Julian Savea

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="588808" data-time="1466111940">
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FIFY
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I wanted to write that, but the forum police have constantly called me up when I've made similar comments in the drug cheating russians thread

MN5

Makes Scotlands Simon Danielli glorious recall to the Scotland side at 32 in 2011 all the more impressive. Sean Lamont running down the flank at THIRTY FOUR in the last World Cup ? Inspirational !

Smudge

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="588806" data-time="1466111836">
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I remember reading somewhere that the prime age for an Olympic Sprinter is 25.4. After that it's pretty rare for people to get any faster.
 
Obviously there are exceptions like Gatland (steroids) and Bolt.
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Someone better tell Wazza he's taking the wrong batch:
 
<img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Sport/Pix/columnists/2014/11/25/1416936453009/Warren-Gatland-Wales-head-012.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=6313aa07c2ede6e34288117cfaca797d" alt="Warren-Gatland-Wales-head-012.jpg?w=620&">

kiwiinmelb

I think what was noticeable for me with Julian , just before the decline, 
Was how all rounded his game had become since the early years , he wasn't just the finisher anymore , 
Was good under the high ball , good defensively , off loaded and linked well with his supports , 
For an X factor type , he was pretty reliable I thought

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="588817" data-time="1466114680">
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I think what was noticeable for me with Julian , just before the decline, 
Was how all rounded his game had become since the early years , he wasn't just the finisher anymore , 
Was good under the high ball , good defensively , off loaded and linked well with his supports , 
For an X factor type , he was pretty reliable I thought
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Rokocoko was like that too if I recall.

pukunui

Joe Roks bulked up significantly which moved his game away from what made him so dangerous early on. ie gas and swerve out wide. So while he was still quality and would make it over the gain line his strike rate dropped. A similar thing happened with tuqiri going from skinny fast guy in league to bulked up slower less good guy in rugby. 
I think its way too early to write off Savea. Don't really think comparisons with guys who started their careers at the dawn of proffessional rugby is much use either. Conditioning is completely different now.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pukunui" data-cid="588837" data-time="1466119623">
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Joe Roks bulked up significantly which moved his game away from what made him so dangerous early on. ie gas and swerve out wide. So while he was still quality and would make it over the gain line his strike rate dropped. A similar thing happened with tuqiri going from skinny fast guy in league to bulked up slower less good guy in rugby. 
I think its way too early to write off Savea. Don't really think comparisons with guys who started their careers at the dawn of proffessional rugby is much use either. Conditioning is completely different now.
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Tuqiri was always pretty big, never Joe Roks lean but never quite got "Sailor" big ( he was another who got a bit too solid for his own good )
 
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I'm sure if John Hart had his time again he would have gone 15 Cullen 14 Wilson 13 Umaga and 11 Lomu......but can anyone remember what possessed him into thinking Cullen would be great at centre ? His strengths as a player were always tucking the ball and having a go, even in the late 90s I'm pretty sure Umaga had played at 13 a bit for Wellington.

pukunui

Im talking early league days when he made his name. He was significantly smaller than his rugby days. Almost hard to recognise him. Skinny probably not the right word though. Slim maybe.

Dice

Roks' attacking ability started to fade after he picked up that knee injury around 2006. That's around the time the tries started to dry up.

canefan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="588792" data-time="1466110443">
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Jonah was gone before he hit 27, Tana realized he couldn't cut it out wide anymore and very wisely moved to centre.
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It was Jonah's kidneys that poked his career

Rancid Schnitzel

Savea rocking up to the start of the season looking pregnant and then having to work like a maniac to get fit must take its toll and affect the rest of his game. Imagine having to try and lose shit loads of weight and focussing on elite rugby skills at the same time. 
It's ridiculously unprofessional and he should not have been picked, regardless of past deeds. Just like Weepu he seems to have entered some kind of comfort zone since becoming an established AB and feels compelled to fund the retirement of some lucky KFC franchise owner. 
I hope he gets his shit together because he's brilliant when on song. I don't think he's lost his ability, but he needs to have everything (mind and body) at 100% and he's clearly nowhere near that right now.

