All Blacks vs Fiji 2
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Having just caught up, a few comments:
Midfield: Rieko made two forward passes in one passage of play last week. He can run, but he's not a centre's arsehole yet. Goodhue was a very good centre, and the coaches fucked him by moving him. ALB has been patchy as fuck all season, made some awful defensive reads. Tupaea looks good, so did Nankivell for the Maori. Havili too much of a utility still for me.
Outside backs: DMac is the best at the 2nd playmaker from fullback role. It's not really Jordie's game, very different strengths. Jordan neither, though unlike Jordie he can play wing. So if that's the game plan, then that's the selection I reckon. Beauden vs Richie for 10 vs bench.
Loosies: They should have picked Boshier, and probably the big ginger too I reckon. Boshier in that shield game against the cantabs was quite phenomenal. Sotutu has gone right off the boil unfortunately, but is young and will come back later. Blues came right when Robinson started starting: workrate. Frizz gets a lot of criticism on here, but really he was just picked way too early for the ABs, he wasn't even a starting highlander at that point - and so you get all this 'how many chances' stuff. His super rugby form now deserves AB squad selection at least - he and smith really carried that team last couple of seasons. -
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@dice said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
Sevu Reece
He must have a heavy neck..
You would too if you were lugging round Easter island like he is.
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@frank said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
yep I not sure I agree Shannon has been that bad anyway, he is actually generally a more physical type 6 than Akira.
You watch rugby?
Clearly not test rugby......
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@kiwimurph said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@frank said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
yep I not sure I agree Shannon has been that bad anyway, he is actually generally a more physical type 6 than Akira.
You watch rugby?
Clearly not test rugby......
To be fair, I did a few re-watches on Frizell when he was first picked, and he was certainly a harder worker than Fifita. The problem is that Akira is not Fifita - he’s also involved with shit jobs and can be a game changer with defense (maul stops) or on attack (offloads, passing, metres).
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@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
Having just caught up, a few comments:
Midfield: Rieko made two forward passes in one passage of play last week. He can run, but he's not a centre's arsehole yet. Goodhue was a very good centre, and the coaches fucked him by moving him. ALB has been patchy as fuck all season, made some awful defensive reads. Tupaea looks good, so did Nankivell for the Maori. Havili too much of a utility still for me.
Outside backs: DMac is the best at the 2nd playmaker from fullback role. It's not really Jordie's game, very different strengths. Jordan neither, though unlike Jordie he can play wing. So if that's the game plan, then that's the selection I reckon. Beauden vs Richie for 10 vs bench.
Loosies: They should have picked Boshier, and probably the big ginger too I reckon. Boshier in that shield game against the cantabs was quite phenomenal. Sotutu has gone right off the boil unfortunately, but is young and will come back later. Blues came right when Robinson started starting: workrate. Frizz gets a lot of criticism on here, but really he was just picked way too early for the ABs, he wasn't even a starting highlander at that point - and so you get all this 'how many chances' stuff. His super rugby form now deserves AB squad selection at least - he and smith really carried that team last couple of seasons.Come on man, there's so much flip flop there you could be a jandal!
ALB = patchy, but Tupaea looks good?
Rieko's two forward passes make him not a centre's arsehole - is this the standard now - if our centre makes 2 mistakes, they're not a centre's arsehole?
Jordie is a playmaker for the Canes and has featured strongly in this role (especially last year).
Not the Boshier thing again. We've got Savea, Cane and Papali'i all easily better than him, why pick yet another openside (who (only has one trick that Paps does better and may not even be better than Harmon).Yeah Frizzel is a bit of a punching bag, but it'd be nice to see him really stand up and make it easier to say/see what he brings to the table.
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@bones Yes sick of hearing about the one trick pony Boshier who then went on to sulk and chase the money in Japan. Good on him but time to move on, nothing to see there.
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@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@bones Yes sick of hearing about the one trick pony Boshier who then went on to sulk and chase the money in Japan. Good on him but time to move on, nothing to see there.
Agree regarding move on, but fake news to claim Boshier sulked. In the Stuff article I read, he said he understood selector’s viewpoint (too small?) and had no regrets, or words to that effect.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I think Frizell on the bench is a warning to either Akira, Frizell, or both of them as it doesn't make much sense to not have Blackadder there and see what he can do off the bench as the utility loosie (especially with Paps out).
** Jordie had a relatively poor kicking performanc**e last week, and Dmac and Mo'unga played together quite well, so this is a form selection. It will be interesting to see how things go with three playmakers out there.
Quick clarification (genuine question): you mean kicking out of hand?
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@gt12 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I think Frizell on the bench is a warning to either Akira, Frizell, or both of them as it doesn't make much sense to not have Blackadder there and see what he can do off the bench as the utility loosie (especially with Paps out).
** Jordie had a relatively poor kicking performanc**e last week, and Dmac and Mo'unga played together quite well, so this is a form selection. It will be interesting to see how things go with three playmakers out there.
Quick clarification (genuine question): you mean kicking out of hand?
Yep.
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@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@bones Yes sick of hearing about the one trick pony Boshier who then went on to sulk and chase the money in Japan. Good on him but time to move on, nothing to see there.
Yeah as per @pakman, did he sulk? Think he's just chased the bucks, which most players in his situation would!
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@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I like this team as well! But I hope they are testing the starting props as they were well outdone around the field by their Fijian opponents-I thought Fiji used their props far better than we did.
I've gone to the 'Shannon isn't so bad but he doesn't seem to synch well with others' frame of mind. I suspect he is a real fave with the coaching staff but he needs for me to reproduce the impact he had for the Highlanders.
