NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry)
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@act-crusader said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@duluth we didn’t find a replacement for Matt Todd’s ball carrying. He’s been excellent for us at this level. He would make plenty of metres through the middle because of his support play.
Earlier in the year GPT was a great ball carrying option. He was missed. Romano was brilliant all year but he can't do it all
The momentum shifted when the rain arrived and consistent hard runs from the forwards became more important. One side had more options
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@nepia said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@crucial 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?
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.It's kind of understandable @Kirwan's reaction though don't you think?
Basically with Akira we've had reason after reason for why some aren't fans of his - and fair enough each to their own. But the goalpost moving has been a sight to behold. It's basically gone like the following since the early rounds of Super Rugby this year (and most of my fluffing of Akira started after I started casting a critical eye over things even though I was already a fan):
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Akira is lazy. Except, he had a huge workload in Super rugby, and on a stats by stats head to head on players who play a similar game to him (one who was trumpeted a lot before injury in Taufua and one who came from nowhere to make the ABs - nope not the Tongan but the Magpie in Evans) he kicked their arse. Ok, time for a goalpost move.
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Akira has ill discipline and is niggly. Except, his discipline isn't worse than a bunch of current ABs, there's two guys who are way niggly in the ABs but because one of them is our best player and the other is when fit our best hooker they get a pass. These two even get lauded for their niggle. Even setting aside the niggly aspect, Akira doesn't actually get penalised or yellowed that often anyway. Ok, time for a goalpost move.
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Akira doesn't make many tackles. And especially compared to Whitelock. Except, he was one of the top tacklers for the Blues. There were also multiple games where he pulled off try saving tackles when the Blues were under the pump. Whitelock plays in a Super team they kicks from hand and makes lots of tackles. Hunt made more tackles per game than any openside out there no one uses that one stat to advance him over Cane, Todd and Savea. Ok, time for the big goalpost move.
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Akira doesn't toil away in the rucks. This a bit mythical (it's hard to find useful stats about it) but it's the big one for the Akira detractors. But, let's say this from the start, getting caught up in rucks is not the best way to use Akira, any coach who advocates this as a plan must have rocks in their head. It's like advocating using Owen Franks as a ball runner over a ruck clearer outer/scrummager (oh, I forgot him in the niggle/discipline list too). Even so, in last nights game there were at least 3 occasions (IIRC) when Akira's ruck work gave Auckland an advantage. I find it strange that if this such an issue to the coaches that they don't back themselves to select him and then fix it in camp.
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So now we have Akira v Whitelock and 'Whitelock was so much better' in the final from some. Akira has a poor first half by his standards (and if anyone argues with that comment then clearly their bias is off the chart). But, he was dynamic in the second half when his team finally had some ball and field position. I'm surprised some fans would rather have the guy on the losing team who has a one dimensional style of play, that to his credit he does really well, rather than the guy who turned the game for his team. And let's remember Akira's team won and without him they wouldn't have been in a position to win.
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So now we have @Crucial's comment on how Akira looks on the field. I kind of understand where he's coming from re: the selectors. What I don't get in this is why the selectors don't select him and then back themselves to get the best out of him. They can see the style of game his Super team wants him to play and if they want him to play different bring him in and get him playing that style. If he fails then, then he fails. Because, this is exactly what has been done with Frizell (and Hemopo). They saw something they liked in him, and then backed themselves to get the best out of him despite the fact his coach only uses him as a bit part player (and Hemopo is used in a completely different position).
So that was a much longer thesis than my intention - stupid Sydney weather emulating Palmerston North and being crap has meant I'm chilling out inside getting angrier rather than hanging out in the sun.
You're looking in the wrong places, my friend.
Instead of wasting your time studying the Gospel According to St. Matthew - an obscure Welshman with little insight - seek the answers in the Gospel According to St. Mark.
There you will find enlightenment.
Study Chapter II Verse (iv) Thou shalt not be caught by the AB coach coming in from the pub at 4 am on a test match morning.
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@chris-b I'm phoning Israel Folau to figure out WTF you're babbling about in the bible stuff.
Why would Shag have an issue with Akira being out until 4am on the morning of a test match - it's not like he's even close to making the team. :face_with_stuck-out_tongue:
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@nepia Because he and Laumape were attached to the squad for the French tests.
And subsequently Akira played a couple of dead Super rugby rubbers and then for the title winning Auckland team.
And during that run he's somehow been overtaken by Papali'i, Hunt, Evans and Christ-knows who else - all while a bunch of rugby heads struggle to identify the range of deficiencies in his game you've outlines above.
Hansen and Hammer share quite a bit more than the first two letters in their names!
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Yeah, because Mr After David's toilet episode, or One Testicle's missed flight were treated equally harshly.
A late night out surely can't rule you out forever. It's not in the same league as stuff that has been let stand.
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@chester-draws I don't think it will rule him out forever.
But he's getting some tough love while he's still pretty young.
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@chris-b like Laumape...
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@taniwharugby He might've been lucky that we've been short on midfielders due to injury and illness?
