RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Cancelled) (Pool B)
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No surprise but there are still big question marks over both Reece and Bridge. Have either of them actually performed in a real tight test yet?
Bled 2 and the opener against the Boks were ābigā games but both ended up being pretty comfortable wins.Bridge seems to fit the 2nd full back type winger we have had for the last 8 years or so but still doesnāt seem to be the type of winger to create something out of nothing by busting a tackle or gassing someone on the outside.
Reece does have that something out of nothing ability but has question marks over defence and taking the high ball.
I think the selectors have screwed it up a bit to be honest. The way to get Rieko (our best back other than BB for the last 2 years) back up to top form and confidence wasnāt to drop him then play him in midfield from the bench. They also did similar with Ben Smith, dropping him then claiming he had lost his self belief. Which he later said wasnāt true.
Who knows what level Ioane and Smith would have been at if they had been retained starting for the Bled 2 cake walk.
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@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
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@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
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@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
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@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
Kind of like Ben Smith. Just not as good.
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@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
Kind of like Ben Smith. Just not as good.
But far quicker than the current version of Bender.
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@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
Kind of like Ben Smith. Just not as good.
But far quicker than the current version of Bender.
That's the bit otherwise Bridge seems like a Corey Jane without the fend.
I'd wear a Reiko punt over Bridge in the first knockout game
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@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
Kind of like Ben Smith. Just not as good.
Thatās just rubbish, heās a quicker version of Ben Smith and way safer under the high ball this year. Smith has hardly caught a bomb all year
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@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@pukunui yeah, I'd agree that apart from when Bridge has gassed someone or broken a tackle, he definitely doesn't seem to gas anyone or break tackles.
Like you say, Reece is really uncreative and tends to look meh ball in hand.
Plus Ioane is super amazing in defence and kick receipt.
Looking past your lame attempt at humour I would say Rieko at his peak (which wasnāt long ago) makes Bridge look pedestrian.
I like Bridge as the 2nd fullback type player though.
Just not more than Smith.I donāt know what you are talking about with Reece. I said he HAS the ācreate something out of nothingā ability. It is the other aspects of his game im questioning.
Edit: just realised I didnāt write what i meant about Reece. Will edit.
The stuff Bridge does well is what the team actually needs - a guy that works hard to run the right line and angle. Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap. And when he has had to beat a man he has.
Inclined to agree work rate in the back 3 in the Play offs will be critical so Bridge because of more pace beats Bender.Ioane no doubt at his best was an awesome winger but it seems he is well below that at the moment maybe a risk in the selectors opinion
Therefore I think Bridge will play .
To be honest All 3 Wouldnāt let us down IMO. -
@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:Heās on the end of stuff because of his work rate not because it magically falls into his lap.
IMO that's the key...have to assume he hasnt been given more free licence than Ioane to go looking for work, but Ioane just hasnt, or at least hasnt had the instincts (which can come with a lack of confidence) of when he should go looking for work.
I am sure Ioane will come good again, but right now, he isnt the force he was.
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@taniwharugby yeah it was noticeable the last game Ioane played that early on he was hanging around the tackle area and often popped up at first receiver, but just had no options and did nothing.
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Not getting this bizarre loyalty to Rieko.
Bridge and Reece have made every post a winner.
Reece made the decisive break which led to the try in the Bok game which broke the game open and Bridge finished it. Bridge tore it up in the 2nd Bledisloe and both have been on fire for the Saders all year.Rieko hasn't done squat.
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@Frank yeah people are saying Smith and Ioane should get a chance to play into form, but it'd be interesting to see just how much all four have played this year for the AB's. My feeling without going looking for unwanted facts is that if anything, Smith and Ioane and have had more "chances".
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@Bones not to mention you have to balance taking the chance to play someone into form vs playing people who are in form.
What if Ioane didnt recapture his form and Bridge had been sitting on the sidelines?
As many have alluded, had Ioane had the chance in B2 that Bridge did, he might well have looked shit hot too, but by the same token, Bridge took his chance, and aint giving it up easily, so ball is now in Ioanes court to try and use every second he gets as a chance to force his way back in.
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@taniwharugby yep, plus Ioane may have continued on in his current vein of form and then we'd have an absolute unknown and a known...unknown?
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@taniwharugby said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@Bones not to mention you have to balance taking the chance to play someone into form vs playing people who are in form.
What if Ioane didnt recapture his form and Bridge had been sitting on the sidelines?
As many have alluded, had Ioane had the chance in B2 that Bridge did, he might well have looked shit hot too, but by the same token, Bridge took his chance, and aint giving it up easily, so ball is now in Ioanes court to try and use every second he gets as a chance to force his way back in.
Saving Bridge for the semis, just like Howlett in 2007....
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@ACT-Crusader what happened in 2007?
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@taniwharugby said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:@ACT-Crusader what happened in 2007?
Kevin Rudd and Gordo became PMās, Sarkozy was made President of France, Goddard had one of the most atrocious reffing performances in the history of Super rugby at Loftus.
So not much.
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@Frank said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool
:Not getting this bizarre loyalty to Rieko.
Bridge and Reece have made every post a winner.
Reece made the decisive break which led to the try in the Bok game which broke the game open and Bridge finished it. Bridge tore it up in the 2nd Bledisloe and both have been on fire for the Saders all year.Rieko hasn't done squat.
I agree with this. Rieko looks shot in terms of his body language / confidence. Look at how he over celebrated scoring that try against Canada. Wing is such a form/momentum position and he just doesn't have it anymore.
People have speculated that Akira isn't in the team due to a poor attitude. Maybe Rieko has shown the same thing in camp since his golden run from being picked out of left field for the Lions series? Doesn't want to put in the hard yards to win his spot back?
Total speculation on my part and maybe some posters will call me out for talking rubbish, but I just get a really strong feeling he's done, not the sort of guy who can deal with not being the top dog in the ABs. Still, he was absolute dynamite in 2017-18 so will always be a great AB off the back of that.
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