AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
-
@nzzp said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Wairau said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Does anyone know what numbers Cullen was hitting during those years?
The challenge is that the game has moved on massively from that. Cullen numbers probably don't work as well any more, as the defence is also stronger, faster, fitter and harder to break down.
The eye test tells me he would have been a freak in any era. As pure a stepper as anyone I've ever seen with no drop in pace when doing it. And fearless
-
Just like to mention a few random ideas
- The AB captain has to be an automatic selection. That makes it one of B Barrett, S Whitelock or A Smith.
- B Barrett is a rugby genius. His best position is not 10.
- N Laumape has to start at 12.
- H Sotutu if you're good enough you're good enough. You start. Has McCaw like fortitude.
- J Barrett has to start somewhere. Probably on the wing. (His brother should start at 15). Best vision and passer off either hand for an outside back I've seen in years.
- Patrick Tuipulotu is a starter.
- Cant remember better mid field backs ever. Ennor, Laumape, ALB, Goodhue. No worries.
- Have enjoyed Super Rugby Aotearoa. The rugby talent from a small country is unreal.
-
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
N Laumape has to start at 12
Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.
-
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
N Laumape has to start at 12
Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.
which is a bit of a bugger, because all our others can pass, and have nice light feet, but aren't physical units. So we give a bit somewhere no matter what.
-
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
- B Barrett is a rugby genius. His best position is not 10.
love your work generally, but you need 'was'. He hasn't shown much recently, but I agree -w as a better 15 than 10. Best rugby player in the world for a while, but I don't think controlled games like great 10s do.
-
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
N Laumape has to start at 12
Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.
Nonu needs to get in his ear and show him how he developed that skill. Could be awesome if he develops a passing game - you could see how he attracts defenders to him
-
@nzzp said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
N Laumape has to start at 12
Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.
Nonu needs to get in his ear and show him how he developed that skill. Could be awesome if he develops a passing game - you could see how he attracts defenders to him
yeah, i can't see it happening
-
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
N Laumape has to start at 12
Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.
Nonu needs to get in his ear and show him how he developed that skill. Could be awesome if he develops a passing game - you could see how he attracts defenders to him
yeah, i can't see it happening
Unlikely, but goddamn how good would he be...
-
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Cant remember better mid field backs ever. Ennor, Laumape, ALB, Goodhue. No worries.
This makes no sense, two decent test players, one dude everyone says can't pass, and then a guy who seems to go well at Super level and dunce at NPC - you think they're better than when we had Nonu, Smith, SBW and Crotty running around? (Or do you have an extremely short memory?)
-
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Cant remember better mid field backs ever. Ennor, Laumape, ALB, Goodhue. No worries.
This makes no sense, two decent test players, one dude everyone says can't pass, and then a guy who seems to go well at Super level and dunce at NPC - you think they're better than when we had Nonu, Smith, SBW and Crotty running around? (Or do you have an extremely short memory?)
or even 2011 - Kahui and good SBW:
Richard Kahui Waikato (12)
Ma’a Nonu Wellington (58)
Conrad Smith Wellington (48)
Sonny Bill Williams Canterbury (7) -
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp Isaia Toeava
I was a massive fan of Ice v2.0. What an amazing player, brutally mismanaged by Ted and Wayne-O
-
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp Isaia Toeava
had me looking at the 2005 squad for the Northern Tour
I think i can confidently say it's the best squad of 35 ever picked by any nation at one time. Ridiculous depth of talent.
the 2007 World Cup was such a disgusting choke job of epic proportions.
-
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
-
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.
Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)
oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.
-
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.
Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)
oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.
Most redundant post ever. Poor old Scotties
-
@MN5 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.
Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)
oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.
Most redundant post ever. Poor old Scotties
to really ram this home, teh wiki page for the tour has a write-up and details of the first 3 games, and only the score and scorers of the Scotland game. Disrespect.
-
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@MN5 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.
Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)
oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.
Most redundant post ever. Poor old Scotties
to really ram this home, teh wiki page for the tour has a write-up and details of the first 3 games, and only the score and scorers of the Scotland game. Disrespect.
Well to live up to the dour and tight stereotype they haven’t toured NZ In fucken donkeys years compared to Wales and Ireland. 2000 I think, from memory.
Also their fans are snowflakes so fuck them and all their AB hammerings.
-
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?
I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).
2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.
Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)
oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.
The Fern was a funny place during that 05 EOYT. “Cheapening the jersey”...
Wales match
Tialata, Oliver, Hayman, Jack, Ryan, Collins, Masoe, So’oialo, Kelleher, Carter, Rokocoko, Umaga, Smith, Gear, MuliainaIreland match
Woodcock, Mealamu, Afoa, Eaton, Williams, Lauaki, McCaw, Tuiali’i, Weepu, Evans, Sivivatu, Mauger, Nonu, Howlett, L. MacDonaldOther players on tour
Taumoepeau, Hore, A. MacDonald, Cowan, Toeava -
@ACT-Crusader 02 we had similar calls re cheapening the jersey with a relatively experimental side being sent north, and went within a Ben Blair tackle of Ben Cohen of beating a good England team
