Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play
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Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
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@taniwharugby said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@canefan not so much the issue with the bombs in that was more he is undertall....
Most would write short, small or diminutive but you've created a whole new word. Great work.
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@mn5 said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@taniwharugby said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@canefan not so much the issue with the bombs in that was more he is undertall....
Most would write short, small or diminutive but you've created a whole new word. Great work.
Made me laugh. I would now describe myself as undershort but that sounds like a product from Jockey.
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@no-quarter said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
While im a jordie fan too and im not disagreeing at the potential of this back 3 , it looks a winner on paper ,
We probably need to see it in a few tests first , correct me if im wrong but we havent seen it yet ?
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On the loose forward combo...
I had high hopes for Akira, Blake Gibson and Blade Thomson, but Akira seems to be not quite the finished article - Gibson is a tireless workhorse who punches way above his weight but also maybe undertall for what is required these days and Thomson seems to be continually injured...
I'm hoping Akira makes the grade... -
@kiwiinmelb said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@no-quarter said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
While im a jordie fan too and im not disagreeing at the potential of this back 3 , it looks a winner on paper ,
We probably need to see it in a few tests first , correct me if im wrong but we havent seen it yet ?
That is a fair comment, not from memory. Fingers bloody crossed they all stay fit during 2018!
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@kiwiinmelb Was wondering about that, too. The proven best back three IMO is 11. R Ioane, 14. I Dagg, 15. B Smith.
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@crash said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
On the loose forward combo...
I had high hopes for Akira, Blake Gibson and Blade Thomson, but Akira seems to be not quite the finished article - Gibson is a tireless workhorse who punches way above his weight but also maybe undertall for what is required these days and Thomson seems to be continually injured...
I'm hoping Akira makes the grade...@taniwharugby you've created the ferns new word!!!
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Dagg will be returning from another long spell and who knows how these injuries will affect his play? NMS the same. I trust Bender's class to keep him up there. Ioane has shown it only takes one season for an outsider to become a first pick. Mac has put the runs on the board and JB will have to play catchup.
I don't think you can underestimate the work done in camp and if DMac has shown the selectors that not only will he work hard but listen to advice and put his body on the line time and time again that will count for a lot.There is an assumption on here that Harris is only filling a gap as third hooker yet Hansen singled him out for praise. There has to be a reason behind that. They will know stuff from training that we don't. e.g. I don't think anyone here has praised his contribution in some very key late scrummaging efforts. That kind of stuff is game winning.
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Between now and RWC the players have two Super seasons, Two TRCs, one EOYT, a home tour by the French....
that is a lot of rugby before settling on a team.
IMO the one thing that may undo Eddie Jones and England is his (necessary) focus on building a RWC squad. The work he is having to put in will leave little room for latecomers and despite trying not to, he will probably have to start inking players in from the 6N next year.
After this difficult year, what we have, is a much larger group that has gained experience in the AB environment and felt pressure. The coaches have also had to go out of their comfort zone bringing in players they may not have wanted to stretch so early and discovered how to make it work.
I think they will have less qualms on trusting new in form players if the 'old hands' are slowing.
I can see a number of players that could quite possibly not be the number one picks come 2019.
Franks, Coles, Whitelock, Squire, A Smith, SBW, Crotty, Dagg....I'm even wondering about Read.
Not saying all of the above or even a majority, but these are names that it wouldn't surprise me if they don't go to Japan (or do so as second stringers)
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@crucial said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Between now and RWC the players have two Super seasons, Two TRCs, one EOYT, a home tour by the French....
that is a lot of rugby before settling on a team.
IMO the one thing that may undo Eddie Jones and England is his (necessary) focus on building a RWC squad. The work he is having to put in will leave little room for latecomers and despite trying not to, he will probably have to start inking players in from the 6N next year.
After this difficult year, what we have, is a much larger group that has gained experience in the AB environment and felt pressure. The coaches have also had to go out of their comfort zone bringing in players they may not have wanted to stretch so early and discovered how to make it work.
I think they will have less qualms on trusting new in form players if the 'old hands' are slowing.
I can see a number of players that could quite possibly not be the number one picks come 2019.
Franks, Coles, Whitelock, Squire, A Smith, SBW, Crotty, Dagg....I'm even wondering about Read.
Not saying all of the above or even a majority, but these are names that it wouldn't surprise me if they don't go to Japan (or do so as second stringers)
I agree with most of these names, except Sam Whitelock and Read. IMO, Whitelock is as certain as Retallick. Read, only if he falls apart (they're not going to replace a fit captain & there's no reasonable alternative in sight). A Smith, I'm not quite seeing the competition yet (definitely not before 2019), unless Perenara steps up.
You are wondering about Read, I'm wondering about Ben Smith. Just like Crotty, only for health reasons.
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Whitelock should be there, and we would want him there. I just think he may be a candidate for falling by the wayside as wear and tear takes hold.
I guess what I am saying is that there is a lot of time for second stringers to overtake others who have form drop offs due to age/injury combinations.
I hope we can put out a vastly experienced but fit and firing squad in Japan, just being realistic that not all of these guys are going to make it. -
@chimoaus said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@taniwharugby said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
@chimoaus is an interesting one, because if he was at centre he plays a more structured position whereas on the wing he gets to roam a bit more, gets kick returns, so if he is at 13 it might not have the same opportunities?
Yeah I agree, if he plays like he did this year I doubt the coaches will want to move him.
Work on in 2020 for 2023 RWC...
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@no-quarter said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Our top back three is 11. R Ioane 14. B Smith 15. J Barrett - that has the best balance to it.
I can see Rieko moving to centre down the track but while he has his pace he's best suited to the wing at test level, he can break tight tests apart if he gets half a yard of space.
The average age of your best three is just under 24, which is ideal!
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Who are our young and promising locks? There doesn't seem to be too many coming through. Was somewhat impressed with Louisi this year, especially the game he had against the Lions. Apart from him, can't think of any other young lock that has stood out this year.
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@akan004 said in Countdown to RWC 2019 - ABs state of the play:
Who are our young and promising locks? There doesn't seem to be too many coming through. Was somewhat impressed with Louisi this year, especially the game he had against the Lions. Apart from him, can't think of any other young lock that has stood out this year.
I thought Louisi was very good actually! Much better than I thought he would be. Quentin strange looks a very good player also but could do with bulking up
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@family-man Yeah, was impressed with Strange on the few occasions he had a run for the Crusaders but he was underwhelming in the Mitre 10 imo. Definitely needs to bulk up considerably. The average weight for a lock at International level is now 120kgs and he looks to be well short of that.
Is there anyone else coming through?
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