How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
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@KiwiMurph said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Very happy with that squad. Congrats to the debutants - Laumape very much a deserved selection. If Jordie can sort out his tackling he is going to be sensational.
Always a number of unlucky players - Todd would be in the squad if they could name 3 x 7s so he's right there. Fekitoa, DMac and Luatua unlucky but can see the reasoning for being left out.
Love the inclusion of Goodhue and Akira in the injury cover.
Goodhue looks born to play midfield, rare for someone so young to look so comfortable at centre.
Akira is all talent and has really stepped up in Super Rugby since Kaino went down injured. Any talk of Akira laziness should watch Blues-Lions last night - he was all over the place all night - with and without the ball. Clearly his ceiling is much higher than Elliot Dixon, Whitelock or Shields. Now it's up to him to reach it (and the coaching staff to help).
Bring on the series.
Yeah the ceiling comment is a good one. Akira can definitely go higher. Dixon turned out be an utter damp squib at AB level - a selection Hansen and his team got wrong, one of the very few.
Agree about Goodhue, I haven't seen such a calm, collected, and talented young NZ centre in a good while. Oozes class.
They must have spent a bit of time discussing McKenzie. I suppose he does 4 good things and then 1 bad thing each game - and at AB level, 1 bad thing can cost a test match.
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On the flip side you can't blame them for picking Dixon. He was a monster for the Highlanders for two straight years. They'd have been more daft to ignore him. The good thing is they've used him at Test level and aren't too proud to drop him.
There have been coaches in the past who have pig-headedly persisted with players, hoping they'll come good.
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@Billy-Tell said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Agree about Goodhue, I haven't seen such a calm, collected, and talented young NZ centre in a good while. Oozes class.
Yeah it's hard not to overstate his potential. Everything he does is executed well and he makes players around him look better.
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Stoked for Laumape! Well done that man.
Happy to see Jordie in but not as an outside back. DMac is a better 15. But I guess Jordie is a terrific bench option.
I'll defend Fifita here. He was injured at the start of the season and has perhaps had to shoulder too much with Fatialofa out. He's been solid, if unspectacular. On the plus side he's both a very good lock and blindside flanker, not just good at one and ok at the other.
Oh yeah, not selecting Luatua for this series is bullshit. They selected Ranger for the French test series in 2013, SBW for I think half the RC in 2012 and of course have selected TKB now. He showed last night how good he can be. That pisses me off.
Oh yeah yeah, NMS over Naholo. If they're going to select half a forward pack injured what's one wing.
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I just realised Laumape has gone from the Warriors to the All Blacks in the space of a few years. Talk about going from the very bottom to the very top.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel NMS may have been a bit of a risk but I agree, he's one of the few players in the world that can genuinely step defenders to the point that don't even lay a hand on him. He's a pretty special talent.
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I know they can't fit everyone in but I doubt there's another team in the world that wouldn't select DMac, NMS, Lowe, Fekitoa, Mounga, Luatua in a squad.
As I said before the one I'm really shitted about is DMac. If the decision is that he isn't test match stuff then he will take a very big cheque and head overseas to play in a comp that won't utilise his skills or give him freedom to play the way he does. I just love watching the kid.
I just think they feel there is only room going forward for either JB or DMac and they have pitched their tent at the Barretts. No slight on JB, he will go on to be a good test player and his versatility will be valuable come future RWCs. Just disappointed that such an exciting player as DMac gets cast aside.
Anyway, I hope the kid gets to cut it up with Lowe in the Maori.PS: the 4 things good/ 1 bad doesn't wash with me. It smacks of Lomu knockers ('but his defence is poor, he turns too slow'). The opportunities DMac creates are gold. At test level it is all about those one or two opportunities that get created and taken.
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Well i didn't see that coming.
Thought for sure they woukd stick with Fekitoa. Glad they dropped him though. Didn't expect Laumape to get the spot. Hope he goes well.Surprised Jordie was picked ahead of Dmac but i guess they took him on the eoyt and he has been pretty good this year.
