All Blacks vs Springboks I
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@l_n_p said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Another fascinating Nick Bishop piece today https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/09/24/coachs-corner-issue-27-who-is-really-the-number-one-team-in-the-world/
"The Springboks have lost the most own-ball rucks (6.7 per cent), and have the slowest average ruck speed at 4.1 seconds per breakdown – compared to New Zealand’s 3.9 per cent loss rate and 2.8 average ruck speed.
They have made only six clean breaks and eight offloads in four games, compared to 35 and 40 by the All Blacks ... The combination of poor ruck stats, and the low ratio of offloads attempted suggests that they don’t dare to shift the ball through the hands too often, for fear of losing it to the most lethal counter-attacking side on the planet."
Does it take into account how far apart the rucks are or how effective opposition are at burying the speedy ones at the bottom of the ruck? Statistics, statistics, statistics...
Nick Bishop may have that too as professional analyst. Lives in Wales, still works for Leinster I think - never says anything about Irish rugby! There must be "tools of the trade" and he'll be accessing analytics (paysites?) slightly more detailed than ESPN Rugbystats for sure
-
@junior said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@l_n_p said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@chris-b I always think when Rieko gets a clean intercept and is being chased, he runs at 90% and is foxing his speed (Teddy Thomas chasedown). Not sure why, either likes being "nearly" chased down or is not wasting an ounce of energy.
When he HAS to hit top speed (being caught out of position and nearly skinned by Tom Banks ...) it looks like he still has his afterburners.
BB not mentioned?
Rieko also might not be the fastest at the top end but his acceleration is phenomenal- that’s why I think he looks so dangerous everytike he gets the ball at centre he can go from cruising to full speed in an instant
On Rieko, if you look at 47:10-12, the way he commits to tackle Kellaway, and in a split is able to react to the pass, turn and accelerate over 5-10 paces to near top-speed is a stunning play ... even though I've watched him a lot. Still takes him 30-odd meters to make the tackle on Tom Banks!
-
@bones It won't make the highlights reel like the BB chasedown on Willie Le Roux, but I'm finding it at least as impressive in slow-mo.
The flipside of his pace (at center) is he hasn't needed to learn the art of running a line to keep defenders in two minds until the very last moment, the way Nonu became a magician at. But he's only 24 and a novice center at this level ...
-
@l_n_p I’ll never forget what I heard from a top line coach that went on to be an assistant at international level, “run a good line in rugby and it will make you look faster than you are on TV” 😀
-
@act-crusader Nonu on attack and right-to-left used to run a very slightly-diagonal line that would pin two defenders, and given his power and still some pace, gave them both kittens on defense: he would step inwards and could score, run-over you with pure power and score, or could pass/offload at the last moment?
I'm a Blues supporter but Rieko is still very much in the scary-on-attack-but-raw-potential-for-now stage at international 13. Not a bad thing he's getting game time though imo.
-
@arhs said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Quite a worry just how many leading players we are missing. Should be an interesting contest. If our loosies in particular beat the boks to the collisions, we should be ok.
We're going to find out a lot about some players, particularly in the loose
-
@chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@l_n_p Blues supporter? I like you even more now 😀
I don’t
Any Blues fan who joined before May this year is a triumph of optimism over reality. Genuine fans, and clearly outstanding people.
-
@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@l_n_p Blues supporter? I like you even more now 😀
I don’t
Any Blues fan who joined before May this year is a triumph of optimism over reality. Genuine fans, and clearly outstanding people.
He didn't say when he came a blues fan....