How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
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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.
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@pakman said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Will also be very interesting how the exalted Crusaders scrum handles the Chief's all All Black tight five.
Definately the best 2 forward packs in the country, really looking forward to this battle. We wont be able to bully the chiefs pack like we did to Savea and co
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@pakman Hard to know what Hansen is thinking about his back-up locks, but I've been impressed with Romano coming off the bench this year and I'd pick him as my third choice.
That would leave Tuipolotu, Barrett and Bird fighting for the final spot - maybe in that order, but maybe not.
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I would be very surprised if Barrett or Bird was selected ahead of Pat T. They don't play the same role as him - the balance of two starting locks and two impact locks in the squad has worked well and I expect them to continue with that.
Bird and Barrett will be relying on an injury to Whitelock or BBBR to have a shot IMO.
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@No-Quarter said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
I would be very surprised if Barrett or Bird was selected ahead of Pat T. They don't play the same role as him - the balance of two starting locks and two impact locks in the squad has worked well and I expect them to continue with that.
Bird and Barrett will be relying on an injury to Whitelock or BBBR to have a shot IMO.
The other part of the equation is Squire. We did see our two starting locks play 80 minutes last year and had Squire and Ardie on the bench for impact.
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@No-Quarter said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
I would be very surprised if Barrett or Bird was selected ahead of Pat T. They don't play the same role as him - the balance of two starting locks and two impact locks in the squad has worked well and I expect them to continue with that.
Bird and Barrett will be relying on an injury to Whitelock or BBBR to have a shot IMO.
Have to disagree here. I will be highly surprised if it's not BBBR, Whitelock, Barrett and Romano selected. Tuipolotou has not had a great season to date, and Romano is doing a similar type role very well, his best season ever imo. Bird had his AB chance and totally fluffed his lines: yes, he is playing well now, but you would have to drop a player playing well and who has fronted for NZ, in order to give Bird another chance. Don't see it happening.
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@Billy-Tell said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@No-Quarter said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
I would be very surprised if Barrett or Bird was selected ahead of Pat T. They don't play the same role as him - the balance of two starting locks and two impact locks in the squad has worked well and I expect them to continue with that.
Bird and Barrett will be relying on an injury to Whitelock or BBBR to have a shot IMO.
Have to disagree here. I will be highly surprised if it's not BBBR, Whitelock, Barrett and Romano selected. Tuipolotou has not had a great season to date, and Romano is doing a similar type role very well, his best season ever imo. Bird had his AB chance and totally fluffed his lines: yes, he is playing well now, but you would have to drop a player playing well and who has fronted or NZ, in order to give Bird another chance. Don't see it happening.
Depends on the makeup of the squad I guess. If they want three 'starting' locks then they'll probably take Barrett over Pat T. But if we're talking about bench impact then it's Pat T all day long. Hard to compare them as they bring a different skill set to the table.
Agree on Bird, as mentioned above he would be down the pecking order behind Whitelock, BBBR and Barrett, and is not competing for the same spots as Romero and Pat T.
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Who is this Romero chap whose name I've seen bandied about, man we got some depth at lock!
