All Blacks 2024
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Some great comedy in this thread, keep it up folks.
If this is the laughs we get from having Razor coaching, I can only imagine the gold that'd be coming through if Foster was still in charge!
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
This is my All Blacks Squad at the minute:
Props: Du Groot, Lomax, Ofa T, Newell, Williams, Numia.
Hooker: Taylor (if fit), Sami T, Aumua. Riccitelli if Taylor not fit.
Locks: S. Barrett, Vaii, Tuipolutu, McWhannell, Walker-Laewere
Back row: Finau, Papalii, Lakai, Savea (c), Sotutu, Iose, W. Sititi
Half Back: TJP, Christie, Funaki
First Fives: McKenzie, B.Barrett, Perofeta
Midfield: J. Barrett, R. Ioane, A. Leinert-Brown, B.Proctor
Back 3: Telea, Clarke, Narawa, Nanai-Seturo, Reece, Love.
I thought Lakai was poor this week. All Blacks XV is probably his level. Blackadder and Lio-Willie were okay. Segner is worth looking at, probably in the All Blacks XV, but let's see how he plays over the next few weeks. Patrick T looks like he should start against England.
Apart from that, as you were.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I thought Lakai was poor this week.
He was only a replacement (he replaced Iose during the 2nd half. Iosi certainly wasn't having his best game). And the team didn't concede lots of points when he was on even with a rubbish lineout thrower. And Cameron throwing poor passes.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
This is my All Blacks Squad at the minute:
Props: Du Groot, Lomax, Ofa T, Newell, Williams, Numia.
Hooker: Taylor (if fit), Sami T, Aumua. Riccitelli if Taylor not fit.
Locks: S. Barrett, Vaii, Tuipolutu, McWhannell, Walker-Laewere
Back row: Finau, Papalii, Lakai, Savea (c), Sotutu, Iose, W. Sititi
Half Back: TJP, Christie, Funaki
First Fives: McKenzie, B.Barrett, Perofeta
Midfield: J. Barrett, R. Ioane, A. Leinert-Brown, B.Proctor
Back 3: Telea, Clarke, Narawa, Nanai-Seturo, Reece, Love.
I thought Lakai was poor this week. All Blacks XV is probably his level. Blackadder and Lio-Willie were okay. Segner is worth looking at, probably in the All Blacks XV, but let's see how he plays over the next few weeks. Patrick T looks like he should start against England.
Apart from that, as you were.
Lakai came off the bench this week, don’t you mean Kirifi? Because yes Kirifi was poor as was most of the Canes this week.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
This is my All Blacks Squad at the minute:
Props: Du Groot, Lomax, Ofa T, Newell, Williams, Numia.
Hooker: Taylor (if fit), Sami T, Aumua. Riccitelli if Taylor not fit.
Locks: S. Barrett, Vaii, Tuipolutu, McWhannell, Walker-Laewere
Back row: Finau, Papalii, Lakai, Savea (c), Sotutu, Iose, W. Sititi
Half Back: TJP, Christie, Funaki
First Fives: McKenzie, B.Barrett, Perofeta
Midfield: J. Barrett, R. Ioane, A. Leinert-Brown, B.Proctor
Back 3: Telea, Clarke, Narawa, Nanai-Seturo, Reece, Love.
I thought Lakai was poor this week. All Blacks XV is probably his level. Blackadder and Lio-Willie were okay. Segner is worth looking at, probably in the All Blacks XV, but let's see how he plays over the next few weeks. Patrick T looks like he should start against England.
Apart from that, as you were.
Lakai came off the bench this week, don’t you mean Kirifi? Because yes Kirifi was poor as was most of the Canes this week.
It was always a game we could lose. Better to have a reset now
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@Canes4life Lakai's impact of the bench was poor. He made 3 tackles, but missed 2. He also conceded a sloppy turnover.
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@sparky are we going to judge him on one cameo off the bench or all the other mins he’s played as a starter where he’s been very good? Remember he’s been very good at 7 this year and came on as an 8 yesterday, a position he hasn’t played in a while.
Fairly odd that out of anyone you could have highlighted on this thread this week you picked a guy that had a minor cameo off the bench in a game where the rest of the team were off. It’s like you were waiting for him to have an off day or something?
