AB EOYT 2018
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@nepia said in AB EOYT 2018:
@tim said in AB EOYT 2018:
Here's a new one for you:
Jordie Barrett, what the fuck has he done this year?
Threw that cracker pass to the Boks that half the Fern tried to blame an Ioane for?
Writing "an Ioane" suggests that the other one actually ever gets picked. You wouldn't write "a McKenzie" would you?
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@chris-b They could always just leave Smith or Perenara there then to save an airfare
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@kiwimurph said in AB EOYT 2018:
Sorry if already posted but this is McKendry's 23 for the Japan test
Possible All Blacks team for test against Japan in Tokyo on November 3- Jordie Barrett
- Nehe Milner-Skudder
- Anton Lienert-Brown
- Ngani Laumape
- George Bridge
- Damian McKenzie
- Te Toiroa Tahuroirangi
- Luke Whitelock
- Dalton Papalii
- Jackson Hemopo
- Patrick Tuipulotu
- Luke Romano
- Angus Ta'avao
- Dane Coles
- Tim Perry
Reserves: Liam Coltman, Tyrel Lomax, Reuben O'Neill, Gareth Evans, Dillon Hunt, Mitchell Drummond, Matt Proctor, David Havili.
Is Japan playing a reduced strength side? Because otherwise I would not be surprised if that team got smoked by them.
It's not that any player there isn't deserving, but the team as a whole looks like a mid-ranked Super side (hardly surprising given that almost two entire teams of players are selected above them).
A forward pack with hardly any grunt go-forward, including guys just back from long injuries and complete noobs. It's unbalanced towards defensive players and grinders.
Inside backs that look solid enough, but wingers that aren't really going to break the game open.
Where are they going to make breaks? McKenzie needs to stop trying to win games by himself, so shouldn't be expected to make everything happen. Barrett Jr and Laumape better bring their A games -- it's lucky that both have been in such outstanding form recently and won't have to shake off any rust (uggh!).
But if the game is going badly, we'll at least be able to roll some experienced and reliable game breakers off the bench. Not.
If Japan play their #1 side against that lot, then I'm off to the TAB.
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@chester-draws is that one of those “I don’t watch a lot of rugby but I’ll post anyway” posts?
Not that I think that will be the side, but if it is, that 4,5,6,7 will provide plenty of go forward if they all play their natural games. We’ll get punch from the midfield and Skudder and Jordie know how to work together in attack.
Front row a little concerning.
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@act-crusader I especially liked Dalton Papalii, Jackson Hemopo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Luke Romano, Angus Ta'avao, Dane Coles being considered in either the defensive player or grinder category. I mean, who doesn't look at those players and think, shit the defence will be solid but where are the ball runners?
And then being so spot on about Bridge too. Did he even make any breaks, score any tries or beat any defenders in super rugby? Absolute failure against the ABs themselves too and we know the ABs aren't as strong as Japan.
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Nope, it's because I remember that a better side struggled to put away the Blave Blossoms not that long ago. A side that had at least played together some.
Once reserves come on, that pack would be half debutantes. Lucky they'll have the grunt of Luke Whitelock and Liam Coltman to carry them over the line.
Edit
We’ll get punch from the midfield and Skudder and Jordie know how to work together in attack.
You're delusional if you think NMS is going to add anything at all. His long standing combination with Jordie isn't helpful when he's as slow as he currently is.
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@african-monkey said in AB EOYT 2018:
@chris-b They could always just leave Smith or Perenara there then to save an airfare
They could - but, they're leaving 10 of the main squad in Japan and are bringing over 19 - so they could potentially save on 6 airfares using the same logic! Those six guys are pretty much there to cover last minute injuries.
Hansen said the Japanese are paying us to play them - so they're picking up the tab on all the extras
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@kiwimurph Yeah it's outside the window, so will their big clubs release? I think the big thing is it their first test, no prep time, with a new coaching group - they'll be shambolic. Not a highly tuned machine with heaps of build up like the RWC.
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@kiwimurph said in AB EOYT 2018:
Japan are expected to be understrength aren't they.
I'm not expecting that.
Its outside window, but Japan dont have their players overseas.
Expect JRFU and clubs have worked something out. They're not at war with each other.
