TRC squad
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@mariner4life said in TRC squad:
NMS is a shocker.
to be fair, right wing and the loose forwards are very ordinary
I hear Shannon Frizell was out doing promotions for adidas giving away his game boots from the super rugby season. To the surprise of the kiddies most of the boots were unmarked and clean as if they had never been worn on the field
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@ploughboy said in TRC squad:
props are going to be interesting .ofa seems to be only one to play both sides with a 3 loosehead 2 tighthead mix
To me that seems the right mix and good thinking to have at least one that can play both sides in the case of an emergency and not having to bring in a further player into the squad
I think it's an unbalanced mix - previously they had Franks and JTA, with Tu'ungafasi able to play both sides (though more a tighthead). Now we've got three looseheads and one tighthead - plus Ofa. I was expecting JTA instead of Tim Perry.
I'm a bit disappointed to see Harris in ahead of Coltman - not because I think Coltman is any sort of wonder player, just that I've not been impressed with Harris.
Not surprised to see Fifita miss out, nor to see Hemepo replace him. Hemepo went very well when he got his chance in the third test and is doubtless a better lock option than Fifita - and we've gone in a bit light at lock. Looks like Romano's AB career is coming to an end - especially due to "balance".
I guess they've made the hard call in midfield to go with only four - mitigated for Laumape a little bit by being there as cover for SBW. It's a sensible call in terms of balance, but I reckon NMS is a bit lucky that they didn't sacrifice him. It means we probably won't have a real midfield power option for the two Bledisloes if you assume Crotty and ALB starting and Goodhue on the bench.
Bryn Hall perhaps a bit unlucky - though I didn't think he had his best game in the Final.
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@chris-b Ofa has been tight head bench cover for the ABs for a while now.
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@chris-b Ofa has been tight head bench cover for the ABs for a while now.
and, let's not forget, done it pretty bloody well
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@chris-b Ofa has been tight head bench cover for the ABs for a while now.
Yeah - I know. But, he's also the only one among the five who can credibly play on both sides. If Franks gets injured 15 minutes before the game starts, who's the bench tighthead - Tim Perry?
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@chris-b Ofa has been tight head bench cover for the ABs for a while now.
Yeah - I know. But, he's also the only one among the five who can credibly play on both sides. If Franks gets injured 15 minutes before the game starts, who's the bench tighthead - Tim Perry?
Wouldn’t it be Tu’inukuafe to come in for the tighthead spot whilst Perry and Moody for the loosehead spots?
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Is it too late for Akira to bugger off and play for Samoa? Does his midweek games lock him in? He may as well if he can, because it doesn't look like he's in the frame anymore.
Good to see Hemopo get another shot - the deserving of the new Highlanders' "where the fuck did they come from" additions to the ABs.
Clearly NMS and Tongan Frizzell have a shared Dropbox with the incriminating photos.
@Chris-B Hall is not unlucky, the coaches surely have a long enough memory and remember his Blues stint.
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Is it too late for Akira to bugger off and play for Samoa? Does his midweek games lock him in? He may as well if he can, because it doesn't look like he's in the frame anymore.
He's played All Black 7s - that counts - he's locked in.
He's not going anywhere - he's staying at the Blues because of Coventry who has already come out and said he wants to help Akira make the ABs.
He's still in the frame - but the EOYT was always his realistic target after he missed out in June - there's rarely much change between June squads and TRC squads except for injury.
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@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:
Is it too late for Akira to bugger off and play for Samoa? Does his midweek games lock him in? He may as well if he can, because it doesn't look like he's in the frame anymore.
He's played All Black 7s - that counts - he's locked in.
He's not going anywhere - he's staying at the Blues because of Coventry who has already come out and said he wants to help Akira make the ABs.
He's still in the frame - but the EOYT was always his realistic target after he missed out in June - there's rarely much change between June squads and TRC squads except for injury.
I forgot about the 7s (and wasn't really serious) and yep, EOYT was always the realistic target. But thought there might have been a note about him training with the squad like he did in June.
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@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:
Is it too late for Akira to bugger off and play for Samoa? Does his midweek games lock him in? He may as well if he can, because it doesn't look like he's in the frame anymore.
He's played All Black 7s - that counts - he's locked in.
He's not going anywhere - he's staying at the Blues because of Coventry who has already come out and said he wants to help Akira make the ABs.
He's still in the frame - but the EOYT was always his realistic target after he missed out in June - there's rarely much change between June squads and TRC squads except for injury.
