All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"
A man with Chiefs logo as his avatar isn't doing all of that?
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@booboo said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
My 2c on the issues:
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props: no comment. Think we have issues regardless
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hooker: I get the philosophy of ST coming on later, not saying that's what I'd pick, just I understand the apparent intent.
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6: I'm hoping the philosophy is to bolster our tight forwards. I like how SB has been carrying on the SR finals. I don't think it's a case of covering for the 7s, more making our tighties better. Again, wouldn't have done it but see potential merit.
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PGS: Odd for me. Given Akira is out I'd have gone Sotutu or Vaa'I. May be the token debutant in the squad. Debut for squad development sake.
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Ennor: if you're picking RTS in the squad, pick RTS in the squad. Saw argument that Jordie would cover 12 so Ennor was needed for something. Not a hater on Ennor, as is the norm for The Fern, but the obvious counter is if you have RTS on the bench perhaps he covers 12. There's plenty of versatility in the poof division, and it seems the numbers are fairly interchangeable as phases develop anyway.
Otherwise fine. Otherwise just dandy.
In terms of the outlook for Saturday your guess is as good as mine.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
All this with zero idea of the gameplan. Barrett's speed matters nothing if we plan to drive up the guts and/or force Ireland to go wide to make metres
I just hope it's better than the WC Semi plan vs England, all I'm saying.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"Akira has a foot injury"
"He's an idiot anyway"
Pause
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"..and he's fat"Lol this poster you're describing is a total IDIOT! I mean also completely fabricated and a total strawman, but an IDIOT nevertheless!
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
All this with zero idea of the gameplan. Barrett's speed matters nothing if we plan to drive up the guts and/or force Ireland to go wide to make metres
I just hope it's better than the WC Semi plan vs England, all I'm saying.
The worst part of the 2019 gameplan was picking three locks to attack the lineout and not attacking the lineout.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Kirwan Don't think that's right. In one of our few big plays in the game, Scott ran down the English wing!
He has good pace. For a lock.
Same reason I'm not convinced about Vaai at 6 either, much slower than Akira, Dalton, PGS, Cane, Savea, Blackadder, Grace (I could keep going).
Before I get tarred as promoting Scott as blindside - I don't want him there either. I think he should be a starting lock with Retallick and Whitelock sharing the minutes on the other side.
I don't want three 7s for our loose forward trio either.
But, in a choice between Scott and Vaa'i, I'm taking Scott and if we'd won the 2019 RWC Scott's running down Jonny May would be as famous as Kaino repelling Ioane. He had no right to have the speed to do that!!!
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
The worst part of the 2019 gameplan was picking three locks to attack the lineout and not attacking the lineout.
That's because they were too busy having brain-farts everywhere else except the lineout.
That game pissed me off more than the RWC2007 quarter-final - and I was at that match. Dear God, let's not have a repeat on Saturday, FFS.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Kirwan Don't think that's right. In one of our few big plays in the game, Scott ran down the English wing!
He has good pace. For a lock.
Same reason I'm not convinced about Vaai at 6 either, much slower than Akira, Dalton, PGS, Cane, Savea, Blackadder, Grace (I could keep going).
Before I get tarred as promoting Scott as blindside - I don't want him there either. I think he should be a starting lock with Retallick and Whitelock sharing the minutes on the other side.
I don't want three 7s for our loose forward trio either.
But, in a choice between Scott and Vaa'i, I'm taking Scott and if we'd won the 2019 RWC Scott's running down Jonny May would be as famous as Kaino repelling Ioane. He had no right to have the speed to do that!!!
He must have had a running start
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
e have a new pile on claiming that the selectors should have a whole bunch of untried players (while at the same time de-crying a very experienced SB because he isn't experienced in the position he has been selected in.
A whole bunch of untried players? We're talking about 1 position in a forward pack where 6 of the other 7 are test veterans.
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@Kirwan that's the extraordinary thing - he doesn't.
Here it is!!!
1.1K views Ā· 417 reactions | Barrett cuts May off | Scott Barrett...
Scott Barrett with incredible work rate to cut off Jonny May. What a start to this match. #ENGvNZL #RWC2019 #WebbEllisCup Find out where you can watch...
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@booboo said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"
I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp. A rough example got like this...
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"Akira has a foot injury"
"He's an idiot anyway"
Pause
"He's an idiot for not selecting Akira"
"..and he's fat"Any chance we can lift the level of commentary back up to the usual low Fern standards? These depths are PR like.
Last few pages?
I know. It's just that after a few months of reasonable discussion where people seemed to accept the obvious that the first team of the year would be best (and likely) to have as much experience in it as possible and the knowledge of disruption from covid we have a new pile on claiming that the selectors should have a whole bunch of untried players (while at the same time de-crying a very experienced SB because he isn't experienced in the position he has been selected in.
