NZ Form XV after round 6
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Yeah, based on the limited opportunities Dixon got last year, he seems like a bit of a placeholder to me, in the squad until someone like Ioane, Seu or Fifita steps up. If Messam keeps playing as well as he has, I wouldn't be surprised to see him take that spot, as he's proven he's up to it if anything happens to Kaino and Hansen seems like he's a fan of him.
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@Bovidae said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
I'm not certain that Dixon makes the AB squad. He also isn't guaranteed to start for the Highlanders each week with Whitelock and Squire in the mix so might not get as many opportunities to impress.
Same could be said for SBW who hasn't played in a million years and who has Moala and Ioane in the midfield ahead of him.
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@MN5 Taking your comment seriously, the current coaching group are huge SBW fans - they confirmed they were going to bring him straight back into the ABs Rugby Championship squad last year after the Rio Olympics before injury struck.
I'm not sure SBW has ever missed an AB squad when fit and available for selection.
Of the 3 Blues midfielders you mention SBW is by far and away the most likely to be in the AB squad for the Lions series (fitness permitting).
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@KiwiMurph said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@MN5 Taking your comment seriously, the current coaching group are huge SBW fans - they confirmed they were going to bring him straight back into the ABs Rugby Championship squad last year after the Rio Olympics before injury struck.
I'm not sure SBW has ever missed an AB squad when fit and available for selection.
Of the 3 Blues midfielders you mention SBW is by far and away the most likely to be in the AB squad for the Lions series (fitness permitting).
Yeah I know but he hasn't played rugby for over a year and isn't getting any younger. The man love they have is pretty over the top.
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@MN5 The last game he played test rugby he had arguably the best bench performance at a World Cup of any player ever. He's 31. It's been shown time and again that midfielders can play outstanding footy in their 30s (Nonu, Conrad, Bunce, JDV, BOD etc), sometimes their best. Heck two years ago Nonu had the best season of his career and he was older than SBW is now.
I'm not saying he's a shoe-in to start the tests but they'll likely need a number of midfielders in the squad.
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@KiwiMurph said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@MN5 but comparing Elliot Dixon, a 3 test AB who hasn't shown a thing (and hasn't had much of an opportunity to) to NZ's most experienced midfielder who has shown he is world class is fine?
It's the interweb I can say what I want.
All I'm doing is pointing out that SBW leads a pretty annointed life in the eyes of AB selectors. Let's not forget he never broke up the Nonu/Smith pairing no matter how he tried.
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@MN5 said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@Milk said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@MN5 Arguably he did... the last time he played
True. It was a nice offload, all Nonu had to do was beat four defenders. The rest was all SBW.
He broke up the partnership when they decided to sub Conrad Smith at half time when he wasn't injured.
Besides, it was mainly in jest. I tend to agree he enjoys a lot of faith from the selectors. I've got no doubt he'll be straight into the squad if he's injury free.
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@Milk said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@MN5 said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@Milk said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@MN5 Arguably he did... the last time he played
True. It was a nice offload, all Nonu had to do was beat four defenders. The rest was all SBW.
He broke up the partnership when they decided to sub Conrad Smith at half time when he wasn't injured.
Besides, it was mainly in jest. I tend to agree he enjoys a lot of faith from the selectors. I've got no doubt he'll be straight into the squad if he's injury free.
I know. I'm not taking this thread too seriously either and yes, he'll be picked. No doubt.
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like it or, these coaches have earnt themselves a bit of wiggle room when it comes to playing favorites, more often than not, it works.
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@taniwharugby said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
like it or, these coaches have earnt themselves a bit of wiggle room when it comes to playing favorites, more often than not, it works.
It's also important to remember the way these selectors like to pick their match 23 for the big games and when they aren't trying to just give a squad member experience.
They don't use the silly 'finishers' term but they do like to inject weaponery that can exploit tiring defences eg BB before he grabbed the 10 jersey and SBW. I think the likes of Dixon and Fifita also fit that view as does Charlie F and TJP.
I think it's also a reason they look past DMac's size. If they can use him in the previous BB bench role they have both cover at 10 and someone that can pull magic out of a hat in the last 20.
SBW fits the plan perfectly as most opposition teams don't have specialist midfield cover so when he comes on the tiring defence suddenly has to up their game mentally and physically and concentrate on their area of the field without being able to help out elsewhere as much.
It's all about wearing down defences to create weak areas then exploiting them and cracking it. -
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@Crucial said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
I think it's also a reason they look past DMac's size. If they can use him in the previous BB bench role they have both cover at 10 and someone that can pull magic out of a hat in the last 20.
I think it's because they forget Ben Blair...
@Bovidae said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@Crucial You could make an argument for Squire providing impact off the bench but I don't see Dixon filling that role.
Agreed. Dixon is the type of player you'd want to start IMO. Particularly given he's a real lineout option rather than "a tall flanker".
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@Bovidae said in NZ Form XV after round 6:
@Crucial You could make an argument for Squire providing impact off the bench but I don't see Dixon filling that role.
Yep, probably got those guys the wrong way around. Squire is the more dynamic of the two.
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