AB Depth Chart 2020
-
Yes, there are plenty of good 6s, 7s and 8s in NZ right now, though untried at the highest level for most of them.
6 : Robinson, Grace, Jacobson (+ Frizell, Fifita, Boshier, Papali'i and Barrett though I think these last three are better wearing their usual jersey)
7 : Cane, Savea, Papali'i, Boshier
8 : Sotutu, Mikaele-Tuu, Ioane (?) -
-
The Herald had a piece on why they thought NZ rugby wasn't getting any tall locks coming through but it was premium so I could read it. I am guessing they were claiming it's because of basketball?
-
"All the franchises would agree that we don't seem to have a lot of depth at lock," Blues forwards coach Tom Coventry said. "Why that is, there's lots of reasons. The height of basketball tends to take our big tall men and they do a good job promoting their game."
-
@nzzp said in Hurricanes v Crusaders:
@cgrant depth really improving, but we are missing that tall timber at 6 as a lineout option. Robinson possibly the best candidate in the lineout, but not sure the others are that good are they?
Fark Kaino left a hole
Between Robinson, Frizzel, Fifita, Grace and to a lesser extent Blackadder, hopefully we can come to rely on somebody.
-
@nzzp said in Hurricanes v Crusaders:
@cgrant depth really improving, but we are missing that tall timber at 6 as a lineout option. Robinson possibly the best candidate in the lineout, but not sure the others are that good are they?
Not a 6, but Sotutu has been winning a lot of lineout ball
-
@Duluth said in Hurricanes v Crusaders:
@nzzp said in Hurricanes v Crusaders:
@cgrant depth really improving, but we are missing that tall timber at 6 as a lineout option. Robinson possibly the best candidate in the lineout, but not sure the others are that good are they?
Not a 6, but Sotutu has been winning a lot of lineout ball
which is good, because Read was an important target for us
-
I admit my bias at the beginning of this post, but
i absolutely believe that you cannot win rugby games with a poor lineout. The higher you go, the more important it is. If your lineout is suspect, you just get trapped in your own end, and eventually that field position deficit takes its toll.
It's why at test level i am so dead against dual opensides. You shorten your lineout (both jumper and lifter options) too much. And for what ever resaon you never make up that shortfall around the paddock.
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
-
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
-
@antipodean said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
it's got my vote
-
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
I admit my bias at the beginning of this post, but
i absolutely believe that you cannot win rugby games with a poor lineout. The higher you go, the more important it is. If your lineout is suspect, you just get trapped in your own end, and eventually that field position deficit takes its toll.
It's why at test level i am so dead against dual opensides. You shorten your lineout (both jumper and lifter options) too much. And for what ever resaon you never make up that shortfall around the paddock.
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Before the ABs recent improvement in LOs, they used to win a fuck load of games with the worst Tier 1 lineout, so not totally true IMO. It is just like anything else, any weaknes can be exploited. Doesn;t mater where, physicality, scrum, kicking, whatever. But the ABs used to be reknown for their awful LO, still won lots
-
@antipodean said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
LOL no Ardie, WR Nominee and ABs best player previous year. And two utter noobs
YEAH RIGHT
-
@Machpants said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@antipodean said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
LOL no Ardie, WR Nominee and ABs best player previous year. And two utter noobs
YEAH RIGHT
if he's the best 7, he plays 7, it's very simple.
No matter if Ardie is just the absolute besterest rugby player eva, he's still a no more than adequate test match 6 or 8. So if he is the best 7 he plays 7. But don't shoehorn him in just to do the tried and test dumb thing of trying to fit the "best" players in and ignoring positions.
I just don't think he's a better test match 7 than Cane in teh first 55 mins of a test. I think he would be brilliant in the last 25 though.
-
@Machpants said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@antipodean said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
LOL no Ardie, WR Nominee and ABs best player previous year. And two utter noobs
YEAH RIGHT
He can come off the bench, but on current form he doesn't demand to start ahead of the others.
-
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@Machpants said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@antipodean said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@mariner4life said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Last year we were forced in to it because we had absolutely no one at 6. But by christ i hope this year we take a punt and develop a 6 and 8 that have a bit of height, and then just pick the best 7 at 7.
Ioane/ Robinson, Cane, Sotutu.
Problem solved.
LOL no Ardie, WR Nominee and ABs best player previous year. And two utter noobs
YEAH RIGHT
if he's the best 7, he plays 7, it's very simple.
No matter if Ardie is just the absolute besterest rugby player eva, he's still a no more than adequate test match 6 or 8. So if he is the best 7 he plays 7. But don't shoehorn him in just to do the tried and test dumb thing of trying to fit the "best" players in and ignoring positions.
I just don't think he's a better test match 7 than Cane in teh first 55 mins of a test. I think he would be brilliant in the last 25 though.
This and this.
It's the best way of using two great players.
