All Blacks vs Fiji
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Read the previous comments...shouldn't have. People are going to see what they are going to see. You can predict the people who are going to say something less than positive about Niggles and it is always "he does this but ...(slide in some abstract shite)". Watch Niggles be a pest at the breakdown, support the ball carrier, etc. Actually should have been penalized for playing on the wrong side of the ruck a few times but ...
LJ needs a mention as well. I think you get Cane's defense game plus a bit more. Here is a controversial comment. Maybe a Niggles, LJ, and Sotutu backrow with Savea as impact might be our best combo.
As did Clarke. I have been his biggest critic but his positional play, high ball ability, etc is really an obvious improvement compared to Telea.
And Proctor! A real center's game. Really impressed both on defense and attack.
I wonder how much you can read on this game though. Time will tell I suppose. -
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
Read the previous comments...shouldn't have. People are going to see what they are going to see. You can predict the people who are going to say something less than positive about Niggles and it is always "he does this but ...(slide in some abstract shite)". Watch Niggles be a pest at the breakdown, support the ball carrier, etc. Actually should have been penalized for playing on the wrong side of the ruck a few times but ...
LJ needs a mention as well. I think you get Cane's defense game plus a bit more. Here is a controversial comment. Maybe a Niggles, LJ, and Sotutu backrow with Savea as impact might be our best combo.
As did Clarke. I have been his biggest critic but his positional play, high ball ability, etc is really an obvious improvement compared to Telea.
And Proctor! A real center's game. Really impressed both on defense and attack.
I wonder how much you can read on this game though. Time will tell I suppose.He needs to make the squad first
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I'm really happy for ALB, thought he was a bit on the slide before.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
I'm really happy for ALB, thought he was a bit on the slide before.
Yeah, forgot to mention ALB. Great game. When fit, he is a diamond. His "rugby smarts" is probably superior to JB's at the moment.
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Razor knockers can surely see there is less headless chicken stuff over the last 3 games
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If DMac is injured we have a problem
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
If DMac is injured we have a problem
I'd rather see them give Plummer a crack, than sub in BB or Perofeta
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
Razor knockers can surely see there is less headless chicken stuff over the last 3 games
Prolly gonna just wait to see how we go against something better than Borthwick England or not even the drua, but yeah for a second side it was a much tidier affair than the past few years.
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@Bones said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
Razor knockers can surely see there is less headless chicken stuff over the last 3 games
Prolly gonna just wait to see how we go against something better than Borthwick England or not even the drua, but yeah for a second side it was a much tidier affair than the past few years.
Only SA will be equal to or better than Borthwick's England
If you don't thrash both Argentina and Australia then you have problems
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@MiketheSnow The lineout remains the worry for me, then the lack of depth in the backrow, then the lack of depth at ten, then the run of tough away games we have in November.
But overall, I am pleased with the results so far and to see the squad moving forward.
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RI to the wing please and a centre at centre. ALB had a great game. BP was decent too. Thought Ratima and then Hotham very good too. And CC looks so much better with less body weight.
3/3 so far. Ah, Iād forgotten what it was like for the ABs to string together victories.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks vs Fiji:
Maybe a Niggles, LJ, and Sotutu backrow with Savea as impact might be our best combo.
Not that controversial.
I think you could swap in/out about 8 names in any number of combinations and it would be a defendable opinion.
Edit: defendable, not dependable
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@Billy-Tell Oh come on lol, we strung many victories together under the last management too haha.
Lets not act like we barely strung 2 victories in a row from 2020-2023.
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All in all a pretty satisfactory performance. Fiji weren't great, to be honest, and it's hard to read too much into individual performances beyond the fact that none of the debutants looked overawed.
I'd like to see two teams relatively close to full strength rolled out against Argentina, but there's definitely room for a bit of experimentation in a couple of positions because, in my opinion, there are a few 'second stringers' who are pushing the incumbents.
I think Tupou Vaa'i, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke and Emoni Narawa should be starting in the first Test in place of Patrick Tuipulotu, TJ Perenara, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele'a and Sevu Reece, but otherwise sticking with the the same side that was used in the opening game of the season.
It's tough to pick between the three Chiefs loosies at the moment, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson and Wallace Sititi, for who should start, who should come off the bench and who should be left out of the 23. My preference is to persist with Finau for now and maybe give Sititi the 20 jersey. I think Jacobson should probably be starting or not in the team, I don't think he adds enough impact from the bench and I'd like to see a bit more of Sititi.
Stephen Perofeta holds onto the 15 jersey for my mind. Narawa needs a proper run. There's probably a bit of room for rotation in the props and I'm not too bothered if Codie Taylor or Asafo Aumua starts with the other on the bench.
After the first Argentina game, Robertson should be able to largely confirm the top team to run out in the second game and against the Springboks.
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Yes Beaudan IMO looks better off the bench. LJ is good defensively, good at LO but hard to gauge against Fiji who did not contest, but not really an impact player, Niggles may be better off bench and less effective tackler but they are otherwise fighting for same role (and IMO EB is better at 6 than 7).
Not mentioned much here I think but Aumuas no look passing was so sharp and effective! Even Beauden could learn from that (BB still sometimes doesn't delay but goes for ye old hospital pass). You can see why they like Wallace off the bench. They're using Ardie a huge amount as a linker he is basically another 12 minus the kicking. Man that was the best ALB performance for ages, he was really aggro and assertive. I could be wrong but Proctor looks like he has the game against tighter tougher midfielders as well, classy. He's not a tank though. France or SA might be interesting.
Did anyone else think Darry played well? Showed some good hands, energy and reflexes methinks.
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Oh forgot to mention Niggles was always keen to assist, still think he's not long-term 6 until he becomes more astute and effective with ball.
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And some of our props were shown up around the field by their replacements, boy we are lucky to have these 4, now to find more locks..
