All Black props
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@nostrildamus
Uini Atonio is weighing 152 kgs and is playing test rugby. Not for 80 minutes but for 50 to 55 minutes. He is one of the reasons why the French pack is so dominant. -
@cgrant and probably more mobile these days than ever before. Tamaiti has a bit of a case of concrete boots, but of course is very young and I have no doubt he'll be working on that explosive power and balance. Next year could well be his coming of age.
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@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
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@African-Monkey said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
I just feel like that's going down the road of selecting a hooker because he's the best thrower.
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@Bones said in All Black props:
@African-Monkey said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
I just feel like that's going down the road of selecting a hooker because he's the best thrower.
Agree. The way scrums are reffed these days, dominance is only rewarded when it is complete and utter destruction. Against the big teams you only need to be able to hold your side up because sure as hell they can and even if you can get them to budge it won't give you much advantage.
In other words being a full package of carrying, tackling, passing and scrummaging totally trumps being the strongest scrummer.
What's with all the warm fuzzies on Moody? He went downhill impact wise ages ago. As I said earlier I see the value in having some old heads around so we don't have to go to deep into the pool of younger tyros but they aren't where I'd be focussing. -
@Bones said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus to be fair I think it was that he's better than Lomax (Nepo). He's never been a dominant scrummager, but probably slightly more competent on AB ball. I really don't think it's that big a margin to make it worth it though - it's not like he's never penalised or dominated.
You obviously didn't see Super rugby semi in which Nepo absolutely destroyed a certain J. Slipper.
He played the final test, and likely with a niggly neck.
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@Bones said in All Black props:
@African-Monkey said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
I just feel like that's going down the road of selecting a hooker because he's the best thrower.
If you take three THs to RWC you want one of them to be a first class scrummager. Nepo is it for time being, unless you count Owen.
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@KiwiMurph that poor pass was on Whitelock. You know the one that he was practicing with Cane while not looking.
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@broughie said in All Black props:
@KiwiMurph that poor pass was on Whitelock. You know the one that he was practicing with Cane while not looking.
That did make me laugh. Practiced with the wrong guy.
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@African-Monkey ok fair enough he just doesn't seem to offer much around the field imho.
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Can't believe it but fairly shortly we could have a mean front row
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That Crusaders front row of Williams, Bell and Newell in a couple seasons is going to be fully beast-mode.
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Ryan's input has been sensational
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@BerniesCorner said in All Black props:
Ryan's input has been sensational
except feek is in charge of scrum unless something has changed
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@Crucial said in All Black props:
@Bones said in All Black props:
@African-Monkey said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
I just feel like that's going down the road of selecting a hooker because he's the best thrower.
Agree. The way scrums are reffed these days, dominance is only rewarded when it is complete and utter destruction. Against the big teams you only need to be able to hold your side up because sure as hell they can and even if you can get them to budge it won't give you much advantage.
In other words being a full package of carrying, tackling, passing and scrummaging totally trumps being the strongest scrummer.
What's with all the warm fuzzies on Moody? He went downhill impact wise ages ago. As I said earlier I see the value in having some old heads around so we don't have to go to deep into the pool of younger tyros but they aren't where I'd be focussing.You obviously weren’t watching Super rugby earlier this season where Moody was getting back to his best prior to his injury. His ruck work is still very good and he was carrying the ball more like the old days.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Black props:
@Crucial said in All Black props:
@Bones said in All Black props:
@African-Monkey said in All Black props:
@nostrildamus Laulala didn't play in the 1st test but yes, he is still our best TH scrummager. I'd still have him personally.
I just feel like that's going down the road of selecting a hooker because he's the best thrower.
Agree. The way scrums are reffed these days, dominance is only rewarded when it is complete and utter destruction. Against the big teams you only need to be able to hold your side up because sure as hell they can and even if you can get them to budge it won't give you much advantage.
In other words being a full package of carrying, tackling, passing and scrummaging totally trumps being the strongest scrummer.
What's with all the warm fuzzies on Moody? He went downhill impact wise ages ago. As I said earlier I see the value in having some old heads around so we don't have to go to deep into the pool of younger tyros but they aren't where I'd be focussing.You obviously weren’t watching Super rugby earlier this season where Moody was getting back to his best prior to his injury. His ruck work is still very good and he was carrying the ball more like the old days.
I did see that but I don't share the same optimism that at his age a second knee surgery will bring him back to the levels a young gun can provide. As I said, I am more than happy for him to be in the squad as he would still be in the top three best options (especially for experience and opposed training) but don't think in comes back and supplants the newbies in the pecking order.
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@Bones Fair enough point you make but we're still conceding penalties on our TH side at scrumtime and it will cost us in future tests which is why I'd rather shore things up on that side especially against the better scrummaging sides. Against the Aussies and Argies i think we could get away without him, but he's still good to carry in the squad.
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IamGroot looks handy. Persist.
Lomax: not convinced. And he's an Aussie FFS!
Bower was better on the weekend than i anticipated - worth further evaluation.
Newell: haven't seen enough.
Of those not playing:
Laulala known quantity: good at scrum, great at brain snap penalties.
Ofa: you're missing him I think.
Again it comes down to second row doing their job and combinations in the front row and tight five
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@NTA said in All Black props:
IamGroot looks handy. Persist.
Lomax: not convinced. And he's an Aussie FFS!
And where do you think Ethan De Groot was born? Forged in fire in the bellows of Mordor?
