Rebels v Hurricanes
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Was at the game.
A few thoughts.
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Rebels attack is so narrow. Their 10 is quite poor. As has been stated Mafi was the real key their attack.
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Canes on the other hand play with so much width. Jordie, Barrett and Perenara allow them to throw wonderful wide balls.
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Canes have some really athletic forwards with skills - Lousi, Fifita, Evans, Fatialofa, Aumua.
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Jordie's defense has really improved - made some good tackles. He looked class.
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Julian Savea is so slow live. His kick chase is really poor. Nowhere near AB quality anymore.
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Ben Lam on the other hand was really good. Has to be on the AB radar - put in a really good punt and a low error rate.
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Laumape very impressive. Runs good lines to go along with his mini bus power. Can really hit too. With SBW and Crotty seemingly injured constantly he should get more AB opportunities this year.
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@akan004 said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Savea's loss of pace and power is a mystery to me. He's only 27 ffs. This should not be happening.
He's done. There's others far better suited to the pace and power game ahead of him in the queue. Move over Jules.
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@akan004 said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
@tim Yep, he was another. Still shouldn't happen though at such a young age.
He's not young. At least for a wing.
Players who get consistent selection on the wing after that age are very much the exception.
Even light guys like Terry Wright lose their pace at that age. Big guys find it even harder.
A track guy might hold it a bit longer, but they don't get the knocks.
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Just on Lam, him moving has done him a world of good it seems. Completely different player. Where he used to be lazy, predictable and hungus he now is busy, elusive and reads the game well. Finally following through on all that promise...any rumours of Dr Evil being spotted around Canes headquarters? Saveas mojo has been transplanted.
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Chris Eves is playing better and better every week. He's got good hands, is very dynamic in the loose and his scrummaging has improved greatly this season. A possible future All Black ?
I am also impressed by Sam Lousi's strength. He is a colossus. However, he is a penalty magnet which is something he must work out. -
@bones said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
So Lam's form is gonna fall off a cliff anyway day now?
I would be very surprised if it lasts more than a couple of years.
The AB selectors won't pick him as a long term winger, but he has to have some shout on the "power" side if injuries strike. He's played international level, so he won't be as nervous as some.
I have rated him a while now, and recall saying last year he should get more game time for the Hurricanes. Playing Sevens took him out of sight a bit.
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Haven't trailed back in the thread, but assume the comms mentioned how many games it is now for Aus team v NZ ones?
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@cgrant said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Chris Eves is playing better and better every week. He's got good hands, is very dynamic in the loose and his scrummaging has improved greatly this season. A possible future All Black ?
I am also impressed by Sam Lousi's strength. He is a colossus. However, he is a penalty magnet which is something he must work out.Chris Eves is 30 years old, so I doubt it.
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@bones said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Just on Lam, him moving has done him a world of good it seems. Completely different player. Where he used to be lazy, predictable and hungus he now is busy, elusive and reads the game well.
As I said in the Hurricanes thread before this game, Lam's change in form happened during the 2015 NPC. I remember posting on here about how good he looked for the Blues dev team in 2016 and hoped the injury wasn't too bad.. unfortunately that kept his out for a year
In 2017 Umaga cut him for Declan O'Donnell FFS. Almost as bad a call as thinking Afa Fa'atau was a SR quality winger
That injury, then the quality of the Hurricanes backs kept Lam from having a decent crack at SR until now
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@taniwharugby said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Haven't trailed back in the thread, but assume the comms mentioned how many games it is now for Aus team v NZ ones?
I just read 33 ...
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@akan004 said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Savea's loss of pace and power is a mystery to me. He's only 27 ffs. This should not be happening.
He's very steady now tho. Excellent under the high ball, and great decisions. Still made most metres, second equal defenders beaten. Just his explosiveness through the tackle is gone.
Much better than the wallaby winger, zero runs!
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@machpants said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
@akan004 said in Rebels v Hurricanes:
Savea's loss of pace and power is a mystery to me. He's only 27 ffs. This should not be happening.
He's very steady now tho. Excellent under the high ball, and great decisions. Still made most metres, second equal defenders beaten. Just his explosiveness through the tackle is gone.
Much better than the wallaby winger, zero runs!
Yeah fair point, he's still a very good SR winger, but will always be compared to himself when he was in his prime. Imagine the shit he'd get if as you say if he had 0 (0!) runs like Koroibete - for a Wallaby winger that is nowhere near good enough.
