Northland vs BOP
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Just watched a replay from the 1st half. Us hot on attack and ball at backbetween feet. Tiatia picks up but ball was not out. Really average piece of reffing. Close to end of first half we were on attack with maul going forward and they rolled around the side and collapsed. Should have been penalty if not yellow card. No leaders in Northland team-should be in the refs ear.
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@kev yeah the lack of experience is telling, but tactically we are poor too.
I do think there is alot more going on off the field, not sure the coaches and players are on the same page.
What's worse is 2 of those tries (15 v 15) were bloody good tries, and also BY FAR our best of the season, showing we are capable...
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I am really struggling with the fact that our guys can’t execute the most basic of rugby skills, the humble catch and pass.
If I never see another person wearing cambridge blue throw a pass that goes behind the receiver it’ll be too soon.
We’re not going to get close to winning another game this year, but we somehow have to get something out of this dismal season.... Time to play our young guys who haven’t had much of a chance. They can’t do any worse, hell, they might even do better.
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In terms of fight or flight, our guys have definitely gone into flight mode. Being at the game it’s almost as if there’s a lack of interest running through the team. It was embarrassing to watch.
There were a few individuals who put themselves through the ringer as per usual, but the key word there is individual, because everyone played like that.
Basics were horrendous! We kicked away so much pill when we could have kept it in hand, and we kept it in hand when should have kicked it. Heaps of unnecessary offloads too.
Bar a few key players, I would like to see a clean out for next year...starting with the useless midfield!
Awesome, onto another drubbing in the capital next week. Can hardly wait.
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I feel sorry for you guys as I know how you feel. Bay of Plenty have been in that exact same position many, many times. One thing that is showing in Bay of Plenty Rugby this year is the quality of players we now have. Put simply, that is the basic ingredient for any team. We seems to have a nice mix of experience and emerging talent which is the result of many things :- (1) Our academy seems to finally be producing the talent which it never did for years. Narawa is a prime example. (2) We have made some good player purchases (3) The core of the team have been around for a few years and have grown into their roles. Obviously coaching, injuries and team culture are also important but at the end of the day player quality is the basic ingredient for success.
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@Snollygoster yeah it is tough to gauge in some ways as our injury list is long and full of our quality players (starters: Hyland, Ranger, Robinson, Goodhue, Olsen, Jacobson) but by the same token, the way we are playing is a worry and makes you wonder if we would be any better off even if we had them all available.
Then you look at someone like Ross Wright, up there as one of our better players over the last 4 or 5 years, yet he looks so out of shape, it aint even funny, and this is a guy whp played for the Maori this year, how has he, and the Northland strength and conditioning guys let him get to that point?
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@Duluth Wiseguy has pretty much pulled the pin with Northland, he’s withdrawn from the Dev squad believing his not going to get an opportunity..
The reality is ,he’s still has off field issues which he can’t seem to turn around along with an attitude of not being able to take on board sensible advise which is a real shame because he is talented ..would not surprise me if once he does get his head right, he ends up in a Mitre 10 Cup team somewhere in the country.. -
One big difference i think has happened which has exposed a few areas is the other teams are showing northland more respect this year, not resting too many players etc, and northland are not getting the turn over ball from 50/50 plays that they have lived off over the years. The positive thing i want to say tho is that if the teams are now showing respect then thats well earned for the last few years of grinding on the park but unfortunately it looks like this has exposed weaknesess that have been there for a while. I know we have some young players but if structures were in place that were proven worked then the team would be still very competitive weather winning or loosing. To me our 2 playmakers in Nock and Debrizini are not bying into the gameplan or some of our team are not capable of executing it. Its a shame as that is
good team and i would say some coaches out their would lick ther lips if they had that squad. -
@Nath-Jac from what I have heard, Nock is certainly into the structured type of play Whitcombe prefers...which when you see him play, probably has some truth to it.
Whereas for me, better players are able to play in multiple systems, adapt on the fly, play what is in front of them, using smarts and instinct.
I think it is more likely we just dont have the cattle to pull off whatever gameplan we supposedly have right now...
As to your first point re respect, nah, we are just in a big old hole this year...BOP went for the corner with a garanteed 3 on the cards on Sunday...showed a team full of confidence knowing they were going to get over a team with no confidence and cohesion right now.
Have heard we can add Matich and Matiu to our injured list, so that makes 8 starters, er, not starting
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@taniwharugby I think you hit it on the head - the strategy for this team is not working.
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@taniwharugby bugger injuries are like a cancer when loosing,
