AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
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@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Bones This is my first reaction on many, many posts about Bridge in several threads over the past few months. If there was the same diarrhoea of posts about another player, of another team, there would have been plenty of people who'd have responded without getting accused of bias.
I've had enough.
Should George Bridge be in the AB squad? Yes. He is fast, stays calm, has good balance, makes good decisions mostly on the Rugby field, is reliable under the high ball, has a solid kicking from hand game, finishes well including a great try in RWC opener against South Africa, is a good team man and rated by his peers.
Does he have a lock on the AB 11 jersey? No. He doesn't fit the ABs power winger mould, he doesn't break through tackles, nor does he really have the extra pace to beat other international wingers on the outside, his offloading is not as strong as Clarke or Ioane's, he can go missing a bit in big games, he doesn't go looking for work as much as the great Left Wings. None of this means he can't or won't play well for the ABs at 11, but there are other options available worth considering and discussing.
I understand some posters will have "favourite players" based on franchise and provisional loyalties but it is ridiculous when they expect all other Ferners to share their inflated opinions.
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How All Blacks halves anticipate a potential new game plan unfolding: 'It's all well and good picking big guys but you still need to play at speed for 80 minutes'
Will Ian Foster try and fight fire with fire the next time the All Blacks come up against England?
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@DMX said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@No-Quarter said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@voodoo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@voodoo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@voodoo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@MN5 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@voodoo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I'm almost thankful that we have no games this year, or at most, a couple against the Aussies. Because this team is pretty uninspiring to me. Not for a lack of talent, but for how "messy" it feels. So few guys picking themselves as automatic selections, too many being touted to play out of position, and a new captain that is injury prone and probably not world class even at full fitness.
How can we have gone through another season and still have no idea what our midfield should look like? How is it that we have no natural 12's any more? We are touting Jordie Barret or Ennor (pre-injury) as great options, WTF?
We are still debating who to play at 10, who our best wings are, who to play at 15. We have no standout at 6, even 8 (maybe Sotutu), and arguably our best 7 will need to come off the bench.
And what we absolutely don't have is an cohesiveness in the combinations across the park. Tight 5? Nah. Loosie combination? No. Number 8/9 combo? Nope. Midfield? Maybe of they go back to ALB/Goodhue, but people seem to think this is unlikely. Back 3? Nuh uh.
I could see this team getting toasted by SA if we played them tomorrow.
You said it Homer.
I don't share the negativity.
I'm also trying to ignore the Cane trolling.
Trolling? Why do say that? Is any criticism of him disallowed?
I like Cane, I was amongst those calling for Hansons immediate sacking when he was omitted from the SF team. He hits like a rock, and in that backdrop in particular, he was absolutely necessary.
But in a balanced back row, with a traditional big 6 and a more powerful 8 (say Frizell and Sotutu), I don't think Cane is a world class 7 and I'd rather see Ardie in there.
Hardly trolling
Of course it's trolling. What did Ardie do as an openside in the NvS game apart from watch a number 8 go flying by at a scrum?
Ummmmmm - you accuse me of trolling, I give you a few valid reasons for my opinion, and you come back with a single incident in a single game as some sort of evidence that I am trolling???
That you think they're valid doesn't make them so. I simply can't take anyone seriously who posits that Cane isn't a world class openside flanker.
Well not too many world class guys get left out of their national side for a RWC SF do they? Seriously, where would you rank him internationally as a 7? World class to me means you're one of the first guys to be picked in your national team. Guess we just have different measures of greatness.
Cane being left out of the RWC SF was an absolutely ridiculous decision. It was literally leaving a world class player out of the starting lineup for the most important game. I still shake my head in disbelief at that.
I n 2019 Ardie might have been the most consistent forward we had and he was definitely in much better form than Cane. If you think Cane should have played its basically saying Hansen was correct in his original decision to play without a number 6 which was not completely obvious at the time he first chose the combo. That said I think Cane should have played because the combo had already worked quite effectively but for my reasons above it doesn't change the result.
For me, starting Cane with Ardie on the bench is the most blindingly obvious tactic at test level where the psychical intensity for the first 60 minutes is through the roof before players start to tire. Even more so against a huge pack in a SF.
The lack of a 6 is another blight on the coaches.
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@No-Quarter said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@broughie said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I am looking forward to the ABs playing anyone including the Boks or England. We have to find out where we stand and sooner better than later.
There appears to be too much attrition these days at 2nd five and center. SBW and Crotty are prime examples. I do prefer to have defined positions so if ALB is the choice right now then I hope they stick with him and Reiko. More X factor in Reiko than Goodhue. Give them a chance to gel. Same with Sotutu. Throw him in the fire. I don’t like Ardie at 8 and I agree Cane is not the player he used to be. Injured and I don’t see him being their in 4 years so caretaker captain? Ardie will probably fill the void when Cane is injured and 7 is really his position. He did not have a very good north south.
