Bledisloe 2
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Pretty happen with team. Glad that Franks is having a rest even an enforced one, he needs it!!!! He is still young by prop standards (30) and will be crucial at next world cup. Laulala was looking good before being injured and would like to see him have a good crack at it.
Looks like McKenzie will be full back when bender leaves and Dagg on the wing, thought Dagg and Naholo NMS option wld be best but happy for McKenzie.
Lets see what the Wallabies bring to Dunners!! -
@Centreman said in Bledisloe 2:
Anyone here believe in Ofa Tu'ungafasi potential or talent as much as Shag and his fellow selectors as I am struggling to see his worth off the bench or even in the AB environment.
Would welcome some enlightenment here.It seems to be flavour of the month to lay into Ofa. He's had limited opportunities, and he's been OK, without either being totally rubbish nor dazzling.
I think the jury is out, and personally I'm happy for him to be given some more time. Props invariably improve with age, and he's still only relatively young (25).
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@NTA said in Bledisloe 2:
@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:
@akan004 said in Bledisloe 2:
Simmons can't make the Reds 2018 team but gets a starting spot with the wobs. Clown is truly clueless.
Simmons is a very good lineout lock, probably Australia's best.
I'm astounded the front row is unchanged and Kerevi is the only real casualty from last weekends debacle.
Rona also moved to the bench.
Moore and TPN should be swapped at least.
But Rona was always going to make way for DHP, who is a first choice winger.
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@akan004 said in Bledisloe 2:
@ACT-Crusader But he's a marshmallow around the park. Arnold is not a bad lineout forward and offers a lot more physicality than Simmons. Their lineout was surprisingly good last weekend as well.
Arnold's physicality didn't have much impact last week.
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@broughie said in Bledisloe 2:
@ACT-Crusader I wouldn't count out Akira come World Cup time. A bit of coaching and being in a dominant AB pack and his potential will be realized.
Not sure if that comment was meant for me broughie, because I like Akira and see huge upside with him. I think he'll definitely be there in 2 years.
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@Tim said in Bledisloe 2:
Still don't understand why Ardie Savea is in the All Blacks squad. Fourth best openside flanker in NZ, and offers no physical impact from the bench. A mystery.
It's strange, a couple of years ago I would have said with some confidence that the Savea brothers would be in the team long term. Now it's a long way for Jules to get back in given Rieko will only improve, and Ardie hasn't quite made the step up as hoped so his position will be under threat in the near future.
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@No-Quarter Wouldn't surprise me if Jules has done his dash. He's got Rieko and Naholo ahead of him as power wingers and Dagg and NMS as second fullback type wings, plus Jordie pushing Ben Smith towards a wing, plus DMac and Havili in the back three frame - and big Seta shifting outwards from a congested midfield and who knows who else emerging from the pack. It's not a situation where you want to be pushed out.
I don't think Ardie's under too much threat until the selectors decide they want more muscle on the bench. He brings something very different to that bench role - though I don't really see him displacing Sam Cane to start any time soon.
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@Chris-B. said in Bledisloe 2:
@No-Quarter Wouldn't surprise me if Jules has done his dash. He's got Rieko and Naholo ahead of him as power wingers and Dagg and NMS as second fullback type wings, plus Jordie pushing Ben Smith towards a wing, plus DMac and Havili in the back three frame - and big Seta shifting outwards from a congested midfield and who knows who else emerging from the pack. It's not a situation where you want to be pushed out.
I don't think Ardie's under too much threat until the selectors decide they want more muscle on the bench. He brings something very different to that bench role - though I don't really see him displacing Sam Cane to start any time soon.
You say Ardie "brings something very different" but what exactly does he bring? In theory Ardie seems like he'd be the perfect impact player coming off the bench but in reality, he doesn't really seem to impact a whole lot.
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@Unco said in Bledisloe 2:
@Chris-B. said in Bledisloe 2:
@No-Quarter Wouldn't surprise me if Jules has done his dash. He's got Rieko and Naholo ahead of him as power wingers and Dagg and NMS as second fullback type wings, plus Jordie pushing Ben Smith towards a wing, plus DMac and Havili in the back three frame - and big Seta shifting outwards from a congested midfield and who knows who else emerging from the pack. It's not a situation where you want to be pushed out.
I don't think Ardie's under too much threat until the selectors decide they want more muscle on the bench. He brings something very different to that bench role - though I don't really see him displacing Sam Cane to start any time soon.
You say Ardie "brings something very different" but what exactly does he bring? In theory Ardie seems like he'd be the perfect impact player coming off the bench but in reality, he doesn't really seem to impact a whole lot.
As mentioned earlier, much needed height.
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@pukunui said in Bledisloe 2:
@Tim said in Bledisloe 2:
Still don't understand why Ardie Savea is in the All Blacks squad. Fourth best openside flanker in NZ, and offers no physical impact from the bench. A mystery.
4th?
Cane
Todd
Gibson
Savea -
@Chris-B. said in Bledisloe 2:
I don't think Ardie's under too much threat until the selectors decide they want more muscle on the bench. He brings something very different to that bench role - though I don't really see him displacing Sam Cane to start any time soon.
Ardie also benefits from Cane's versatility as he (Cane) has the physicality to shift over to play no.6 to accommodate another openside on the bench. I'm not convinced S Barrett or Romano are the answer for the other forward reserve. We're still looking for that lock/6 and I don't believe they see Fifita as an option at lock.
@pukunui Hint: Who is the Blues no.7?
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Yeah Ardie is a great super player, but to have the impact we expect at test level, he needs to have an outstanding game every time. Ball in hand he looks neat at times, but I still think his shortcomings (e.g. selective defence) probably aren't worth it. I'd be inclined to take Todd if Ardie hadn't shown a bit more versatility this year.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:
@pukunui said in Bledisloe 2:
@Tim said in Bledisloe 2:
Still don't understand why Ardie Savea is in the All Blacks squad. Fourth best openside flanker in NZ, and offers no physical impact from the bench. A mystery.
4th?
Cane
Todd
Gibson
SaveaNot convinced Gibson is better than Ardie at this stage.
I was thinking of:
Cane
Todd
L Whitelock
A Savea -
after all the bluster last year of Ardie over Cane, alot of the noise seems to have dimmed as people have started to see he hasnt quite got it at this level yet and still has some ways to go, even as an impact player when the other team muscles up he seems to go missing a bit more.
I know most dont see Todd as a impact player, but his pace and accuracy would still bring something to the final 20 surely?
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@pukunui said in Bledisloe 2:
@Tim said in Bledisloe 2:
Still don't understand why Ardie Savea is in the All Blacks squad. Fourth best openside flanker in NZ, and offers no physical impact from the bench. A mystery.
4th?
Beat me to it...
Cane
Todd
...? -
@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:
@pukunui said in Bledisloe 2:
@Tim said in Bledisloe 2:
Still don't understand why Ardie Savea is in the All Blacks squad. Fourth best openside flanker in NZ, and offers no physical impact from the bench. A mystery.
4th?
Cane
Todd
Gibson
Savea -
How come all the shit I buy on trademe takes so long to get to me but my letters to Australia only take three days?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11910599
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Haha there is some bullshit posted on here at times but if you honestly think Savea isn't in the top three 7's in the country you are delusional.
Whether he is 2 or 3 depends on how you are weighting your ranking. As i starter he would be 3 for me but think he is a better bench option than Todd. The AB coaches appear to agree.I would say he still needs to bulk up a bit for test rugby. Pays to remember Cane wasn't the player he is straight away either. That took a few years of playing off the bench and putting on muscle.
