Bledisloe 2
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@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe 2:
Akira has certainly had his battles with his fitness in the past - reading between the lines I don't think he has historically been the best trainer.
But yes he was brilliant on the weekend - he was also hitting a lot of rucks. I'd like to see him given a change off the AB bench.
Has he? When? Feels like he’s getting tarred with the Luatua brush (who did get unfit and was fairly criticised for it).
Akira is usually at the top end of the stats, usually plays 80 mins and his crazy runs are generally in the second half. As were some of his maul heroics in the last year.
All I can think of is that awful article where both brothers were pretty much slandered by some hack, accusing them of having to do remedial fitness in front of Wayne Smith at a Blues training . We now know that he was looking at them for the All Blacks.
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@antipodean best rugby podcast going. Sensational listening.
@Kirwan Yeah probably a bit harsh but just going on interviews theyve given in the past etc. I agree that ferald article was garbage. The fact Akira keeps being invited to camp is a very good sign.
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@NTA said in Bledisloe 2:
1 Sio
2 TPN
3 Alaalatoa
4 Arnold
5 Coleman
6 Hanigan
7 Hooper
8 Timani
9 Genia
10 Foley
11 Rona
12 Beale
13 Kuridrani
14 Speight
15 Folau16 Anyone But Moore
17 Robertson
18 Kepu
19 Douglas
20 Pick One
21 Phipps
22 Hodge
23 KoroibeteAs long as you keep selecting Cheika and the world's funniest 'defence' coach it won't matter how you shuffle things around.
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I'd love to be a fly on the wall at a Nathan Grey job interview.
'So, what is your area of expertise?'
'Defence'
'Can you provide some recent examples of that?'
'Yeah sure. One game in the last 7 with the Tahs my expertise managed to keep the opposition score below 40. I consider that pretty good because normally those kiwi teams ship over 50 on us'
'Gee, that's pretty damn impressive. Do you think you could the same for the Wallabies?'
'What? Have the ABs ship 50+? No worries, you'll be in good hands'
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@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe 2:
@antipodean best rugby podcast going. Sensational listening.
Agreed. Worth listening to.
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So Hames is in. AB depth in the front row is a concern. There is a big gap between Moody and Crockett, and then another one between Crockett and Hames, and then a bigger one between Hames and the next LHP. Hooker is a worry too. There is a huge gap between Coles/Taylor and the rest (Harris/Coltman/Parsons/Funnell). Time to call Aumua in as an apprentice ?
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@cgrant said in Bledisloe 2:
So Hames is in. AB depth in the front row is a concern. There is a big gap between Moody and Crockett, and then another one between Crockett and Hames, and then a bigger one between Hames and the next LHP. Hooker is a worry too. There is a huge gap between Coles/Taylor and the rest (Harris/Coltman/Parsons/Funnell). Time to call Aumua in as an apprentice ?
Why the panic? You need to build players into being as good as the guy they are backing up.
It's only really been this year with the extra experience at this level that Taylor has grown enough that the gulf isn't enormous between himself and Coles. Coles is a freak but Taylor is now quite good and, given experience, I can't see how Harris can't also reach Taylor's level.
Sure if another freakish player comes along that can be added in then fine but we aren't desperate.
Crockett as well is only good from experience. Give someone else that playing time and watch them grow. -
@Bovidae said in Bledisloe 2:
@mimic said in Bledisloe 2:
It will be interesting to see if DMac does learn. He's been making errors all year. It's the way he plays the game.
DMac made less errors than SBW, Read and BBBR in the match.
If you're going to give out..."fewer" errors.
Grammar Nazi I know...
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@Crucial said in Bledisloe 2:
It's only really been this year with the extra experience at this level that Taylor has grown enough that the gulf isn't enormous between himself and Coles. Coles is a freak but Taylor is now quite good and, given experience, I can't see how Harris can't also reach Taylor's level.
Taylor is good and solid. At that level, only some players are truly exceptional. Coles came from being a petulant, loose hooker to one of the world's best. That's good coaching. You're also seeing the coaches investing in the younger players. Liam Squire has come on massively, and I reckon a lot of that is the coaching.
So, we're rebuilding, we miss Charlie, and Ofa better get a lot better soon or we're basically screwed. Could he be the first proper blind spot for the coaches?
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@chimoaus said in Bledisloe 2:
@nzzp said in Bledisloe 2:
So, we're rebuilding, we miss Charlie, and Ofa better get a lot better soon or we're basically screwed. Could he be the first proper blind spot for the coaches?
Dixon?
He's gone.
Ofa has been around for ages. I think the problem is probably a lack of better options though.
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@antipodean said in Bledisloe 2:
@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe 2:
@antipodean best rugby podcast going. Sensational listening.
Agreed. Worth listening to.
Great stuff. What stage of grief was that? White hot fury?
Something I do have an issue with is this complaint that the players don't have heart. I don't believe that. I think they trained the hardest they could and genuinely gave it all out there. They simply aren't good enough, skilled enough or coached well enough to compete on an even footing. You'd think after 6 weeks in camp these guys would be pretty slick and familiar with eachother, but there was no evidence of that on Saturday.
Running up hills holding hands or carrying logs makes compelling viewing, but you can put the greatest Spartan warrior team of all time against a half-decent rugby team and they'll still get destroyed. The basics aren't there, nor are the tactics or structure.
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The guys on rugger matrix ( Aussies ) are critical of cheika in his tactical approach,
They say his answers are all about fire and brimstone , we have to play like mongrel dogs etc , but very little nous .
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