Bledisloe 2
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@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
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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
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.
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I haven't given up on ardie ,
But I did think he was going to be a bit more spectacular as an impact player than what he has shown so far . And I was all for it .
But I'm not quite sure it's going to plan , bit of a head scratcher for me at this stage .
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Haha, some posters on here take posts far to seriously wink wink nod nod pukunui....
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Against the Boks I wouldn't be surprised to see a bigger loosie (Kaino/Squire/Akira) on the bench plus a lock.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:
Haha, some posters on here take posts far to seriously wink wink nod nod pukunui....
Hmm you never can be sure if it is humour or idiocy. Some people use these silly jokes to test the water with their bonkers opinions sometimes. It's the trump effect, say it enough and eventually the nutters will come out of the woodwork and believe it.
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@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisloe 2:
I haven't given up on ardie ,
But I did think he was going to be a bit more spectacular as an impact player than what he has shown so far . And I was all for it .
But I'm not quite sure it's going to plan , bit of a head scratcher for me at this stage .
I wonder if they have chosen him for impact and 'x-factor' then told him that his work-ons are doing the basics well.
Surely if they want someone to come on and do the basics well then Todd is a better option. If they want someone to add impact then let him off the leash.
Could be a longer plan. Get him gametime to practice doing the basics to test level in case he is required early (they don't trust him in this regard as they select Todd over him if Cane is injured) and then let him play an impact game once he has reached that standard. -
@Stargazer
Are you sure Luke Whitelock has played one day on the openside flank ? -
Impact isn't necessarily making yards ball in hand.
I think Todd is more likely to come on and make a crucial turnover than savea, and I think his support play, defence and ruck work would be pretty handy too. Some of the best impact play from the bench I've seen was against, Ireland winning it at the death, and it was ruck work. -
I thought it was a big shame Victor Vito left when he did ,
Still had plenty to offer IMO.
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@kiwiinmelb Him and Luatua leaving was quite a loss.
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@reprobate said in Bledisloe 2:
Impact isn't necessarily making yards ball in hand.
I think Todd is more likely to come on and make a crucial turnover than savea, and I think his support play, defence and ruck work would be pretty handy too. Some of the best impact play from the bench I've seen was against, Ireland winning it at the death, and it was ruck work.Agree. The Franks brothers came off the bench that day and they were absolutely massive in that final sequence. Their impact at the ruck in securing ball for Aaron Smith to make swift passes was huge. Then we had Messam, Coles, Crotty and Beauden Barrett playing out on the fringes with fresher legs to make half breaks.