Plus sunwolves mean dine are centrally contracted anyway probably?
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@rancid-schnitzel said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@tim said in AB EOYT 2018:
Here's a new one for you:
Jordie Barrett, what the fuck has he done this year?
ooooh good
3/8s of fuck all really. Cost us a test.
And as far as i can see from the Fern, has gone from being the ABs nailed on fullback for the next 10 years (except for the loons who think he's a 12) to being overtaken by some bloke called Jordan in 18 months.
I really hope you choke on that dildo some day. I hope you choke on it and the final thing you see is the Barrett brothers starting an AB test together while your little blonde NZ Schweinsteiger watches from the stands.
not bad. Big on bile, and so butt hurt.
Just really loses for points for assuming i am actually a fan of DMac.
(actually i could quite happily be NZ Bastion Schweinsteiger given his money and his missus).
I liked you Hurricanes supporters more when you actually knew your team was a flakey joke.
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@rapido arent the Sunwolves separate from the Clubs, otherwise the Sunwolves could in theory be a stronger outfit if they had access to the top Japanese players?
It will still come to the Japanese coaches asking for players to be released I expect, similarly as Hansen has with Todd.
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@dice said in AB EOYT 2018:
I listened to the radio this morning and Brad Weber got interviewed, and he thought he was going to make the team. He even texted Foster to talk about it. He seemed a bit emotional when talking about it.
Hahaha he fuck'n wot? Assumed he'd make the squad so sent Fozzie a text?
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@antipodean nah he texted Fozzie to find out more about why he didn't make the squad as he thought he'd done enough to make the 51. You weren't the player in that boat Weber...
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@kiwimurph said in AB EOYT 2018:
@antipodean nah he texted Fozzie to find out more about why he didn't make the squad as he thought he'd done enough to make the 51. You weren't the player in that boat Weber...
What a presumptuous little fluffybunny. Fucking halfbacks. There's clearly three ahead of you and if we need to take more, we'll probably take those who helped steer the Super Rugby Champions around.
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@antipodean said in AB EOYT 2018:
@kiwimurph said in AB EOYT 2018:
@antipodean nah he texted Fozzie to find out more about why he didn't make the squad as he thought he'd done enough to make the 51. You weren't the player in that boat Weber...
What a presumptuous little fluffybunny. Fucking halfbacks. There's clearly three ahead of you and if we need to take more, we'll probably take those who helped steer the Super Rugby Champions around.
He likely watched Harbour games this year.
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After racking the brain for a couple of days about the Akira selection and relecting on the handful of puzzling Hansen/Henry selections going back to the culture change mid-2004...
I have to believe the coaching staff explicitly gave Akira a categorically objective work-on last season (likely off-field) and he has failed to live up to it this year. The work-on may not even be that major, but if you are told to "do something relatively simple and you will be an All Black son", going "yeah, nah" is going to get a result like this no matter how well you play.
Based on what Hansen preaches I could never see the selectors rewarding a player who disregarded work ons, but at the same time I don't see them coming out and flushing a player to the media who they have plans for.
Even with Hika it took reading between the lines. I just can't see them blackballing a guy at 23 solely because of off-field issues unless there is a different approach than what Shag took with Guildford, Weepu, Cruden, Smith, Jordie & Savea...
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@rotated Actually, the ditching of Weepu for the 2007 RWC might be a good parallel, IMO.
If you look at the senior players/team leaders in the ABs they're all pretty serious guys, quite intense, high achievers - I'd guess huge work ethics - Read, Whitelock, Franks, Cane, SBW, Crotty, etc.
I don't think a casual attitude that includes staying out till 4am on a test night would be tolerated.
I'm guessing that there's no permanent blackballing - just a message that no matter how good you are, we're not going to pick you if you don't meet our professional standards.
But, it's mainly reading between the lines. LWhitelock > Akira could be Reuben Thorne > Jerry Collins.
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@chris-b Wasn't Conrad Smith involved in the drinking incident that Weepu 'possibly' got black balled for? I always assumed that it was partly a selectorial punt that played a part in that decision and saw us wind up with Brendon Leonard or the 2007 version of Andy Ellis as back ups.
