All Blacks 2024
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@Boston-Boy said in All Blacks 2024:
@kiwiinmelb he’s 28 and apparently the Storm want to move on his contract. I would definitely back him for 4 more years. A lot to gain, the Bomb squad would struggle to control him. He would provide a power upgrade the ABs would not have seen for years. Then there’s Ponga who would revolutionise the backline & both have had dreams of playing for the ABs.
Ponga, a poor man’s Benji Marshall.
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@Boston-Boy said in All Blacks 2024:
A bit left field but I think there’s an opportunity to really bolster the ABs pack by considering a grab at Nelson Asofa Solomona.
It's a very small list of League internationals who became successful International forwards in Union.
Brad Thorn
That's it.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2024:
@Boston-Boy said in All Blacks 2024:
A bit left field but I think there’s an opportunity to really bolster the ABs pack by considering a grab at Nelson Asofa Solomona.
It's a very small list of League internationals who became successful International forwards in Union.
Brad Thorn
That's it.
Was pretty much going to say this but then the girl told me I had to cook dinner so put it on hold…..
For every Brad Thorn there’s countless Sam Burgess’s, Willie Masons, Peter Ryans and whoever else.
Also the Bomb squad look physically capable of handling anyone.
He’s Bob Hope and no Hope of being an AB.
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@Boston-Boy said in All Blacks 2024:
@kiwiinmelb he’s 28 and apparently the Storm want to move on his contract. I would definitely back him for 4 more years. A lot to gain, the Bomb squad would struggle to control him. He would provide a power upgrade the ABs would not have seen for years. Then there’s Ponga who would revolutionise the backline & both have had dreams of playing for the ABs.
Yeah, nah.
I know this is just a random/not possible scenario and a little bit of fun but I’d say he would have little to no chance. By the time he’s changed his body, learned the game etc(it’s changed a lot since he last played) , he would also be 30/31, rather see a young guy coming through that we have a good 5-8 years with.
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It funny how the Hurricanes topped the SR standings, the attacking metrics, all the key stats except defense (Blues) with their loose forwards being a standout area, yet the only Canes player who gets brought into the AB squad is the guy who was noticeably absent (and definitely not missed) as the Canes backrow look better and more balanced than it had in eons. How did Flanders, Lakai, Iose not get a look in based on form? Meanwhile Ardie was seagulling about in a mickey mouse league and Razor rolls out the red carpet.....
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@darylmitchell said in All Blacks 2024:
It funny how the Hurricanes topped the SR standings and their loose forwards were standout area yet the only guy who gets brought into the AB squad is the guy who was noticeably absent (and definitely not missed) as the Canes backrow look better and more balanced than it had eons. How did Flanders, Lakai, Iose not get a look in based on form? Meanwhile Ardie was seagulling about in a mickey mouse league and Razor rolls out the red carpet.....
Mate, the two best packs of the comp (aside from the Chiefs playing out of their skin and the Canes playing poorly in the SF) were the Canes and Blues, both in personnel and style of play. Clearly Razor doesn't think their smash mouth style of play translates to test level...
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I found this dramatisation of Razor explaining his ABs philosophy to Rassie
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/b2551dab-4562-4405-bf93-a9dd376eedfe
Obviously the guy on the left is Razor...
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IMHO if we had won RWC23 it would have been extraordinary, and would have papered over the cracks of the shortcomings of the team in the Foster era. I don't know whether it feels like Razor is on the right track or not especially in terms of personnel, but it is very early in his tenure and if you agree with the first statement, he will need some time to sort everything out. That first 60 in Joburg felt like there was something there to build on. If he can split the SA series in Capetown on the weekend (or at least run them close, playing well), and retain the Bled with some convincing displays against Aussie, I will be cautiously optimistic. But like other ABs coaches before him, he will need to pick his players well. If he hitches his wagon to the wrong ones at the expense of trying others, as Foster did, we will be in for a bumpy ride
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@darylmitchell said in All Blacks 2024:
Maybe this year 2024 will be a repeat of 2004, 1st season of new coaching regime, SA win the RC/Tri Nations, All Blacks eventually pull it together and go through the northern tour dominant and undefeated.
And having developed a squad of unprecedented strength Razor goes on to lose in a RWC quarter final because of a work experience ref?
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@canefan My biggest criticism of Razor's coaching of the ABs at this early stage has been his selection, firstly choosing Rangi as Assistant Coach when they clearly didn't agree on the game plan, then leaving out of his squad completely the form NZ Number 8.
His strengths seem to be his man management skills, his energy and his confidence.
A long way to go, but I'd give him 6 out of 10 so far.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024:
The ABs atm and their selections are doing my head in. It's a large case of try the same shit with the same players and expect different results. I agree with @darylmitchell, we need to stop giving players that have had plenty of chances to prove themselves time in the Black jersey. ALB and Ioane aren't cutting it for me in the centres, we need to give Proctor a run there.
I suppose you enjoy the ABs losing then?
Yeah, in my deluded state I keep thinking the reason we're not winning is some unproven bloke called Proctor who can unlock every defence, win every lineout, scrum, ruck and maul.
We aren't trying some of these young guys out. Shoving them on with 15 mins to go is bollocks.
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Young props and locks have done well.
RI has had years to cement the centre spot.
At least give others a chance.
It's beyond me why Ratima hasn't started again -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2024:
@canefan My biggest criticism of Razor's coaching of the ABs at this early stage has been his selection, firstly choosing Rangi as Assistant Coach when they clearly didn't agree on the game plan, then leaving out of his squad completely the form NZ Number 8.
His strengths seem to be his man management skills, his energy and his confidence.
A long way to go, but I'd give him 6 out of 10 so far.
Definitely a vibes guy.
Hard to visualise him giving a spray.
Can picture a lot of "im not angry, just disappointed" type rhetoric.
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024:
Young props and locks have done well.
RI has had years to cement the centre spot.
At least give others a chance.
It's beyond me why Ratima hasn't started againWatching the breakdown, they showed Grant Williams influence when he came on and I think Roigard and Ratima can do the same for us. Personally I think Roigard will give the Boks kittens and have no idea why Foster omitted him from the RWC final. This is the same guy who ran 60 meters from the base of a ruck and skinned 5 of their players 3 weeks earlier. He would have definitely kept them guessing with that fresh in their memory.
Sniping in and around the ruck and taking a few steps before passing. It focuses the mind of their backrow.
With TJP they can just drift off him and disregard him as a runner.
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Williams is another case in point.
He's started against SA
Well done fulla -
Vaai is becoming an automatic pick
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@ACT-Crusader ok, Ponga was a rugby prodigy and I believe still is one of the most gifted players in either code. He has a very complete game, much more rounded than Benji. But it’s something we may never see not worth the argument.
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@Landers92 fair enough, it looks like Brad thorn was 26 when he switched. 2 years younger.
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@Jet I do like Robertson. I get the feeling his passion for stats and defensive stats at that has him thinking crusader ball will cut it. You need some of those big explosive players who give you a point of difference and some power. I sure hope he gives Sotutu a go on the end of year tour and a more confrontational power forward. Aucklands game plan seemed to provide a good platform for international test matches.
