the final that I got over it about me staying calm by not showing signs of both disbelief, & anger), then Barnes got trolled on social media along with former English TMO Tom Foley after the final by those disgraced but hostile AB's fans (Who thought that the winning try by Aaron Smith set up by Richie Mo'unga had been cancelled out by Foley after a knock on in the scrum that ruined us big time of regaining the men's RWC, & our first since 2015 which ended in heartbreak) who were having a red mist about it in which the rugby world is crying red card online (And they're still gotta be a clampdown on poor, appalling behaviour regarding to hate on social media after that infamous World Cup final blowup for what was the strangest men's RWC final ever as well as the most controversial in order to end hostilities asking them to be silent, then respect the officials on that matter there is like that what you every day hear in a day in hell (And our New Zealand fans gave raspberries to both Barnes & Tom Foley following the final), am I right? Just like NZ referee Bryce Lawrence after the Springboks-Wallabies Quarterfinal of the men's Rugby World Cup in 2011 in which he freezes & forgets to blow his whistle that he got abused by the South African fans on Facebook back in 2012, so that's why he quit refereeing therefore refusing to travel to South Africa there as an official to avoid getting booed by the hostile South African crowd just like Michael Brial whose feud against Frank Bunce started in 1992 in an All Blacks tour game against New South Wales where Bunce absolutely clattered Brial in a ruck (Nowadays it would've been a yellow card for foul play being involved), then 4 years later during the Bledisloe Cup test in Brisbane that Michael Brial was involved in a dust up with Frank Bunce in a fraca where he landed 10 punches for that really was disgusting according to the previous blogs that I did, but he never went to New Zealand as a player to avoid getting jeered by our own hostile crowd meaning that Brial's last cap for Australia was in Melbourne way, way back in 1997 in a losing effort against the AB's) because there was poor visibility such as fog everywhere on all sides, left, right & center dubbed as Gorillas in the Mist that the fans can't see properly (And what was the reaction of the crowd? Well, they're stunned, stunned silence...Well there you go, that is a disgrace for Super 14, but obviously...They'll be serious ramifications resulted from that, not least they'll be couple of thousands of people were pretty filthy), especially the players, commentators & TV cameras were in which they had no clue/idea what is going on when at that moment that the Crusaders won the final against the visiting Wellington-based side, the Hurricanes in which the match featured low-lying sea fog that prevented much in the crowd, as well as the TV cameras & commentators from witnessing the action (And back then there was no social media as well as the HIA protocols, players diving off feet loophole, & a no clear release following tackles weren't even introduced, as there was pure raw unmitigated power), as before the final started when the game was expected to be centred on the defence of both sides. The Hurricanes entered the final with an average points-against of 15 against New Zealand sides, the Crusaders were slightly better, with 14. The weather was not building up to be a huge factor, with clouds and rain forecast. The Crusaders had finished the 2006 season at the top of the ladder, and defeated the Bulls to claim the home-final as they were the highest ranked side. The Hurricanes finished the season in second position, and defeated the New South Wales Waratahs to meet the Crusaders in the final. The Crusaders went into the match with no reserve half-back after Andy Ellis went off injured against the Bulls the week before. This meant if starting halfback Kevin Senio was injured, Cameron McIntyre would come on and Dan Carter would move to half-back, the first half saw in one of the opening exchanges, Crusaders wing Rico Gear dropped the ball from a high kick, the resulting play lead to a Hurricanes penalty. David Holwell missed the penalty attempt, it being taken from 30m out and near the touchline. The Hurricanes scored first through a long range Piri Weepu penalty goal in the 12th minute. Dan Carter had an opportunity to level the scores with a penalty kick, but missed as well. Carter did make two penalties, leaving the half time score 6–3 in favour of the home side. Weepu went down several times in the first half and was momentarily knocked out. And when 2nd half commenced, Holwell tied the match up four minutes after the interval, but Carter put the Crusaders back in front with a penalty two minutes later. Holwell was then substituted for Jimmy Gopperth, in what may have been Holwell's final first-class match. Gopperth kicked the Hurricanes' third penalty, once again evening up the scores. The Crusaders struck back though, with a try to Casey Laulala near the right hand upright. Carter converted, put the Crusaders out to a 16–9 lead. Carter then extended the lead out to 19–9 on the 69 minute mark, before Gopperth scored a penalty with ten minutes remaining. The match ended with the Hurricanes attempting to run it out from their own 22, needing a converted try. Reuben Thorne forced a turnover though, and hooker Corey Flynn kicked the ball into touch for the Crusaders' sixth Super rugby title, and first Super 14 title. While about an hour before kick-off at Jade Stadium, an unusual thick fog floated over the