Exodus 2018

No Quarter

One of my enduring memories of Jules was 2 years ago at Eden Park vs the Wallabies to get to the record breaking 18 test winning streak. Wallabies came to play that night and the ABs were well below their best, but Jules just tore them apart in the 2nd 40 and turned a tight match into a hiding. His form going into that match wasn't great, and as it turns out that was the last time he really carved up for the ABs.

Wish him all the best, he didn't throw in the towel and has worked exceptionally hard this year but he just doesn't seem to be able to regain his peak form - probably lost a bit of pace. The 11 jumper is bloody hard work to keep in the ABs, always a youngster clipping at your heals - in this case Rieko who now has to shoulder the responsibility of scoring 50+ test tries.

shark

The way we keep churning out amazing outside backs it's going to be hard for anyone to get enough games to score 50 tries. Additionally, the first string outside backs can find themselves rested for the games against softer opposition when easy tries are on offer. Think back to the late 90s and on and the amount of world class outside backs we've juggled: Wilson, Lomu, Cullen, Umaga, Howlett, Rokocoko, Mils, R Gear, MacDonald, Sivi, H Gear, Smith, Jane, Kahui, Dagg, Savea, Naholo, NMS and Ioane. Scary stuff.

Rapido

We also don't pay the annual first test of the seasnn romp v either Fiji, Samoa, Tonga anymore - that we did from mid 90s to mid 00s.

I think Savea played consistently harder opposition than Howlett, Cullen, Wilson etc

But maybe on the flipside there are more tries scored out wide in tier 1 v tier 1 tests these days, than 20 years ago? Better at manipulating space? Not sure. But Savea, Reiko, NMS all have great try scoring ratios without much minnow inflation.

Duluth

@shark said in Exodus 2018:

The way we keep churning out amazing outside backs it's going to be hard for anyone to get enough games to score 50 tries. Additionally, the first string outside backs can find themselves rested for the games against softer opposition when easy tries are on offer. Think back to the late 90s and on and the amount of world class outside backs we've juggled: Wilson, Lomu, Cullen, Umaga, Howlett, Rokocoko, Mils, R Gear, MacDonald, Sivi, H Gear, Smith, Jane, Kahui, Dagg, Savea, Naholo, NMS and Ioane. Scary stuff.

I agree it will be hard for anyone to get 50 purely as an outside back.

Rieko has a chance if he stays fit and then successfully moves to the midfield in his mid twenties

taniwharugby

@no-quarter I was sitting behind the tryline he was running away from for that, was some great movement in that try.

Smudge

Looks like Lima is going out in a blaze of conspiracy theories:

Rapido

@smudge said in Exodus 2018:

Looks like Lima is going out in a blaze of conspiracy theories:

The word is a strange place, Lima.

All blacks won the world cup in 2011 despite being down to our 6th first-five. Doesn't mean we are guaranteed to win in 2019 even if our 3rd choice pikes on his mates.

Makes you think.