How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
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Spare a thought for Whetu Douglas. The selectors have shown they're not adverse to plucking a guy out of leftfield if their Super Rugby form is compelling (Laumape). Douglas would have been a shoe-in for the Maori and given the injury situation in the AB loosies he might have started against Samoa had he managed to stay at the Crusaders covering for Read.
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@Milk said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Commentators often throw out the "can play any where in the backline except halfback' when discussing Jordie.
I can play anywhere in the backline including halfback. Doesn't make me AB material in any of those positions though.
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@taniwharugby said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
cos he is Beaudens brother, Beauden plays 10, Jordie also looks like Beauden...not that much of a stretch is it? Sheesh!
Jordie doesn't look like Beauden, Beauden looks like Jordie
I agree with most of these posts re Dmac's non selection, particularly when we're talking fullback. But you could chuck Jordie on the bench for the first test and cover pretty much every position other than the halves. DMac would be great value if you could slot him in at flyhalf, but until then you get better value overall from JB.
Hopefully in the future DMac will take the Cruden bench position.
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Jordie is a potential 12 not 10 ( once he gets a bit more meat on those bones )
Different to beauden , and dmac for that matter , no reason all 3 can't fit in at a later date
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@kiwiinmelb said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Jordie is a potential 12 not 10 ( once he gets a bit more meat on those bones )
Different to beauden , and dmac for that matter , no reason all 3 can't fit in at a later date
Yup, agree, although they are playing for the same "spot" in the current squad, they offer quite different things and once a few other players move on I'd expect them all to be in the squad.
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@kiwiinmelb said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Jordie is a potential 12 not 10 ( once he gets a bit more meat on those bones )
That's right. Once he fills out and completes his skillset, he and Goodhue will be locked in as a pairing.
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@antipodean said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@kiwiinmelb said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Jordie is a potential 12 not 10 ( once he gets a bit more meat on those bones )
That's right. Once he fills out and completes his skillset, he and Goodhue will be locked in as a pairing.
Watched this midfield combination tear it up in local club rugby last year. It's incredible to think they are both in the All Black squad less than a year later.
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@antipodean ALB and Ioane might have something to say about that!
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@Bovidae I see Ioane more as a genuinely dangerous winger at Test level. ALB has it over Jordie now, but the upside to Jordie if he fulfils his potential...
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@antipodean said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@Bovidae I see Ioane more as a genuinely dangerous winger at Test level. ALB has it over Jordie now, but the upside to Jordie if he fulfils his potential...
I see Ioane following in Tana's footsteps, carving it up on the wing for a number of years before moving into the centres.
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jesus the love that J Barrett gets on here is extraordinary. Did i honestly read he could cover every backline position from 11 up in a test? fuck me dead.
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@mariner4life said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
jesus the love that J Barrett gets on here is extraordinary. Did i honestly read he could cover every backline position from 11 up in a test? fuck me dead.
The Barrett brothers can play every position from 4 up in a test!
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@mariner4life Henry said the same thing about Lucky Luke, but he really only played him at 12 with a couple of cameos at 10 and 13. We never saw him on the wing or at fullback for the ABs despite what Henry told the media.
It's all a bit of a game the interaction between coaches and media.
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So I went to a fundraising dinner last night with Mark Reason and Stephen Jones speaking.
Rattue was supposed to be speaking originally but replaced by reason at late notice.
Firstly I'll comment on Reason.
Terrible public speaker, his whole speech was basically about how the 1971 game between Canterbury and the lions ruined what was a great game forever. Apparently Canterbury and New Zealand rugby teams have acted like arrogant thugs ever since.
In the questions and answers after an old bloke who was mates with Alastair Hopkinson stood up and had a real go at him. Apparently hoppy after the field had 2 black eyes and a broken cheek bone and was furious at the lions tactics that day.Secondly Stephen jones.
Excellent speaker, talked about how much he enjoys lions tours, loves touring New Zealand and loves the passion we have for the game. Thinks the lions have become far too commercial and is certain we won't see another tour here in 12 years.
Really worries about the game at grassroots level, and talked extensively about that.Afterwards I had a good chat to both. Chatted with Stephen for several minutes about local club rugby and my passion for that. Also asked him about his writings that seem to annoy so many NZers. We had a good laugh about that.... He said its because he loves the game so much, and with the the amount of articles he writes there's always the potential to someone to disagree with him.
Best part of the conversation is that he told me to give him a wave in the press box tonight. He will come and say hello and let me watch the game in there with him if I want!
In summary .... Mark Reason confirmed piston wristed gibbon, Stephen Jones not a bad bloke
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@SammyC Good luck on the Press Box offer.
That's interesting information about Hoppy. I met him a couple of times - one of the funniest people I've met. I've got a friend who knew him very well - I'll ask him sometime whether they ever talked about that game.
According to TP McLean's book, Hoppy punched Sandy Carmichael in the first scrum and eventually Carmichael had been hit so much he couldn't see and was invalided out of the tour. But the other guy who was invalided out of the tour in that game was Ray McLoughlin, who broke his hand punching Alex Wyllie in the side of the head.
It's nearly 50 years ago now, so regardless of the rights and wrongs - people need to let it go. It doesn't bode well for Tana!
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This was published on stuff earlier this week about "that" 1971 match:
