AB RWC squad
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@MajorRage said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
True, but he's also the beneficiary of taking full advantage of the opportunity when given it. He was unstoppable in Bled II.
Hansen mentioned that they changed Tuipulotu’s nutrition recently and he’s a bit lighter. He would have been following instructions before, but maybe they had it slightly wrong?
He was always a guy who took a few games to get into a groove. I was surprised when he played well with no lead up games.
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@Steven-Harris said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
..love the selection of Luke Jacobson, anybody who saw his game for the chiefs against the Highlanders at Forsyth Bar during super rugby would have witnessed easily the best all round performance from a number 6 the accuracy of his performance that night was not lost on the All Black coaches .
Throw in the fact he as great leadership skills which was seen when he skipped the 2017 Baby Blacks to World Cup glory
An inspired selection ..!I'm sure I saw that Chiefs'game - it was the first time I'd really paid attention to Jacobson.
I think the selectors are deserving of a bit of a boot in the backside in regard to his selection though, given that he's on the plane with 22 minutes of test rugby under his belt.
Better selecting would have seen him start that test vs Argentina instead of Fifita and start the next one vs the Boks instead of Frizell. And he would be on the plane with two test starts under his belt, instead of none!
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Happy with that team, big gamble with 10, especially since our preferred option is to have them both on the field at the same time. Would think we could have dropped a hooker or halfback or a loosie.
I suppose Savea can cover 10, its not that different to playing 12. -
@Chris-B I think the selectors need a boot up the arse that its taken 4 years to work out who there next number 6 was going to be after Kaino
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@Steven-Harris said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Chris-B I think the selectors need a boot up the arse that its taken 4 years to work out who there next number 6 was going to be after Kaino
Agree, but no one has stood up, lots have had chances.
Savea has to be the form 6, but I really think Jacobson is the longterm answer, just had a lot of injuries so never really had a chance. -
@Steven-Harris Yeah!
Without doubt it's a much tougher job when you've only got reality to deal with
rather than the wild theories the rest of us can expound - but, with hindsight they've made some cock-ups and that's one of them. -
@Darren said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
Would think we could have dropped a hooker or halfback or a loosie.
Can't drop a hooker because it's compulsory to have a spare on the bench.
If someone pulls a hamstring in the warm-ups you need the third one to step in or otherwise you're playing with 14 men and uncontested scrums if you lose your starting hooker.
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@Steven-Harris said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Chris-B I think the selectors need a boot up the arse that its taken 4 years to work out who there next number 6 was going to be after Kaino
You think they should have chosen 18 year old Jacobson back in the day...
The boltiest of bolters!
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@TeWaio said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
Like the squad. With 31 players you have to take a risk somewhere, and two 10s is the best risk to take given the players available, as others have said above.
Would be a different story if DMac was fit, he'd cover 10, replace Jordie Barrett in the outside backs, and allow them to take an extra midfielder in Laumape given how often SBW and Crotty are injured. So Laumape is the unluckiest man. Franks' time has passed sadly, but its the right call. Moli lucky Big Karl is still too crook.
No one has really stepped up to 6 (aside from Savea from an unconventional pathway), so taking one of Frizell/Fifita/Jacobson/Papali'i/Squire/Hemopo is all pretty much of a muchness; Jacobsen will get to beat up on some minnows and that's about it barring injuries.
If you take DMac instead of J Barrett...that still doesn't make room for Laumape. Just saying.
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@Billy-Tell said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Steven-Harris said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Chris-B I think the selectors need a boot up the arse that its taken 4 years to work out who there next number 6 was going to be after Kaino
You think they should have chosen 18 year old Jacobson back in the day...
The boltiest of bolters!
I don't think we totally appreciate how hard it is to replace so many legendary players. Any other team in the world loses all time greats like GOAT, DC, Nonu and Snake, and Kevvie, would be poked for a whole cup cycle. We go into the cup with a strong win % over the last 4 years and are one of the favorites again
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@Steven-Harris said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Chris-B I think the selectors need a boot up the arse that its taken 4 years to work out who there next number 6 was going to be after Kaino
They probably had a fair idea earlier who the number 6 or 6s were going to be come Webb Ellis Trophy time. It's simply called keeping your powder dry.
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Ummm well done Owen. Quite a fall from grace but by feck you were a rock for about a decade and never once showed off or sought an undue spotlight. Stoic, silent and strong is how we like our props and you were bloody good for a long time.
Well done young man, and thanks
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@Darren said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
Savea has to be the form 6, but I really think Jacobson is the longterm answer, just had a lot of injuries so never really had a chance.
Jacobson could yet end up being the AB no.8 with Papalii at 6. Add those two to Savea and Cane and we have 4 quality loose forwards to be in the 23 from 2020 onwards.
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The only weird part i have with the only taking two 10s scenario
It looks like one is going to be playing fullback ahead of the 2 fullbacks in the big games , but im guessing will play 10 in the pool games because of the lack of 10s and surplus of fullbacks
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I was thinking last night if the Jacobson picked in part because of his use as a squad member and how he trains. The stories about McCaw coming into the Canterbury side and being a pest against his fellow loosies are legendary; I wonder if Jacobson is wired a bit that way too.
It's a long tournament, lots of training sessions, an otherwise fairly experienced set of loosies. Perhaps having someone who is going to be fizzing all tournament is worth more to them than whatever injury permutations may or may not eventuate. It does seem from all reports that Jacobson is wired in a similar way.
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@rotated said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
I was thinking last night if the Jacobson picked in part because of his use as a squad member and how he trains. The stories about McCaw coming into the Canterbury side and being a pest against his fellow loosies are legendary; I wonder if Jacobson is wired a bit that way too.
It's a long tournament, lots of training sessions, an otherwise fairly experienced set of loosies. Perhaps having someone who is going to be fizzing all tournament is worth more to them than whatever injury permutations may or may not eventuate. It does seem from all reports that Jacobson is wired in a similar way.
Really? This is the first I'm hearing of this legend (but I'm hardly a Canta-phile so easier for me to miss it than others). Hope Jacobson doesn't go a bit overboard like Ron Williams and Andy Earl in 1989.
