Bledisloe II
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Good to see the gloves come off a bit this week.
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@stargazer See, when Steve explains it, it almost makes sense.
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@broughie If you are looking for evidence just watch a replay of the Hurricanes vs Chiefs quarter final this year. Laumape blew Ngatai and ALB off the park and shut down everything they threw at him. He is far from one dimensional and your comment probably suggests you haven't watched any Hurricanes games this year. There was a reason he was named Canes player of the year - he has been brilliant and probably deserves an opportunity more than ALB.
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Half the forum will have to say "I was wrong" after the match on Saturday
Will it be those who think Laumape is a one-dimensional battering ram...
...or those who think Laumape is a bit better than that?
Humble in victory, gracious in defeat - let's see which poster have the goods...
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@billy-tell said in Bledisloe II:
Half the forum will have to say "I was wrong" after the match on Saturday
Will it be those who think Laumape is a one-dimensional battering ram...
...or those who think Laumape is a bit better than that?
Humble in victory, gracious in defeat - let's see which poster have the goods...
what about those of us who think Laumape is more than a one-dimensional battering ram, but that ALB is still a better player? How will that be proven on Saturday?
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Hansen is being a little precious over the Whitelock presentation. If someone looked back when the other centurions were presented with their caps, not all the opposition players would have stayed on the field either. But I'm sure there will be more than 4 Wallabies out there on Sat night.
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@mariner4life said in Bledisloe II:
@billy-tell said in Bledisloe II:
Half the forum will have to say "I was wrong" after the match on Saturday
Will it be those who think Laumape is a one-dimensional battering ram...
...or those who think Laumape is a bit better than that?
Humble in victory, gracious in defeat - let's see which poster have the goods...
what about those of us who think Laumape is more than a one-dimensional battering ram, but that ALB is still a better player? How will that be proven on Saturday?
I suspect you'll have to wait a little bit longer there lad.
Only a fool would use 1 single game to decide that sort of question. ALB has a heap more tests than Laumape, so that would be comparing apples and pears.
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@billy-tell said in Bledisloe II:
@mariner4life said in Bledisloe II:
@billy-tell said in Bledisloe II:
Half the forum will have to say "I was wrong" after the match on Saturday
Will it be those who think Laumape is a one-dimensional battering ram...
...or those who think Laumape is a bit better than that?
Humble in victory, gracious in defeat - let's see which poster have the goods...
what about those of us who think Laumape is more than a one-dimensional battering ram, but that ALB is still a better player? How will that be proven on Saturday?
I suspect you'll have to wait a little bit longer there lad.
Only a fool would use 1 single game to decide that sort of question. ALB has a heap more tests than Laumape, so that would be comparing apples and pears.
so your earlier post was all bullshit then? okay, cleared up.
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If Laumape shows he's up to it, then the one to fall may well be Crotty. While fit he is worth his place, if his eternal breakdowns disrupt the team then maybe not. Especially if he is playing at 12, which I don't think is his best position.
SBW is often broken but is a much better player anyway IMO and at least finishes if he starts, so doesn't disrupt pre-game plans.
However, lots of players get second-year blues, so we need to wait on Goodbye. It gives me confidence that his rise has been steady, not meteoric like ALB or NMS, but next year people will do rather a lot more homework on him and we might see his faults exposed.
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@bovidae said in Bledisloe II:
Laumape was kept quiet in the 3rd Lions test so an organised defence can negate his runs. He'll be running down Beale's channel a lot.
All of the AB backs were kept quiet against the Lions, though I remember him making a break or two in the third test so not completely contained. He also wrecked havoc against their B team which is why he was selected for the 3rd test.
His form hasn't been great this year, I was really hoping he'd develop his game further, but he is very far from one-dimensional. In his 2nd Super season he displayed all the skills - hard running, deft chips and a great passing game putting the likes of Aso away on a regular basis. Hence the comparisons with Nonu.
I do think ALB deserves the starting spot given his form this year, but this isn't the most controversial selection - Laumape has the goods and if the AB coaches think they can get the best out of him then he will be a force to be reckoned with.
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@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
I did think they may go ALB on the bench as a known quality with versatility and a desire to develop Laumape.
Seems to me they've had a desire to develop players at 12 & 13 since the Nonu/Smith departure 3 years ago - and we still don't have a settled, reliable midfield combination.
