AB RWC squad
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2 x 10s is a risk. minnows are irrelevant, it's injury cover that matters, and the big games.
mounga and barrett are both required for us to use our first choice game plan.
we get one injury, we have to change the game plan - and we have a decent plan B, and smith to cover fullback. still a strong team. however, there'd be serious temptation to keep the injured guy with the squad if he'll recover, cause it's our #1 game plan...
that means no bench 10 cover - we get a 2nd injury, we lose. crotty, jordie, tj are horrible options.
i don't see the value in taking e.g. jordie barrett (as well as reece and bridge) by comparison. assuming rieko and smith are first choice, we still have reece and bridge as wing cover without jordie, even a couple of the midfielders beyond that if necessary, and at fullback we have barrett, smith, bridge. midfield is well covered. 2 injuries doesn't hurt us anywhere near as badly in those positions, and 10 is the more important position. the only justification i can think of is they want jordie on the bench to cover multiple positions, but they don't think he's good enough in any position to justify his selection over anyone else.
no injuries and nobody will remember the decision, but it's not a good one in my opinion.rest of the team pretty good though. i like the look of jacobson, but do think they fucked around with fifita too long when more would have been achieved giving frizzell and jacobson those opportunities before the squad naming.
oh and well played owen franks, a really bloody good all black.
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@reprobate said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
2 x 10s is a risk. minnows are irrelevant, it's injury cover that matters, and the big games.
Who's number 3 though? There's no one at a level anywhere near BB or Mo'unga. Lima fell off a cliff too, and 10 is so critical I can see why they're rolling the dice
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@nzzp has to be Ioane. Sure he's nowhere near the other two, but he is miles better than jordie, TJ, or crotty. we have an experienced halfback to take the pressure off him, who he has played a lot with. He's played some very good super games there this season, as opposed to our other supposed back-ups.
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@reprobate said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@nzzp has to be Ioane. Sure he's nowhere near the other two, but he is miles better than jordie, TJ, or crotty. we have an experienced halfback to take the pressure off him, who he has played a lot with. He's played some very good super games there this season, as opposed to our other supposed back-ups.
So who would you leave at home to take him?
Look, 10 is a risk fo rus, but we've already lost one, to lose two would be unlucky, and three positively reckless. Against the minnows, JB or Crotty will slot in there (according to Hansen). I just dont' know that having an uncapped 10 in the squad or on the bench is worth it
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@nzzp said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@reprobate said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@nzzp has to be Ioane. Sure he's nowhere near the other two, but he is miles better than jordie, TJ, or crotty. we have an experienced halfback to take the pressure off him, who he has played a lot with. He's played some very good super games there this season, as opposed to our other supposed back-ups.
So who would you leave at home to take him?
Look, 10 is a risk fo rus, but we've already lost one, to lose two would be unlucky, and three positively reckless. Against the minnows, JB or Crotty will slot in there (according to Hansen). I just dont' know that having an uncapped 10 in the squad or on the bench is worth it
Jordie will go fine at 10 against the minnows, and there's a very good argument for using Jordie or Crotty over Ioane in a crunch match anyway when experience is going to be a key factor. I'm pretty comfortable with the decision.
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@No-Quarter said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@nzzp said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@reprobate said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@nzzp has to be Ioane. Sure he's nowhere near the other two, but he is miles better than jordie, TJ, or crotty. we have an experienced halfback to take the pressure off him, who he has played a lot with. He's played some very good super games there this season, as opposed to our other supposed back-ups.
So who would you leave at home to take him?
Look, 10 is a risk fo rus, but we've already lost one, to lose two would be unlucky, and three positively reckless. Against the minnows, JB or Crotty will slot in there (according to Hansen). I just dont' know that having an uncapped 10 in the squad or on the bench is worth it
Jordie will go fine at 10 against the minnows, and there's a very good argument for using Jordie or Crotty over Ioane in a crunch match anyway when experience is going to be a key factor. I'm pretty comfortable with the decision.
don't care about the minnows, i could play there against them for all it matters. jordie or crotty or tj at 10 in a crunch match would be awful.
sopo'aga on the other hand went alright on debut, playing in his correct position that he plays all the time, with his regular halfback.... we have too many outside backs, when we have loads of cover there - we could have rieko, smith, reece, jordie, bridge all get injured (5!) and we could still play sbw and alb. who have played there before, and would be better options there than crotty/tj/jordie would be at 10.
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@Jailbreak7 said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
Absolutely stoked for Jacobson. A true bolter. He is a good'un and a keeper. Reckon he will step into regular blindside boots next season.
Selectors have obviouslly rewarded mobility, attitude, hunger and youth over seniority, experience and waning impact, which I support 100 per cent. \Bloody good choices. Excellent for Moli, Jacobsnon, Reece , Bridge etc,
I'm also pleased for Todd, - Mr Reliable who has been rewarded for his committment,
Just one thing, As a Chiefs supprter, pleased for Weber, but can;t help wondering whether it may have been better to take J Ioane as a spare 1st five,Because Ben Smith played nine in England for a year as an amateur about 13 years ago....??
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12263276
Good on him for being true to himself
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I am really surprised that they did not take Josh Ioane, I think really came down to taking Josh or taking Reiko and they probably flinched at leaving both Reiko and Franks. Not sure how they can roll the dice with even one of Barret/Mounga being possibly hurt mid week, going into knockout stages when no one in the squad has even significant Super experience. Crotty is kind of laughable, most of the time I see him kick from hand it’s embarrassingly bad. I think if any outside back is hurt Ioane is the first call.
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@DMX said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
I am really surprised that they did not take Josh Ioane, I think really came down to taking Josh or taking Reiko and they probably flinched at leaving both Reiko and Franks. Not sure how they can roll the dice with even one of Barret/Mounga being possibly hurt mid week, going into knockout stages when no one in the squad has even significant Super experience. Crotty is kind of laughable, most of the time I see him kick from hand it’s embarrassingly bad. I think if any outside back is hurt Ioane is the first call.
Crotty’s kicking from 2nd 5 is fine. But if you look at the gameplan we have run for quite a few years now we know that our 1st 5 and fullback (no matter who has been there) share the kicking duties from 1st receiver. Look back to the Cruden and Dagg days. Barrett and Bender.
I think a 3rd 1st 5 is a luxury particularly when Ioane doesn’t have experience and doesn’t play other positions.
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Don’t disagree that Crotty when healthy does not need to kick but when I see his wobbly kicks nothing suggests he could step into the 10 role in a knockout test match. I think we are indulging in luxury having so many outside backs. Its already scary that the our 3rd ranked 10 is an uncapped rookie but wouldn’t you want him soaking in as much as possible right up to the final. If just one of the 10s is injured at any point in the tournament it will be a massive disruption.
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Maybe change the thread title....