I forgot about the 7s (and wasn't really serious) and yep, EOYT was always the realistic target. But thought there might have been a note about him training with the squad like he did in June.
Bit of a different situation in June as Read was not available so Akira was needed as 8 cover.
Akira was included in the AB training group that got together last week in Chch - my guess is he's been told what to work on and told to go rip into the Mitre 10 Cup.
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@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:
@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:
Is it too late for Akira to bugger off and play for Samoa? Does his midweek games lock him in? He may as well if he can, because it doesn't look like he's in the frame anymore.
He's played All Black 7s - that counts - he's locked in.
He's not going anywhere - he's staying at the Blues because of Coventry who has already come out and said he wants to help Akira make the ABs.
He's still in the frame - but the EOYT was always his realistic target after he missed out in June - there's rarely much change between June squads and TRC squads except for injury.
I forgot about the 7s (and wasn't really serious) and yep, EOYT was always the realistic target. But thought there might have been a note about him training with the squad like he did in June.
Bit of a different situation in June as Read was not available so Akira was needed as 8 cover.
Akira was included in the AB training group that got together last week in Chch - my guess is he's been told what to work on and told to go rip into the Mitre 10 Cup.
So we'll see him playing like Luke (barely any metres made and lots of rucks
leanedcleared) or like Shannon (10 minute cameos and one early game when he scores a bunch of tries).
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@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:
rent situation in June as Read was not available so Akira was needed as 8 cover.
Akira was included in the AB training group that got together last week in Chch - my guess is he's been told what to work on and told to go rip into the Mitre 10 Cup.thats a scary thought, Akira playing M10 Cup!
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I just had this horrible, horrible vision of BBBR and Read not making the first Bledisloe.
And we turn up to Telstra Stadium with a pack of Moody, Taylor, Franks, Whitelock, Barrett, Squire, Whitelock and Cane. With a midfield of Crotty and ALB.
It's got the powerless 2003 team written all over it. With a worse back 3.
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So Moody, Taylow, Franks, Whitelock, Barret, Squire, Whitelock, Cane, TJ, DMac, Rieko, Crotty, ALB, NMS, Barret
that where you are going
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@taniwharugby said in TRC squad:
So Moody, Taylow, Franks, Whitelock, Barret, Squire, Whitelock, Cane, TJ, DMac, Rieko, Crotty, ALB, NMS, Barret
that where you are going
Reiko and ALB are too good for that team. They are the Mils/Doug/Joe of 2018
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@mariner4life said in TRC squad:
I just had this horrible, horrible vision of BBBR and Read not making the first Bledisloe.
And we turn up to Telstra Stadium with a pack of Moody, Taylor, Franks, Whitelock, Barrett, Squire, Whitelock and Cane. With a midfield of Crotty and ALB.
It's got the powerless 2003 team written all over it. With a worse back 3.
ABs by 20 instead of 30 then. Some of you are hard to please
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@mariner4life Laumape-Crotty mid-field, Naholo at 11 then?
May as well chuck Frizzell at 6 too.
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@mariner4life said in TRC squad:
I just had this horrible, horrible vision of BBBR and Read not making the first Bledisloe.
And we turn up to Telstra Stadium with a pack of Moody, Taylor, Franks, Whitelock, Barrett, Squire, Whitelock and Cane. With a midfield of Crotty and ALB.
It's got the powerless 2003 team written all over it. With a worse back 3.
ABs by 20 instead of 30 then. Some of you are hard to please
Wallabies have come into the 1st Bledisloe in Sydney completely undercooked the last 2 seasons - I cannot see that happening this year - they'll know they'll have a deciding 3rd Bledisloe in neutral Japan if they can nab 1 win out of the first 2 - and you would have to think they'd be targeting Homebush (test 1) rather than Eden Park (test 2).
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@kiwimurph Agreed. I am nervous about the first Bledisloe. Was impressed with the physicality shown by the Wallaby pack against the Irish and like you said, they won't be underdone like they have been in previous years. It wouldn't surprise me if we end up losing this game.
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@act-crusader said in TRC squad:
@mariner4life said in TRC squad:
I just had this horrible, horrible vision of BBBR and Read not making the first Bledisloe.
And we turn up to Telstra Stadium with a pack of Moody, Taylor, Franks, Whitelock, Barrett, Squire, Whitelock and Cane. With a midfield of Crotty and ALB.
It's got the powerless 2003 team written all over it. With a worse back 3.
ABs by 20 instead of 30 then. Some of you are hard to please
