All Blacks 2022
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
Question - has Fakatava's eligibility for the ABs this year been sorted out?
Last year, when he got injured it seemed like new rules were going to exclude him until 2023.
Google doesn't immediately throw up something saying he's clear to be selected.
If they haven't sorted it out, he will be eligible in December, this year. So too late for the Northern Tour. They could still include him as an apprentice, and if they organise games for the All Blacks XV (which hasn't been nominated as NZ's 2nd XV), he can play in those games.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth he's certainly been quiet compared to previous seasons, still gets through some work though, just not at the level he had been, but is getting back to it now.
Yeah I dont think he will make it this year either, and the way selections go, it is pretty tough breaking into the ABs, especially in a congested loosie spot.
If TWM are looking for a 5.5 then IMO Vaa’i is the man.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth he's certainly been quiet compared to previous seasons, still gets through some work though, just not at the level he had been, but is getting back to it now.
Yeah I dont think he will make it this year either, and the way selections go, it is pretty tough breaking into the ABs, especially in a congested loosie spot.
If TWM are looking for a 5.5 then IMO Vaa’i is the man.
One thing I like about Vaa’i is that he paces himself well. Lord ran himself into the ground the other night but was little more effective than Vaa’i, then as he went off TV stepped up another gear for a burst. You often see him go big as the opposition reserves come on.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
Yeah he’s unlikely to start at lock or 6 unless there’s injuries
I would like to see the Blues try a Dalton/Akira/Robinson combo. Maybe against the Brumbies
You’d want Sotutu’s current work rate against the Brumbies, surely?
Maybe your combo as a reshuffle into the game? -
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth he's certainly been quiet compared to previous seasons, still gets through some work though, just not at the level he had been, but is getting back to it now.
Yeah I dont think he will make it this year either, and the way selections go, it is pretty tough breaking into the ABs, especially in a congested loosie spot.
If TWM are looking for a 5.5 then IMO Vaa’i is the man.
One thing I like about Vaa’i is that he paces himself well. Lord ran himself into the ground the other night but was little more effective than Vaa’i, then as he went off TV stepped up another gear for a burst. You often see him go big as the opposition reserves come on.
The hit on Paisami on Saturday would do any 6 proud.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth he's certainly been quiet compared to previous seasons, still gets through some work though, just not at the level he had been, but is getting back to it now.
Yeah I dont think he will make it this year either, and the way selections go, it is pretty tough breaking into the ABs, especially in a congested loosie spot.
If TWM are looking for a 5.5 then IMO Vaa’i is the man.
One thing I like about Vaa’i is that he paces himself well. Lord ran himself into the ground the other night but was little more effective than Vaa’i, then as he went off TV stepped up another gear for a burst. You often see him go big as the opposition reserves come on.
The hit on Paisami on Saturday would do any 6 proud.
Only a second or so after another tackle as well. Bang, bang!
Kaino like. (ducks for cover)
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@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
Yeah he’s unlikely to start at lock or 6 unless there’s injuries
I would like to see the Blues try a Dalton/Akira/Robinson combo. Maybe against the Brumbies
You’d want Sotutu’s current work rate against the Brumbies, surely?
Maybe your combo as a reshuffle into the game?Having Robinson and Akira together would help the lineout, basically three locks and Akira is used alot in the lineout.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
Yeah he’s unlikely to start at lock or 6 unless there’s injuries
I would like to see the Blues try a Dalton/Akira/Robinson combo. Maybe against the Brumbies
You’d want Sotutu’s current work rate against the Brumbies, surely?
Maybe your combo as a reshuffle into the game?Having Robinson and Akira together would help the lineout, basically three locks and Akira is used alot in the lineout.
Robinson is only a lock by Hurricanes standards.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
Yeah he’s unlikely to start at lock or 6 unless there’s injuries
I would like to see the Blues try a Dalton/Akira/Robinson combo. Maybe against the Brumbies
You’d want Sotutu’s current work rate against the Brumbies, surely?
Maybe your combo as a reshuffle into the game?Having Robinson and Akira together would help the lineout, basically three locks and Akira is used alot in the lineout.
Robinson is only a lock by Hurricanes standards.
Yeah, that's patently untrue. He's played well there.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
Yeah he’s unlikely to start at lock or 6 unless there’s injuries
I would like to see the Blues try a Dalton/Akira/Robinson combo. Maybe against the Brumbies
You’d want Sotutu’s current work rate against the Brumbies, surely?
Maybe your combo as a reshuffle into the game?Having Robinson and Akira together would help the lineout, basically three locks and Akira is used alot in the lineout.
Robinson is only a lock by Hurricanes standards.
Yeah, that's patently untrue. He's played well there.
In big games against decent locks? Even the Canes maligned locks have the odd good game but never when up against internationals
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Can't comment on Robinson's form, but if he's been decent enough, I'd like to see him there, because he brings genuine lineout height. I'd like to see someone in the squad who can stand down the back of the lineout next to Big Pieter-Steph and not get the Benny Hill treatment (the slaps on the head).
I'd also like to see a really big munter in the squad who can charge off the back of the scrum and make metres. Ardie does it with leg drive and determination, but I'm thinking in the mold of Billy Vunipola. Sowakula might be the closest we have, but he seems a bit error prone.
What we had last year seemed a bit analogous to cricket allrounders. A bunch of guys who were either big 7s or small 6/8s. Ideally suited to the bench (though I like big 7s).
It's going to be harsh on some, but I don't think we need half a dozen of these in-between guys.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
Been any official comment about the mix?
I'd assume pack 9/5/7 = 21, so 15 backs. Allows 3 halves, 2 tens, five midfield, five back three.
Seven loosies: Cane/DP/Akira/Frizell/Ardie/Sotutu and one of Blackadder/Jacobson (I'm not sure we need too many 'workrate' types)? Hard on Pita Gus. Or do they make a call that Frizell isn't quite top test level and try new blood?
You'd hope.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:
Back Five: Jordie/Jordan/Clarke/Reece/Another. Given Ioane (R) covers wing as well, I'd focus on someone who's comfortable at fullback. Perofeta would add cover at 10. As would Ioane (J). Bridge for me would be triumph of hope over expectation.
My preference over the other two
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks 2022:
@Chris-B Akira, Paps and Ardie must have some bulk between them.
For my ideal roles you'd arguably have these guys in the 8,6,7 jerseys respectively.
The gold standard is really Kaino, McCaw, Read - so lining up my way you can cover McCaw and Read, but you're still lacking a monster like Kaino.
Frizell and Robinson are probably the closest we have size-wise.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
@chimoaus said in All Blacks 2022:
@Chris-B Akira, Paps and Ardie must have some bulk between them.
For my ideal roles you'd arguably have these guys in the 8,6,7 jerseys respectively.
The gold standard is really Kaino, McCaw, Read - so lining up my way you can cover McCaw and Read, but you're still lacking a monster like Kaino.
Frizell and Robinson are probably the closest we have size-wise.
Looking at playing weights (and ignoring the inaccuracy...) Akira is 2cm shorter and 3kgs heavier than Kaino. So pretty similar size wise.
Robinson is 2cm taller and the same weight.
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@Kirwan The weights are pretty much bullshit.
The ABs website lists Kaino at 105kgs, which is probably when he was 16. They've got Ardie at 99kgs as well.
A better indicator is that in 2016, the ABs were comfortable to play Kaino at lock.
Same with Fozzie mentioning last year that they could use Frizell at lock in a pinch. And yet he appears regularly across the internet at 108kgs - which is basically the weight of an international openside.
