All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1
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Anyone else got that lingering doubt about an AB team without a power winger? I thought Reiko was great against a fresh-off-the-boat lions side but they are a different beast now as he found out during the Maori game. Jules was very good against an albeit weaker Samoan sude while Naholo is in terrific form. I always feel those British teams really struggle with big powerful outside backs more so than the deft skillful ones. How big is Reiko anyway in comparison?
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@Rembrandt 1.89m, 102 kg according to the All Blacks' website. cf. Naholo at 1.86m, 96kg.
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Some analysis from a pom:
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@Tim said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Rembrandt 1.89m, 102 kg according to the All Blacks' website. cf. Naholo at 1.86m, 96kg.
Well I have to say that really surprises me. I'd back Naholo every time to run over or drag a couple defenders but I don't feel the same with Reiko. Hopefully my fears are totally unfounded and he has a storming game!
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@Rembrandt said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Anyone else got that lingering doubt about an AB team without a power winger? I thought Reiko was great against a fresh-off-the-boat lions side but they are a different beast now as he found out during the Maori game. Jules was very good against an albeit weaker Samoan sude while Naholo is in terrific form. I always feel those British teams really struggle with big powerful outside backs more so than the deft skillful ones. How big is Reiko anyway in comparison?
Rieko is pretty powerful. For fun, he likes to hold up forwards, to try and call for a maul. At Super level this year, he's broken the line more than Jules/Naholo and makes more tackles.
Also heard someone from the All Blacks camp say he's faster than Beauden and Naholo.. Not sure over what distance though.. I found that surprising.. -
@mimic said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Rembrandt said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Anyone else got that lingering doubt about an AB team without a power winger? I thought Reiko was great against a fresh-off-the-boat lions side but they are a different beast now as he found out during the Maori game. Jules was very good against an albeit weaker Samoan sude while Naholo is in terrific form. I always feel those British teams really struggle with big powerful outside backs more so than the deft skillful ones. How big is Reiko anyway in comparison?
Rieko is pretty powerful. For fun, he likes to hold up forwards, to try and call for a maul. At Super level this year, he's broken the line more than Jules/Naholo and makes more tackles.
Also heard someone from the All Blacks camp say he's faster than Beauden and Naholo.. Not sure over what distance though.. I found that surprising..Agree, he's been the blues best back this year by quite a margin. Made line breaks at will when they were carving up the crusaders (before we changed our game plan in the second half)
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@mimic said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Rembrandt said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Anyone else got that lingering doubt about an AB team without a power winger? I thought Reiko was great against a fresh-off-the-boat lions side but they are a different beast now as he found out during the Maori game. Jules was very good against an albeit weaker Samoan sude while Naholo is in terrific form. I always feel those British teams really struggle with big powerful outside backs more so than the deft skillful ones. How big is Reiko anyway in comparison?
Rieko is pretty powerful. For fun, he likes to hold up forwards, to try and call for a maul. At Super level this year, he's broken the line more than Jules/Naholo and makes more tackles.
Also heard someone from the All Blacks camp say he's faster than Beauden and Naholo.. Not sure over what distance though.. I found that surprising..In the Blues-Canes game earlier in the year he showed himself to be at least as quick as BB when he was gaining on him after a break, so I don't doubt his speed.
I also don't doubt his power, look at one of his disallowed tries against the Lions for evidence - he powered through about 4 of them.
Still, a big ask for the young man in what is a huge test, I really thought they'd go with their tried and tested however I'm not unhappy as I picked Rieko to go ahead of Jules this year or next, he's a special talent.
Other surprise obviously Crotty at 13 where he hasn't played a lot. They must really rate his organsational skills to want to slot him in there. Tough on ALB but he'll provide some good impact off the bench if required.
Otherwise pretty much as expected. Taken Barrett over Romano for hia lineout work which makes sense.
Bring it on!
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@mimic said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Rembrandt said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Anyone else got that lingering doubt about an AB team without a power winger? I thought Reiko was great against a fresh-off-the-boat lions side but they are a different beast now as he found out during the Maori game. Jules was very good against an albeit weaker Samoan sude while Naholo is in terrific form. I always feel those British teams really struggle with big powerful outside backs more so than the deft skillful ones. How big is Reiko anyway in comparison?
Rieko is pretty powerful. For fun, he likes to hold up forwards, to try and call for a maul. At Super level this year, he's broken the line more than Jules/Naholo and makes more tackles.
Also heard someone from the All Blacks camp say he's faster than Beauden and Naholo.. Not sure over what distance though.. I found that surprising..There was a discussion on here after a Blues v Canes game that Reiko might have caught Beauden on one runaway try but he dived too early.
It was pretty much dismissed, coz, Bauden is the fastest EVA. I've taken notice of his speed since then. He's fast.
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Not a bad captaincy prediction here:
@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
11 Apr 2017, 16:29
What about Peter O'Mahony?
Likely starter (imo), captaincy experience, proper hard bastard, etc -
It's obvious that Crotty has been moved out one position to accommodate SBW.
Crotty is an accurate player so I don't have any issues with him at centre. I do think a Crotty-ALB combo would be better.
From what I've seen neither Te'o or Davies offer much deception on attack. They'll be using changes of angles rather than speed of hands/feet to break the line. So SBW will need to be much better on defence than he was vs Samoa.
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