All Blacks 2024
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@george33 said in All Blacks 2024:
@Kiwiwomble there were photos of Blackadder training in full contact, don't no about the niggles, can't be much in it.
They found a ground hard enough so he wouldn't break it?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully some further improvement to come from Scott Barrett.
Just rewatching the first half and he is in absolutely everying. Extraordinary motor - so many involvements. I'm very very impressed - missed it live but his workrate is off the charts.
He covers so much ground and runs excellent lines defensively. I was watching him pretty closely on ruck involvement during a replay and was thinking how is he at that one when he was at the last one! And he’s sticking his shoulder in with a bit of feeling.
But our back 5 combination (4-8) are still finding out what the others are doing. I never underestimate the value of time and combination when it comes to the small stuff that needs to be done well consistently - at the ruck, in phase play, at set piece. We look disjointed at times mixed with some good play with bodies in motion. I’m optimistic about our chances in Sth Africa because there is something to build from.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
He is the only other loose forward / lock (he has played there) running around though I think.
Suafoa. However he didn't get much game time this year for medical reasons
Blues say 196.
Cameron Suafoa Player Profile — Blues Rugby
Find out more about Cameron Suafoa and his history playing for the Blues Super Rugby team.
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Akira 22 caps Frizzle 33 caps...same same.... A couple of good games amongst many anonymous efforts.
Let it go
We need someone consistently busier and harder than those two.
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With Zach Gallagher coming to the Canes next year I wouldn't mind the Canes shifting Caleb Delany back to 6 where he helped the Lions win an NPC. Great carrier of the ball, awesome lineout jumper but probably needs to work on becoming more of a dominant tackler At 115kg and 197m, he could be an option for the ABs going forward after having a superb season at lock before injury struck.
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how is Savea everyone's hard on for 7 when the shit he is worst at are what we want from a 7?
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@mariner4life people are just desperate for him to land somewhere where he doesnt pose more questions than he answers....to see him the way the rest of the world seems too....and 7's kind of the only option
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@Nepia with not other considerations....i would definitely have BB and Savea nailed on as my bench, would be the foundation of a devastating weapon for the final 30min, teams would shit themselves if after playing 50-60 mins of test match rugby.....those two ran on....plus both can play multiple positions, starting xv more traditional selection based around combinations, locks that play together, front rows, loosies etc
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@mariner4life Don't bother trying to debate it, it gets you nowhere on here.
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@mariner4life because 7s are allowed to be short-arses who are shit in lineouts.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
Halfbacks. If our plan is fast and wide, then playing shitty passing halfbacks is an enormous handbrake.
Midfield. Should be settled, probably isn't. I see the sentiment on here is still "play Reiko on the wing, he can't distribute" even though that is never happening. Looks to me like they are being asked to play narrow and straight to try and give DMac space to loop them and get out wide. Problem is, neither of our midfield are actually great passers of the ball. Jordie passes late, and often very inaccurately, putting everyone under pressure. Reiko is not a natural either. I still think this is our best combination, JB can really carry in traffic, and Reiko has pace. They just need to work out the new system. Defensively they are adequate, but neither rock solid.
I don't really see what the plan is except to use DMacs passing to outflank the rush, or to loop him and get him in the wider spaces. Carrying needs work as the English rush defence was sitting guys down as soon as they got the ball. The way the Irish set up their forward runners compared to ours is night and day different.
This is the crux of the backline problem. The plan is to use McKenzie's passing to beat the rush, or in the 2nd wave. And to use Jordie on the hit-up with Rieko off the shoulder.
None of it works if the halfback can't pass (and we can't get some momentum at the ruck). McKenzie can't outflank a rush defence that is already in our line when he gets the ball. Our midfielders don't have the hands to deal with ball and tackler at the same time. -
One thing that really annoys me with rugby is the idea that the bench role is 'lesser'.
Beauden's excellent displays off the bench should be seen as vindication for selecting him as a bench option not automatically meaning he has to start.
I think the likes of Ardie and Rieko could be excellent bench options but there's a stigma that they'll be 'dropped' to the bench.
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@KiwiMurph 1 million times THIS ^^^^
other than MAYBE the front row then bench are different positions, theyre players that might be able to change a game or at least how a game is being played
with the Highlanders i often use to suggest starting coltman and having ash dixon on the bench even though Ash was clearly "better"...basically because coming to the end of a tight game an accurate lineout and lineout drive could change a game
its arguably better to have your best players on the pitch at the end
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it's not just rugby, every sport (well, sport media) sees the bench as a demotion. Even rotation sports like league and basketball.
But while i laugh at dumb shit like calling the bench "finishers" it's a valid point and a big part of modern elite rugby strategy.
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@mariner4life not sure i 100% agree....maybe 95%...but i know Wimbledon rotate through certain positions in football, sometimes start a taller but less skilled striker if the opposition isnt good in the air or sometimes just have a completely different style player on the bench so they can change things late, no point replacing like for like if youre loosing....so not completely to do with who is "better"
I also laugh at the poeple that get so worked up about what the bench players are called, like calling them finishes is one of the signs of the apocalypse...people went NUTS when they tried it wimbledon, calling for the manager to be sacked!