stadium. The players and officials were asked whether they wanted to persist with the game, with both parties agreeing that the match should go on, although some speculated it might be pushed over to Sunday. As the sides ran out onto the field the players almost disappeared into the mist. The commentary box could not make out anything on the opposite side of the field from where they were. This forced a commentary split, with the sideline commentator taking up the duties when the play was on the opposite side to the commentary box. Some of the television footage was relatively clear with many camera angles and positions different from a normal game broadcast, though many thought they could have done better with more cameras repositioned to the far side of the field, then the poor visibility prevented much free-flowing play, as players struggled to see one another. Bombs and high kicks created havoc for both teams, with both back lines making unusual mistakes. There were many examples of the ball suddenly appearing below the hanging mist, making it difficult to field many kicks. Overall the crowd at Jade Stadium had a poor view of the match, with most of the south stand turning around to watch the match on the stadium's big-screen. The Sky Sports commentators saw many patrons in the upper levels rushing home or to other establishments to watch coverage on television. Officials admitted that the match would have been postponed if the fog had been any thicker, meanwhile many after the match criticised the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and the Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) for allowing the match to be played in such poor conditions. Former All Black first five-eighth, Grant Fox, defended the decision, citing that the fog came in around 6:30 p.m., around one hour before kick-off, making it a logistical nightmare to attempt to postpone it, but the decision to allow Weepu to continue playing (after being knocked out) also drew criticism from medical experts, including former All Blacks' doctor, John Mayhew. "Get the player off. Assume that his day is over and go on from there. Whether it's a test match or Super 14 final or a rugby league game", Mayhew told NZPA. Hurricanes doctor, Ian Murphy said on Tuesday 30 May that he was unaware that Weepu was knocked out. "By the time I got to Piri out on the field he was conscious and I could not fault him in terms of his responses to my concussion-related questions" said Murphy. Weepu revealed after the match that he was suffering from amnesia, and could recall very little about the final.
And secondly the latest in Super Rugby Pacific as the Crusaders outshone the Blues in dramatic fashion with a match winning penalty goal provided by 'JOC' himself of James O'Connor at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch (That was the day before the Fijian Drua claim the 2nd biggest upset in SRP history as they overpower the New South Wales Waratahs side by 14 points therefore the Drua had to nullify a certain defensive bonus point from the Waratahs who conceded a penalty try at the end which resulted a yellow card against a Tahs player of Joseph Sua'ali'i for being offside in the aftermath of one of his teammates knocking the ball on in their own in-goal area following Kemu Valetini who missed a penalty goal again) which was reminiscent of the Blues-Brumbies one in Auckland with one of the ACT Brumbies players did the same as O'Connor when the Brumbies had to just break a 12 year Eden Park hoodoo against the struggling defending champion Blues outfit, but they lose top spot on points difference to the Chiefs who had a emphatic bonus point win over the Highlanders at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton for which the match took place after the Brumbies (Who had to score the opening try of the game just right on the stroke of halftime from speedster Corey Toole) had defeated Moana Pasifika who had hardly got any points on the board for the entire 80 minutes in hard fought fashion at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe, meanwhile the match between both the Western Force & the Hurricanes had ended in a draw (And they went into golden point, but none of them had fired a shot each during golden point extra time so both sides had shared the spoils altogether, grabbing 2 competition points each), meanwhile in England in the football/soccer department as Liverpool end Man City's lengthy prolonged reign which lasted for about 4 years as Premier League champions for the 2nd time (And that was their first since 2019-20 for which the season was marred by the global COVID pandemic), & for the record equalling 20th time overall in the top flight of English club league football when they clinched it with 4 matches to spare following a comprehensive 5 - 1 win over Spurs at a jubilant Anfield on the 27th of April, in Dutchman Arne Slot's first year with the club when he took over from German Juergen Klopp (The one I saw of him in a Trivago ad on TV) who departed last year (And the loophole change for delaying the game may have prevented Manchester City a 5th consecutive Premier League crown just like last season in which they got fined for almost $3 million for taking too long, or time wasting I should say of having team talks like 22 times as they deliberately came out late for both at kick-off, & before the beginning of the 2nd half, & the changes to the loophole must've helped Liverpool win the Premier League title for the 2nd time during the Premier League era which began way, way back in 1993-94).
