Maori Tour
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I've only been watching since the 45th minute. I wasn't expecting much from the Canadians, but if these are just their home based amateurs then I'm fairly impressed.
Had 67% second half possession just flashed up on screen.
That's about right. I'm impressed with their ability to maintain possession. Not making mistakes within a few phases.
No polish though, unsurprisingly.
I liked Canadian outside backs I saw in 2015 RWC. Van der Merwe and Evans who are missing here.
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Maoris looked a bit rusty but still showed what they got. Was impressed with how they kicked the ball for space instead of running everything but then taking the opportunity when it is on to run. Ngatai was good at the back and Bateman, bring a lot of control and balance. Canada got grinded out slowly as the game wore on but was impressed as they have about 13 players to come back. Questions coming from the game is will they call someone up for Curtis? The rest of the team should stay the same, although rate that Sam Henwood when he came on
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@arhs said in Maori Tour:
I like the form of Ngatai at fullback and Franklin at 6!
Franklin played at 6 for BOP didn't he? I wonder if he could become the lock/6 the ABs are looking for?
Ngatai can play fullback well but I wouldn't waste him there for the Chiefs. He is too important in the midfield.
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Yes he did, and was very effective there. Karpik seems to get physically dominated too often in contact, so this was a good call. Highlanders will need Franklin at lock, but I would still like to see more of him at flank. Expecting big things from Seu though, pushing Fifita and Ioane hard for an AB spot.
Warming to the idea of seeing Ngatai a bit at fullback for Chiefs, as his long and astute punting could be used to great effect there. That might mean McNicol or Nanai-Williams at outside centre, or maybe Fa'auli finds his confidence at Super level?
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@cgrant said in Maori Tour:
@arhs
If Ngatai plays at FB for the Chiefs, than the midfield should be Nankivell (12) / Lienert-Brown (13).If the Chiefs had a player like Conrad Smith in the midfield then Ngatai could move to the back, but we don't. The options at fullback are greater than in the midfield.
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@nepia said in Maori Tour:
@mikedogz said in Maori Tour:
The first five is the son of Émile Ntamack. Only 18 years old.
It's very encouraging that even sons of rugby legends have the 'my Dad is a douche and I'm smiling as politely as I can' expression down pat.
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@rapido said in Maori Tour:
@tewaio said in Maori Tour:
Every time I see Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's name I think of Triple-T, aka TTT, the office linebacker:
I always think of Triple J and twice the T. Which then makes me think of Fenella Bathfield. From some reason I'm not sure if I have them linked.
Maybe she was in their video? Or maybe her after school tv show was where I always saw that video?
Either way. Mmmmm. Fenella.
Amazing to see a ferner have lustful thoughts over someone who isn't Charlie Ngatai on this thread.
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Maori All Blacks team to face the French Barbarians
1 Chris Eves
2 Ash Dixon (Captain)
3 Marcel Renata
4 Jackson Hemopo
5 Keepa Mewett*
6 Tom Franklin
7 Sam Henwood
8 Akira Ioane
9 Brad Weber
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop
11 Shaun Stevenson
12 Rob Thompson
13 Tim Bateman
14 Sean Wainui
15 Charlie Ngatai
16 Liam Polwart
17 Ross Wright
18 Tyrel Lomax
19 Jordan Manihera
20 Dan Pryor
21 Jonathan Ruru*
22 Ihaia West
23 Teihorangi Walden*
http://www.allblacks.com/News/31745/maori-all-blacks-team-to-face-the-french-barbarians
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So Mewett has come in for Hoeata, Pryor and Henwood have swapped starting and bench spot, Garden-Bachop and West have made the same swap, Curtis has given up his starting spot to Stevenson and Stevenson's bench spot has gone to Walden. TTT has given up his bench spot to Ruru.
That means Hoeata, Curtis and TTT are out, and Mewett, Walden and Ruru in. Late addition Paranihi doesn't seem to get any game time.
