All Black Squad for Rugby Championship
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Actually, Parsons played against Australia as a substitute last year. IIRC, he was picked ahead of Coltman.
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I know he has a number of detractors here, but I'd like to see Brad Shields rewarded for his constant high workrate. With Luata gone north, I think he is the most Kainoesque in terms of physicality. Look how he smashed the big Lions forwards during the first half of the semi final. His tackling is really impressive. He may have tits for hands once in a game but he won't let the team down if selected.
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@cgrant the big lions forwards? the pack weight was clearly in favour of the hurricanes. now maybe that's because ardie's a giant, but...
luatua is a really big loss. can't help but think he might have stayed if thrown a bit more of a selection bone. -
I can't think of a single AB game where Luatua impressed me. Granted there weren't too many games but I was never convinced. And neither it appears were the AB coaches.
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@Billy-Tell Yeah I feel pretty similar, feel like I've missed something that many others seem to see!
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@reprobate I think Luatua is a big loss, too. But I think the situation with Read at 8 is the same as Ritchie at 7: the selectors want them to be on the field for every one of the 80. So Luatua likely only to start against teams such as Italy, although maybe riding some pine.
For me, Steve's game is not built round being an enforcer (Christ I love it when JK envelops and manhandles chancers who wander onto his patch and try to make yards close to the ruck, e.g. Itoje, etc.). Squire and Ioane seem to have the potential to grow into this role. Shields, maybe, although the wise men have already had a good look.
So can't begrudge SL earning some bucks for a couple of years. Post the RWC he'll be 27, so young enough to return.
Of course it will all turn to custard if, God forbid, Read gets crocked seriously enough to take time out in the test window. In which case, Luatua's departure will be a major shag up! -
@reprobate said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
@cgrant the big lions forwards? the pack weight was clearly in favour of the hurricanes. now maybe that's because ardie's a giant, but...
luatua is a really big loss. can't help but think he might have stayed if thrown a bit more of a selection bone.I agree; this was shown on screen during the first scrum in the Lions v Canes semi (I've added the differences):
Pack weights (in kg): Lions 881, Hurricanes 912 (+/- 31)
Tight five weights (in kg): Lions 576, Hurricanes 595 (+/- 19)
Frontrow weights (in kg): Lions 351, Hurricanes 358 (+/- 7)So both the Canes' second row and backrow were 12 kg heavier than the Lions'.
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@Bones @Billy-Tell do you remember when kaino was first on the scene? debuted at 21, not a regular starter for another 4 years or so?
luatua was a super-talented and very young (22?)guy, who was a bit loose, but had the ability to do things few others can when first picked. then he got dropped for being unfit or whatever it was, and was never given another proper chance - despite being an absolute standout for the blues, tightening up his game, and being one of their few real leaders. brilliant against the lions. a guy with all the skills to stand out in super rugby, and the size and strength to play with the big boys - a big loss precisely because we haven't got to see him at his best in the AB jersey. -
I can't agree more. I see that Reason was arguing (https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/95211847/mark-reason-where-was-the-all-blacks-love-for-growing-number-of-exiles) that Luatua is one example of Hansen being a bit out of touch.
Clocks are right twice a day, because I do think they've fucked up with Luatua. As @taniwharugby says, he's probably just fucking unlucky to be behind Read because he plays his best rugby at 8. However, I think he had the talent to be the next 6 we were loking for - all in all though, I reckon the coaches blew it by not giving him another chance.
Right now, I think he's playing better than Kaino and I'd rather JK was going and SL was staying.
There goes the bat sign at Nepia's, for sure.
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@gt12 said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
I can't agree more. I see that Reason was arguing (https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/95211847/mark-reason-where-was-the-all-blacks-love-for-growing-number-of-exiles) that Luatua is one example of Hansen being a bit out of touch.
Clocks are right twice a day, because I do think they've fucked up with Luatua. As @taniwharugby says, he's probably just fucking unlucky to be behind Read because he plays his best rugby at 8. However, I think he had the talent to be the next 6 we were loking for - all in all though, I reckon the coaches blew it by not giving him another chance.
