2020 All Blacks Squad
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@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
Neither is in the Nonu / SBW / Tuilagi / De Allende mould, though are they? And that's fine if we have a forward packs that's able to smash over the advantage line and give our inside backs the space they need. However, we don't have that and having a big hua smashing into and through Ford and Farrell in that semi would have been very helpful once.
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@taniwharugby said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Chris-B agree to a point, but there were concerns with our small backs v SA in pool play, but it didnt affect us.
I expect Jack could put on a few more kgs easily enough without affecting him.
there arent too many big bruisers playing the mid-field in NZ presently who look like they will make the step up in the next year or 2...
It doesn't seem there's too many big bruisers in NZ fullstop! Given the style of play our domestic teams play, half the battle for most players seems to be their ability to keep (especially in the forwards). Couple that with the increased focus on skill speed (especially with catching and passing) in the last 10-15 years, this naturally favours smaller guys who don't carry as much bulk and can move more quickly. All of the sudden, you're naturally selecting against big guys and they start getting phased out of the game at lower and lower levels.
That's why, in my view, a guy like Akira is potentially such a gem - he's got the size but also the speed to keep up!
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@Higgins said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Chris-B said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
If you're n the back foot, who do you give it to to smash forward and get some front foot ball?
Maybe they should rely on innovative superior skills (and hopefully speed) rather than trying to bash and smash your way through to see some dividends paid.
They tried that and it resulted in a RWC semi-final exit (16 years after trying the same things and failing at the 2003 RWC)
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@taniwharugby atleast buncy managed to throw the ball, abit late lol but it hit the wrong ozzy guy haha i remember this game, i was young and was disappointed Bunce didnt retaliate lol Riles would be red carded and taken to court and banned forever if that happened today. the game has really turned tiddley winks
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@junior said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@taniwharugby said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Chris-B agree to a point, but there were concerns with our small backs v SA in pool play, but it didnt affect us.
I expect Jack could put on a few more kgs easily enough without affecting him.
there arent too many big bruisers playing the mid-field in NZ presently who look like they will make the step up in the next year or 2...
It doesn't seem there's too many big bruisers in NZ fullstop! Given the style of play our domestic teams play, half the battle for most players seems to be their ability to keep (especially in the forwards). Couple that with the increased focus on skill speed (especially with catching and passing) in the last 10-15 years, this naturally favours smaller guys who don't carry as much bulk and can move more quickly. All of the sudden, you're naturally selecting against big guys and they start getting phased out of the game at lower and lower levels.
I think this is wrong. Our forward packs, both at franchise and national level aren't smaller than their opponents. Sometimes a bit shorter, but rarely lighter.
With regards to backs, we have lots of big boys. We just play them on the wing, whereas other countries play them in the centres. You'd be pressed to argue that the Bok backline was big if you look outside the centres.
Reiko Ioane will be bigger than most of the guys he is marking, by some distance. It was just unfortunate that his form disappeared this year, or we would have had him to use a battering ram in the midfield. (We use wingers all the time for this role in NZ, because so often they're our biggest backs.)
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@mariner4life said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
strides yes, but he's not consistent enough.
I thought he was consistently good in the RC. Really stepped up and was Kaino-esque at times.
Seems to be a lot more mature as well - think he'll figure quite highly for the ABs next year
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@Stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
With Laumape an almost certain addition, I think we're fine in the midfield.
As long as don't keep buggering about with selection and get some stability at 12/13.
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@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
In his day, Bruce Robinson was big for a midfielder - esp. for a 13. Osbourne was actually smaller.
But they were a great combination - which we haven't had any stability for 2-3 years.
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@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Daffy-Jaffy handling skills reminiscent of Brad Shields though.
Yeah, but not as "English as Fish and Chips" like Shields.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Daffy-Jaffy handling skills reminiscent of Brad Shields though.
Yeah, but not as "English as Fish and Chips" like Shields.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
In his day, Bruce Robinson was big for a midfielder - esp. for a 13. Osbourne was actually smaller.
But they were a great combination - which we haven't had any stability for 2-3 years.
It was Bruce Robertson and Billy Osborne (not Robinson and Osbourne).
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I think people putting far too much weight into that England game, we were flat as England were against SA. Our “small” team was certainly big enough when we played the Boks and I would say our back row and midfield came out on top. ALB/Laumape/Goodhue/Ennor all have the physical/skill requirements to excel at Test level. My one question would be our line speed in defence, we have not been that consistent as to whether we push really hard or hold back a little even though results have tended to be good if not a little mixed. I think Savea cannot be left out f starting XV and Cane if fit has to have a place which definitely leaves room for one big unit in Reads abscence and though all contenders have all been a little dissaponting you hope someone puts their hand up this season. In the second row Tuipolotu can solidify his spot and Barrett minus silly penalties plays above his size.
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I can seen Savea becoming a So'oialo Mark 2 at number 8. Add in Cane at 7 and an enforcer at 6 and that's a beautiful loose forward trio.
I'd love to see Barrett get a season at 6 because he'd be perfect I think. Although I am always sceptical of converting athletic locks to 6. An athletic lock is too often a below average athlete at blindside, turning one of their biggest strengths into a weakness.
Really depends on whether the crusaders are willing to try it out.
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@Cyclops said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I can seen Savea becoming a So'oialo Mark 2 at number 8. Add in Cane at 7 and an enforcer at 6 and that's a beautiful loose forward trio.
I'd love to see Barrett get a season at 6 because he'd be perfect I think. Although I am always sceptical of converting athletic locks to 6. An athletic lock is too often a below average athlete at blindside, turning one of their biggest strengths into a weakness.
Really depends on whether the crusaders are willing to try it out.
Probably not during the 2020 season because Sam Whitelock won't play SR in 2020.
