2019 Rugby Championship
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If they're forced to play a rookie 10, then IMO they would be well served to pick the best defensive player and one who makes the fewest mistakes (especially with exit plays). Stephen Donald might not have offered much else, but in a knock-out world cup game, you at least knew he could tackle with meaning.
The worst option would be someone might be technically a better first-five for a Super season, but doubtful defensively and prone to errors. The ability to make exciting runs really won't cancel out missed tackles and poor clearances.
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@rotated said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
We have an elite fullback, a halfback capable of elite play and two all-time great locks. This is a very good base to win a world cup from if we shelve any notion of playing ethereal XV man rugby (losing those two would surely do that).
And, I'd add a left wing who could be (if on form) the wing of the tournament. A hooker coming back from injury who has been the best in the world.
We're 50/50 I reckon, but that's pretty good going
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@booboo said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
MacDonald was an experienced 10. Played plenty of provincial and Super at 10.
Wasn't almost all of it after he was selected to play at 10 for the All Blacks though? A few games for Marlborough as a kid.
Someone ought to tell All Blacks .com that they are talking shit: link text
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@Chester-Draws Didn't MacDonald play 10 against the Reds in a semi final for the Crusaders in 99 or something?
My memory of MacDonald at 10 for the ABs was him getting charged down 50,000 times.
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@Chester-Draws said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
@booboo said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
MacDonald was an experienced 10. Played plenty of provincial and Super at 10.
Wasn't almost all of it after he was selected to play at 10 for the All Blacks though? A few games for Marlborough as a kid.
Someone ought to tell All Blacks .com that they are talking shit: link text
No.
I'll expand. He had played plenty of rep rugby at 10 well before he was picked fir the ABs.
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@booboo said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
@Chester-Draws said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
@booboo said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
MacDonald was an experienced 10. Played plenty of provincial and Super at 10.
Wasn't almost all of it after he was selected to play at 10 for the All Blacks though? A few games for Marlborough as a kid.
Someone ought to tell All Blacks .com that they are talking shit: link text
No.
I'll expand. He had played plenty of rep rugby at 10 well before he was picked fir the ABs.
I think we must have different definitions of "plenty".
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@Tim said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
MacDonald played the first Super Rugby season at 10 for the Chiefs.
Well, I did not know that. Since I've watched pretty much every Chiefs game except 2018 I must have seen him too.
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Leon started out as a 10. Converted to fullback.
Leon MacDonald - WildTomato
Leon Macdonald READ MAGAZINE Tough coaching pays off for Leon BY GEOFF MOFFETT He went on to a stellar career with the All Blacks, but Tasman Makos coach Leon MacDonald had thugs and gods against him in his teenage rep debut for Marlborough, Geoff Moffett reports. Could a 16-year-old future All...
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Shit I'm blind: my guess updated at mid SR season
What's coming up:
Super Rugby Final 6 July
decent gap to >21 Jul Argentina v All Blacks Buenos Aires 6:05 AM
27 Jul All Blacks v South Africa Westpac Stadium, Wellington 7:35 PM
10 Aug Australia v All Blacks Perth 10:00 PM
17 Aug All Blacks v Australia Eden Park, Auckland 7:35 PMSo away, home, away, home then a warm up vs Tonga
07 Sep All Blacks v Tonga FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton 2:35 PM
The RWC vs Boks on the 21stGoogle couldn't tell me the squad naming deadline, hopefully it is not before 17 August, and I think it is after, 3 weeks before the Cup starts on the 31st of August or so. Unlike previous years there seems to be more time for squad camps, rests, etc from SR>RC>warm up>RWC
33 named for last year's RC squad, so I guess similar this year - unless they go to RWC sized 31 man squad because of a shortened RC series, but I think they'll name 33 to give them some options - like a 3rd #10 who won't go to RWC unless there's an emergency
My guess: BOLD last RWC
Hookers (3)
Taylor, Coles, HarrisProps (5)
Moody, Franks, Karl T, Ofa T, Nepo LLocks (4)
BBBR, Whitelock, Little barrett, Pat TLoose Forwards (6, one to drop RWC)
Read, Cane, Ardie, Frizzell, Squire, AkiraHalfbacks (3)
Smith, Tj, TTT1st Fives (3, Black to drop RWC)
Beaudy, Mo'unga, BlackMidfielders (4)
SBW, ALB, Goodhue, CrottyOutside/Utility backs (5)
BFA, Ioane, Jordie, Havili, BridgeThis is what I expect to see, as it stands, obviously things can change. There is also, worryingly, a lot of space as the squad is not settled like 2011/15. I also expect a lot to be with the squad training for the entire period they can, esp so they can do full team opposed runs & spread the current knowledge for emergency replacements
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I really really need to post the insiders thoughts that I've been meaning to since Dec or it'll be too late.
As a taster They don't rate Akira because he's a lazy penalty magnet (my words). What he does he does well but one of the KPI's they place a lot of emphasis on is how quickly someone gets up from a ruck and apparently he's one of the worst around. Can't play the AB game if half the time you're sitting on your arse (my words again)
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@Nepia said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
@dogmeat I see a problem with their reasoning. We’re constantly told he doesn’t go to rucks, now we’re being told he takes too long to get up from the rucks he doesn’t go to. 😉
Think it's more to do with the expression on his face when getting up.
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@Nepia said in 2019 Rugby Championship:
@dogmeat I see a problem with their reasoning. We’re constantly told he doesn’t go to rucks, now we’re being told he takes too long to get up from the rucks he doesn’t go to. 😉
Well he doesn't go to rucks because the few he has the fortune to attend, it takes him several phases before he's on his feet for the next one that forms around him. 
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it's cos the rucks he attends are behind the gainline cleaning up after Parsons...must be tiring.
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All Blacks Watch - How are New Zealand's hookers faring in Super Rugby?
We're now past the half-way point in Super Rugby and the All Blacks selectors will be slowly inking in their initial squad for the Rugby Championship. How are New Zealand's hooking incumbents performing, and could anyone still force their way into selection?
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@Tim Will Jordan and Tom Robinson?
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