All Blacks Squad for France
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This thread looks like the yearly 'freak out' and let's bag all the players and 'the end is upon us' 🤣🤣
Looking at what we went through last year with our injuries most of the starters (who won all but two tests) will be bench options which will only benefit us.
world class players missing, Coles but he has been for a year and Taylor is playing 'lights out' and Read which is only issue.
World class players available and in top form(opinion)
Retallick, Whitelock, Cane, A Smith, B Smith
World class players returning from inj or not in top form but you know will be conebtest time
Moody, Franks, BB, SBW, Iaone
Plus All the other talent we have trying to establish Jordy, Squire I can't see why any doom or gloom.
Just saying! -
@stargazer I will come out of the woodwork. If Taufua is an enforcer at test level I am a horses ass. Seriously. Not wanting to read the article but who makes this shit up? He is too small and one dimensional for a test player and remember he plays in a Cantab pack that as a group never seems to be shown up. Anyway my dos pesos.
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@broughie said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Not wanting to read the article but who makes this shit up?
Patrick McKendry, the worst rugby journalist in NZ.
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@tim You don't think they'll ever want to use him and Jordie in the same team?
It's a biggish (and slightly provocative!) call for me to say it will happen in the first test, but I'll be pretty surprised if we don't see Ben get some minutes there with Jordie off the bench during the French series.
I'll be similarly surprised if we don't see Ben start a game for the ABs on the wing this year - if Jordie plays well maybe quite a few. After all, the Highlanders started him on the wing less than ten days ago.
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@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
Good cover defender (due to his speed) is probably more accurate, and he has definitively improved his front on defence.
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@nepia said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Good cover defender (due to his speed) is probably more accurate, and he has definitively improved his front on defence.
Yes, to the first statement. But let's be honest, BB's front-on defence used to resemble a speed bump so there was only one way he could go.
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This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
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@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Burn.
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@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat
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With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.
Canes : Smith. He is Australian. Eves. Cannot scrum.
Crusaders : Allan. Too green. King. Too old.
Landers : DLB. Not up to the task in terms of scrummaging.
Chiefs : Tu'inukuafe. Maybe the best scrummager in the country. Questions about his workrate though.Your opinion ?
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@cgrant said in All Blacks Squad for France:
With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.Still has a world cup winner's medal, but not an AB cap. Unique.
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If Laulala is good to go I wonder if they will use Ofa as a reserve LH? It's not his best position but might be the best option available.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
If Laulala is good to go I wonder if they will use Ofa as a reserve LH? It's not his best position but might be the best option available.
Ahhh. I should have hit the "refresh" button.
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@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Toeava could either play nothing or play the entire backline by himself, depending on which side of Toeava fence you sat.
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat
That's an exaggeration. He was no Charlie Ngatai
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat
That's an exaggeration. He was no
Charlie NgataiJonah Lowe. -
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
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@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Plays for the Crusaders. A path many have trod.
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@bones said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat
That's an exaggeration. He was no
Charlie NgataiJonah Lowe. Rob Thomas -
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
Was Todd ever a suitcase? I don't recall that -- IMO like Jon Mitchell he was a pick for a particular need at a particular time.
I'm also in the not yet that persuaded by BB at 10 (I much prefer him as a fullback). An outrageously gifted player who sadly is not good for the team when he plays 10.
Looking at all the cool things he does individually distracts from looking at how his AB backlines have been lacklustre. Thinking sides like the Rennie Chiefs and the BIL shut him down easily enough. He's won one Super series.
Our back play is far worse than under Cruden, who didn't have the athletic gifts but gave other players space and time. Carter added goal kicking, which Beauden still is erratic with.
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@chester-draws
A bit harsh, isn't it ? One of the best backline display by the ABs was the 57 - 15 win against the Springboks in South Africa in 2016. Do you remember who was playing 1st 5/8 that day ? -
@chester-draws said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
Was Todd ever a suitcase? I don't recall that -- IMO like Jon Mitchell he was a pick for a particular need at a particular time.
I'm also in the not yet that persuaded by BB at 10 (I much prefer him as a fullback). An outrageously gifted player who sadly is not good for the team when he plays 10.
Looking at all the cool things he does individually distracts from looking at how his AB backlines have been lacklustre. Thinking sides like the Rennie Chiefs and the BIL shut him down easily enough. He's won one Super series.
Our back play is far worse than under Cruden, who didn't have the athletic gifts but gave other players space and time. Carter added goal kicking, which Beauden still is erratic with.
Yeah those Chiefs really shut him down.
What a nonsense post.
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@rancid-schnitzel said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@chester-draws said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
Was Todd ever a suitcase? I don't recall that -- IMO like Jon Mitchell he was a pick for a particular need at a particular time.
I'm also in the not yet that persuaded by BB at 10 (I much prefer him as a fullback). An outrageously gifted player who sadly is not good for the team when he plays 10.
