Possible All Blacks 2020
-
@nzzp said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Your evidence for including him in the Test sqaud is scoring a try against the Sunwolves?
Be fair - it was an example of good play. Super doesn't always translate to tests, but pre-injury DMac was a livewire that I would have had in my AB squads if I were coach. His pace and vision creates tries; his error rate was rapidly dropping. Top player, hopefully he gets back to his peak
Opposition was irrelevant in that example. Spotting opportunities and having the skills to take advantage of them was the key message.
It still astounds me when watching that how he timed his way through that tiny gap at speed with a step. There aren't many players around that can execute that.
Just not something I would want to discard from the ABs -
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Crucial said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@KiwiMurph said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth I think that squad at the bottom of the article will be pretty close to mark.
Possible All Blacks squad for 2020: Forwards: Codie Taylor, Dane Coles, Asafo Aumua, Joe Moody, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Lauala, Atu Moli, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Mitchell Dunshea, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Cullen Grace, Dalton Papalii. Backs: Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Brad Weber, Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape, Jack Goodhue, Braydon Ennor, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie.True. It is the logic used to get there that is often screwy though. Discarding players then supplanting them with someone with the same weakness.
I don't see Aumua standing out enough ahead of others. I don't see Bridge doing anything to warrant holding his place. Ennor? Hasn't stepped up yet.I’m ambivalent about Ennor as a footballer, but I don’t see him being one of our top midfielders yet. As for Reece and Bridge, I’d rather be blind than see them wearing black jerseys ever again
I hope he comes back better from his injury, but if we're picking a squad based on this season's form, he's no way near the team.
-
@Cyclops said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Crucial said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Back to the same old arguments about DMac eh?
The guy may not be perfect but to succeed in tests against Tier 1 countries these days you have to have something 'unusual'. Some piece of vision that unlocks a defence. It may only happen once in a game, but that can be enough. You can train how to mitigate mistakes (as long as they aren't horrendous).That try DMac setup (then was handed) against the Sumwolves is a good case. Most will have seen the try highlight here at 2:08
But if you watch from another angle (sadly can't find on youtube) he comes on that line from a long way back. His vision was that the Wolves were leaving enough of a gap between channels 1 and 2 that he could squeeze through if he timed his run and collected the pass. That could have easily ended up in a knock on and everyone would have bagged him for fucking up an attacking position but as it came off it was one of the best line runs of the season.
That kind of thing is why being end on at a live game can be so great. You can see those gaps so clearly and tell the guys who are trying to set up lines to get into them.
Hadn't seen that. Thanks. Wonderful vision. Lucky he's skinny enough to make that gap!
-
@Bovidae said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Cyclops said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
That kind of thing is why being end on at a live game can be so great. You can see those gaps so clearly and tell the guys who are trying to set up lines to get into them.
Earle Kirton's favourite spot to watch from.
and mine - either the super platinum coachs box middle of the middle, or the Upper West Stand at the Garden of Eden for me. End on you see who works and who shirks, it's great (until play is at the other end of the field)
-
@nzzp said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bovidae said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Cyclops said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
That kind of thing is why being end on at a live game can be so great. You can see those gaps so clearly and tell the guys who are trying to set up lines to get into them.
Earle Kirton's favourite spot to watch from.
and mine - either the super platinum coachs box middle of the middle, or the Upper West Stand at the Garden of Eden for me. End on you see who works and who shirks, it's great (until play is at the other end of the field)
My season ticket seat at Stadium Waikato is on halfway so primo seats. But I used to watch right behind the posts as a young fella and have spent plenty of time in the terraces at Eden Park so have always enjoyed that view as well.
I sat in the Upper West Stand for the 2011 RWC SF vs Aust. I still remember McCabe changing his running line and running straight into a dominant tackle by Read. My mate and I just looked at each other and wondered WTF he was thinking.
-
@Bovidae can recall Kieran Reads tackle on Rocky Elsom in the 2011 RWC semi final was an absolute beauty ,surprised Elsom still got up.
-
@Steven-Harris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bovidae can recall Kieran Reads tackle on Rocky Elsom in the 2011 RWC semi final was an absolute beauty ,surprised Elsom still got up.
And Kahui on Cooper.
Our D used to be sensational, seems to have become more passive recently. Kieran was incredible, just faded a year or so tooearly
-
@Canes4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones lol Savea starts before any of those three. Especially on last year's form, he was arguably the best player in the world.
Before Cane?
-
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bovidae said in Blues v Lions:
Foster and Plumtree will want both Cane and Savea in their starting XV so that means finding another loose forward who complements them. The first part of that equation is deciding if Ardie moves to no.8 or Cane could be used as a 6. That 3rd player will need to be a good option in the lineout too.
I can see Ardie being the So’oialo-like number 8 in a back row with Cane and one other. The question become who is the bruiser playing at 6 to balance out that loose trio?
Currently a fan of Grace but he's got quite a bit of proving to do.
-
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Canes4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones lol Savea starts before any of those three. Especially on last year's form, he was arguably the best player in the world.
Before Cane?
If necessary, yes. On last year. But really they both start and we find third to compliment
-
@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Canes4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones lol Savea starts before any of those three. Especially on last year's form, he was arguably the best player in the world.
Before Cane?
If necessary, yes. On last year. But really they both start and we find third to compliment
Kind of my point.
Savea doesn't start in front of Cane for me.
-
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Canes4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones lol Savea starts before any of those three. Especially on last year's form, he was arguably the best player in the world.
Before Cane?
If necessary, yes. On last year. But really they both start and we find third to compliment
Kind of my point.
Savea doesn't Starr in front of Cane for me.
Savea starts at 7 ahead of Cane for me. Cane is our best 6 at the moment so he's a locked in starter too. But if we had (say) peak Kaino and Read then Cane sits on the pine.
-
-
-
@KiwiMurph said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Cane would be favourite to be captain I would assume.
Makes sense given he's the first forward picked.
-
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Am glad we can still argue over All Black selection and expose obvious provincial biases even in these times.
I would select Cane over Savea who is from the Canes which is the franchise that my province is part of. See we're not all biased.
-
-