MN5

How come some guys who are so powerful and explosive ( Savea, Isitolo Maka, Sione Lauaki ) even compared to other elite Rugby players turn to lard at the drop of a hat ?
 
Metabolisms are funny old things.....

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="588858" data-time="1466124067">
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Savea rocking up to the start of the season looking pregnant and then having to work like a maniac to get fit must take its toll and affect the rest of his game. Imagine having to try and lose shit loads of weight and focussing on elite rugby skills at the same time. 
It's ridiculously unprofessional and he should not have been picked, regardless of past deeds. Just like Weepu he seems to have entered some kind of comfort zone since becoming an established AB and feels compelled to fund the retirement of some lucky KFC franchise owner. 
I hope he gets his shit together because he's brilliant when on song. I don't think he's lost his ability, but he needs to have everything (mind and body) at 100% and he's clearly nowhere near that right now.
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think it was sometimes these guys get comfortable being comfortable, while the ABs need them to be comfortable being uncomfortable or something Hansen said a couple of days ago in talking about Savea.

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="588781" data-time="1466106371">
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To describe someone with a strike rate of 39/42 as 'serviceable' is frankly astonishing.
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Right now, today, he is serviceable. The past four years were anything but.
 
If he were playing against us tomorrow night I would not be particularly concerned or feel he is a major threat in his current state. I also wouldn't feel he is an overwhelming weakness either. He just blows hot and cold at the moment - but the hot isn't quite as hot as it used to be.

dogmeat

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="588839" data-time="1466119853">
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Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I'm sure if John Hart had his time again he would have gone 15 Cullen 14 Wilson 13 Umaga and 11 Lomu......but can anyone remember what possessed him into thinking Cullen would be great at centre ?
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His innate conviction that he was the best coach ever, capable of inspired, unpredictable selection choices and no one else had a clue.
 
Certainly that has been Frank Bunce didn't have a clue. Imagine him promoting Umaga as a potentially great centre even before Tana moved there and repeatedly throughout 99. Hart showed Buncey eh. Bloody obvious why he never rated him for Akl.

No Quarter

I vaguely remember reasoning along the lines of "Cullen will get the ball in his hands more often from centre". Flawed logic.

tubbyj

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="588858" data-time="1466124067">
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Savea rocking up to the start of the season looking pregnant and then having to work like a maniac to get fit must take its toll and affect the rest of his game. Imagine having to try and lose shit loads of weight and focussing on elite rugby skills at the same time. 
It's ridiculously unprofessional and he should not have been picked, regardless of past deeds. Just like Weepu he seems to have entered some kind of comfort zone since becoming an established AB and feels compelled to fund the retirement of some lucky KFC franchise owner. 
I hope he gets his shit together because he's brilliant when on song. I don't think he's lost his ability, but he needs to have everything (mind and body) at 100% and he's clearly nowhere near that right now.
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Agree. Same as last season. After he lost the weight it took a while and a big break from playing before he started to hit form. The hard work he has to to do to lose the weight leaves him flat. Fair enough he probably earnt a break and a bit of pigging out after winning the WC but he needs to be monitored over the next off season and they need to hammer home the point this is not to be a every year thing.

raznomore

Savea is a Caucau. One day we will lament his wasted talent. He will be in Romania playing Superliga. 150kg and looking to make a comeback for the WC 2023. 
Or he will get his shit together and break Doug Howletts try scoring record at a canter and be the star of the 2019 world cup. 
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gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="588966" data-time="1466143889">
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I vaguely remember reasoning along the lines of "Cullen will get the ball in his hands more often from centre". Flawed logic.
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Was also the little factor that Cully switched to centre mid game v the Boks due to an injury to Gibson & loked a million bucks & all of NZ went "we've found our centre!!" And the NZ Herald went off over him as a centre & Nisbo went "Well! we may have found our new Bunce!" 
 
And then a few months later they all went "fucking Hart, what was he thinking!"
 
Bit like "Dagg should go overseas he's done!" 8 months later "great to se Dagg in"

raznomore

Bases on this latest effort he needs some time off 
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The Silver Fern

Julian Savea