Equilibrium is NOT better than The Matrix, obviously… but is it better than the Matrix sequels…? Well… that is a cat amongst the pigeons situation.

Linebreak Rugby@linebreakrugby.bsky.social · 9h ago

While everyone's in a really good mood about the state of cinema, is this is a safe place to say that Equilibrium is a better Matrix-style movie than most of the Matrix movies? Possibly even including the first Matrix. -CC

Reminded today that Bluesky’s ability to ensure that the worst possible posts end up in my feed, despite my best efforts, really is proof that social media does not require an algorithm to absolutely ruin humanity.

Castore trying to replicate Canterbury’s 2001 Leinster jersey:

Cian O'Ruaidh@cianormo.bsky.social · 23h ago

Oh no. No, no no no no, no no, no NOOOOOOOO no no no. Nope, not at all. No.

Something really weird is going on. Antoine Dupont has started doing his Instagram captions in *French*. What’s more, they’re not weird little non sequiturs any more either. We need to consider that Antoine has been replaced by a doppelgänger is what I’m saying.

“And to emphasise this point, let’s get the fella from Panic At The Disco - who definitely does NOT have Idina Menzel’s range - to sing it over the end credits”

Kieron Gillen@kierongillen.bsky.social · 3d ago

I'm just imagining the composer of Into The Unknown sitting down and thinking "you know what Frozen 2 needs - a big song which even sung properly has haunting atonal properties, so will sound like the energetic murder of cats when kids have a shot, that'll be good, parents won't murder me."

Phil Vickery came into @observeruk.bsky.social recently to be part of an upcoming #SlowNewscast episode. It was extraordinarily moving. We discussed his fears for his future living with probable CTE, his great mate Steve Thompson, and why he would do it all again. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

‘I’ll find out how to kill myself so you can use my brain...

Phil Vickery lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2003 as part of England’s greatest men’s rugby team. Now he lives in fear and confusion for his future

observer.co.uk

Antoine Dupont becomes the first men’s rugby player to have their own signature boot, I think, with the launch of the new Adidas AD9. Ellie Kildunne is the only other player in recent years that had one, to my knowledge, and that was with Canterbury.

The Bear has always been the pinnacle of depicting the pure bliss of stepping outside for a smoke after a hard day’s work, but the penultimate episode might be the apotheosis of the art form. Nothing can compare, honestly.

The WRU board looking back at 145 years of history and success in Welsh rugby:

"To paraphrase 'The Peter Principle', sometimes you have to wonder whether Welsh rugby is being run by smart people who are putting us on. Or by people who have no idea what they’re doing but really, really mean it". By me, for Gwladrugby. gwladrugby.wordpress.com/2026/07/29/w...

Watch Out! The WRU’s About!

This is just a quick skip through two years of the WRU’s leadership of our national game. Twenty four months. Not that long, really, to have crammed in so much chaos.

gwladrugby.wordpress.com

Real fucking sad about Glen Hansard, man. Incredible voice, amazing songwriter, the sort of artist who made it seem like he was pulling these timeless melodies from another place. And, true facts: Falling Slowly is one of the most beautiful songs of the 21st century.

Who would have thought that giving your staff individual traffic targets, thus incentivising them to primarily churn SEO-bait and clickbait articles instead of actually doing good journalism wasn't the winning long-term strategy Reach thought it would be? pressgazette.co.uk/news/reach-m...

Reach moves away from 'volume' as traffic, revenue and share price plunge

Piers North reveals change of approach after disappointing H1 2026 results.

pressgazette.co.uk

The Lions cosplay of this all is getting a bit silly now. I like the return of the tour series as much as the next man, but the idea that it’s “life changing” when the Boks and All Blacks have played each other twice a year every year since the last one is laying it on a bit thick, no?

Brenden Nel@brendennel.bsky.social · last wk.

Dave Rennie made the calls no player forgets. Siale Lauaki, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa and Josh Jacomb are new All Blacks for the tour of South Africa. "Semisi couldn't stop shaking." ▶️ Full press conference on YouTube @brendennel

Could not love this New Balance Waikato jersey more - classic hoops, classic collar without being too retro, rubberised crest: it’s gold.

The WRU hiring criteria for the new chair being "must agree with our terrible idea, even though the last guy got run out of town because of it and it's legally impossible" is such a perfect encapsulation of why rugby in Wales is fucked. Ultimately all they care about is protecting themselves.

Mike Tindall out here giving interviews about R360 like it's something that's still actually going to happen.

Rest in power Lou Koller. The blueprint for a modern hardcore frontman.

"Enjoy" our last episode of the season, won't you? w @joshgardner.bsky.social www.patreon.com/bloodandmud/...

458: boold bum 8 | Blood & Mud

458: boold bum 8 by Blood & Mud on Patreon. Join Blood & Mud's community for exclusive content and updates.

patreon.com

The final pod episode of the season is tonight w @joshgardner.bsky.social . Furnish the replies with your #SHITGOOD offerings to help us along

Ross Moriarty has already showed you the correct way to deal with this sort of thing, btw.

Josh Gardner@joshgardner.bsky.social · 2w ago

Not a great 24 hours for Argentinean teams losing gracefully, you have to say.

If you're getting on a plane in 2026 without some kind of noise-cancelling headphones, that's not that baby's fault, or the parents – that's a skill issue.

Jonny@spacemanjonny.bsky.social · 2w ago

I was on a flight home a few weeks back, hungover and played rugby the day before so generally not feeling great. There was a baby about 4 rows in front having an equally shit time and the guy behind me started complaining about it straight away. About ½ an hour in I could not take it any more...

Not a great 24 hours for Argentinean teams losing gracefully, you have to say.

Imagine getting Kermit the Frog to do your World Cup half time show and NOT get him doing Rainbow Connection?

Has FIFA learned NOTHING from the Ospreys children’s choir debacle?

Let’s not forget that it was Gardner who was on the end of Matera’s legendary, “That’s not respect” rant when Argentina beat New Zealand in the Covid bubble in 2020.

Thala Msutu@thalamsutu.bsky.social · 3w ago

I’m standing and applauding. What drama! Angus Gardner I wouldn’t take any holidays in Argentina if I was you.

Letting yourself get cucked by the TMO like that, Angus Gardner I thought you were better than this.

Angus Gardner says he can’t allow Argentina to get away with it twice in a week.

👀

Thala Msutu@thalamsutu.bsky.social · 3w ago

Wales’ maul defence has been world class today

Tandy and the WRU will probably try to talk up only losing 43-0 today as progress but the shameful truth is that both the weather and South Africa themselves proved trickier opponents for the Springboks than Wales did. Serious, meaningful questions need to be asked about this coaching group now.

Tomos Williams is an impediment to Wales and has been for about 12 months. He is a luxury this team simply cannot afford.