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@taniwharugby Hey - ring Hansen and ask him how he dishes out his punishments.
All I'm saying is that if you guys are looking for on-field explanations as to why he's not made a squad of 51, I'm pretty sure you're barking up the wrong tree - and there's been some pretty clear evidence presented here as to what the true story is.
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@chris-b said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@nepia Because he and Laumape were attached to the squad for the French tests.
And subsequently Akira played a couple of dead Super rugby rubbers and then for the title winning Auckland team.
And during that run he's somehow been overtaken by Papali'i, Hunt, Evans and Christ-knows who else - all while a bunch of rugby heads struggle to identify the range of deficiencies in his game you've outlines above.
Hansen and Hammer share quite a bit more than the first two letters in their names!
Yeah, I understood that was the point you were getting at. I wonder why they don't just come out and say that instead of saying work ons? They just come out and said it with the ones @Chester-Draws has mentioned. Now you're just adding to the mystery.
This could make a great first up podcast for me. Looking for Akira. Not the Teachers Pet. Up and Vanished from the Squad. Cereal. Dirty Akira. Revisionist (Super) History (an all Cantab Q&A). Tell Me Something Else I Don't Know (Why Akira isn't in the ABs). Now I've run out of true crime/history podcast to reference.
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@kiwimurph said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@nepia Someone Knows Something
Just cross reference Magpie in Aus and Steven H.'s posts and you can put two and two together.
Along with Akira's on field form....
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@Nepia that is an absolutely superb breakdown of the Akira discussions on here. Great stuff.
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@chris-b said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@nepia Because they're dealing with it in-house - it's not really our business.
It's not, but then neither was Cruden's missing his flight etc.
Also, good to see you're alive and kicking, I feared the worst when you didn't raise your banner and shield to defend the Hammettuer this week.
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@nepia I guess it was a bit hard to keep Cruden's punishment under wraps, when an obvious question at a press conference would have been where's Aaron and why isn't he playing.
On the other hand, you never really heard anything about why Hika Elliott wasn't being picked - it just didn't happen.
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Akira Ioane 'sticking it' to All Blacks selectors after snub - Grant Fox
Akira Ioane's inspiring play not only led Auckland to a Mitre 10 Cup premiership title but also "shoved it up" the national selectors.
That's the assessment of one-third of the All Blacks brain trust Grant Fox after the number eight's late-season form proved critical in the blue and white hoops winning a first provincial title since 2007.
But Ioane's snubbing for the All Blacks tour of Japan and Europe may have lit a fire under the 23-year-old, which could ultimately change the course of his career.
Despite a yellow card in Auckland's 40-33 win over Canterbury on Saturday, Ioane was a constant threat around the park, casting a menacing presence for the red and black defence.
Fox admits Ioane has proved them wrong in the final weeks of the provincial competition but the onus remains on the loose-forward to continue his form for the Blues.
"He is really sticking it up us a little bit which is exactly what we wanted," Fox told Sunday Sport on RadioLIVE. "We made our decision around Akira and he has given us a response.
"He has done exactly what we wanted; we wanted him to show us that he is willing to learn and do some things that we think he needs to do to become a test quality player and he is aiming great strides.
"We just need to see that in Super Rugby next year."
Fox was delighted with Auckland's return to the top of New Zealand provincial rugby, left stunned at the turnaround of a side that just a year ago was one loss from relegation.
Alama Ieremia was brought in as coach earlier this year and he added Filo Tiatia, Tai Laevea and Sir Graham Henry to his staff.
Ieremia focused on structure, culture and discipline in a bid to rebuild Auckland into the force it once was.
Fox told Andrew Gourdie and James McOnie just making the final four would have been an over-achievement, but winning the competition is an outstanding accomplishment.
"Hopefully this is just the start of good things to come for Auckland Rugby in the next period of time," he said.
"The coaching group should take a great amount of compliments for what they have done this year in turning things around.
"It's been an example of if you can get the coaching structure right then you have a great chance of succeeding, and Auckland did just that this year.
"Just making the semi-final would have been considered a success when you look at where they came from, but to actually go on and win all but one game, beat Canterbury twice in a season, credit needs to go to all those involved."
The former All Black first-five also threw a lot of credit to Auckland Rugby and Eden Park for allowing free entry into the ground for the final.
Over 20,000 took up the offer, providing a tremendous atmosphere for New Zealand's provincial rugby showpiece in a throwback to yesteryear.
Auckland Rugby's CEO Jarrod Bear told Sunday Sport that financial loss never crossed their minds as they look to reinvigorate the city's appetite for provincial rugby.
"I don't think we lost a penny. It was about investing in Auckland Rugby and getting people engaged with rugby in Auckland again," Bear said.
"It's going to be a continuing challenge to get people in stadia, because the home viewing experience is so good, but you can't beat that live sporting environment and being part of a rowdy crowd, going through all the emotions they all went through yesterday.
"We have been averaging around 6000 a game throughout the season, so to put 20,000 in the seats experiencing the occasion and shouting on the boys was a pretty good result."
