How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
-
I think they'll just get B Barrett to kick. It's what they did last year and I can't imagine his kicking being much worse than usual.
I hope they don't select J Barrett; he's just not ready in my opinion. He's a great player with an exciting future, but he's not an All Black level full back yet... not unless both Smith and Dagg are injured. I don't get this talk about his utility value either. In the future, sure, but as of now he can't have played more than one or two games in the midfield at Super Rugby level? Personally, I hope the selectors take their time with him.
-
@Milk said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
I think they'll just get B Barrett to kick. It's what they did last year and I can't imagine his kicking being much worse than usual.
I hope they don't select J Barrett; he's just not ready in my opinion. He's a great player with an exciting future, but he's not an All Black level full back yet... not unless both Smith and Dagg are injured. I don't get this talk about his utility value either. In the future, sure, but as of now he can't have played more than one or two games in the midfield at Super Rugby level? Personally, I hope the selectors take their time with him.
Agree with all of that. If they want utility value then it makes more sense to put DMac on the bench. But I think they will be conservative at the start and have Cruden on the pine. What would be ideal is another Kahui type that can cover midfield and wing.
I don't think Tamanivalu is that guy either. An in form SBW works at a pinch. -
Not sure where to stick this...but Jason Woodward as a Pom (!)
New Zealand-born Jason Woodward included in England training squad
Eddie Jones has called up 20 players, including New Zealand-born Jason Woodward, for a strength and conditioning camp at Teddington
-
-
Taimanivalu is another who plays centre and wing, although not as good as Kahui at either I suspect....
The guys on RS mentioned Jack Goodhues name, this is a kid with a big future, seems to have a great rugby brain, all the attributes, but Lions looking a year or 2 early for him, although he may get the Jordie project spot for the EOYT this year...?
-
If you have all of Bender, B Barrett and Dagg in the starting lineup (like last year), you don't need a guy on the bench that plays wing/fullback.
A 1st 5 plus a midfielder will do the trick.
-
@ACT-Crusader look at that pedestrian back row.
And no way your latest poach gets in ahead of an outside back from Auckland.
Must try harder.
-
@ACT-Crusader said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
If you have all of Bender, B Barrett and Dagg in the starting lineup (like last year), you don't need a guy on the bench that plays wing/fullback.
A 1st 5 plus a midfielder will do the trick.
add in that i don't think DMac is, or will ever be, a decent test player. What makes him a great Super player (at times) doesn't usually translate to test rugby.
-
@Milk said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
I think they'll just get B Barrett to kick. It's what they did last year and I can't imagine his kicking being much worse than usual.
I think they will too.
The problem with putting a reserve kicker on the bench is that by the time you realise you need him, the kicks have been missed and the points lost - refer Piri in the RWC final.
Other interesting point from the Fox interview was him mentioning just five props.
So I guess you pick the obvious best four and then Tu'ungafasi as the fifth - mainly covering the possibility that one of your main four pulls up lame in the final warm-up. If one of them gets injured earlier in the week then maybe a Hames or a Laulala gets called in (depending on whether they think Nepo is a better tighthead than Ofa).
-
@Chris-B. we won that game, so him missing matters not
-
@taniwharugby Luckily Cruden got injured, otherwise Piri would have been taking Beaver's kick.
-
-
-
-
Both the starting props for the Blues were very good on the weekend. Charlie F is in rare form.
-
-
Moody, Crockett, Franks, Faumuina you can take to the bank. Also think Ofa is close to a show-in given his versatility. If one of those 4 go down in the warmup he is seen as a versatile option to cover both sides. Definitely a work in progress, but he has size and a decent work rate.
Locks will be interesting beyond our two world class starters. Will they go with 4 or 5? Will the 5th option be a blindside cover? Or just pick 4 and have 6 loosies. Not a fan of Kaino, Read or Squire playing lock, but given our two starters are 80 minute men, the whole Squire/Savea bench seemed to be the favoured one last year. Albeit Romano had time away from camp and Tuipoluto was going through issues.
-
@ACT-Crusader said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Moody, Crockett, Franks, Faumuina you can take to the bank. Also think Ofa is close to a show-in given his versatility. If one of those 4 go down in the warmup he is seen as a versatile option to cover both sides. Definitely a work in progress, but he has size and a decent work rate.
Locks will be interesting beyond our two world class starters. Will they go with 4 or 5? Will the 5th option be a blindside cover? Or just pick 4 and have 6 loosies. Not a fan of Kaino, Read or Squire playing lock, but given our two starters are 80 minute men, the whole Squire/Savea bench seemed to be the favoured one last year. Albeit Romano had time away from camp and Tuipoluto was going through issues.
IIRC Hames can play both sides, and I'd much rather him than Ofa, who seems quite average really.
As much as Bird has his fans, I can't see them going past Retallick and the 3 locks from Crusaders country, who have all been in great form.
-