Not too happy about Luatua missing out. Especially given the injury concerns in that area.
Cutting your nose off to spite your face comes to mind.
I don't rate Fifita as a lock or loosie at test level. Too similar to Adam Thompson/Elliot Dixon for me.Great to see Goodhue and A Ioane in as cover.
NMS just ran out of time i guess. Maybe he will be in anyway once Naholo injures himself.
Ofa surely just waiting for someone better to come along.
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If everyone would care to remember what the circumstances were when Luatua signed OS, when Hansen publicly stated that he was pissed becouse he had no idea he was going and then refer that to TKB, who had communicated with NZRU and the All Black coaches about what he wants from the future.
So yeah on form Luatua has been absolutely robbed, but if you piss people off, you can't expect them to like you after that and the All Blacks don't pick dickheads.
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@No-Quarter said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@Rancid-Schnitzel NMS may have been a bit of a risk but I agree, he's one of the few players in the world that can genuinely step defenders to the point that don't even lay a hand on him. He's a pretty special talent.
You saw what he did last weekend. Steps effortlessly past 2 defenders, finds support, then goes in at first receiver and throws a cut out pass for a try. He is all class. If Naholo was great in the air I could understand, but he isn't.
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@Sapetyvi A point I and others made at the time. You still have to have some sympathy for Luatua though.
We know that the AB selectors will always spin it to justify their selections. I doubt Hansen communicated with Luatua before the announcement though.
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I think with NMS he's been out for a while. He was out basically all of last year, and has barely played this year. Kaino, Read and Squire have played a lot more minutes in the last 18 months. I think they are thinking a bit long term and just letting him ease his way back in. The other thing is there could still be injuries between now and the Lions series starting and NMS will have two more games by then (v Chiefs and for Maori). Any sign of a winger injury or bad form (unless it's untouchable Julian Savea) and NMS will be straight in. The pressure is squarely on the wings in the squad to deliver with NMS waiting in the background.
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@Tim Be it what it was, might be that Luatua is a more talented player and Hansen didn't want to see him leave, or the reasons we were given, Hansen was pissed and that is the reason he wasn't picked.
@Bovidae Yeah I remember back then people were unanimous that he went the same route as Piutau and smashed his AB chances, which now happened. Luatua is one of my favorite players and would have loved to see him play for the AB's but thems the breaks now.
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Yeah, I can see the logic in picking TKB and Faumuina, but not Luatua. Those guys have been completely dedicated to the AB's since making it, combine that with them demanding selection and it not even being debatable they should be there. Luatua may have had a couple of decent games, but he's not light years ahead of anyone else competing for his position.
Awesome for Laumape. Thing with him I've noticed is he's got real pace, probably the quickest midfielder in the squad - which could see him viewed as a midfielder who can cover wing, so pretty decent for the bench.
Odd there's no Rob Thompson.
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Only real surprise for me was Laumape, who undeniably has form, but I haven't seen demonstrating a passing game. Oh, the irony of shag basicly saying he gave them a Warrenball option! Seems they're indicating very clearly Fekitoa doesn't do it for them.
Fox had said 18/15 split, so it strikes me that selectors altered mix to allow in JB, who I could see on bench so there is a goal kicking change up available.
Luatua seems a pretty determined snub. On form there is absolutely no doubt he is the best no.8 to replace Read for Samoa match. Squad would make sense if no injuries, but there are.
Regarding Samoa, if no Read and Squire then assume JK to 8, but means one of back up need to be in 23. Assume Todd, although Akira seems to be more suited as a 6/8. -
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Ok, I must say I'm surprised with the inclusion of Goodhue (back up squad) and J Barrett. J Barrett started this season well but seemed to lose a bit of form as the season progressed. Goodhue, I must admit I haven't watched much of him but he's been good when I have seen him, but interesting that he appears to have leap frogged over guys like Ngatai, Proctor and Buckman.
That Maori team looks better than what I thought it would. It would have looked even better with players in the ABs - all the 9s, Cruden, Coles and Taylor, Moody, Squire, Laumape and Dagg.
