NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry)
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Well done Auckland.
Thought we lost it when we subbed Drummond and Romano far too early. Romano was the most dominant forward on the park. Still not convinced by Thorne and Maddock.
Akira clearly a far better ball runner than Whitleock and did bloody well to drag Auckland back into the game, but it's pretty obvious what his "work ons" are. Namely defense and ruck work where Whitelock is far better.
He's big and strong enough to be a lot more aggressive in these areas. Hopefully we see it next season
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@nepia said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@kirwan Yep, this thread is a crack up. It's all Whitelock was so dominant in the first half, yeah a first half when Canterbury dominated possession and territory. Where was Whitelock in the 2nd half when Akira dragged Auckland by the scruff of the neck into the game? The only noticeable thing was being offside and not get carded for it.
@chchfanatic said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
Was a great game of footy won by the best team all season. Canterbury played awesome today but just couldn’t get up. Today showed why whitelock is an all black and ioane is a pretender. The crusaders were offered ioane to try and sort him out. Razor just laughed at them and said he’s not what we’re looking for.
You never go full retard.
Stats will probably prove me wrong but I thought Whitelock was immense on defense and at the breakdown all game. He was a bit of a lone presence at times when our bench forwards came on in the second half.
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@sammyc game high thirty tackles, reed second on 29. Akira 5 tackles with two missed. Akira twenty runs for 74m, eight defenders beaten. Luke 16 runs 37m, one each clean break and defender beaten. Totally different players, but this starts don't paint a great picture for akira on defence, fatialofa, and the other two lose towards made around 15 tackles each.
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@machpants said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@sammyc game high thirty tackles, reed second on 29
Best game I've ever seen Prinsep play
Where do you get these stats?
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@machpants said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@sammyc http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/playerstats?gameId=292887&league=270563
cheers fella, thanks for the link. This tells the story I think- Auckland dominated after the break
AKL | CHC
38% / 79% Possession 1H/2H 62% / 21%
31% / 83% Territory 1H/2H 69% / 17% -
@sammyc said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
Well done Auckland.
Thought we lost it when we subbed Drummond and Romano far too early. Romano was the most dominant forward on the park. Still not convinced by Thorne and Maddock.
Akira clearly a far better ball runner than Whitleock and did bloody well to drag Auckland back into the game, but it's pretty obvious what his "work ons" are. Namely defense and ruck work where Whitelock is far better.
He's big and strong enough to be a lot more aggressive in these areas. Hopefully we see it next season
I only just caught up with the replay and if Akira wants to get in the ABs he seriously needs some body language coaching.
The AB group generally back themselves to upskill a player when they see unusual raw talent like his, but if he jogs around at AB camps like he did in this game can totally see why, when added to his work ons, the selectors are reluctant. Impressions count, and a guy with his shoulders slumped and hands by his sides just doesn’t look engaged in the game, instead he looks like he’s waiting to do something when he feels like it. Frustrating, because he’s got good game when he wants to bring it. -
FFS, that’s a new low. Now he has to improve his body language?
I prefer he keeps performing goal line turnovers, holding up mauls, scoring try’s from the scrum, etc,etc
You know, being a great rugby player.
Next we’ll be talking about facial expressions, oh wait he’s been criticised for that too.
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@kirwan said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
FFS, that’s a new low. Now he has to improve his body language?
Dude, don't feed the troll. Akira has been done to death on here; either people see what he does on the paddock, or they prefer Luke Whitelock.
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@sammyc said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
Well done Auckland.
Thought we lost it when we subbed Drummond and Romano far too early. Romano was the most dominant forward on the park. Still not convinced by Thorne and Maddock.
Akira clearly a far better ball runner than Whitleock and did bloody well to drag Auckland back into the game, but it's pretty obvious what his "work ons" are. Namely defense and ruck work where Whitelock is far better.
He's big and strong enough to be a lot more aggressive in these areas. Hopefully we see it next season
Romano walked off pretty gingerly, might not have had a choice there.
The ruck work might be a team tactic, they had Akira quite wide a lot of the time. And he plays a bit like a seven at times, getting into position for the next ruck for the turnover. He’s won us games doing exactly that.
Works for Auckland because we have Dalton, Olmstead and Gibson providing the balance. It’s a case of using the players talents appropriately. Could he play tight? Sure, he’s immensely strong, but is that he best use of him?
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@nzzp said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@kirwan said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
FFS, that’s a new low. Now he has to improve his body language?
Dude, don't feed the troll. Akira has been done to death on here; either people see what he does on the paddock, or they prefer Luke Whitelock.
Fair point, it’s trolling with a healthy dose of tall poppy syndrome.
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Just watched a replay of the final having attended the game yesterday..Evan Olmstead extra time was bloody outstanding...!
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@Crucial does have a point about Akira, and I say this as someone who is in Team Akira. Remember back to Hansen's criticisms of Luatua, it was mainly about workrate, or lack of it in their eyes.
We can all argue about how players are used by their teams but clearly at the moment there are parts of Ioane's game that the AB coaches want improved before he gets his chance.
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Canterbury started well and Auckland looked nervous. They also didn't react well to Jacksons offside line. It took until the second half for Auckland to realise they could push the offside line too
Cantab fans should be asking questions about the selections this year. 10/12 has not functioned and the the good backs from 13-15 don't get enough ball.
The balance is wrong in the forwards too, Romano is the only genuine ball carrying option. They lack a Nasi Manu type of player.Speaking of Aucklands pack I thought there were dominant after that first 33mins. Finishing the game with 62% possession 65% territory and the Cantabs had to make twice the number of tackles that Auckland made. We beat them up and the points followed.
After the horror start it was 26-9 for the rest of regular time and the only blip was the Cantab try in extra time.In the final 67mins it was 6 tries to 1
The question was just if the hole was too big. A better selected Cantabs side would have done more damage when they had the advantage..
Choat has stood up well for a guy with very little experience. Ioane and Olmstead were immense, Seu had a hell of a match off the bench. Plummer easily out played his opposite (hopefully his normal goal kicking form returns??). TJ Faiane's form continued and he was so clam as captain.. so many strong performances under pressure
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@kirwan said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
FFS, that’s a new low. Now he has to improve his body language?
I prefer he keeps performing goal line turnovers, holding up mauls, scoring try’s from the scrum, etc,etc
You know, being a great rugby player.
Next we’ll be talking about facial expressions, oh wait he’s been criticised for that too.
Yeah, yeah.
Instead of the kneejerk reaction why don’t you address the point which is that if the AB selectors are watching a group and one possible is looking very different to the others in the attitude they are conveying they may add that to the others questions they have about them.
I love the dynamics Akira brings to a game when he is involved and would love to see him do well in the ABs. I’m simply suggesting a reason why the selectors are a bit cold on him and, I feel that is the case, can understand where they are coming from.
I recall many on this board making similar comments about Sivivatu’s apparent disinterest at times in games. -
@duluth said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
They question was just if the hole was too big. A better selected Cantabs side would have done more damage when they had the advantage..
Yeah - they definitely should have got on the phone to Hansen and got him to free up Mo'unga and Crotty.
A sudden call up that took Akira out of play, as well - and that's the ball game!
/bittermode
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Some players suit captaincy. TJ Faiane appears to be one of these. Since he took over the captaincy his form was sensational. He has really matured during this Mitre 10 Cup. He lead from the front and the team followed him. He kept Auckland in the game in the first half. With the injuries he has had he is finally delivering on the hype. Well done that man!
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