Julian savea

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="598030" data-time="1468896398">
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Wow no love for Lowe. Sounds very similar to the lack of love Cory Jane and Ben Smith got before making ABs regularly. I still think he can be a very good AB and will be lethal at the back and will make good decisions. I guess we will see.
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Well yes but those two had/have kinda uncanny attacking skills....does Lowe ?

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="597999" data-time="1468886041">
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Yeah I think the days of the slow and steady ( much as this sounds like a bit of a contradiction in terms ) wingers are a thing of the past even though it might be argued the ABs won the 2011 WC with one of these types in Kahui.
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I think Lowe is the opposite of slow and steady.
 
He's big, fast and has great skills - and I think the Chiefs have given him a license to use his flair. That comes unstuck occasionally, but he's only just 24 so I think his decision-making will mature - and probably wouldn't be hard for the ABs to rein him in just a touch.
 
Right now, he's probably a better bet than Jules.

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="598030" data-time="1468896398">
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Wow no love for Lowe. Sounds very similar to the lack of love Cory Jane and Ben Smith got before making ABs regularly. I still think he can be a very good AB and will be lethal at the back and will make good decisions. I guess we will see.
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Im in the camp that wasnt overly excited by Jane before selection , I actually saw his initial selection as a sign of a lack of depth ,its pretty funny now , he was all class . 
 
I see a bit of Jane in Lowe with his linking game, always bringing his supports into play

Rancid Schnitzel

I suspect the issue most people had with Jane was that he was neither a massive Islander nor a speed merchant a la Howlett. Could also be that many hadn't seen him play regularly for the Canes. Lowe is a decent enough player, but is he really comparable to Jane? Jane did some pretty amazing shit for the Canes.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="598153" data-time="1468922864">I suspect the issue most people had with Jane was that he was neither a massive Islander nor a speed merchant a la Howlett. Could also be that many hadn't seen him play regularly for the Canes. Lowe is a decent enough player, but is he really comparable to Jane? Jane did some pretty amazing shit for the Canes.</blockquote>
 
And did some pretty special stuff at 7s. I was a big fan of his when he was running for Titch. The mullet was ugly though.....

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="598045" data-time="1468898860">
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I think Lowe is the opposite of slow and steady.
 
He's big, fast and has great skills - and I think the Chiefs have given him a license to use his flair. That comes unstuck occasionally, but he's only just 24 so I think his decision-making will mature - and probably wouldn't be hard for the ABs to rein him in just a touch.
 
Right now, he's probably a better bet than Jules.
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Yep, when I read that I wonder if there is another Lowe playing at the moment.
 
He lacks accuracy at times - but then that can be levelled at Savea and Naholo.
 
Plus, as I noted after the Tahs game he's a really good talker on the field, geeing up (hate that phrase by the way) his team and calling where the plays are going.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="598190" data-time="1468933673">
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And did some pretty special stuff at 7s. I was a big fan of his when he was running for Titch. The mullet was ugly though.....
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That was one of his better do's. Christ he had some shockers

DMX

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="598153" data-time="1468922864">
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I suspect the issue most people had with Jane was that he was neither a massive Islander nor a speed merchant a la Howlett. Could also be that many hadn't seen him play regularly for the Canes. Lowe is a decent enough player, but is he really comparable to Jane? Jane did some pretty amazing shit for the Canes.
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i remember remember when Jane was not chosen against Boks in tri-nations 2009 when SA peppered us with high balls, baffling. Also remember before he debuted may posters said his error rate was too high, which was also strange. With Ben Smith I argued he should have been in 2011 World Cup squad and I got little support, someone even referred to him as a Caleb Ralph clone! As far as Lowe goes I think Chris B. said it best "big, fast and has great skills",

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="598222" data-time="1468967229">
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With Ben Smith I argued he should have been in 2011 World Cup squad and I got little support, someone even referred to him as a Caleb Ralph clone!
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I think Ben Smith probably lacked confidence and didn't realise how good he was.
 
