AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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Not much to quibble with in there.
I think Papali'i was one of the slightly lucky ones, he was ok this year but not standout, but I think he's good guy to have in the squad and he almost covers the whole trio on the bench. First sign that Foster isn't going to be biased towards Chiefs players?
I assume Ennor has made it due to Laumape's injury?
Good to see Clarke and Jordan both in there, hopefully one of them takes Reece's spot. I still would prefer that we select Rieko as a wing.
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Interesting to hear selectors talk about more emphasis on players having specialist positions, and the need for more physicality.
Where is that in this squad? Who exactly?
Look at the loose forwards and props. Add in Patty, Aumua. Plenty of physicality there.
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@gt12 Why would he? The main reason he's not there, is the fact that he has spent quite some time in the injury ward. If he can get back to his pre-covid form and stay healthy, he should be able to get in next year. Especially if Dmac doesn't improve.
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@Tim said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Forwards coach John Pumtree says Ardie Savea is being looked at as a No 8 first and a No 7 second.
Said they wanted to identify big, bruising loose forwards who could get the ABs over the gainline with sheer "brutality".That's a bit worrying, the last time Plumtree talked about wanting a big dude he played Blackwell at lock for a season.
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@Tim said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Forwards coach John Pumtree says Ardie Savea is being looked at as a No 8 first and a No 7 second.
Said they wanted to identify big, bruising loose forwards who could get the ABs over the gainline with sheer "brutality".Those two statements don't quite go together but explains Boshier's omission.
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Interesting to hear selectors talk about more emphasis on players having specialist positions, and the need for more physicality.
Where is that in this squad? Who exactly?
This is a pretty uninspiring squad, I doubt that SA is shaking in their boots looking at that lot.
And we're going to develop more outside backs than you can shake a stick at, while
only carrying two specialist first fives. When Joane bolts for the money overseas, think about your selections for squads like this Fozzy.And sometimes that physicality is not just who you select , but how you mentally prepare to play, a mindset game plan thing
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@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Interesting to hear selectors talk about more emphasis on players having specialist positions, and the need for more physicality.
Where is that in this squad? Who exactly?
Look at the loose forwards and props. Add in Patty, Aumua. Plenty of physicality there.
I have to admit that I missed they'd selected Akira. And, I'm yet to be convinced by Grace.
Patty was already there, Aumua can't throw, and Hodgman and Lomax are the answer for physicality up front? OK.
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Pleasantly surprised by that squad. Seems like an improvement on Hansen's selections. There are only three selections that I question, they are Vaa'i who barely seems SR level to me, Weber who has an even worse pass than TJP and the third one is DMac. What must Bryn Hall do to get in? The rest are solid selections. Glad to see Paps, Akira and Sotutu get picked, well deserved boys.
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@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Dmac is the luckiest man in that squad.
I’m sure this argument has been done already but I disagree with this.
As a utility against some teams he will add good value.
The North back line actually functioned better last night when he went to 10 surprisingly and he had key touches in most of the tries.
JB was the more test suited 15 last night but that didn’t mean that DMac was poor.
I m guessing that most of the critics are focused on that poor pass after a run to the side but IMO both Clarke and ALB failed to read the best option there as well. DMac had stretched the defence and created a gap past the advantage line. His pass was wayward but he would have also expected one of them to have seen the opportunity. -
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Interesting to hear selectors talk about more emphasis on players having specialist positions, and the need for more physicality.
Where is that in this squad? Who exactly?
This is a pretty uninspiring squad, I doubt that SA is shaking in their boots looking at that lot.
And we're going to develop more outside backs than you can shake a stick at, while
only carrying two specialist first fives. When Joane bolts for the money overseas, think about your selections for squads like this Fozzy.One thing I didn't like last year was the number of little guys we were starting in the backs - Smith, Mo'unga, Reece and Beaudy - while none of ALB, Goodhue or Bridge were exactly big units for their position either. The creaking SBW was our only big bopper.
