2017 Bledisloe Cup & Rugby Championship (4 Nations)

[Mokey]

That is something that is particularly gross about the vultures. They give zero fucks about the humiliation or privacy of the wronged spouse/partner when it comes to the shady stories. They just want clickbait.

As you say, it's not public interest news. Just tabloid trash.

[Salacious Crumb]

@Mokey said in 2017 Bledisloe Cup & Rugby Championship (4 Nations):

What possible gain could there be to bring this up so long after the fact?

You're talking about it.

There is zero in the public interest factor.

I'm talking about it.

Journamalism.

[Stargazer]

For Ferners who like stats:

The Rugby Championship in numbers: All Blacks set the bar

[Stargazer]

Hopefully Sam Cane's alright after last Saturday's head knock.
Who's our fourth openside?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/96249643/canterbury-lose-flanker-matt-todd-for-minimum-of-four-weeks-with-a-fractured-hand

[Crucial]

@Stargazer said in 2017 Bledisloe Cup & Rugby Championship (4 Nations):

Hopefully Sam Cane's alright after last Saturday's head knock.
Who's our fourth openside?

Call up Shields just for the heck of it and put him on the field for 5 minutes just to piss off Eddie Jones.

Surely he can pretend to be an open side?

But yes, we a a bit light in that area at the moment.

[Higgins]

With the ancestry he has it can only be described as a poach of Keven Mealamu proportions if he ever takes the field for the All Blacks.

[African Monkey]

No love for Blake Gibson? I thought he would be next in line if Cane and Todd are both out.

[Stargazer]

@African-Monkey Tbh, I don't think there's any 7 behind Cane, Todd & Ardie who really stands out at the moment. Gibson might be in a year or 2, or not, but I suspect that they'll move Read to 7, Squire* to 8 and Kaino* coming in at 6, if Ardie can't go the full 80 minutes. (* or Squire coming in at 8, if Kaino gets the start at 6, with S Barrett covering lock and 6)

[taniwharugby]

@Stargazer last time we played a loose forward out of position ended in disaster.

Not sure Squire should be in consideration to start at 7.

Behind Gibson we have a number of very good super 7's, but he and them are a bit of a step down form Cane & Ardie.

Think we just need to hope the 2 weeks off is sufficient for Cane.

[Bones]

Yeah shit, let's deem Dixon a failure and call up Gibson.

[Stargazer]

@taniwharugby I wasn't suggesting starting Squire at 7. Actually, I was thinking of Dixon, who plays openside for Southland now. If I put my eye patch on, I'd name Gareth Evans, who also has the versatility that the selectors seem to like.

[KiwiMurph]

If you are going to call up an extra 7 go Gibson.

I suspect theyll just start Ardie and use who they have in the rest of the squad to cover (if Cane is a no go).

Most likely id say theyll get Kaino back in the mix either at 6 or off the bench.

[Bovidae]

You can get away from having specialist no.7 cover against the Argies as they don't really play a true openside themselves. Dixon was on the bench last year when Ardie started in Buenos Aires.

[booboo]

Any thought that Taufua would be physical enough and athletic enough to cover 7?

[antipodean]

@booboo is his work rate high enough?

[Duluth]

@antipodean

I wouldn't trust his defence. This week at lowly NPC level he made 8 tackles and missed 4

[Stargazer]

@Duluth Geez, judging someone on one NPC game?

2017 Super Rugby stats (source: SANZAAR)

Tackles made:
A Savea 138
B Gibson 126
M Todd 150
E Dixon 93
J Taufua 106
S Cane 120

Missed tackles:
A Savea 10
B Gibson 11
M Todd 16
E Dixon 10
J Taufua 17
S Cane 21

Tackle success
A Savea 93.2 %
B Gibson 92 %
M Todd 90.4 %
E Dixon 90.3 %
J Taufua 86.2 %
S Cane 85.1 %

Edited to add Blake Gibson and Elliott Dixon

[KiwiMurph]

@Stargazer said in 2017 Bledisloe Cup & Rugby Championship (4 Nations):

@Duluth Geez, judging someone on one NPC game?

2017 Super Rugby stats (source: SANZAAR)

Tackles made:
A Savea 138
M Todd 150
B Gibson 141
J Taufua 106
S Cane 120

Missed tackles:
A Savea 10
B Gibson 11
M Todd 16
J Taufua 17
S Cane 21

Tackle success
A Savea 93.2 %
B Gibson 92.8%
M Todd 90.4 %
J Taufua 86.2 %
S Cane 85.1 %

I included Blake Gibson (got stats from Fox Sports).

[Duluth]

@Stargazer said in 2017 Bledisloe Cup & Rugby Championship (4 Nations):

Geez, judging someone on one NPC game?

No

[Stargazer]

@KiwiMurph I have edited my previous post to add Blake Gibson & E Dixon based on the SANZAAR stats (it's better to use the same source).