All Blacks 2022
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There certainly doesn't need to be as many players chosen for a home test series so some of the players used last year will be cut. Ennor adds nothing. Havili would be a useful squad member but wouldn't be in my 23. Losing ALB is a huge blow because he has the ability to play 12 or 13, which none of the other fit midfielders really do.
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I feel like the Irish would be very good at exploiting the defensive inexperience of the pair.
But it would be tasty to watch. A big 12 is a real asset.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
There certainly doesn't need to be as many players chosen for a home test series so some of the players used last year will be cut. Ennor adds nothing. Havili would be a useful squad member but wouldn't be in my 23. Losing ALB is a huge blow because he has the ability to play 12 or 13, which none of the other fit midfielders really do.
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
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@frank said in All Blacks 2022:
@stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
In my opinion, RTS hasn't shown enough to suggest he should be picked, but he has the same hype around him as SBW, so that may be enough for him to get in. That would be pretty hars forh the player who might get dropped as a result, if they drop someone (most likely Tupaea). There's still time though and if RTS can stay in one piece, he will have the opportunity to claim a spot on the field instead of expectation/hype only.
I suppose there a small chance Havili misses out if they pick RTS. Although he does have utility value at 15. It's just that he was a proven crumbler when the pressure really came on. I just don't want to see his running sideways jinky bullshit at 12 again.
The way I see it, Havili is nothing more than an honorary member of the Cantab' safe white boy club (despite not being white), with esteemed members such as George Bridge and Brayden Ennor,
I think Foster will play safe, go for experience and have DH at 12 & Reiko at 13. It's a sensible approach on the assumption Havili has improved his game. I haven't seen enough of QT at 12, but that could be another option along with JG.
Would def. be good to see the likes of RTS training with the AB's
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I feel like the Irish would be very good at exploiting the defensive inexperience of the pair.
But it would be tasty to watch. A big 12 is a real asset.
On the other hand, you'd hope experienced players like Reiko & Jordie would be confident and sensible enough able to have a serious conversation with the coaching staff that they were actually up to the roles.
Who knows? We might find a JB/RI combo works a treat. Who would move to 15? Havili or Jordan?
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
There certainly doesn't need to be as many players chosen for a home test series so some of the players used last year will be cut. Ennor adds nothing. Havili would be a useful squad member but wouldn't be in my 23. Losing ALB is a huge blow because he has the ability to play 12 or 13, which none of the other fit midfielders really do.
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
A much better 13 than 12 from what I've seen. His statment game against the Bokke was at 13 in Wellington.
Man, I miss Smith/Nonu
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
I excluded Goodhue, hence "fit midfielders" caveat. Playing both 12 and 13 at international level is very different to playing there in SR, as you have much less time and space in the former. I didn't include Tupaea as a player who can play both for that reason either, as he is much more suited to 12.
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
Havili started at 12 really well, but got badly exposed against better sides. Frankly, I can see his primary value in the squad as a utility, and even that's marginal. It's a pity; he played some good games early doors, but we seem intent on putting out small backlines at times.
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@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:
It's a sensible approach on the assumption Havili has improved his game.
Has he though?
He is the same type of player - a jinky 12 with a kicking game. -
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
I excluded Goodhue, hence "fit midfielders" caveat. Playing both 12 and 13 at international level is very different to playing there in SR, as you have much less time and space in the former. I didn't include Tupaea as a player who can play both for that reason either, as he is much more suited to 12.
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
I agree and I’m not debating the merits, I’m predicting that he will definitely be there now that ALB is injured.
I would say that RTS, TUJ, and PUJ are fighting for the fourth spot with Ennor and (edit: Leicester - probably selected as a wing) as (IMO) Goodhue, Rieko, and Havili are likely already locked in.
I’d personally like the coaches to make some big calls but they’ve no history of it, so I cant see it happening now.
I honestly believe things will get worse before they get better. I think we are looking at at a 1998 season (probably not that bad as Oz isn’t that good).
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
There certainly doesn't need to be as many players chosen for a home test series so some of the players used last year will be cut. Ennor adds nothing. Havili would be a useful squad member but wouldn't be in my 23. Losing ALB is a huge blow because he has the ability to play 12 or 13, which none of the other fit midfielders really do.
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
A much better 13 than 12 from what I've seen. His statment game against the Bokke was at 13 in Wellington.
Man, I miss Smith/Nonu
agree. Nothing more than servicable at 12. Our standard are dropping so low if we see "servicable" as "can"
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@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
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@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2022:
@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
is his defence, error rate and kicking game up to international 15 level? I haven't seen enough of him to know
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@gt12 Ennor is on the outside looking in too. And once Goodhue is fit, he won't even be a starter for the Crusaders.
If we need a squad wing/centre I'd take Fainga'anuku over Ennor. And speaking of Leicester, Wiki says his full name is Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga'anuku. That would be a commentators dream to mention that.
If PUJ isn't starting/playing regularly for the Hurricanes he isn't going to be in the frame for the ABs.
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@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2022:
@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
Much as I like Jordan, I think I prefer Jordie at 15 in test matches, tend to think need a slightly different skill set in tests. Though there not a lot in it, just how I see test matches played.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
you know, this whole thread just makes me pine for the absolutely never going to happen but whish it would
actual, frank discussion about why players are picked, or why they are not. And real talk too, not vaguaries.
Where is the real harm? Oooh we might give something away to the opposition? What, that they don't have already on the hours and hours of video available everywhere, and the people they employ to look at said video?
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
you know, this whole thread just makes me pine for the absolutely never going to happen but whish it would
actual, frank discussion about why players are picked, or why they are not. And real talk too, not vaguaries.
Where is the real harm? Oooh we might give something away to the opposition? What, that they don't have already on the hours and hours of video available everywhere, and the people they employ to look at said video?
Absolutely.
I’m usually not a hate on the media person, but the NZ rugby media is terrible now. Almost everything released is an editorial often either stealing ideas discussed here or pitching something to generate discussion (outrage).
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Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
