All Blacks 2024
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024:
Nice try. No upvote.
No hortatory bonus for my magniloquence? Tsk tsk.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2024:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:
@JayCee the thing I remember most about that final 20+ phases is both ALB and Whitelock covering a bit of ground and making some important tackles.
ALB was basically playing on the wing too.
ALB was an essential cog in that defence. They'd obviously completely deciphered the Paddies'attacking code: cris-cross, run at gaps close, repeat, then "all of a sudden" go wide as a "surprise". ALB's job was to anticipate that go-wide and shut it down. He did.
He's a hugely under-appreciated player IMO. He's been buggered about since his debut and shuffled between 12, 13 and the bench to accommodate some other player the coach rated for a few weeks. Think his metier now is as the sub you can totally rely on to get the job done.
That he stuck with NZ rather than take the foreign gold speaks volumes and I suspect the coaches love his attitude. Fully deserves to get his 100 caps
Under appreciated by who? I reckon he’s highly valued.
He was barely 21 when he debuted as a starting centre 9 seasons ago. He was the second choice centre in that squad behind Fekitoa who had been around the squad for a couple of seasons and was seen as the next choice after Snakey’s departure.But it’s fair to say that between ALB, Crotty and SBW the injury curse struck all three at varying times making it a challenge for the AB coaches to settle on the combination they really wanted.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:
Under appreciated by who?
I don't think the rugby public in general appreciate his value to the team. The coaching staff clearly do.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2024:
@KiwiMurph particularly as it is often instinctive, that said, Christie seems to have great instincts on defence and seems to be able to read that aspect of the game, whether he can do that going forward is another matter.
I think the Blues 2022 (year immediately after he made the AB's) he was very good, seemed both sides of his game had improved, but regressed on attack.
If we’re up by 3 against Boks with 20 to go, and have the choice between TJP, Christie and Hotham to replace starting half, I know where I’d go.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:
@JayCee the thing I remember most about that final 20+ phases is both ALB and Whitelock covering a bit of ground and making some important tackles.
ALB was basically playing on the wing too.
ALB was an essential cog in that defence. They'd obviously completely deciphered the Paddies'attacking code: cris-cross, run at gaps close, repeat, then "all of a sudden" go wide as a "surprise". ALB's job was to anticipate that go-wide and shut it down. He did.
I LOVED that game! It was apparent by halftime that ABs had decoded Irish attack. No number of cuts and paste we’re going to change that.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2024:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2024:
@KiwiMurph particularly as it is often instinctive, that said, Christie seems to have great instincts on defence and seems to be able to read that aspect of the game, whether he can do that going forward is another matter.
I think the Blues 2022 (year immediately after he made the AB's) he was very good, seemed both sides of his game had improved, but regressed on attack.
If we’re up by 3 against Boks with 20 to go, and have the choice between TJP, Christie and Hotham to replace starting half, I know where I’d go.
And if we are down by a couple, with time running out, in a big game eg. A RWC final?
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2024:
If we’re up by 3 against Boks with 20 to go, and have the choice between TJP, Christie and Hotham to replace starting half, I know where I’d go.
I doubt the selection team feel that differently. But their aim is to be 13 ahead, and then not have the problem.
They have made it clear that they are looking to change the style of play at halfback, which forces their hand.
The Fern can't want changes, and then complain when changes are made. Well, it can and will. But it is still wrong to do so.
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Just watched the rugby pod , Wallace sititi is an impressive young man for 21 , now I understand why I’ve heard it mentioned he is potential future captaincy material ,
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Reflecting on the squad, the tight forwards are about as strong as they could be.
Likewise, the backs are fine, albeit one could quibble around the fringes.
However, the SEVEN loose forwards are a dog's breakfast! Four who were principally sevens at their franchises, none of whom are recognised fetchers. ONE which is a top class lineout operator. ONE big hard hitter, TWO short no. 8s. Jacks of all trades but master of none.
Looking at forwards as a whole, Blues were by far the best pack in Super rugby and manage to provide only four of the 20 forwards in the squad.
Calling Jerome Kaino?
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024:
@pakman said in All Blacks 2024:
fetchers
Not sure that's been a thing since early MCaw
It's not that the game changed as many NZers like to claim, it's that we didn't have any decent ones for a while. In fact the only half decent one in a long time was Lachlan Boshier. and Ardie to some extent I guess, but he hasn't been playing 7.
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given the squad, what would be the team to guarantee the most melts on here?
EdG
Taylor
Lomax
Patty T
Darry
Blackadder
Cane
Jacobson
TJP
DMac
Telea
ALB
Proctor
Jordan
PerofetaBell
Newell
Williams
Finau
DP
Hotham
Havili
BBarrett -
@mariner4life put BB at 10
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i tried to not make too many outlandish calls. Dave jumping two guys to get the 12 jersey is a bit much. People would rant less and genuinely wonder if the coaches have lost their minds.
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I would rather Havili starting at 2nd-5 than Beauden starting at 1st-5.
But your loose forwards don't trigger me, because while all the players are good, most of the alternative arrangements of them are not.
Starting Jordan at fullback would trigger a few people.
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nah, watching the incumbent get dropped will send the Blues contingent off the edge far more than Proctor not getting his call up.
