Bledisloe 2
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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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Akira Ioane and Hames have been called into the ABs camp (together with NMS, Moli and Havili who were part of the original squad). Hames is a logical inclusion due to the fact that Crockett is out. Akira's inclusion is more surprising. Will he be on the bench on Saturday ?
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Blindside flanker Jerome Kaino is still dealing with personal issues. Akira Ioane has joined the squad as cover.
"We are just giving him (Kaino) his own personal space at the moment, so Akira has come in in the meantime," Foster said.
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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 not still in the squad though...
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@Crucial said in Bledisloe 2:
Sad thing is that this could conceivably bring the end of JKs AB career. Not directly due to what he has/hasn't done but because he has opened the door widely for others and if they don't think he has his head in the right place they won't use him.
Yeah I think you're right. They were clearly going to start transitioning in the new guy anyway.
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@Crucial said in Bledisloe 2:
Sad thing is that this could conceivably bring the end of JKs AB career. Not directly due to what he has/hasn't done but because he has opened the door widely for others and if they don't think he has his head in the right place they won't use him.
yeah I thought of that during the game when squire was tearing it up ,
this might be it for Jerome.
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I asked the question right after reading Lions series about what the future held for JK, not because he was out of form, but it was noticeable that there was a drop off in the usual intensity and accuracy that we've seen from him.
He's been an excellent player and getting through the Lions series was reportedly an important milestone given his personal disappointment in not making the 2005 squad.
But Hansen and co have been keen on Squire for a while and whilst he may not have started tests in the Lions series, had he been fit I think he would've been our bench option for sure and someone that could've been a very important piece.
I reckon the transition has probably happened and Squire will be our main blindside throughout the RC.
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