Kirifi is the one that should be in the spotlight, he was given an opportunity to start against the Brumbies and was poor. Hopefully Lakai returns to 7 against the Tahs because the balance with him, Shields and Iose is so much better.
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Some random Sunday morning thoughts from the last few games I watched.
Reuben Love looks the goods at 15. I'd expect in to be in the squad and in the 23.
Matt Proctor has been playing well and Reiko Ioane has been quiet this year. Not expecting the former to supplant the latter, but good to see some competition for the 13 jersey.
Caleb Clarke has been a revelation this season. Seems way more confident and composed - the way he set up the winning try by looking for support while not slowing down being a good example.
Pat T has been a powerhouse for the Blues. Hasn't transferred his talents to Test level in the past but may be moving above Vaa'i in the pecking order
DMac is playing as mature as I'm seen him. His passing out of hand has moved to another level.
Halfback position looks better than a few weeks ago with TJP, Fakatava and Funaki stepping up after Roigards's injury. And Funaki may have ended the Christie debate.
Harry Plummer continues to look solid at 10. Strong mentally too and I like the way he got over his kicking yips against the Reds. Good choice for the utility back position.
Finau is starting to get criticism of his tackling technique. Good. Much rather have it at this level where he can learn to deal with it at Test level
Scooter looks composed wearing the armband and could well be Robertson's choice as Captain
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@Canes4life Yes, I'll judge players very harshly indeed before I declare them All Balcks standard.
A cameo off the bench is role that Peter Lakai will have to perform first for the ABs. He had a chance to turn that game in favour of the Hurricanes yesterday and he didn't take it.
I still rate him as one to watch, but he still has a lot to learn and the All Balcks XV looks the right level for him this year.
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@Victor-Meldrew Billy Proctor, Matt's his brother.
I agree with the rest. Scooter or Ardie for Captain.
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@sparky tell me then, what other player in Super can cover both 7 and 8 from the bench atm at a high level? Ardie's the only one that has done it to an international standard. Maybe Luke Jacobsen but then again I think a certain someone with the last name Lakai outplayed him the other week. So yeah, I wouldn't be judging someone's season solely on a cameo off the bench when the rest of the team weren't humming.
You might be right in the fact it might be a year early for Lakai but I've got no doubt he'll be an AB, it's just a case of when. In saying that I still think he's good enough to be an AB this year and would be a fine replacement for Ardie if he goes down.
I think there are four players in the Canes atm that are becoming almost impossible to ignore, Aumua is one but injury could prevent him from being selected, Numia, Love and Proctor are the other three. They've been the best players in NZ in their respective positions so far this year and will be very hard for Robertson to pass up. Iose and Lakai are maybes, but there are so many good loosies running around so who knows what Robertson does there, just aslong as he doesn't pick Grace.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@sparky tell me then, what other player in Super can cover both 7 and 8 from the bench atm at a high level? Ardie's the only one that has done it to an international standard. Maybe Luke Jacobsen but then again I think a certain someone with the last name Lakai outplayed him the other week. So yeah, I wouldn't be judging someone's season solely on a cameo off the bench when the rest of the team weren't humming.
You might be right in the fact it might be a year early for Lakai but I've got no doubt he'll be an AB, it's just a case of when. In saying that I still think he's good enough to be an AB this year and would be a fine replacement for Ardie if he goes down.
I think there are four players in the Canes atm that are becoming almost impossible to ignore, Aumua is one but injury could prevent him from being selected, Numia, Love and Proctor are the other three. They've been the best players in NZ in their respective positions so far this year and will be very hard for Robertson to pass up. Iose and Lakai are maybes, but there are so many good loosies running around so who knows what Robertson does there, just aslong as he doesn't pick Grace.
Ethan Blackadder. 6 too in between bouts of curing cancer and walking on water
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Sotutu 8, Savea 7 is an option
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Sotutu 8, Savea 7 is an option
& Finau six is my preferred
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Sotutu 8, Savea 7 is an option
I'm a big fan of picking your best players in their best position. Ardie is arguably the best 8 in the world right now and he hasn't played 7 for yonks. Covering 7 in an emergency or when replacements come on is fine, but leave his prime position at 8 where he's best.
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