Who will be the ABs third choice at 9 for the RWC ?
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Well, the first two are obvious selections. But who will join them in Japan ?
TTT was the third halfback in recent times but he has warmed the bench for the Chiefs a bit too often this year. How many minutes did he get ? Not many IMO.
Though he hasn't been on the radar yet, Bryn Hall is the form halfback behind Smith and Perenara. I know he is playing behind a formidable pack of forwards but Drummond and Enari do not have the same impact as he has. He was outstanding against the Brumbies when he came in. His passing is accurate and he does not make bad choices. His defence is excellent as well.
Then there is Brad Weber, currently the first choice at the Chiefs. He is courageous and can run through tiny gaps thanks to his speed where others can't. But his passing is erratic, to say the least, and his choices can be questionable too. -
TTT he's in the 41, unless he breaks he's in the 31 - and he'll play one,maybe two games unless injuries. If the coaches were interested in anyone else, they would have brought them in. Pretty hard to integrate a totally new (and even the capped players are from so long ago it's irrelevant) important cog
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@cgrant I agree it should be Hall, but the selectors rarely change their mind and are loyal to the extreme.* I think we'll have to wait for the new coaches to make some changes in the squad that are not forced by players leaving/retiring. And even then, the changes probably won't be radical.
*That's why there are no real surprises in the foundation day squad.
You could see Akira's call up coming from miles away (they hinted at it after the M10 Cup last year), and Bridge wasn't a surprise either (and not because of his one cap v Japan; he's the obvious outside back choice from the non-regular squad members).Anyway, from 2021 - if all goes according to plan - we'll have a clear candidate that will really challenge the halfbacks that are in the squad now ...
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since when has being a bench player been a roadblock to test match rugby?
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@cgrant said in Who will be the ABs third choice at 9 for the RWC ?:
Well, the first two are obvious selections. But who will join them in Japan ?
TTT was the third halfback in recent times but he has warmed the bench for the Chiefs a bit too often this year. How many minutes did he get ? Not many IMO.
Though he hasn't been on the radar yet, Bryn Hall is the form halfback behind Smith and Perenara. I know he is playing behind a formidable pack of forwards but Drummond and Enari do not have the same impact as he has. He was outstanding against the Brumbies when he came in. His passing is accurate and he does not make bad choices. His defence is excellent as well.
Then there is Brad Weber, currently the first choice at the Chiefs. He is courageous and can run through tiny gaps thanks to his speed where others can't. But his passing is erratic, to say the least, and his choices can be questionable too.Brad Weber's passing is so bad it looks like he's inspecting everyone's laces ensuring they're rainbow.
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True, and not just recently. I recall Wayne Smith being the number one choice for the All Blacks and not for Canterbury in one season. I was never quite sure what that was about.
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Gotta be TTT, but I reckon we could do with Bryn Hall's services. And bloody hell that kid Fakatava is a an explosive package reckon he will wear black next year.
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@Jailbreak7 Fakatava is eligible from approx. end of 2020.
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@Nevorian said in Who will be the ABs third choice at 9 for the RWC ?:
Not convinced on Hall yet, when he is good he is good but can be the other extreme also
He’s been one of our most consistent players over recent times and surpassed Drummond (who was on the AB radar) as the first choice Crusader halfback.
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@mariner4life said in Who will be the ABs third choice at 9 for the RWC ?:
since when has being a bench player been a roadblock to test match rugby?
TTT, Frizzell, Hemopo, Perry you could class in the regular non-starter category before being named ABs
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@ACT-Crusader He's been much less reliable for Harbour.
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I suspect there is a plan with TTT to be honing him for the 'close out' role once occupied so well by TKB.
Chiefs are happy at the moment to use him that way as although Weber's passing can go ropey at times his main attribute of speed to the breakdown and quick clearance is what the Chiefs want at the moment especially with a journeyman 10 -
Title is slightly exaggerating ...
Chiefs coach Colin Cooper backs Brad Weber's All Blacks return
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Nothing would give me more anxiety than Weber being on the pitch in a big test.
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when TKB was on the scene we had a good mix...Smith for the fast game, TKB for his workrate and defence and then TJP kinda in the middle of both, but at the time not good enough to really usurp both...
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@Yeetyaah said in Who will be the ABs third choice at 9 for the RWC ?:
Who would you rather then? Weber is arguably the third best halfback in Super atm, possibly Bryn Hall. I'd rather Weber over TTT at the moment.
I don't believe that. Weber's passing is abysmal. A fundamental skill for halfbacks and he's shit at it.