All this with zero idea of the gameplan. Barrett's speed matters nothing if we plan to drive up the guts and/or force Ireland to go wide to make metres
You might have zero idea of the gameplan, but Iām fairly confident it will be the same as we have seen for years. There is nothing in Fosterās communications that have indicated a real change in tactics, ala Eddie Jones. It is just a lot of āwe need to do it betterā Cheika style platitudes. Playing the best players regardless of their position is what seems to be the case, and has lead to a ridiculously unblanced team.
In addition please point out here where someone has said Foster is dumb for not selecting Akira, whilst at the same time acknowledging he is injured. You berate people for āFoster is crapā hyperbole, Fosters incompetence is something we have evidence of, yet then make up hyperbolic stuff about posterās intelligence?
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
He must have had a running start
Yeah, he weighs too much to be fast.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"
I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp.
Got to say though, selection craziness is a consistent pattern with Foster's sides.
Henry took players like Coles, who was a fast light hothead, and turned him into a properly good international hooker that other sides hated.
Foster is skipping over power wings for George Bridge. It feels like he's trying to get too cute with selections, without a discernable plan. SO yeah, there's a bit of knee jerk, but lord knows it's deserved.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"
I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp.
Got to say though, selection craziness is a consistent pattern with Foster's sides.
Henry took players like Coles, who was a fast light hothead, and turned him into a properly good international hooker that other sides hated.
Foster is skipping over power wings for George Bridge. It feels like he's trying to get too cute with selections, without a discernable plan. SO yeah, there's a bit of knee jerk, but lord knows it's deserved.
That still got cards and did dumb stuff.
Great player though.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
You might have zero idea of the gameplan, but Iām fairly confident it will be the same as we have seen for years. There is nothing in Fosterās communications that have indicated a real change in tactics, ala Eddie Jones. It is just a lot of āwe need to do it betterā Cheika style platitudes.
Well, the bigger problem for me isn't the tactics, it's the inability of the players to execute the game-plan consistently and focus and re-group when things aren't going well.
Playing the best players regardless of their position is what seems to be the case, and has lead to a ridiculously unblanced team.
This I agree with. One of the great mysteries of the world is why he persisted with Jordie on the wing and with Bridge in the team - no doubt we'll find when he writes a book. I have my doubts about it but can see the logic of SB at 6, but covering 4&5 as well?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Got to say though, selection craziness is a consistent pattern with Foster's sides.
TBF, he seems to have managed Akira better than others. And got Jordie in his best position - though that needed a few Tests of super-crazy selections.
Still not convinced by him though.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Christ on a bike, I've just read back the last few pages of the thread and am forming a mental picture of a bunch of posters sitting in a padded cell banging their heads against the wall mumbling "Foster! fucking Foster! Fat Foster! wah Foster!"
I'm not for one minute saying that he is beyond debate or discussion but some of the stuff is deranged thinking based on complete lack of knowledge of what is happening in camp.
Got to say though, selection craziness is a consistent pattern with Foster's sides.
Henry took players like Coles, who was a fast light hothead, and turned him into a properly good international hooker that other sides hated.
Foster is skipping over power wings for George Bridge. It feels like he's trying to get too cute with selections, without a discernable plan. SO yeah, there's a bit of knee jerk, but lord knows it's deserved.
Thing is with Foster - you can see what he's trying to do, it's not illogical. But with the benefit of hindsight he's got a few things wrong - and you've got to fear that hindsight is going to catch up with us again at the business end of next year.
George - last year - over Big Leicester was logical. Leicester was far from ready then (I'm not sure he's ready now to be honest - not to be starting this game, anyway) and Caleb Clarke was off playing sevens. Foster's got it right now - because he's brought Telea in ahead of Bridge, who has fallen off a cliff.
Playing Jordie ahead of Jordan looks even worse with hindsight, but you can see the logic to it at the time.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Playing Jordie ahead of Jordan looks even worse with hindsight, but you can see the logic to it at the time.
You can? Can you explain it to me as I never understood it?
Foster has done some good stuff which he deserves credit for, but he's also done some weird stuff. I'm not bagging him as I think he inherited a bit of a disaster, but he's still on probation for me.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
@nzzp said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:
Got to say though, selection craziness is a consistent pattern with Foster's sides.
TBF, he seems to have managed Akira better than others. And got Jordie in his best position - though that needed a few Tests of super-crazy selections.
Still not convinced by him though.
Am not sure that's down to Foster or Plumtree, more to do with Tom Coventry and McDonald.
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@Victor-Meldrew itās not as if this sort of thing hasnāt happened before though.
Flavell at 6, heās no blindside, heās a lock, but heās got pace
What is Jerry Collins playing number 8? Thatās not his position.
Mils on the wing? Mils at centre? Mils back at fullback?
Dagg on the wing? Dagg back at fullback?
Bender on the wing? Bender at centre? Bender at fullback? Bender back on the wing?
And you could go through a litany of props that were used under Mitchell, Henry, Hansen - where the response was either āwhatās he done?ā to āwhatever happened to such and such, I thought he looked alright after his first shot off the benchā, never to see him much again.
Maybe our internet plans are better now and we can write more about it š
