AB EOYT 2018
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@stargazer said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@stargazer well what would you like to talk about then?
Other players? The opposition we're going to face on the Northern tour? Game plans? The ABs coaches have said before the French series that this year they were going to experiment with different structures etc; we've seen that in the RC. What has worked so far, and what hasn't. Plenty to talk about.
sure.
This tour i think i will be looking at our defensive pattern more than anything. It's felt pretty loose repeatedly this year, often bailed out by our still-excellent scramble defense. Is it linked to our attacking mindset which is fast fast fast, no matter what? Is it the coaches ideas not gelling with players? Is it the constant chopping and changing in midfield? Is it the fact that our pack was allowing South Africa to get fast, front foot ball at will this year?
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@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
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@chris-b said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
Can he walk? Yes. Ok, he's up sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris.
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@nepia said in AB EOYT 2018:
@antipodean Who's the experienced number 8 behind Read? Hasn't Whitelock has been demoted to the Japan squad?
Don't know - probably Ardie. But it's hard to go past Fox's argument. They want to see evidence of Akira doing whatever they believe is missing from his game. You won't get that as a food bill.
Also, it's a bit of a myth that Fifita loathes hard work isn't it?
His words, not mine.
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@chris-b said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
I would be pretty happy with that. We're going to have to be a little harder at the ball than we have been of late, simply because Ireland are so happy to play a million really small phases, just keep the ball and wear you down. They are very patient, and very disciplined.
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@antipodean said in AB EOYT 2018:
@nepia said in AB EOYT 2018:
@antipodean Who's the experienced number 8 behind Read? Hasn't Whitelock has been demoted to the Japan squad?
Don't know, but it's hard to go past Fox's argument. They want to see evidence of Akira doing whatever they believe is missing from his game. You won't get that as a food bill.
Also, it's a bit of a myth that Fifita loathes hard work isn't it?
His words, not mine.
:smiling_face_with_open_mouth: Nice selective quoting of my post and leaving out the second part of his not direct quote.
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@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@chris-b said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
I would be pretty happy with that. We're going to have to be a little harder at the ball than we have been of late, simply because Ireland are so happy to play a million really small phases, just keep the ball and wear you down. They are very patient, and very disciplined.
We just need to find a heap of blokes who tackle like Cane, Kaino, Collins. Then the Irish won't want to retain and carry the ball.
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Well I am absolutely living for the Akira Ioane posts right now. I cannot get my head around it. Have at it lads, don't let anyone put you off.
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@nepia said in AB EOYT 2018:
@antipodean Who's the experienced number 8 behind Read? Hasn't Whitelock has been demoted to the Japan squad?
I think Ardie has pushed Lucky Luke down the No. 8 rankings. From the 32, I'd guess the rankings are:
- Squire, Fifita, Savea, Papali'i
- Todd, Savea, Papali'i
- Read, Savea
Bench: Savea, Papali'i
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@antipodean said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@chris-b said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
I would be pretty happy with that. We're going to have to be a little harder at the ball than we have been of late, simply because Ireland are so happy to play a million really small phases, just keep the ball and wear you down. They are very patient, and very disciplined.
We just need to find a heap of blokes who tackle like Cane, Kaino, Collins. Then the Irish won't want to retain and carry the ball.
Papali'i?
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@antipodean said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@chris-b said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
I actually worry about us against Ireland with Savea at 7 and one of the shit 6s. Fucking Retallic better be back, and both Read and Whitelock better have stormers.
I think that they've gone cap-in-hand to Robbie, to free Matt Todd, shows they're expecting these England/Ireland tests to be tight. Won't surprise me at all to see Matt in the seven jersey - with Ardie providing more utility value from the bench - in fact, I'm expecting it.
I'm interested to see what role Dane Coles plays in those two tests - whether he can get sufficiently up to speed to supplant Harris. Hopefully!
Other than Sam Cane (and just maybe Kane Hames), we might be rolling out the A-team forward pack.
I would be pretty happy with that. We're going to have to be a little harder at the ball than we have been of late, simply because Ireland are so happy to play a million really small phases, just keep the ball and wear you down. They are very patient, and very disciplined.
We just need to find a heap of blokes who tackle like Cane, Kaino, Collins. Then the Irish won't want to retain and carry the ball.
oh yea so no worries then...
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@chris-b I'm not so sure, Ardie has stepped up in his last 2 consecutive outings, despite the fact I'm not a huge fan, I think he has earnt a start, at least in the game v Aus.
While I know Todd is still contracted to NZR so is different to the hordes in Europe, still feel that as he bailed, he shouldnt get first bite at the cherry, add in the fact that NZR let him go when they really only had Cane (has had more than his fair share of head knocks) and Ardie (who up until recently had struggled to show the physicality required) surely they should have forseen the situation of one of Cane or Ardie picking up an injury.
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@taniwharugby There was some earlier discussion where someone reckoned Todd had sought advice from Hansen about signing in Japan and Hansen hadn't bothered to get back to him - so he signed.
That they've bothered to go and get him suggests to me that they won't be playing any games around ethics. They'll pick the players best suited for various roles and I think it will be Todd starting, with Ardie and Scott Barrett on the bench - though I won't be incredulous if you are right!
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