All Blacks vs Fiji 2
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Iβm a fan of DMac but he seems too frantic and helter skelter at test level. I actually wish he was in Japan. Heβd carve up for the 7s team. Jordie is the better option imho.
BB is the best fullback in the squad, but it appears he doesnβt want to play there and RM also plays much better without him there. Obviously Iβd prefer BB at 10, but if RM is selected then Jordie at 15 and BB for the bench.
Reiko also showed how good he is when free of the βshacklesβ at 13. Keep him on the wing. Iβm not loving Havili-ALB but theyβre solid enough and have potential.
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With Havili there, we have two playmakers in a system that suits Mo'unga, so I think I'd prefer some more big bodies and/or Beauden starting at 15 (fuck him if he doesn't like it).
That's if Mo'unga can hold the 10 jersey - he's great, but so far he's not really been able to control games and inject himself in the same way that he does at the Saders. He also has a pretty poor defense in comparison to Barrett - ESPN shows Mo'unga missed 3 last week, which led the team. We all remember England of course, and against the very best teams, I think that issue - if it continues - could become a problem.
As the selectors like Dmac, he could be a useful bench option, but the truth is that we only need two of Mo'unga, Barrett, and Dmac in the 23 with Havili at 12. So, he should really be a squaddie who hopes to get some time in the 22 jersey at some point. When Dmac plays at 10 for the Chiefs with weapons around him, he can be a real league style 10 and that style could be interesting to see at international level.
On Jordie, I'm not so tempted by his long range kicking as he hasn't shown that he can consistently make them. However, he does have a big body that could be used more consistently through the midfield and on the edges. We could also look at Jordan as a fullback and perhaps be able to have Roane and Clarke (when he comes back) or Reece on the wings with Jordan at 15. I think his defense can get a bit twisted too though, but it could make for a very exciting back three.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@bones Don't know about percentages, but I've seen Dave called up and land a number for the Mako.
Enough for me to have a bit of faith when it happens.
I think I've seen Jordie sink a long one against the Jags, and he kicked a long one against the Chiefs.
He kicked a winning goal against the Chiefs last year (I think) but I can't remember how long that was (edit: about 40 odd), and he of course missed two against the Brumbies this year.
I don't think he's landed a long-range attempt (say, plus 50 metres) to win a game - but @Stargazer or some other super fan will no doubt be able to point to 20 instances
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Didnβt he have new special one made last time he was caught out?
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I don't like Jordie at 15 because of his goal kicking, that's just a bonus in certain situations. I like him there because he has the key attributes that you can't really do without as a test level 15 these days - outstanding under the high ball and physically really strong on defense. Two thing that Dmac lacks which is why I see him as a squad member or bench player at best.
When in form Jordie also has a strong (not fast) running game and can put his outsides away when the opportunities arise. He has the potential to be world class in that position, however last season after he dominated Super rugby there the coaches inexplicably out him on the wing which utilises precisely none of his strengths. It's the 2nd dumbest selection I've ever seen (first being benching Cane in the semi) and it ruined his confidence.
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When Beauden is at 10 we also need a short-range kicker too! Mutter mutter.
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@chris said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@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
He's piped in.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@chris said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@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
He's piped in.
Messy, a lot of wastage left,
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@no-quarter said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
I don't like Jordie at 15 because of his goal kicking, that's just a bonus in certain situations. I like him there because he has the key attributes that you can't really do without as a test level 15 these days - outstanding under the high ball and physically really strong on defense. Two thing that Dmac lacks which is why I see him as a squad member or bench player at best.
When in form Jordie also has a strong (not fast) running game and can put his outsides away when the opportunities arise. He has the potential to be world class in that position, however last season after he dominated Super rugby there the coaches inexplicably out him on the wing which utilises precisely none of his strengths. It's the 2nd dumbest selection I've ever seen (first being benching Cane in the semi) and it ruined his confidence.
Goodhue at 12 is competitive
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@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
@rapido said in All Blacks vs Fiji 2:
O8s there something wrong with old stand at Waikato Stadium? Why was it not used?
@WillieTheWaiter may be able to tell us.
oh yep maybe - does need some earthquake strengthening work done to bring it up to code - didn't think about that.. just assumed they didn't think it would get that big of a crowd.