Also I've fallen into the 'Jordie is pretty good actually as AB fullback' camp. Sure his kicking game wasn't perfect but when you are booting it 20m further than the others your mistakes don't get capitalized on so much. He might not tackle like Jerry Collins but he is far more likely to stop the big bllokes than the mulleted Jack Russell from the Waikato.
And a good-looking midfield! How often does that happen lately!! Well ok, more often recently, but a gripe is a gripe..
Still, I hope I don't see Mr Foster looking out of his depth, passive, frustrated, but motionless in the coaching box. In the last test on the cutaway tv movements he looked like a passenger, not an engaged coach.
Really? I don't really care what any coach looks like in the box, some bounce around, some are animated some sit there quietly, geez I didn;t think that was how anyone judged coahes.
But he's fat.
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@mrdenmore said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
A lot of you blokes will be too young to remember Grant Batty streaming down the right wing, but he is (according to his Wikipedia page) about 1.65m (5 foot 1) and (was) 65 kgs (just over 10 stone). He makes me (170cm and 70 kgs) look like Brodie Rettalick.
But his opponents were 12 stone themselves
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I like this team as well! But I hope they are testing the starting props as they were well outdone around the field by their Fijian opponents-I thought Fiji used their props far better than we did.
I've gone to the 'Shannon isn't so bad but he doesn't seem to synch well with others' frame of mind. I suspect he is a real fave with the coaching staff but he needs for me to reproduce the impact he had for the Highlanders.
Also I've fallen into the 'Jordie is pretty good actually as AB fullback' camp. Sure his kicking game wasn't perfect but when you are booting it 20m further than the others your mistakes don't get capitalized on so much. He might not tackle like Jerry Collins but he is far more likely to stop the big bllokes than the mulleted Jack Russell from the Waikato.
And a good-looking midfield! How often does that happen lately!! Well ok, more often recently, but a gripe is a gripe..
Still, I hope I don't see Mr Foster looking out of his depth, passive, frustrated, but motionless in the coaching box. In the last test on the cutaway tv movements he looked like a passenger, not an engaged coach.
Really? I don't really care what any coach looks like in the box, some bounce around, some are animated some sit there quietly, geez I didn;t think that was how anyone judged coahes.
But he's fat.
How does he fit into the box then
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@dan54 said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I like this team as well! But I hope they are testing the starting props as they were well outdone around the field by their Fijian opponents-I thought Fiji used their props far better than we did.
I've gone to the 'Shannon isn't so bad but he doesn't seem to synch well with others' frame of mind. I suspect he is a real fave with the coaching staff but he needs for me to reproduce the impact he had for the Highlanders.
Also I've fallen into the 'Jordie is pretty good actually as AB fullback' camp. Sure his kicking game wasn't perfect but when you are booting it 20m further than the others your mistakes don't get capitalized on so much. He might not tackle like Jerry Collins but he is far more likely to stop the big bllokes than the mulleted Jack Russell from the Waikato.
And a good-looking midfield! How often does that happen lately!! Well ok, more often recently, but a gripe is a gripe..
Still, I hope I don't see Mr Foster looking out of his depth, passive, frustrated, but motionless in the coaching box. In the last test on the cutaway tv movements he looked like a passenger, not an engaged coach.
Really? I don't really care what any coach looks like in the box, some bounce around, some are animated some sit there quietly, geez I didn;t think that was how anyone judged coahes.
But he's fat.
KFC! Donuts! Ice cream! Hur Hur Hur
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I wonder the chances we will see a 6-2 bench at some point? Tony Brown is a big proponent but not many other Kiwi coaches apparently.
We have a plethora of loose forward talent and adding an additional loosie to the bench would certainly help contribute to the general forward effort which most would agree is lacking. Also we have plenty of utility in our backs to cover it.
Also potentially, Ardie at 12 👀👀
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@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
they would stop swapping around so much though, let the guys settle into a position
That’s modern day rugby though and having big squads. Everyone “needs” game time or else the questions are “why are they there”
It’s all about “seeing what they offer and where they are at”.
I’m not necessarily a fan but it seems to be the reality.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@machpants said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
Often doesn't work out playing against opposite numbers, but...
Sevu Reece: 179/98 v Setariki Tuicuvu: 179/94
Damn similarWill Jordan: 188/94 v Nemani Nadolo: 195/137
Ouch!DMac: 176/81 v Kini Murimurivalu: 184/101
More ouch!Is Nadolo 137kgs now?!!!
We'd have to put Ben Tamiefuna on the wing for that not to be ouch!!!
He'll take some stopping if he can get a roll on, but if I were Jordan I'd fancy my chances of running round him.
Nadolo had next to no impact on the test match last week. They barely got him the ball.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
Nadolo had next to no impact on the test match last week. They barely got him the ball.
Are people expecting Nadolo to make an impact?
At 33 and 130 kilos I just don't see how anyone could still have the dynamism required to be effective on the wing. Apart from very small bursts.
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Nadolo retired from test rugby, I think in 2019. I assume his return to the Fijian squad has to do with the Covid reality that they can't get all their players in the white jersey. Either because their French clubs don't want to release them in time, or because they don't want to travel themselves.
Edited to add this article:
Nemani Nadolo announces retirement from international rugby
Fiji and Montpellier star, Namani Nadolo, has announced his retirement from international rugby at the age of 30.
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@nostrildamus yep and Rennie won 33% against ABs and 0% against Pumas, and he really just sits pretty quiet, so what's your point?
