How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
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@ACT-Crusader said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@mariner4life said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Read isn't Richie. Cut him. Luatua to start the first test.
My blood pressure couldn't take Luatua starting a big test at 8...
Agree, much better option at 6. So frustrating he's leaving while playing so well and there about to be a Kaino sized hole in the ABs.
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@Kirwan said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Agree, much better option at 6. So frustrating he's leaving while playing so well and there about to be a Kaino sized hole in the ABs.
Maybe not.
Kaino was on the TV3 news last night talking about playing through the 2019 RWC - "...dependent on the body and form, but..."
Which will doubless help make @Nepia 's day!
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@Chris-B. When I watched that story I was surprised JK said that with a straight face. Look at all of the tape on his shoulders now, and he is starting to get more injury niggles.
That said, I can fully understand he's not going to come out and say "nah, I'm just hanging on for the Lions series". If Kaino is still playing for the ABs in 2019 he'd be the same age as Brad Thorn was in 2011.
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That would be awesome if they could nurse Kaino through to 2019 ,
Put him in cotton wool for 2 years , offer him a sabbatical , what ever it takes ,
just get him there nice and healthy
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Kaino at 2019 doesn't excite me. He's not very quick now, at his age 2 years is a lot of pace to lose.
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@mariner4life said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
That, right there, is a completely pointless article. Seriously, it adds nothing to the incident, Kev and Bwian didn't even talk about it. Then half of it is from Tana's book.
Jesus fuck this tour can't start soon enough
It matches up with the story of O'Driscoll burying the hatchet some years with Umaga in France. They didn't talk about the incident at the time and moved on.
Put the fucken media couldn't do the same.
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The final word should go to BOD which you can hear here (go right towards the end): http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Rugby_on_Off_The_Ball/188496/Gatlands_2017_Lions__WNR_with_BOD_Woody_and_Gerry
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@antipodean said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
The final word should go to BOD which you can hear here (go right towards the end): http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Rugby_on_Off_The_Ball/188496/Gatlands_2017_Lions__WNR_with_BOD_Woody_and_Gerry
The other guys weren't happy with his reasoned/rational answer, were they? Kept pushing, pushing... and when he wouldn't give them what they wanted, just pretended that he had.
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So with regard to the thread title, Scott Barrett obviously picked up an ankle injury in the game just been. May need to keep watch on that. Luckily PT looks to be in good form as does Romano and in the background there is Bird who will probably freshen up with a bye.
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Bearing in mind the Lions will maul and maul again, and the fact that the Crusaders are the only Kiwi team which appears to know how to (and the Blues are HOPELESS), there is a strong case for Scott B and Luke Romero completing the quartet. Will be interesting to see if the Saders try and maul the Chiefs next week. Big opportunity for Bird to make a statement.
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@pakman said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Bearing in mind the Lions will maul and maul again, and the fact that the Crusaders are the only Kiwi team which appears to know how to (and the Blues are HOPELESS), there is a strong case for Scott B and Luke Romero completing the quartet. Will be interesting to see if the Saders try and maul the Chiefs next week. Big opportunity for Bird to make a statement.
Shit, why not pick the entire Crusaders team and save the selectors any bother?
We get that the Crusaders are the best team at the bottom but 1) the Hurricane s were last year and we didn't​ just pick all of them, and 2) not every Crusader is awesome because the team is.
If the Chiefs roll them next week are we suddenly going to be picking Bird as AB lock?
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Tuipulotu did a poor job defending that first maul try from the cheetahs. But he scored a very good try and he has done well in the black jersey in the past. He also offers more (physical) impact off the bench than the other candidates.
Either way someone is going to be unlucky.
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This weeks Injury Update...
Todd - Concussion testing
Scotty Barrett - Knee & Ankle - "couple of weeks"
NMS - out, but could be back for the Maori game I read
Squire - annnnd, out for 4-6 weeks (busted thumb)
Coles - Is he actually even concussed and not just being kept in cotton-wool?
Kaino - back in 2-4 weeks (from original injury)
Dagg - Back playing club rugby...
Ben Smith - Back in a couple of weeks from Ankle Sprain
Read - out for 6 weeks, fractured thumb (back in time for Samoa test)
Cruden - out with concussion, Chiefs v Reds.
SBW - concussion, return TBC
Lima Sopoaga - imminent returnMost should be back in time, no dramas.
B&I Lions in the meantime, touring with a captain who won't have played since the 6-Nations - probably our captain & hookers fault. Just waiting on the accusations to fly (just kidding, we've moved on haven't we?)
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@pakman said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Bearing in mind the Lions will maul and maul again, and the fact that the Crusaders are the only Kiwi team which appears to know how to (and the Blues are HOPELESS), there is a strong case for Scott B and Luke Romero completing the quartet. Will be interesting to see if the Saders try and maul the Chiefs next week. Big opportunity for Bird to make a statement.
Bird is a very good maul defender. He's got long arms and is pretty effective in getting in the middle to disrupt the drive and put pressure on the back.
I reckon he's lower in the pecking order because he doesn't have the motor that the others have.
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@ACT-Crusader said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@pakman said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Bearing in mind the Lions will maul and maul again, and the fact that the Crusaders are the only Kiwi team which appears to know how to (and the Blues are HOPELESS), there is a strong case for Scott B and Luke Romero completing the quartet. Will be interesting to see if the Saders try and maul the Chiefs next week. Big opportunity for Bird to make a statement.
Bird is a very good maul defender. He's got long arms and is pretty effective in getting in the middle to disrupt the drive and put pressure on the back.
I reckon he's lower in the pecking order because he doesn't have the motor that the others have.
He has shown a lot of motor this year. Has really risen in that regard playing consistently alongside BBBR.
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If I were a selector I'd have Bird ahead of Pat T at this juncture. I suspect Scott Barrett is inked. So for me it would be a straight choice between Romero and Bird.
Will also be very interesting how the exalted Crusaders scrum handles the Chief's all All Black tight five. -
@pakman said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
If I were a selector I'd have Bird ahead of Pat T at this juncture. I suspect Scott Barrett is inked. So for me it would be a straight choice between Romero and Bird.
Will also be very interesting how the exalted Crusaders scrum handles the Chief's all All Black tight five.They may both be AB tight fives but the cap count is a wee bit different. Will be interesting though.
