All Blacks vs Pumas I
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@kirwan said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@chimoaus Ennor but he's always injured anyway.
Just play him at wing so we can fuck off bridge.
He will bring his own set of frustrations, especially given he has not played much lately.
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@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
Got away with it, but that hit was inches away from a card.
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@crazy-horse said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
Got away with it, but that hit was inches away from a card.
Jeez dude, best hit of the weekend, perfectly executed, and ‘got away with it’? Glass half empty much?
The other 4 penailties he gave away he didn’t get away with, mind you
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I thought Laulala was close to a card- lucky and was ok in ball security but was that 3 penalties? Can't do that, those numbers makes Ofa look good.
I'm not sure if I was more amazed by our hookers acceleration (and Aumua had a silky pass or two) or how hard it is to teach hookers to throw but boy they are brick walls when they need to be, good to see. I still rate Coles as #1, he just knows what to do and improves his x-factor play the more it is required.
Moody was quietly effective in the tackle.BBR was everywhere, making metres, great tackling, but, and I risk the ire of Ferners, I thought Scott Barrett missed an important tackle in the first 5 minutes, had a big motor, didn't lose the ball or his rag, was great in the lineouts, but wasn't BBBR or Sam W. (Not sure how they are instructing the bench-Va'a didn't seem to know what he was doing out there, Tupaea sometimes also looked lost).
The loosies-again it was hard to see Dalton at times because he was always on the ground but in a good way, major turnovers (one in the face of two or three shocked Argies), a good turn of pace, linked well and tackled like a Swiss clock. Jacobson, sometimes, I notice, he hasn't planned ahead for the tackle and drops surprise/weak passes, but overall and especially defensively, and for those tries, well played. Yes Akira was targetted (as was Havili and DMac-well, attempted) but he still played very very well and it is hard to imagine Frizzell displacing him.
TJP directed really well, always running with the pass rather than hesitating, doesn't seem to have the footspeed he had in the pass, but had a great game. Apart from a scamper or two and some quick passes I thought Weber still had some low, dodgy passes, and I noticed DMac did as well at 10. Luckily it wasn't too obvious as the catcher usually managed to adjust. DMac did not have a great game at 10 but considering he has a calf injury (and why then was he kicking), some of BB's passing was sublime and his running more direct than I can recall for a year or two.
I'm not sure how many tries we left out there because Reece's arm was too short or JB's feet/legs were too big but boy there might have been 20 points for a couple of mm or bodies hiding the ball. Gotta say the Argies' defence was impressive, on the line, in the tackle, ruck..they tried to lift some players less successfully but to keep that defensive wall up for nearly 200 tackles..just wish they tried to score at the other side occassionally. I don't think they ever really played to win.
And that especially goes for Kremer and Matera who were lucky not to be found out more often than they did. I like their coach though, no claptrap.
And with Chieka and a couple of masks and a ring in, Ledesma could do a good Walt Disney Beagles Boys impression.
Havili looked frustrated out there and was often picked on by the Argies but I thought he played nearly as well as Rieko Ioane, if we could just leverage his breaks a little more....
I thought Bridge looked faster, more decisive, a little unlucky. I rate Jordan and Reece higher as wingers, but apart from one stuffed up move I thought he did ok.
But no way should they let older bro B. Barrett take the conversions and penalties.
I reckon the Boks will be better next week. I think we still have some chinks to work on, driving up the guts for 60-70 minutes didn't see that many returns against Argentina, the Boks might look forward to that so a plan B might be an idea.
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If JB and BB are on the pitch, JB takes the goal kicks, from the start. Its not rocket science ...
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None of the starting 15 really had a howler. All the forwards were good. Even Bridge was OK without being eye-catching.
I prefer Reiko on the wing purely because he gets more opportunities out there and Havilli and ALB are a great combo.
Jordie has proven that he needs to be there over Dmac. Even against tired legs, Dmac didn't offer much
So swing in Aaron Smith, Mounga and ALB and the team looks after itself.
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@hooroo Whitelock too, Moody, Taylor to the starting line up, then you add Coles, Clarke and Goodhue into the mix and things start to look even better.
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@machpants said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@crazy-horse said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
Got away with it, but that hit was inches away from a card.
