Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play
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@kiwiinmelb said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@no-quarter said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
While im a jordie fan too and im not disagreeing at the potential of this back 3 , it looks a winner on paper ,
We probably need to see it in a few tests first , correct me if im wrong but we havent seen it yet ?
That is a fair comment, not from memory. Fingers bloody crossed they all stay fit during 2018!
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@kiwiinmelb Was wondering about that, too. The proven best back three IMO is 11. R Ioane, 14. I Dagg, 15. B Smith.
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@crash said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
On the loose forward combo...
I had high hopes for Akira, Blake Gibson and Blade Thomson, but Akira seems to be not quite the finished article - Gibson is a tireless workhorse who punches way above his weight but also maybe undertall for what is required these days and Thomson seems to be continually injured...
I'm hoping Akira makes the grade...@taniwharugby you've created the ferns new word!!!
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Dagg will be returning from another long spell and who knows how these injuries will affect his play? NMS the same. I trust Bender's class to keep him up there. Ioane has shown it only takes one season for an outsider to become a first pick. Mac has put the runs on the board and JB will have to play catchup.
I don't think you can underestimate the work done in camp and if DMac has shown the selectors that not only will he work hard but listen to advice and put his body on the line time and time again that will count for a lot.There is an assumption on here that Harris is only filling a gap as third hooker yet Hansen singled him out for praise. There has to be a reason behind that. They will know stuff from training that we don't. e.g. I don't think anyone here has praised his contribution in some very key late scrummaging efforts. That kind of stuff is game winning.
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Between now and RWC the players have two Super seasons, Two TRCs, one EOYT, a home tour by the French....
that is a lot of rugby before settling on a team.
IMO the one thing that may undo Eddie Jones and England is his (necessary) focus on building a RWC squad. The work he is having to put in will leave little room for latecomers and despite trying not to, he will probably have to start inking players in from the 6N next year.
After this difficult year, what we have, is a much larger group that has gained experience in the AB environment and felt pressure. The coaches have also had to go out of their comfort zone bringing in players they may not have wanted to stretch so early and discovered how to make it work.
I think they will have less qualms on trusting new in form players if the 'old hands' are slowing.
I can see a number of players that could quite possibly not be the number one picks come 2019.
Franks, Coles, Whitelock, Squire, A Smith, SBW, Crotty, Dagg....I'm even wondering about Read.
Not saying all of the above or even a majority, but these are names that it wouldn't surprise me if they don't go to Japan (or do so as second stringers)
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@crucial said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Between now and RWC the players have two Super seasons, Two TRCs, one EOYT, a home tour by the French....
that is a lot of rugby before settling on a team.
IMO the one thing that may undo Eddie Jones and England is his (necessary) focus on building a RWC squad. The work he is having to put in will leave little room for latecomers and despite trying not to, he will probably have to start inking players in from the 6N next year.
After this difficult year, what we have, is a much larger group that has gained experience in the AB environment and felt pressure. The coaches have also had to go out of their comfort zone bringing in players they may not have wanted to stretch so early and discovered how to make it work.
I think they will have less qualms on trusting new in form players if the 'old hands' are slowing.
I can see a number of players that could quite possibly not be the number one picks come 2019.
Franks, Coles, Whitelock, Squire, A Smith, SBW, Crotty, Dagg....I'm even wondering about Read.
Not saying all of the above or even a majority, but these are names that it wouldn't surprise me if they don't go to Japan (or do so as second stringers)
I agree with most of these names, except Sam Whitelock and Read. IMO, Whitelock is as certain as Retallick. Read, only if he falls apart (they're not going to replace a fit captain & there's no reasonable alternative in sight). A Smith, I'm not quite seeing the competition yet (definitely not before 2019), unless Perenara steps up.
You are wondering about Read, I'm wondering about Ben Smith. Just like Crotty, only for health reasons.
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Whitelock should be there, and we would want him there. I just think he may be a candidate for falling by the wayside as wear and tear takes hold.
I guess what I am saying is that there is a lot of time for second stringers to overtake others who have form drop offs due to age/injury combinations.
I hope we can put out a vastly experienced but fit and firing squad in Japan, just being realistic that not all of these guys are going to make it. -
@chimoaus said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@taniwharugby said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@chimoaus is an interesting one, because if he was at centre he plays a more structured position whereas on the wing he gets to roam a bit more, gets kick returns, so if he is at 13 it might not have the same opportunities?
Yeah I agree, if he plays like he did this year I doubt the coaches will want to move him.
Work on in 2020 for 2023 RWC...
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@no-quarter said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
The average age of your best three is just under 24, which is ideal!
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Who are our young and promising locks? There doesn't seem to be too many coming through. Was somewhat impressed with Louisi this year, especially the game he had against the Lions. Apart from him, can't think of any other young lock that has stood out this year.
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@akan004 said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Who are our young and promising locks? There doesn't seem to be too many coming through. Was somewhat impressed with Louisi this year, especially the game he had against the Lions. Apart from him, can't think of any other young lock that has stood out this year.
I thought Louisi was very good actually! Much better than I thought he would be. Quentin strange looks a very good player also but could do with bulking up
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@family-man Yeah, was impressed with Strange on the few occasions he had a run for the Crusaders but he was underwhelming in the Mitre 10 imo. Definitely needs to bulk up considerably. The average weight for a lock at International level is now 120kgs and he looks to be well short of that.
Is there anyone else coming through?
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@akan004 Reckon he is bigger than S. Barrett?
Hard to judge, he has been very good in Super, but seems injury prone. If he had not missed the Lions game we would be smarter.Lousi probably closer, has the size and has also shown the skills in super.
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Not sure we have to look far for a lock. There's no reason why Pat T with a decent season behind him can't step up a touch further.
Not all players are at their best straight off the bat. Look at Romano. Most are happy with him at the moment but he wasn't so convincing a couple of seasons ago -
I really like the cut of Hemopo's gib. But agree he needs to move to 6 ( which I'd be delighted about as the gaping hole at 6 in NZ puts lock depth concerns in the shade).
I also liked the look of young Dickson for Highlanders v Lions. Small sample, didn't notice him during regular season, don't think he got many games but should this year with Wheeler and Ainsley? moving on.
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@akan004 said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Who are our young and promising locks?
Reminds you that having world class locks for NZ is the exception rather than the rule. Having one is rare for us, two is unthinkable.
We could be heading back to the era where there is a carousel of locks and we are regularly monstered in the lineout by TRC opponents.
Ironically the development of quality young locking talent has been a disappointment in the past decade. Yes Whitelock and Rettalick will likely retire two of the best three locks in AB history - but the amount of guys that showed raw talent and were identified early and none go close to their potential Bird, Beckhuis, Donnelly, Hoeata, Ross - even Boric I though had more if not for injuries - which comes with the territory for a lock.
