AB squad for the Rugby Championship
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@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@WillieTheWaiter said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
The articles say that Laulala will play for C-M before joining the squad for Perth. No mention of the reason behind Tu'inukuafe's exclusion (yet) so he might have been overtaken by Moli with Tu'ungafasi also able to play LH. It could be down to Laulala vs Ta'avao now.
there shouldn't be any surprises if Moli has overtaken him. Bigger, very mobile for his size and got some very decent ball skills on him.
I made this prediction a while ago.
He’s been a good project of theirs, I wonder if they’ll turn him and Ta’avao/Ofa loose off the bench against Oz? Would make a huge difference to have ball playing front towers come on in the last 25. I assume that we’ll start to see more pieces of the puzzle from now on.
Two selections I don’t get: Todd and Fifita. Beyond that, I can see the rationale for everyone else.
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
He’s been a good project of theirs, I wonder if they’ll turn him and Ta’avao/Ofa loose off the bench against Oz? Would make a huge difference to have ball playing front towers come on in the last 25. I assume that we’ll start to see more pieces of the puzzle from now on.
They need to explore all options in these Bledisloe Cup games. The Aust scrum is strong when they have their best props playing.
Moli has only recently converted to LH, and that was a directive from the AB coaches. He is still learning his trade.
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@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
They need to explore all options in these Bledisloe Cup games. The Aust scrum is strong when they have their best props playing.
@nta will be on that like a rash! You're spot on - their set piece has been ok for some time now, but unfairly maligned based on past performance. Kind of like the AB lineout; it's been ages since we were rubbish, but I still get legacy squeaky bum at critical times...
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@Nepia said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Last year I was shaking my head at Frizell's selection, this year I'm shaking my head at his non selection.
I like Jacobson though, and Papali'i - wouldn't have minded if they'd kept either of them.
Yeah - I'm pretty startled at Shannon's non-selection. I'd have thought he'd have had a spot locked up.
Of note is that Scott Barrett has returned to replace Retallick.
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@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Moli has only recently converted to LH, and that was a directive from the AB coaches. He is still learning his trade.
I guess this also helps explain why Tim Perry is still seemingly in the frame.
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I’m a bit uncomfortable with Ioane remaining uncapped.
If BB or RM go down, an uncapped 10 on the bench in a knockout match makes me nervous.
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@Higgins said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Here is a left field suggestion. Maybe Frizell has been left out because the three selectors have decided he is a certainty for the World Cup and they are playing off the remaining two No 6s to see which will be his back up?
The short video clip from Hansen's press conference doesn't sound like it. Would be a very strange decision to omit a rookie because he was a certainty.
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@Billy-Tell I think there's a good chance that in that scenario, the remaing ten will play 80 minutes and Ioane (if they bring him into the squad) will only take the field if the game is in the bag or the remaining 10 goes down himself. Or they use another squad player as back-up on the bench (Jordie, TJP, Crotty, for example).
But yes, I agree, it would have been preferable if he got game time, but I guess he wasn't ready. He'll stay in camp though.
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@nzzp said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
They need to explore all options in these Bledisloe Cup games. The Aust scrum is strong when they have their best props playing.
@nta will be on that like a rash! You're spot on - their set piece has been ok for some time now, but unfairly maligned based on past performance. Kind of like the AB lineout; it's been ages since we were rubbish, but I still get legacy squeaky bum at critical times...
Haven't watched a Wallabies match so far, but others are talking about how we dished up the argies but got spanked by the Boks. 🤔
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There better be a fucking plan here, because from my cheap seat, it looks like we have a complete muddle in the back row.
We have three 7s in the team, which is too many given we only picked 6 players. However almost understandable given our two best 7s you could argue could also be our best 6 and 8. Our starting 8 is a faded force. One option at 6 is a proven failure. The other dude is a promising but super green rookie. And we have zero continuity to build any combination.
In my eyes the only way this makes sense is if Read is playing 6. In which case the point of Fifita is?
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@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
In my eyes the only way this makes sense is if Read is playing 6. In which case the point of Fifita is?
7: Cane, Todd
8: Savea, Jacobson
6: Read, FafitaMaybe that's what they are thinking??
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@Duluth said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
In my eyes the only way this makes sense is if Read is playing 6. In which case the point of Fifita is?
7: Cane, Todd
8: Savea, Jacobson
6: Read, FafitaMaybe that's what they are thinking??
when i read it like that...
... it still doesn't make sense.
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@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
There better be a fucking plan here, because from my cheap seat, it looks like we have a complete muddle in the back row.
We have three 7s in the team, which is too many given we only picked 6 players. However almost understandable given our two best 7s you could argue could also be our best 6 and 8. Our starting 8 is a faded force. One option at 6 is a proven failure. The other dude is a promising but super green rookie. And we have zero continuity to build any combination.
In my eyes the only way this makes sense is if Read is playing 6. In which case the point of Fifita is?
You kind of have to assume that Fifita is doing what they asked him to do - stand in the wide channel and not get involved. While maybe Frizell wasn't playing to their pattern by following play and being involved?
I'm f*cked if I know. They've expended a lot of tests to get to where we are. I'd assume....
- Fifita, Jacobson - plus Hemopo and Barrett
- Cane, Todd
- Read, Savea
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Fifita is still in the squad? I don't understand modern rugby anymore.
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