Big worry IMHO.
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@victor-meldrew said in Bledisloe II:
@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
I did think they may go ALB on the bench as a known quality with versatility and a desire to develop Laumape.
Seems to me they've had a desire to develop players at 12 & 13 since the Nonu/Smith departure 3 years ago - and we still don't have a settled, reliable midfield combination.
Big worry IMHO.
I'd disagree with that. I think Crotty & SBW are clearly the desired first team combination. It's just that both are made of glass and that option isn't available to us as often as we'd like.
Goodhue looked fine last week, ALB has also been good, and now Laumape is given another shot.
For me, it's a long way down our list of worries. I'd have blind side, aging of Ben Smith, inability of our props to keep their fists to themselves, Beauden Barret to kick goals and Naholo to avoid yellow card brain farts all as worries far above and beyond our centres.
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@beardie said in Bledisloe II:
@bovidae I seem to remember the ABs actually making presentations to centurions in the opposition ranks after tests?
Yes, they showed that on the TV news tonight. I'm talking about whether all the opposition stayed on the field for the presentation to the other AB centurions. It was great that the ABs did acknowledge JdV but I'm not sure they have done that on every previous occasion. George Smith and Adam Ashley-Cooper also played their 100th tests against NZ.
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@no-quarter said in Bledisloe II:
@bovidae said in Bledisloe II:
Laumape was kept quiet in the 3rd Lions test so an organised defence can negate his runs. He'll be running down Beale's channel a lot.
All of the AB backs were kept quiet against the Lions, though I remember him making a break or two in the third test so not completely contained. He also wrecked havoc against their B team which is why he was selected for the 3rd test.
There weren't many other options available come the 3rd test. Crotty was injured (sound familiar?), SBW was suspended and BFA was also injured. Fekitoa was on the outer but made the bench. So Laumape and ALB it was.
I'm interested to see what Laumape can do. He has a familiar face at 1st 5 so that combination won't be a problem but he hasn't played with Goodhue before.
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@bovidae said in Bledisloe II:
@beardie said in Bledisloe II:
@bovidae I seem to remember the ABs actually making presentations to centurions in the opposition ranks after tests?
Yes, they showed that on the TV news tonight. I'm talking about whether all the opposition stayed on the field for the presentation to the other AB centurions. It was great that the ABs did acknowledge JdV but I'm not sure they have done that on every previous occasion. George Smith and Adam Ashley-Cooper also played their 100th tests against NZ.
Bollox, I remember the AAC match (He's one of my fave Ozzie players) and the ABs mentioned him often in the build up. I can't find a Gregan image but ABs are all about respect - and smashing those respected blokes into the turf!
EDIT: Gregan played his hundy vs the Boks, that's why no image.
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@majorrage said in Bledisloe II:
@victor-meldrew said in Bledisloe II:
@crucial said in Bledisloe II:
I did think they may go ALB on the bench as a known quality with versatility and a desire to develop Laumape.
Seems to me they've had a desire to develop players at 12 & 13 since the Nonu/Smith departure 3 years ago - and we still don't have a settled, reliable midfield combination.
Big worry IMHO.
I'd disagree with that. I think Crotty & SBW are clearly the desired first team combination. It's just that both are made of glass and that option isn't available to us as often as we'd like.
Goodhue looked fine last week, ALB has also been good, and now Laumape is given another shot.
For me, it's a long way down our list of worries. I'd have blind side, aging of Ben Smith, inability of our props to keep their fists to themselves, Beauden Barret to kick goals and Naholo to avoid yellow card brain farts all as worries far above and beyond our centres.
I think if you asked Hansen, he'd say that SBW and Crotty are our No. 1 combination, but I'm not sure that's what he'd be completely thinking.
Goodhue is "The way of the future" and I reckon they'll try pairing him with various combinations. By the time RWC comes around, I'll be surprised if he's not the starting centre for the big games - if he's not, he will be shortly after.
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It's funny when these disrespect things come up every now and then, I am basically looking all this rugby thing from the outside to in and for me it looks that the All Blacks are the side that most respect their opponents. Of course when you win everything for a decade people are going to look for any flaws in you, but disrespecting their opponents isn't one of them.