Right now, I think he's playing better than Kaino and I'd rather JK was going and SL was staying.
There goes the bat sign at Nepia's, for sure.
Luatua was playing better than Kaino for the Blues and was really top notch for them. That said, JK went into full beast mode when he left the 'phone box in his black outfit!
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Don't get me wrong, I still think JK is playing well. I just have a feeling that SL might be able to match it, with another however many years left to get better. When JK came out, he was loose as, but clearly ridiculously talented. I think that in today's market, keeping Luatua (who is also pretty fucking well rounded) in the tent might have been a better bet.
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@gt12 Not sure much between us.
Sad to say, JK won't make the RWC, so his replacement is top priority, and Read isn't that far behind him.
Comes down to money. It seems to me that NZRFU needs to allocate sufficient funding to ensure the no. 2's in each position are paid market rate. Not sure how far it could have gone, but Shag's reaction to SL news suggests a substantial pay rise WAS on the cards if he'd re-signed. -
@reprobate debuted in baabaas game that was. But it wasn't that surprising that he wasn't back on the AB scene for a few years given the quality in front of him from 05-08.
Luatua debuted in 2013 and played 11 tests that year. Started half of them if I recall correctly. That's a pretty decent opportunity in my eyes. Come 2014 Messam was playing better footy and was the mainstay and rightly so IMO. Luatua's opportunities dried up. 2015 the year to forget for Dolph....
I think it's a loss for NZ rugby because losing a player that is just hitting their straps at only 26 is not good for provincial or super rugby. But for the ABs? I don't think it is.
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People are hoping Luatua coulda been a contender, coulda been somebody...
...instead of heaving overseas, which is what he's done, let's face it. It was you, Charley (Piutau then Faumuina...)
Maybe he would have been great. We'll never know...
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@reprobate
What I mean is that the Lions threw the ball relentlessly to their big men (Van Rooyen, 120 kg, Marx, 117 kg, Ferreira 120 kg and Mostert, 112 kg) to punch holes through the Canes defense, and that Shields managed to stop them dead in their tracks, at least during the first half. These men are not exactly punies, aren't they ? -
When are these opportunities that Luatua should have been given? During the Lions tour when he had already signed to go overseas?*
He had worked his way back into the ABs for the EOYT after a drop in form which saw Messam, Squire and Dixon go ahead of him. He then chose to piss off chasing cash. How is that Hansen's fault?- personally i would have picked him for the Lions instead of the injured Squire but based on form not 'giving him a chance'.
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I'm not sure who you are replying too, but I think the argument many were making was that on form, he should have been there for the Lions.
While he went on the end of year tour in 2016, he didn't get many opportunities - not chosen to play against Ireland, but played the full 80 against Italy, wasn't chosen against Ireland, and didn't play against France. He was pretty clearly seen as the back up 8, so I wonder if the message he got was that he's got no path until Read retires. In Hansen's defense, I'm not sure how they could have used him differently, because they clearly want Read to play 80.
He announced he was leaving in February, and was clearly one of the best 6 loosies going around, so I think it's a bit sad that he wasn't chosen for the Lions - on form.
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The All Blacks, minus the Crusaders contingent, head into training camp tomorrow and it will be worthwhile keeping an eye on who is invited as previous get-togethers have thrown out big clues about who the selectors are considering for future selection. This year there is particular relevance as with two games and three tests in November, the All Blacks intend to take 37 players with them to Europe and have a proper look at a handful of emerging players. Presumably the coaches will take the opportunity to bring some of those players on the far range of their radar into camp so they can start the process of embedding them into the systems and game plans. Also, given the intense nature of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will end up having to call in reinforcements from outside their original squad and it pays to have a wider group having had some kind of exposure rather than be thrown in cold. There's also been a couple of departures - and a few more pending - from the squad that was picked to play the Lions, with Charlie Faumuina and Aaron Cruden already in France and Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Malakai Fekitoa making their way after the Mitre 10 Cup.The rest of the article is the usual speculation about which players could be called up. What's interesting to read is that apparently the squad is going into camp tomorrow without actually having been named (unlike last year).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11897722