Talk of people specialising more seems like a pointer, to me, that Beaudy will be playing first five and Jordie will be playing fullback - and Jordie looks significantly bigger than he was, this year. Caleb Clarke also potentially adding some size in the backs, and even Jordan compared with Reece. So potentially a fair bit of additional physicality out there - especially if and when Laumape returns.
In the forwards, we lose a bit with Retallick absent. But a starting loose forward trio of Frizell, Cane and Sotutu (Ardie on the bench) would be a bit more dynamic than Barrett, Ardie and the ageing Read.
Aumua > Coltman
Lomax > Ta'avaoEven though neither of those guys are likely to get a start in any early tests.
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@Yeetyaah said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Crucial he was good last night but I don't think his season form warrants a selection.
He got a run to see if he still had value when with a non dysfunctional team. He showed squad value and it’s stupid to throw away experience.
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@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Interesting to hear selectors talk about more emphasis on players having specialist positions, and the need for more physicality.
Where is that in this squad? Who exactly?
This is a pretty uninspiring squad, I doubt that SA is shaking in their boots looking at that lot.
And we're going to develop more outside backs than you can shake a stick at, while
only carrying two specialist first fives. When Joane bolts for the money overseas, think about your selections for squads like this Fozzy.One thing I didn't like last year was the number of little guys we were starting in the backs - Smith, Mo'unga, Reece and Beaudy - while none of ALB, Goodhue or Bridge were exactly big units for their position either. The creaking SBW was our only big bopper.
Talk of people specialising more seems like a pointer, to me, that Beaudy will be playing first five and Jordie will be playing fullback - and Jordie looks significantly bigger than he was, this year. Caleb Clarke also potentially adding some size in the backs, and even Jordan compared with Reece. So potentially a fair bit of additional physicality out there - especially if and when Laumape returns.
In the forwards, we lose a bit with Retallick absent. But a starting loose forward trio of Frizell, Cane and Sotutu (Ardie on the bench) would be a bit more dynamic than Barrett, Ardie and the ageing Read.
Aumua > Coltman
Lomax > Ta'avaoEven though neither of those guys are likely to get a start in any early tests.
All good points (I agree about Barrett and JoOrdie), but we are still likely to see Moody, Taylor, and Laulala starting, with Sam Whitelock and Patty. So, it will be up to Patty, Frizell, and Sotutu to be the physical forces?
I dunno.
There are only two loosie positions to play with there and I'm not sure that makes up for the lack of physicality up front. If they man up and drop Laulala (by starting Ofa and using Lomax off the bench) and maybe even Moody, then I might start to be a bit more convinced.
And Aumua needs to learn to throw. And show some of this supposed "physicality". Being fast isn't the same as being physical.
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@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Pleasantly surprised by that squad. Seems like an improvement on Hansen's selections. There are only three selections that I question, they are Vaa'i who barely seems SR level to me, Webber who has an even worse pass than TJP and the third one is DMac. What must Bryn Hall do to get in? The rest are solid selections. Glad to see Paps, Akira and Sotutu get picked, well deserved boys.
Erase the memories of the selectors who remember what he's like not playing for the Crusaders?
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@Yeetyaah said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Crucial he was good last night but I don't think his season form warrants a selection.
He's a definite know what they can do selection so I don't think that's an issue - his direct competitor JB got picked on potential back in the day so it's not like players don't ever get picked off iffy form.
@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia If Hall's performance is dependent on the players around him as you seem to suggest, he should do well for the ABs. Glad Weber made the cut, though. Fakatava will get plenty of game time in M10, so win-win.
Weber is another who the coaches know so I guess they're happy to give him a shot - the Chiefs were dysfunctional this year as a unit so I think all of their selections can contain reputation and faith bases and that shouldn't be an issue. I don't mind if Hall is a rotating 3rd of 4th halfback (in another thread I noted it was weird Drummond was capped and he wasn't), I was more just responding to @akann's questioning of his omission.
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@Crucial I agree with some of that. He runs at the line better than most with pace. I just makes those errors that leave you scratching your head. That pass to Clarke was a shocker compounded by Clarkes response. I like Barrets physical presence, he can kick and he is not bad injecting himself.
