All Blacks 2021
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@chris Selections in last year's RC were a bit random. Probably because they lack confidence in their own judgement. Expected to continue this year!
Looks like more of 2020 doesn't it,And they will probably renew his contract to 2023.
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I think it’s safe to say that Henry didn’t know what his top lineup was in 2005 either. Certainly there were some positions set in stone (McCaw, Collins, Jack, Ali, Hayman, Carter, Umaga, Mils), but there was plenty of chopping and changing of lineups and not just for ‘lesser’ tests.
Even though Rodders was preferred (I’m a massive fan), I think there was case of ‘if Lauaki is fit, we want him there’. Who were the top two wingers? We were playing 4 of them and from my perspective it wasn’t a horses for courses.
I’d say they took a gamble on Woodcock in 2005 after only a handful of games in 04. It certainly paid off in the end, but there certainly was an unknown element to it, plus a bit of Blues bias 😉
The number of different midfield, loose forward and back 3 combos tried was not insignificant.
Selections in 2005 particularly the early part of the year did not reflect what Henry and co started out with in 2004.
My point is that Fozzie does need time and I’m more in the camp of let’s see how it goes because it’s not unusual to see a bit of selection variation and some uneasiness from fans along the way when a coach is starting out.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks 2021:
I think it’s safe to say that Henry didn’t know what his top lineup was in 2005 either. Certainly there were some positions set in stone (McCaw, Collins, Jack, Ali, Hayman, Carter, Umaga, Mils), but there was plenty of chopping and changing of lineups and not just for ‘lesser’ tests.
Even though Rodders was preferred (I’m a massive fan), I think there was case of ‘if Lauaki is fit, we want him there’. Who were the top two wingers? We were playing 4 of them and from my perspective it wasn’t a horses for courses.
I’d say they took a gamble on Woodcock in 2005 after only a handful of games in 04. It certainly paid off in the end, but there certainly was an unknown element to it, plus a bit of Blues bias 😉
The number of different midfield, loose forward and back 3 combos tried was not insignificant.
Selections in 2005 particularly the early part of the year did not reflect what Henry and co started out with in 2004.
My point is that Fozzie does need time and I’m more in the camp of let’s see how it goes because it’s not unusual to see a bit of selection variation and some uneasiness from fans along the way when a coach is starting out.
I guess the big difference is that by that time the general public was behind the coaches because we could see where they were going - they had already drawn a line of what the game plan would look like with the French game in 2004 and the players had also bought into it (I'm sure I heard Mils speak about this):
We're yet to see anything like that from this coaching team.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2021:
We're yet to see anything like that from this coaching team.
We might if the Professor decided to come back.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2021:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2021:
We're yet to see anything like that from this coaching team.
We might if the Professor decided to come back.
Don't get me started on the differences between Stormy (one of my all time favorite players and absolute least favorite coaches) and Smith (who was probably the secret sauce that maximized the Henry and early Hansen years). Jesus, what a step down.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks 2021:
@gt12 it’s easier to see and comment on something with hindsight. But we seemed to have lost our way during that journey.
Let’s not forget we beat the French by 20+ in 2003.
That's unfair. Pretty much everyone saw that game as being, at least, potentially game changing, The French were (I think) the European Champions and we fucking smoked them.
An example:
The all-blacks threw down a challenge to the rest of world rugby with an awesome display of power and pace that destroyed the European champions. Two weeks ago this France side comfortably beat the Australians on the same ground. Last night they simply could not live with the physicality and speed of New Zealand, who scored five unanswered tries and could have had a hatful more. If the All Blacks are not the best team in the world at the moment, then someone, somewhere, is hiding a very good team.
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Time to lay off Foster guys.
Hart has given the word.
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@frank said in All Blacks 2021:
Time to lay off Foster guys.
Hart has given the word.
Well lay off of him when he does something to give us reason to, something he hasn't done in his disappointing head coach career so far!
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@broughie said in All Blacks 2021:
forgot out that. I miss that and hokey pokey and my favorite blackberry.
Jeez, stop it will ya? You're making me both nostalgic and home-sick...