Blues v Highlanders
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Bones given the ball runners the Blues have, they seem happy to have Parsons cart the ball up and get caught behind the gainline and recycle it quickly, I guess to use Akira as next ball runner wider...although it seems often the cleaners dont get there quick enough and the ball isnt that quick...
Old and slow Nonu seemed to do a lot of the forwards clean out work for them at times.
I don’t get the argument about Parsons though. I used to support that there was a need for an accurate low impact forward among the mess but when you have the ability to use KT, Ofa and Pat T as set up guys that may even bend the line, Parsons seems a waste. -
@Crucial I am not supporting PArsons, thats the only logic I can see behind the continued use of him as a ball runner
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I can handle Parsons being in the side tbh. He's not fantastic but is still our best hooker and isn't doing a hell of a lot wrong so he'll do until someone better comes along.
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@African-Monkey you don’t have anything to compare him with and if you’re happy with mr average plodding along then you’re on the money.
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@Northlandallday It is what it is really. I would have probably picked Robbie Abel but obviously we had no room for him so a missed opportunity there. As I previously mentioned, it's Parsons until someone better comes along.
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@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
20 games, three years for bookended Highlander victories.
Thank fuck that’s over.
Very happy with our forwards in the loose tonight, aprticularly the try we scored through them. Bloody good.
Sucked at maul defence.
Sucked at setting up a maul (took in twice, two turnovers?)Plenty to work on, but we are improving. Now just need to string some more wins
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@African-Monkey said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Northlandallday It is what it is really. I would have probably picked Robbie Abel but obviously we had no room for him so a missed opportunity there. As I previously mentioned, it's Parsons until someone better comes along.
Nope it’s Parsons for the next two years. Enjoy.
Abel had his time in Northland and he wasn’t the better hooker. -
@African-Monkey agree. Duffie on the RW soon as he's fit. Tele'as done well to hold it down in an unfamiliar position with the injuries to Duffie Clarke and Trainor and the form of Collins. Looks like an 'inbetweener' as in....not quite the gas for wing.....not quite the all round skillset for midfield so a good bench option. Perhaps with the return of the outsides from injury there'll be an opportunity to give him a go in the midfield.
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"TJ is a bit of an understated hero for us," said MacDonald. "He gets through a lot of work, a lot of tackles and every game he runs the most metres out of everybody. He's a bit of a glue man as well and playing good rugby."
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@Northlandallday That was a long time ago to be fair. He was outstanding in last years Mitre 10 cup.
Not having a go but I'm guessing you're unhappy that Moulds hasn't been given much of a go? Don't get me wrong Moulds is ok but his throwing is crap.
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@African-Monkey said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Northlandallday It is what it is really. I would have probably picked Robbie Abel but obviously we had no room for him so a missed opportunity there. As I previously mentioned, it's Parsons until someone better comes along.
I guess some of the issue is that there is too much reliance on Parsons in that alternatives are not given enough chance to grow into the role or are used only to give him a break. There never seems to be a plan to look for/create a better option.
But hey, at least you guys have won a game.
Highlanders have shown that they ain't all that this year. They were lucky to get a W against an imploding Chiefs and have now lost to the Blues.
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What a big difference having competent coaches makes. Good selections, dross like Pulu banished to the bench, Collins gone, TJ and Nanai being used properly.
And so much more organised.
Still lots to work on, three years of neglect from Tana to flush out. But something to build from for next year.
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It’s funny isn’t it - just a few changes to personnel, and a few changes in attitude (the one that sticks out is the patience at and after the break which led to Pat’s try) and suddenly they look much more dangerous - not just relying on super plays from the Ioanes.
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@Tanifulla said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Kirwan what about the decision to have Karl T and Ofa play the opposite positions in the scrum????
I assume that was a request from Hansen? Some of those late scrums were working well though.
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