AB Positions up for grabs
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@rapido said in AB Positions up for grabs:
I'm. bit worried that BOTH Jordie and DMac look like they won't be playing fullback this year at SR level.
Personally I'm not down with the Jordie for 12 thing.
The gaping hole is at FB.
I love the idea of Jordie at 12 or even 13. He’s a natural creator. That extra height no doubt helps with his vision in the attacking line.
He’s a much stronger front on tackler than a cover the ground type.
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@chris-b said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@nepia Yeah - though when I think back to the days of our lineout throwers (Anton, Kev) being rubbish it was when we had Williams and Jack as primary lineout targets and Richie, Jerry and Rodders all being a bit short.
Shift to having Kaino and Read in the mix (and Retallick and Whitelock as tall locks) and suddenly the lineout's a weapon and one that I'd be reluctant to compromise much.
At least if he's paired with Read, we'd still have three good targets.
Something that you hear a lot in the NFL (although more for edge rushers than for anything resembling lineouts) is 'length'. So the 9cm he's giving away on height might turn into 12-15 in a lineout depending on the difference in reach, or might be less if one or other has unusually long/short arms.
I must admit I do wish that rugby had the same measurement fetish that NFL (you can't be a great quarterback if your hands are less than 9 1/4 inches!) and US sports have because these debates about height become a bit tiresome when there isn't an authoritative source.
On topic though, I agree that Taufua probably doesn't quite have the physical tools to be a consistent AB starter, but does look an ideal candidate for a bench impact loosie.
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@cyclops Yeah - I think every inch and kilo matters.
In the US, where I guess they've got literally millions of kids to choose from they can no doubt focus on getting the perfect physical specimen. Ours are naturally thinned out to a pretty small number due to lack of interest, dedication, aggression, etc.
I'd imaging every NPC team would be rapt to have a few locks of Brodie Retallick dimensions, but those guys are like hens' teeth in NZ.
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@act-crusader said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@rapido said in AB Positions up for grabs:
I'm. bit worried that BOTH Jordie and DMac look like they won't be playing fullback this year at SR level.
Personally I'm not down with the Jordie for 12 thing.
The gaping hole is at FB.
I love the idea of Jordie at 12 or even 13. He’s a natural creator. That extra height no doubt helps with his vision in the attacking line.
He’s a much stronger front on tackler than a cover the ground type.
So being tall gives a backline vision ? Based on this logic the Welsh team of recent memory should be the most creative of all time.
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@mn5 said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@act-crusader said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@rapido said in AB Positions up for grabs:
I'm. bit worried that BOTH Jordie and DMac look like they won't be playing fullback this year at SR level.
Personally I'm not down with the Jordie for 12 thing.
The gaping hole is at FB.
I love the idea of Jordie at 12 or even 13. He’s a natural creator. That extra height no doubt helps with his vision in the attacking line.
He’s a much stronger front on tackler than a cover the ground type.
So being tall gives a backline vision ? Based on this logic the Welsh team of recent memory should be the most creative of all time.
Height is meaningless if all the vision they have is tunnel vision.
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guess this could go in here, with AB coaching positions...
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Spectacular results?? You mean business as usual. Hard to frame Gats taking us to a new level. At this stage I reckon I'd prefer Schmidt out of the coaches currently overseas.
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Thanks for your input Lawrence.
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Another spot up for grabs with Crockett's retirement:
Exclusive: An open letter from Wyatt Crockett
After 71 tests and 1 match for the All Blacks, Wyatt Crockett has called time on his international career. Here, in a RugbyPass Exclusive, he tells us why he is stepping down from the All Blacks. He has other news too.
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@jaycee said in AB Positions up for grabs:
Another spot up for grabs with Crockett's retirement:
Exclusive: An open letter from Wyatt Crockett
After 71 tests and 1 match for the All Blacks, Wyatt Crockett has called time on his international career. Here, in a RugbyPass Exclusive, he tells us why he is stepping down from the All Blacks. He has other news too.
The couple of reports I’ve read don’t mention if the international retirement is with immediate effect, or after this season.
Anyone got any more info?
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@jaycee liked coz it was a cool letter.
Onya Wyatt
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@gunner said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@jaycee said in AB Positions up for grabs:
Another spot up for grabs with Crockett's retirement:
Exclusive: An open letter from Wyatt Crockett
After 71 tests and 1 match for the All Blacks, Wyatt Crockett has called time on his international career. Here, in a RugbyPass Exclusive, he tells us why he is stepping down from the All Blacks. He has other news too.
The couple of reports I’ve read don’t mention if the international retirement is with immediate effect, or after this season.
Anyone got any more info?
This quote suggests to me that the international retirement is immediate, but it's not 100% clear:
Early in the New Year I made a call to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and informed him of my decision to make myself unavailable for national selection. -
@smudge said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@gunner said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@jaycee said in AB Positions up for grabs:
Another spot up for grabs with Crockett's retirement:
Exclusive: An open letter from Wyatt Crockett
After 71 tests and 1 match for the All Blacks, Wyatt Crockett has called time on his international career. Here, in a RugbyPass Exclusive, he tells us why he is stepping down from the All Blacks. He has other news too.
The couple of reports I’ve read don’t mention if the international retirement is with immediate effect, or after this season.
Anyone got any more info?
This quote suggests to me that the international retirement is immediate, but it's not 100% clear:
Early in the New Year I made a call to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and informed him of my decision to make myself unavailable for national selection.Good move by Wyatt. Leaving on his terms. He showed great courage to come back from "Rome-gate", thanks Stuart Dickinson. I think he might have been pushed if he hadn't jumped, but he has given great service to province and country.
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@booboo said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@jaycee liked coz it was a cool letter.
Onya Wyatt
Agree cool letter.
First observation: he debuted in 2009!? That guy has really hung in there.
Second observation, his sons are named Sonny Crockett and Emmett Crockett. That family knows how to do bad-ass names.
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@smudge said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@gunner said in AB Positions up for grabs:
@jaycee said in AB Positions up for grabs:
Another spot up for grabs with Crockett's retirement:
Exclusive: An open letter from Wyatt Crockett
After 71 tests and 1 match for the All Blacks, Wyatt Crockett has called time on his international career. Here, in a RugbyPass Exclusive, he tells us why he is stepping down from the All Blacks. He has other news too.
The couple of reports I’ve read don’t mention if the international retirement is with immediate effect, or after this season.
Anyone got any more info?
This quote suggests to me that the international retirement is immediate, but it's not 100% clear:
Early in the New Year I made a call to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and informed him of my decision to make myself unavailable for national selection.Pretty sure it will be immediate, otherwise why bother to state you are going to play for Mako's due to the clash between the NPC and international schedules
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It is with immediate effect, will finish season with Crusaders and then done there too, but returning to Mako$ to see out his career.