I want to see the ABs play because I like rugby, it’s a new year and hopefully a new approach to our game (I am not convinced with Foster) and foremost I am tired of a virus dictating how we live.
Jordie, Clarke, Reiko, ALB, one of the cantabs, BB, Smith, Sotutu, Cane, Akira, Whitlock, PT, moody, Taylor and Laulala (Moanga, Perenara and Goodhue, Ofa, Coles, Big T, Vaai, Papalii)
Who is X. Factor? What Super team does he play for?
Definitely not the Crusaders
Exactly. That’s why he’s not a winner.
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@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much. -
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much.Overly self deprecating there.
He does have some skills.
Does the 13 have to be a white boy? Apparently that is an issue.
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@antipodean There are loads of posters who think Savea should be our 7, and many of them have posted on this thread. Popular opinion isn't trolling.
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@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much.Overly self deprecating there.
He does have some skills.
Does the 13 have to be a white boy? Apparently that is an issue
Is it?
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much.Overly self deprecating there.
He does have some skills.
Does the 13 have to be a white boy? Apparently that is an issue
Is it?
Two of our recent best three centres haven't been.
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@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much.Overly self deprecating there.
He does have some skills.
Does the 13 have to be a white boy? Apparently that is an issue
Is it?
Two of our recent best three centres haven't been.
I’m still struggling to find what the “issue” is?
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Braydon Ennor has an ACL rip. Out for 9 months.
Pooh.
There goes my proposal to test a future 12 ...
He doesn't look like a test 12 to me ... why do you think he does?
Dunno.
Just a thunk.
Just get this impression he could straighten a line and create some space for a 13 outside him.
But frankly ignore me. I know nothing about
back play...rugby... anything much.Overly self deprecating there.
He does have some skills.
Does the 13 have to be a white boy? Apparently that is an issue
Is it?
Two of our recent best three centres haven't been.
I’m still struggling to find what the “issue” is?
I have no idea, was just feeling left out so thought I'd join in.
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Please don't get into positional racial profiling. I'm getting as fucked off with the 'skinny white boy' stereotype as I am with the rationale that a first five should be white, or wingers should be brown. We've had a lot of great players of both persuasions in most positions over a long period of time.
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@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Please don't get into positional racial profiling. I'm getting as fucked off with the 'skinny white boy' stereotype as I am with the rationale that a first five should be white, or wingers should be brown. We've had a lot of great players of both persuasions in most positions over a long period of time.
I'm with you, as long as we can agree that all halfbacks in the ABs have to be Maori. We don't want anymore Drummonds accidentally slipping through the cracks.
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@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia Didn't someone mention that as a piss-take and then someone else picked it up and ran with it as if it was a possible scenario? Don't give it any more air, please. Ennor is a wing/centre.
I would however like to see J Barrett at 12.
Jordie has the goods to make a fine 12. Problem is, he's finally found his feet at 15 and is looking like he will be world class in that position now, so I'd be loathe to move him again and make him start over learning a new position at the top level.
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@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Please don't get into positional racial profiling. I'm getting as fucked off with the 'skinny white boy' stereotype as I am with the rationale that a first five should be white, or wingers should be brown. We've had a lot of great players of both persuasions in most positions over a long period of time.
I'm with you, as long as we can agree that all halfbacks in the ABs have to be Maori. We don't want anymore Drummonds accidentally slipping through the cracks.
Ok. As long as we agree that no starting openside flankers can be Cane. But they can be 'Canes.
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@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Please don't get into positional racial profiling. I'm getting as fucked off with the 'skinny white boy' stereotype as I am with the rationale that a first five should be white, or wingers should be brown. We've had a lot of great players of both persuasions in most positions over a long period of time.
I'm with you, as long as we can agree that all halfbacks in the ABs have to be Maori. We don't want anymore Drummonds accidentally slipping through the cracks.
Ok. As long as we agree that no starting openside flankers can be Cane. But they can be 'Canes.
Cane and Drummond are apt comparisons.
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@No-Quarter said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia Didn't someone mention that as a piss-take and then someone else picked it up and ran with it as if it was a possible scenario? Don't give it any more air, please. Ennor is a wing/centre.
I would however like to see J Barrett at 12.
Jordie has the goods to make a fine 12. Problem is, he's finally found his feet at 15 and is looking like he will be world class in that position now, so I'd be loathe to move him again and make him start over learning a new position at the top level.
The best I've ever seen him play remains his debut first class season at 12 for Canterbury and I think this is his best position, which we just so happen to be light in right now. And much Iike James Franklin's 100 vs SA in SA and good bowling average at the time meaning he could have been a long term all-rounder at test level, I'm sticking with the assertion that Barrett could translate that form to test level. Plus it largely keeps him away from fucking up deluxe in the wide open spaces at the back.
