All Blacks EOYT
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks EOYT:
This season so far has been a small number of games spread over a long period of time.
This season so far has been a small number of games spread over a long period of time.
The southern hemisphere test season is like that every year and it's bizarre because Super Rugby goes for a couple months and is basically over before it's started, it's not we're doing a 28-round club season like France and heading straight into internationals, no we have guys getting paid for spending whole weeks often two at their family homes in middle of the rugby championship and also after the June series, it wouldn't look stupid if NPC started in July after SR finals finish, then some AB squad members could be dropped in and out for continuity and keeping game sharp.
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@brodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
They'll probably go for Blackadder at 7
Some here said that 7 was his better position?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks EOYT:
@brodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
They'll probably go for Blackadder at 7
Not sure about that, snails are pretty tough, esp the sea ones...
Sea snail shell the world's strongest material - Australian Geographic
New research has discovered that the shell of a limpet could be the strongest natural material in the world.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Frank said in All Blacks EOYT:
Have a horrible feeling (just based on how conservatve Razor has been) that Blackadder might start ahead of Sititi in big games and that TJP gets one of the halfback spots.
Given Sititi was also pretty good IMO in the lineouts and seems a more dominant tackler (again IMO) I'm not sure what the perpetually injured Blackadder offers over him..
The Opta stats I've seen suggest Ethan is one of the more accurate and dominant tacklers in the Crusaders.
Of course, given where they finished on the table, that might not be the glowing endorsement it may appear.
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His best position at international level is at 7, especially when played alongside Ardie (who despite the pages of protestations on here) is going to be picked at 8.
With Ardie out there, our 7s play a very different game - they are there to clean and tackle, so Paps, Jacobson, and Blackadder seem the most ready-made to replace Cane.
Personally, I'd pick Papalii but Jacobson and Blackadder are probably the closest to Cane.
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@gt12 I really worry about speed of our 7s.
Cane is slow. EB is slow. Dalton is slightly less slow.
We really miss someone electric out there - honestly, I think we are going to see us getting beaten to the ball in the big three games on this tour.
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@brodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
Dalton is fast. Did you see the try he scored for Counties from halfway last week? You don't see many loose forwards in NZ scoring from that far out.
He used to be fast - but honestly I think he struggled with some injuries recently and slowed down. If he has got quick again, happy days!
(no, I didn't see the try)
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Can't wait to see Riley in black this year based on the below stats. His ability to offload and pirrouette on a dime is unmatched by any other centre in NZ IMO, he provides a real point of difference offensively.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks EOYT:
Can't wait to see Riley in black this year based on the below stats. His ability to offload and pirrouette on a dime is unmatched by any other centre in NZ IMO, he provides a real point of difference offensively.
I think Riley would agree he needs to work on his defence though. Can miss some 1 on 1 tackles at times. Brilliant attacking midfielder however.
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@brodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
Dalton is fast. Did you see the try he scored for Counties from halfway last week? You don't see many loose forwards in NZ scoring from that far out.
It's an impressive highlight, but top-end speed (while an awesome bonus to have) isn't all that important for flankers, otherwise Eric Rush would have been Richie McCaw.
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He gets to rucks that Blackadder and Cane don't. He's actually better suited to the wider game plan for that reason.
If you watch 34 year old McCaw in the 2015 RWC he's got a lot more speed about him than 30 year old Sam Cane did.
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@foobaNZ said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks EOYT:
Can't wait to see Riley in black this year based on the below stats. His ability to offload and pirrouette on a dime is unmatched by any other centre in NZ IMO, he provides a real point of difference offensively.
I think Riley would agree he needs to work on his defence though. Can miss some 1 on 1 tackles at times. Brilliant attacking midfielder however.
Oh 100% but at 22 he’s got plenty of time to improve in that area. I remember it took B Proctor about three or four years to become comfortable defensively. In Barrett and Proctor, Higgins has the right guys around him to learn from.
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@brodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
He gets to rucks that Blackadder and Cane don't. He's actually better suited to the wider game plan for that reason.
If you watch 34 year old McCaw in the 2015 RWC he's got a lot more speed about him than 30 year old Sam Cane did.
Personally I think Blackadder has acceptable speed for a loosie. You don't see him getting skinned in the defensive line like Cane and he can hit onto the ball hard. One video of him running slowly seems to carry a lot of weight. I'd like to see some good ruck stats on our loosies.
McCaw was reasonably quick when young, quite a bit less so by the end of his career, but he had a truly great ability to read the play and be in the right place.