I recall seeing him play in Nelson - after he'd debuted for the ABs and been discarded - and I was surprised to see how big he was. And he was pretty anonymous for most of the game until suddenly at the end they chucked him the ball and he took off and ran through half our team to set up the winning try. The sort of stuff he does 10 times per game now.
 
It was very annoying, since Otago were still an uncollected scalp at that stage.

hydro11

Lowe just doesn't have the upside of Naholo/Savea and he isn't a converted fullback which the selectors like. For him to make the team he would need to be playing at a consistent level and he hasn't done that this season. Would maybe have him in front of Savea though.

Frye

Matt Proctor is looking very handy when he's fit. Making Savea look sluggish by comparison. 
Just needs some consistent footy and I think he'll be a contender soon.

Rancid Schnitzel

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="598190" data-time="1468933673">
And did some pretty special stuff at 7s. I was a big fan of his when he was running for Titch. The mullet was ugly though.....</blockquote>
 
As MN5 mentioned, he's had a number of stunningly bad hairstyles. Recall he dyed his hair one time and was sporting a goaty. Perhaps it was difficult for the selectors to take him serious?

Crazy Horse

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="598230" data-time="1468968773">
Lowe just doesn't have the upside of Naholo/Savea and he isn't a converted fullback which the selectors like.</blockquote>
 
Lowe has played a fair bit at fullback hasn't he?

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="598245" data-time="1468970878">Lowe has played a fair bit at fullback hasn't he?</blockquote>
 
He's played mainly wing for the Chiefs and Mako$. There's been the odd game here and there for the Mako$, but he's certainly not first choice option there.

Bovidae

Lowe's best game for the Chiefs in the last 6 weeks has been at fullback vs Wales. That utility value and the huge left foot kicks give him a point of difference from the majority of other wingers out there.

nostrildamus

If Lowe has good linking skills that stand up at international level/speed then he is a mile in front of some of the other AB wing contenders (not mentioning any names..)
PS good to see that hairstyle choice is a major determinant in AB selection, keeping it real!

antipodean

Lowe looks like a terrorist muppet at the moment with his beard, but is he doing anything wrong on the field? He seems to be playing as well as any other left winger in New Zealand.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nostrildamus" data-cid="599700" data-time="1469328677">
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If Lowe has good linking skills that stand up at international level/speed then he is a mile in front of some of the other AB wing contenders (not mentioning any names..)
PS good to see that hairstyle choice is a major determinant in AB selection, keeping it real!
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If it was, Ardie wouldn't be in the squad.

nostrildamus

>If it was, Ardie wouldn't be in the squad.
Can't we separate the quality of the choice from the quality of the hairstyle?

Stargazer

Still pondering what may be wrong with Julian Savea. It doesn't seem to be his fitness and the effort he puts in, going by the comments from Boyd (and Hansen in June).
 
Confidence is certainly low, but that seems more a result than the initial cause. Mental health issues? Other health issues? My partner, who is a health professional, was thinking out loud the other day and said he looked like someone with a thyroid problem (causes weight problems, makes you sluggish and can cause depression, to name a few symptoms). We may never find out; just hope he gets the support he needs (regardless of whether they keep him in the AB squad). Mental health is certainly not the NZRU's strong point.

Tim

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="599713" data-time="1469329939">
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Still pondering what may be wrong with Julian Savea. It doesn't seem to be his fitness and the effort he puts in, going by the comments from Boyd (and Hansen in June).
 
Confidence is certainly low, but that seems more a result than the initial cause. Mental health issues? Other health issues? My partner, who is a health professional, was thinking out loud the other day and said he looked like someone with a thyroid problem (causes weight problems, makes you sluggish and can cause depression, to name a few symptoms). We may never find out; just hope he gets the support he needs (regardless of whether they keep him in the AB squad). Mental health is certainly not the NZRU's strong point.
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Why do you say that?

The Silver Fern

Julian savea