And thirdly while I heard some reports or rumours that our New Zealand girls (Like Kelsey Nichols is the most beautiful Kiwi woman I have ever met, but I thought it was my cousin Paige Ahearn (Who I'd like to always see her one day along with her mum Cathey Middelplaats as well as Paige's daughter & Cathey's grand daughter Norah next time when either me & Pops or me, Dad & Raewyn go to Wellington as part of my future holiday plans because it'll have to be 2027 or beyond in the future (And Carole (Who revealed that she's moving back to Auckland in order to see both Andy & Kels since Pops told me on the 16th of April (A day before Dad took me to do a blood test at Medlab which is situated in Whanganui Hospital (And I just had to do a bit of fasting before taking the test (And drinking water is fine, as long as it's not sweet), but after the test that I had a Mocha at a cafe, then I had a butter chicken pie (For by far is my favourite type of meat pie that I had (Compared to me having roast chicken with tabouleh that Carole had made that I had for lunch on the 2nd of May for which was also by far, the best lunch I have ever had for a long time) for breakfast) so she decided to move on from living here but I really going to miss her once she moves out (And this means that we've got Dad, Raewyn & Raewyn's daughter will be here (And if Pops passes away (Mainly due to old age), I'd have to move back in with Dad), so too is Bryan, Viv & Donna) & Pops are heading to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands which is due in October this year as both haven't been there since 2022, so Dad would check up on me while both Carole & Pops are away, & I've got a plenty amount of food that lasts a week altogether (And the Northland one that me, Pops & Carole went in late 2023 was by far the best holiday I have ever experienced of all time (And I had to see Kathryn, Ken, Andy & Kelsey during the holiday altogether), but I much prefer Welly because the reason why I want to go there is for family reasons because of Cathey, Paige & Norah living there altogether) are the most beautiful in the world along with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, South Africa (I thought that country had the gorgeous ladies in the English speaking world along with our NZ women), Sweden & Ukraine, but I much prefer girls such as hot chicks who have blonde hair (But I like brunette, black & red haired ladies, but I prefer blondes), navel piercings, & in bikinis (And I used to like Asian girls back in the day like in the late noughties, but I prefer Caucasian women now).
And finally onto our whanau stuff as I thought my Mum lives in Ruatoria in the East Coast province (For which I haven't been since 1993 where I went with our whanau for my late brother's blessing over there according to me alluding to Pops about something on the 12th of April this year), but it turns out to be Wellington as her hometown being listed (Although she was born in Hirhuharama (For which I haven't been since 2017) which is near Pipiriki that I've been to both towns before) according to her Facebook profile while I saw a picture of me & Mum on Pops phone, but Mum prefers the rural side of it compared to me being the suburban side is my preference.
So that is my 607th blog of the year 2025 (MMXXV) & my 31st of this year, viva Ukraine & Palestine.
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