Jeez dude, best hit of the weekend, perfectly executed, and ‘got away with it’? Glass half empty much?
The other 4 penailties he gave away he didn’t get away with, mind you
Not being glass half empty at all. Agreed, it was a good hit,but it was inches away from being a card.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@hooroo Whitelock too, Moody, Taylor to the starting line up, then you add Coles, Clarke and Goodhue into the mix and things start to look even better.
You can make a decent case that this would be first choice starting XV if everyone was fit:
Moody, Taylor, Tuúngafasi, Whitelock, Retallick, Ioane, Cane, Savea, Smith, Mo'unga, Ioane, Lienert-Brown, Goodhue, Jordan, McKenzie.
Not quite what I would pick and probably not quite what Fozzie would pick - tighthead, midfield mix and fullback are question marks. But, only three of last nights starters and Rieko out of position.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@hooroo Whitelock too, Moody, Taylor to the starting line up, then you add Coles, Clarke and Goodhue into the mix and things start to look even better.
True. Clarke I can take or leave as not that bothered about him now. I think S Barrett covered what Whitelock does so I can't see a change in performance once Whitelock comes back.
I'd have Coles over Taylor too.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@hooroo Whitelock too, Moody, Taylor to the starting line up, then you add Coles, Clarke and Goodhue into the mix and things start to look even better.
You can make a decent case that this would be first choice starting XV if everyone was fit:
Moody, Taylor, Tuúngafasi, Whitelock, Retallick, Ioane, Cane, Savea, Smith, Mo'unga, Ioane, Lienert-Brown, Goodhue, Jordan, McKenzie.
Not quite what I would pick and probably not quite what Fozzie would pick - tighthead, midfield mix and fullback are question marks. But, only three of last nights starters and Rieko out of position.
I know Cane is captain but I'd go Papalii over him based on Dalton's performances. With Barrett/Whitelock and Retallick, the Cane presence is as needed IMO
You don't think J Barrett has done enough to keep Dmac out?
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@hooroo I've been in favour of Jordie all season - I don't like too many little men. But, I think it's a question mark. Fozzie seemed to prefer DMac at the start of the season and now the water is muddy because Dmac is the back-up first five.
Wasn't Cane was player of the season last year? I think he walks in if available and both Fozzie and I are picking him.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks vs Pumas I (yay we’re not playing the Aussies again):
@hooroo I've been in favour of Jordie all season - I don't like too many little men. But, I think it's a question mark. Fozzie seemed to prefer DMac at the start of the season and now the water is muddy because Dmac is the back-up first five.
Wasn't Cane was player of the season last year? I think he walks in if available and both Fozzie and I are picking him.
Good point about Cane last year (I have a shocking memory). It seems he's been injured forever. I happily take back Dalton over Sam, I would take Cane on last years performance.
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im really torn if cane walks back in after yet another injury or if paps or savea even play as guys that are a bit more battle hardened, wil have built more connections with the guys guys
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that was pretty good really wasn't it? We dominated them for basically the whole game, they never looked like breaking us open, and we scored a few points. Yes the 2nd half was shit, but the game was done and literally everyone knew it. We kept the defensive intensity up
Not too much can be read in to it because the Argies are really very ordinary at everything except tackling, they did a lot of that and did it well. But we've got some bloody good players running around.
More than happy to keep Jordie at the back based on his work. He's big, fearless, and gaining confidence all the time. Liking lots of what Havili brings, but he does have a few work-ons. Game suited BBarrett down to the ground, and he played nicely with ball in hand. Kicking not so much. Pack was good, lineouts aside. Still think we are a little static at times when we go through the phases, but there was some terrific tackling by Blue.
DMac is done for me. There are better players everywhere, and i blame the mindless last half an hour almost entirely on him overplaying his hand all the fucking time. Not a 10. Not a good enough 15. Squadie at best. George Bridge is just meh. Has to be 4th on the winger list now, and should find himself out of the squad if they can find a guy who is able to beat a man. Wasn't a bad game, but it wasn't good either.
We're building nicely i think. This isn't a dominant squad that will run rough-shod over the rugby world for 4 years, but our top 23 is going to be very hard to beat.
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