AB squad for the Rugby Championship
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@Toddy In that last season for the Canes when we finally grabbed the title, he was probably playing the best rugby of his career and probably would of surpassed Read if he stayed on. Correct me if I'm but I think he was European player of the year in 2017 which says something.
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@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Bovidae The Crusaders often used Taufua successfully in the line-out though, despite being shorter than Whitelock, Read and Barrett. Height clearly isn't always a determining factor. Also, during the 2019 season, Douglas started more games than Taufua and is taller.
Taufua's shortcomings (heh, heh) as a lineout option were exposed when we played the B&I Lions and Read didn't play. We had Whitelock, Romano, Bedwell-Curtis, Todd and Taufua and our lineout got taken apart.
Only two decent options in that lineout, where with Whitelock, Rettallick and Read, we'd have three - but we'd still probably move from a lineout that will take two steals to the good, to two steals to the bad.
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@Chris-B In the ABs, we are talking about having a fourth lineout option (the blindside) after both locks and Read.
Using the Irish as an example, O'Mahony (6) is 1.91 m and Stander (8) is only 1.85 m. Both regularly used in their lineout.
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@Bovidae Yep. But, we were all happy enough to rationalize that Taufua was too short, until that logic has become inconvenient.
We have had a dominant lineout since the advent of Read and Kaino - and that has carried on while we've used tall blindsides. In my view (and I'm sure Hansen's) we are going to give some of that back if we play two openside flankers. We won't be basket case, but we won't be as good and against the Jaapies for example - they'll be playing 2 metre Pieter on the blindside.
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Only read the last couple of pages but man everyone is obsessed with height.
Remember that the usual AB plays at line out involve quick thinking and action rather than an extra two inches in height.
The best thing to do against the likes of England, Ireland and SA is to get to the line quickly and biff it in to the first organised pod while the opposition are getting organised. -
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Only read the last couple of pages but man everyone is obsessed with height.
Remember that the usual AB plays at line out involve quick thinking and action rather than an extra two inches in height.
The best thing to do against the likes of England, Ireland and SA is to get to the line quickly and biff it in to the first organised pod while the opposition are getting organised.Completely agree.
I haven't been watching the AB's 'keep their powder dry' for the past 18 months thinking "I wish we had taller AB's"
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Only read the last couple of pages but man everyone is obsessed with height.
Remember that the usual AB plays at line out involve quick thinking and action rather than an extra two inches in height.
The best thing to do against the likes of England, Ireland and SA is to get to the line quickly and biff it in to the first organised pod while the opposition are getting organised.What do we do when it's their throw and Big Pieter is waving his arms saying "throw it to me - I'm being marked by Benny Hill's sidekick"!
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If height is the most important attribute for a 6 then Fifita is your man. If actual skill as a rugby player is more important then Cane becomes an option.
I don’t think our lineout has been world class for the last 10 years because of the height of our 6. It has been our world class locks and hookers who could actually throw straight. Add Read to that at 8 and that is 99% of it there.
Having good lifting props like Franks and Haymen has probably been a factor too. I know when i used to jump in the lineout it made a huge difference to have a good lifter. -
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Remember that the usual AB plays at line out involve quick thinking and action rather than an extra two inches in height.
The best thing to do against the likes of England, Ireland and SA is to get to the line quickly and biff it in to the first organised pod while the opposition are getting organised.how easy is test rugby? It's like 3rd grade, just higher paid!
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@pukunui said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
If height is the most important attribute for a 6 then Fifita is your man. If actual skill as a rugby player is more important then Cane becomes an option.
It's not just one skill though - it's having to compromise. With Jerome (god amongst men), you got mobility, stinging defence, ball carrying and a lineout option. He's the exemplar - if you're short, you better be bloody good at the rest.
Remember the bollocks we dished out to Australia for Pooper as it weakened their lineout? Same thing - you win on the ground, but lose on the lineout.
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@nzzp said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@pukunui said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
If height is the most important attribute for a 6 then Fifita is your man. If actual skill as a rugby player is more important then Cane becomes an option.
It's not just one skill though - it's having to compromise. With Jerome (god amongst men), you got mobility, stinging defence, ball carrying and a lineout option. He's the exemplar - if you're short, you better be bloody good at the rest.
Remember the bollocks we dished out to Australia for Pooper as it weakened their lineout? Same thing - you win on the ground, but lose on the lineout.
Pocock and Hooper are short 7s, though. Cane and Savea are tall 7s (same height as a medium-short 6 such as Jacobson etc).
I've loved our line out the last decade, but I'm ok losing 4-6 cm for a competent 6.
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@pukunui said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
If height is the most important attribute for a 6 then Fifita is your man. If actual skill as a rugby player is more important then Cane becomes an option.
I think I'm on the Hemopo at 6 bandwagon.
I guess part of the answer to your puzzle is why did Hansen specifically rule out playing Ardie and Sam at six and seven?
Tbh it won't surprise me if he has to renege on that at some point, but you know he doesn't want to, so whatever he says subsequently will be making a virtue of a necessity.
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