TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98)
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@Snowy said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@mofitzy_ I'm going to defend Bender. I saw very little wrong today when he is playing out of position.
He is still the world's best fullback, even at 33, maybe not at wing.
He is not playing out of position on the wing. It's where he started his rugby career and he's played an awful lot of games there.
He got ragdolled a couple of times, missed two of four tackle attempts, threw a few bad passes, and has become considerably slower. I still like Bender a lot, and he also adds valuable experience, but he's far from his old self.
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@Stargazer said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
He is not playing out of position on the wing. It's where he started his rugby career and he's played an awful lot of games there.
Nah. He is an AB fullback to me. He has been shifted to wing when it suits, but he is a full back.
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@mofitzy_ said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
Bender looking every bit of his 33 years, although his experience will be valuable in a world cup.
I remember thinking that Howlett and Mauger were spent forces in 2007 , their experience would have been an asset in the 2007 shambles though.
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@Kirwan said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@hydro11 said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
Mounga was very good in the second half. I think that was just a consequence of him having more space then anything he did to change it.
When we started going forward...
Mounga was OK in the 2nd half after a below average first half He certainly didn't live up to the hype. And maybe he can only shine when behind a dominating forward pack. But selectors should give him another chance but unfortunately team don't play SA again. And he should look great against a weak Aussie side
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@Snowy said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
Nah. He is an AB fullback to me. He has been shifted to wing when it suits, but he is a full back.
Smith offers so much more at fullback. He’s ok on the wing, but I want him touching the ball more often and making more decisions
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Exactly. Especially when comes up and plays in the line - his foot speed in traffic can be very useful.
I think that tonight was about giving RM plenty of time at 10 so that he’ll be fine at 10 in the last 20, when BB goes to 15.
So, I assume the Smith still starts at 15, with Bridge at 14 - he did himself no favors tonight though...
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@Snowy said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@Duluth It's the old getting your best players on the field thing. He is our best fullback, but is he our best wing?
Do you move move him to get him on the field? I don't think so.
If not Bender, who is our best 14?
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@Snowy said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@Duluth It's the old getting your best players on the field thing. He is our best fullback, but is he our best wing?
Do you move move him to get him on the field? I don't think so.
Is he our best fullback?
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@Snowy said in TRC: The All Blacks against the Springboks (version 98):
@Duluth It's the old getting your best players on the field thing. He is our best fullback, but is he our best wing?
Do you move move him to get him on the field? I don't think so.
Is he our best fullback?
Who's better? Beaudie? He was good tonight but prefer him at 10 after Richies 1'st half.
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Need to watch a replay, but there were some interesting things going on both this and last week despite the shit performances. The dual playmaker dual fullback idea is a good one, if horribly implemented tonight. Likewise the flat attack v argentina has promise against rush defence if we can get it right. Not sure we have time for this if we are also using our few buildup games as player trials though. At least this year I can see what they're trying to achieve, not the powder dry shit from 2015.
Fifita at lock. Yuk. Locks are locks. Shoulda learned that lesson from Chicago.
Read needs dropping. Franks too.
Coles to start.
Aaron Smith made every back in our team look a lot better the instant he came on. TJ is a great player, but he just can't deliver ball like that. Nobody can, and it's arguably our biggest strength.
Despite mounga's rank start, the tactic and selection is worth persisting with I think. Barrett is a fine fullback. -
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bloody interesting times,
It’s been a while since I lacked this much confidence in the abs,
Maybe the early 2000s, like now , we had talent out there, but you weren’t convinced they would put it all together on the day
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@Duluth Really poor press conference from Hansen and Foster, all the energy and zip of a morge. Grumpy and aloof like Grizz Wylie in 1991. Lots of excuses for poor Rugby. So many lines we have heard before. No wonder the players are looking bored.
I think they might need to see if Wayne Smith or Ted can do some work with the squad.