Looking at all the cool things he does individually distracts from looking at how his AB backlines have been lacklustre. Thinking sides like the Rennie Chiefs and the BIL shut him down easily enough. He's won one Super series.
Our back play is far worse than under Cruden, who didn't have the athletic gifts but gave other players space and time. Carter added goal kicking, which Beauden still is erratic with.
Yeah those Chiefs really shut him down.
What a nonsense post.
In terms of this thread, you pretty much just proved @mariner4life ’s point?
Fantastic player with plenty of pace, but those highlights hardly show a first five directing play. Plenty of pace though.
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As I said, individual brilliance. That is not in doubt.
But Cruden directed a better backline, both at Super and AB level.
I've watched a fair few Rennie Chiefs vs Hurricanes games. Mostly BB has been average. You can pull out exceptions. It's harder for me to pull out whole games where he's been average.
He's still only won one championship.
And lost more AB games than Cruden or DC in their longer careers.
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
He's played much more that Toddy did
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Any other rugby supporters around the world would look at this and say , those kiwis are fucked ,
Cant believe they are complaining about beuadan Barrett
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@chester-draws said in All Blacks Squad for France:
As I said, individual brilliance. That is not in doubt.
But Cruden directed a better backline, both at Super and AB level.
I've watched a fair few Rennie Chiefs vs Hurricanes games. Mostly BB has been average. You can pull out exceptions. It's harder for me to pull out whole games where he's been average.
He's still only won one championship.
And lost more AB games than Cruden or DC in their longer careers.
If you mean that Cruden had better players in his backlines, then yes totally agree. Nonu and Konrad shit on the combos BB has played with.
BB replaced Cruden, not because Hansen loves him because he's a much better player and 10. You're entitled to your opinion, just as I'm entitled to say it's complete garbage.
That losses argument is straight out idiotic.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@rancid-schnitzel said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@chester-draws said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.
What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?
Luke Romano is the new Todd Blackadder?
Was Todd ever a suitcase? I don't recall that -- IMO like Jon Mitchell he was a pick for a particular need at a particular time.
I'm also in the not yet that persuaded by BB at 10 (I much prefer him as a fullback). An outrageously gifted player who sadly is not good for the team when he plays 10.
Looking at all the cool things he does individually distracts from looking at how his AB backlines have been lacklustre. Thinking sides like the Rennie Chiefs and the BIL shut him down easily enough. He's won one Super series.
Our back play is far worse than under Cruden, who didn't have the athletic gifts but gave other players space and time. Carter added goal kicking, which Beauden still is erratic with.
Yeah those Chiefs really shut him down.
What a nonsense post.
In terms of this thread, you pretty much just proved @mariner4life ’s point?
Fantastic player with plenty of pace, but those highlights hardly show a first five directing play. Plenty of pace though.
That's reaching in the extreme. Yeah, despite carving up the Chiefs, his clearing kicks needed another metre. This is beyond ridiculous.
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@kiwiinmelb That made me smile. Apparently DC wasn't that good either.
The sky is falling a little bit though. 2 losses and a draw last year, well above our one loss that I can almost accept. Admittedly one of those losses and the draw were due to corrupt officiating but I'm not bitter and the therapy will help eventually.
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Crudan also used to avoid getting the ball at ten until an opportunity to run was on, so not sure he’s a good counter point.
BB is at least as good as Crudan at running a backline. Maybe both relied on Dagg going into first receiver, and have suffering his loss to injury and playing on the wing?
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@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Crudan also used to avoid getting the ball at ten until an opportunity to run was on, so not sure he’s a good counter point.
BB is at least as good as Crudan at running a backline. Maybe both relied on Dagg going into first receiver, and have suffering his loss to injury and playing on the wing?
The biggest problem in 2017 was the flat backlines and tactics. Wasn't conducive to attacking play in the slightest. Some of the moves were bizarre. Hoping they fix this in 2018 even if they are so unfortunate to be stuck with that average 2-time international player of the year at 10. Useless cnut.
The comment above is so right. Foreigners must look at these comments and wonder what certain people are smoking.
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Yeah, but this sort of criticism is part of why we have such a winning culture. I’d hate for it to go away.
I remember a good quote from one of the AB biographies, yes you are now an All Black, now you want to be a great All Black.
Always something to improve.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
If Laulala is good to go I wonder if they will use Ofa as a reserve LH? It's not his best position but might be the best option available.
It's probably the way to go. Ofa T makes such huge strides in the AB environment that I'd have a reasonable amount of confidence that if they put the work in with him on the other side of the scrum that it would eventually bear fruit.
I like that guy. Since he cut his hair. Don't like clown looking props. Seen too many NZ U20s scrums back-pedalling anchored by props with clown haircuts (in particular Ofa T) that I've developed a complex .....
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