Bledisloe II
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@mariner4life said in Bledisloe II:
@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
@mariner4life said in Bledisloe II:
@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
@mariner4life said in Bledisloe II:
Given how good Smith was at fullback i am loath to move him. The selectors picked wingers, use them. If they aren't good enough why did you pick them?
So are you think NMS comes in?
Yep. That's the bed they made
I wouldn't argue with that, just wonder how they are planning on using JB and fitting him into longer term plans. He isn't a winger and they don't rate him as a midfielder.
He's the 2nd best fullback. He needs to wait until Smith can't play.
BFA stinking up the joint on the wing and then playing that house down at 15 has hurt Jordie's chances of making the 23. But our wing options are so dire at the moment. I'm pretty torn on who they should play as I don't think NMS should be in the squad at all, but as you say they picked him so it'd be pretty silly not to play him given injuries.
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@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
So are you think NMS comes in?
While this seems to be the logical choice I'm not so sure now after Hansen's comments about NMS. He said that game-time was the best thing for him right now.
I'm in the camp that prefers BFA at fullback but if NMS has been told to stay at Manawatu for another week than it's either JB or DMac at fullback. DMac is definitely the better impact player of the two so would probably remain on the bench. He's also been used on the wing previously if there was a backline reshuffle.
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@bovidae said in Bledisloe II:
@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
So are you think NMS comes in?
While this seems to be the logical choice I'm not so sure now after Hansen's comments about NMS. He said that game-time was the best thing for him right now.
I'm in the camp that prefers BFA at fullback but if NMS has been told to stay at Manawatu for another week than it's either JB or DMac at fullback. DMac is definitely the better impact player of the two so would probably remain on the bench. He's also been used on the wing previously if there was a backline reshuffle.
If you are right about NMS then i totally agree with your selections. It's also a black mark on the selectors if they have picked a squad, but don't actually want some to play. If NMS isn't good enough, then he shouldn't be there.
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I agree that Smith is the best fullback ,
But the selectors have a duty to pick the best team , or in this case the best back 3 available as a collective unit .
Got a sneaky suspicion we might see dmac not Jordie start this one , with Richie given a bench spot
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I'd be awfully surprised if they selected anything other than the best possible team. Time for opportunities will come against Argentina, especially at home.
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@mariner4life Isn't it not that the coaches don't think NMS is not good enough, he's just lacking fitness? They clearly made a decision that he's a better fit for the squad than either Alaimalo or Bridge so selected him rather than either of those two.
Edit: Antipodean beat me to the point and made it more succinctly.
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@bones said in Bledisloe II:
@shark said in Bledisloe II:
I don't think Laumape has that in him. I see him more as a temporary measure ala Sam Tuitopou or Francis Sai'ili.
To be fair, no one saw it in Nonu either.
Yep, and if not for Lucky Luke and Mauger buggering off at the same time we may have never seen it at all.
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@bones said in Bledisloe II:
@shark said in Bledisloe II:
I don't think Laumape has that in him. I see him more as a temporary measure ala Sam Tuitopou or Francis Sai'ili.
To be fair, no one saw it in Nonu either.
Had shit hands, couldn't defend. Could run though.
His last 4-5 years were as good as any 12 has ever played. Jet.
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Plenty of people saw it in Nonu. The problem was he was a spare part from 2003 until after RWC 2007. As mentioned, he had serious competition for the 12 jersey when Mauger and McAlister were around - and prior to that, Tana also - but once he was given a few opportunities at 12 he flourished quickly and his game developed rapidly. I don't see that early level of flourishment or development in the 12 jersey at the top level in Laumape's game and therefore I don't see him kicking on.
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@bones said in Bledisloe II:
@shark said in Bledisloe II:
I don't think Laumape has that in him. I see him more as a temporary measure ala Sam Tuitopou or Francis Sai'ili.
To be fair, no one saw it in Nonu either.
I did 😌. Snake and Nonu are in serious contention for the title of best midfield combo ever
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I think the issue with Nonu is he showed so much potential and people were frustrated he kept making the same errors over and over and for this reason many questioned the persistence in him; then one day he woke and was awesome, luckily the AB selectors werent so quick to throw Nonu out as many fans (inc me) were.
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Australia would be wise to dump Krusty if just to get the same dead-cat bounce in time for the cup that he himself benefited from in 2014/5.
New voice, new tactics, new motivation, possibly rejig the overseas selection rules recite a few lines from Any Given Sunday.... It's possible (even easy) to get a short term boost out of that, but it inevitably falls to shit 18 months later... Eddie, Cheika, Mitch...
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Wallabies would be better to start Pocock and have Hooper on the bench to up the anti in the final 20. Like Ardie I don't think he's big/physical enough but could be effective against tired legs.
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@no-quarter Agreed but with Hooper captain and being paid so many $ they are forced into starting him.
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@nepia said in Bledisloe II:
@bones said in Bledisloe II:
@shark said in Bledisloe II:
I don't think Laumape has that in him. I see him more as a temporary measure ala Sam Tuitopou or Francis Sai'ili.
To be fair, no one saw it in Nonu either.
Yep, and if not for Lucky Luke and Mauger buggering off at the same time we may have never seen it at all.
Was a slidiing doors moment alright
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@taniwharugby Farrrrk he used to frustrate the shit out of me when he would drop it or make a shitty mistake and just throw a hissy and walk away. Hated him for that!
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- Israel Folau (Waratahs & Australia) $2.2m
- Dan Carter (Kobe Steel) $2.13m
- Matt Giteau (Suntory) $2.13m
- Charles Piutau (Bristol) $1.92m
- Aaron Cruden (Montpelier) $1.31m
- Steven Luatua (Bristol) $1.25m
- Dan Biggar (Northampton & Wales)
- Ma'a Nonu (Toulon) $1.16m
- Nicholas Sanchez (Stade Francais & Argentina) $1.12m
- Michael Hooper (Waratahs & Australia) $1.1m
15th) Kieran Read, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams (NZ) $1m.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12110553
