Japan vs All Blacks
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@samurai-jack Patrick Tuipulotu is in the squad for England, Ireland and Italy whereas Jackson Hemopo isn't. If AB selectors were picking a RWC squad this year they would have gone with him.
Hemopo had the better game today so will have given the selectors a lot to think about. They might worry about his size and that a possible Scott Barrett/Jackson Hemopo combination leaves them without a power lock.
Patrick Tuipulotu gave them quick off the top lineout ball before one of the tries today. They both made 7 tackles, Hemopo missed one, but Patrick Tuipulotu didn't miss any. Hemopo, at the very least, is excellent backup to Scott Barrett.
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Really enjoyed the game. I never felt good about Naholo and Jordie in the top team and I feel even more negative on them now. FFs time to move on from them and NMs, Jordie can be back but we ave way better than NMS and Naholo. George Bridge proved his point. Pleased with Hemapo , Evans and Mounga as well.
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Tuipulotu is still ahead of Hemopo and rightly so. Yes some people played better than others but look at the opposition ffs. I still like Tuipulotu coming on with 20 to go in a real test as he can bend the line against big forward packs which was shown when he came on at Loftus.
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@frank said in Japan vs All Blacks:
Richie might be better than Beauden. Can't make my mind up.
They are different ,
Richie is more of your copy book 10 ,
Beaudy is a bit more unorthodox , but a freak of nature all the same ,
ive got a feeling down the track we might see 10 Richie 15 Beauden 23 Dmac
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@african-monkey said in Japan vs All Blacks:
Tuipulotu is still ahead of Hemopo and rightly so. Yes some people played better than others but look at the opposition ffs. I still like Tuipulotu coming on with 20 to go in a real test as he can bend the line against big forward packs which was shown when he came on at Loftus.
Or drop the ball...
Seriously though Tuipulotu has come on and made some massive lineout steals in the past too.
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@bones Yeah he's dropped a couple but to be fair a lot of the time the passes have been poor that he has dropped. I remember a few on here blaming him in the last South Africa test for 'dropping' a pass where Crotty threw a bullet pass to his head where he was about half a metre away from him haha.
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I can't understand the hate on Naholo on this forum, he just can't get a break! Watching replay every kick he is leading the chase, every breakdown he is in contesting the ball and earning penalties a cple of times. Also he saves us a cple of times with his strength and ability to hold feet. I agree Bridge shld be in ABs but you watch game and Naholo is in frame.
Prime example was laumape try from Bridge kick and chase, applaud Bridge for his chase but Naholo was up there with him and won penalty contesting ball yet no mention?
#stopthehate! -
@machpants watch again the one tackle the whole game Bridge had to make in space he got stood up badly and the guy ran 40 metres, but that doesn't matter I guess cause he is sooo good??
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@98blueandgold said in Japan vs All Blacks:
@machpants watch again the one tackle the whole game Bridge had to make in space he got stood up badly and the guy ran 40 metres, but that doesn't matter I guess cause he is sooo good??
Yeah, he was fended easily by a much smaller player. He's not the finished product by any means but he's got bucketloads of potential. Jordie is in danger of losing his spot next year - though I agree with @Rancid-Schnitzel Jordie's natural position is 12.
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@98blueandgold Yes it was a horrendous miss but as he shone in a virtual game of lunchtime touch at school, that miss will get swept under the carpet.
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@machpants agree he misses tackles and that is his weak point but he does things that others can't including Reiko. Just feel he is one of those players people focus on one area of his game and pick at it rather than the whole package. In that case drop Read because he is not a great ball carrier etc, etc.
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The dodgy tries awarded to Japan to keep them in the game looked very deliberate to me. Call me a conspiracist, but trying to artificially even out the playing field is not a good look. Not even going to the TMO on a couple of them - come on...
Imagine if similar decisions went against England next week, all hell would break loose.
Soooo happy to see Coles back.
Papalii, Bridge, Mo’unga, Laumape, Hemopo big ticks. -
The main issue for Naholo going forward with ABs I think is that he will be gone after WC so will they pick him knowing that or opt for Bridge with eye to the future? NMS will/should be shown the door now so it depends if another wing steps up?
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I think bridge is a future candidate for that right wing / hybrid fullback role that has worked so well for us .
That’s my main concern with naholo, with reiko at 11 , I think the above type player gives us better balance .
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@sparky said in Japan vs All Blacks:
When he is focused, Naholo is still a brilliant finisher.
He is , if reiko was out , he becomes a certainty imo .
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Just watching the game now
Pffft hahaha pimply giraffe.
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I really enjoyed seeing these fellas have a go and it didn't look a million miles away from our top team at times against minnows - do enough to get the win inside half an hour then fits and starts with an easy "d" day.
Not at all worried about a c team defensive performance. You get those young eager players together for a strange one off game, where a win is vital, and you're not going to spend a week cluttering them with stringent defence strategies. Let em run, it worked a treat.
Watched on replay and the first half fern comments were typically emotional. How anyone could not see this game as a win after Mounga's try, is curious.
Similarly anyone thinking a close to 1st XV was going to play Aus, Jpn, Eng, Ire and Italy on successive weeks, with the travel has obviously not been paying attention since 2007. Bemoaning the selections for superior players is to deny the realities of the contemporary AB way.
Great stuff c team, if you like, a great boon for AB succession planning.
Well done fish heads, lots of positives from that fixture and nary a negative 👍
