AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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I'm not bagging Ioane btw. But i am bagging a couple of revisionists and their rose tinted spectacles. At least my one eye can focus, fellas.
I named Ioane in my 23 above. And I didn't name Bridge as I'd like to see Clarke given a game, if indeed we do play test footy.
But to attribute any sort of blame to Bridge for not breaking the game open against England AND to claim Ioane would have, is just fucking laughable.
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I agree Rieko was way off the boil last year. His pace was down, his confidence was down, his error rate was up. He wasn't near his best form.
Rather than just focus on Bridge I think overall the ABs backline just didn't offer enough last year.
The exciting thing this year is the options available look far more promising.
Guys like Clarke, Jordan, and the 2020 form of Rieko and Jordie add serious size, power and pace that can really threaten defences. Potentially guys like Umaga Jensen and Laumape to come into the frame as well.
Of course it's not going to matter much how great your backline is unless your forwards can do their bit. Just ask the ABs from 98-01.
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And to be fair, an inform Rieko (with a forward pack giving go forward) is pretty friggen special.
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@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Ardie at 8? Yuck
Yep. That's particularly concerning when we've got two big, quick and skilful guys who are specialists in that position in the squad.
He's a fucking 7.
Talk about ignoring lessons
Saw somewhere he was primarily picked as an 8. And does make sense to introduce Sotutu gently.
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@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
For what it's worth, my 23:
Moody Ofa T
With the 6 props named I don't think you will see much of Ofa at LH again. Cron and Hansen seemed to want to move him there with varying results.
Late in the North-South game when Ofa returned to play LH with Ta'avao at TH and Scrafton at lock, the NI scrum was going backwards.
Not sure Ta’avao is match fit. Ofa LH and Nepo at TH would be pretty solid.
But agree it looks like he’s going to be focussed on TH.
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@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kev said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Stargazer I’m with you. Haven’t read any posts but presumably ragging on about how Bridge is average. Personally I think he is all class. There is a reason why the Crusaders win all the time. Their whole team does their job and their players make better decisions more often. Something other franchises can only aspire too. The Blues are repeat offenders in this regard.
No one on this forum has said that Bridge is a shit player. He's decent under the high ball, runs decent support lines, runs fast enough in a straight line and is generally a low error player. He'd probably be a great right wing. The problem is that he plays on the left and he's currently keeping out two of the more dynamic and powerful ball runners in NZ rugby at time when we are lacking a bit in dynamic and powerful runners in NZ rugby. Remember all those breaks and extra yards Bridge made last year against England when we couldn't get any go forward anywhere else on the park? Yeah, me neither.
Remember all those breaks and extra yards any All black made? Bit tough when your pack is scuttling backwards
Yeah, but that's why a guy like Clarke or Ioane is gold - they can both beat a man from a standing start and even when going backwards. Sometimes, that's all you need to then buy the rest of your team the time and space to create opportunities to score points.
Yes, it's a bit harsh on Bridge because he wasn't the only one on the park who failed to go forward at all. But, unfortunately for him, he gets picked on because he's the one keeping out a couple of the few guys who can do what we sorely missed. To my mind, Reece is far and away the bigger problem but he's not the one keeping those guys out. That's why I say that Bridge should make a switch to the right wing, because he'll definitely get selected ahead of Reece (but maybe not ahead of Jordan now).
The irony is (if I recall correctly) Reece caused Poms much more problems in Tokyo.
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@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Ardie at 8? Yuck
We are looking for a second 5... come on down Ardie.
What’s Liam up to these days?
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J. Moody
C. Taylor
N. Laulala
S. Whitelock
Q. Strange
C. Grace
T. Chief
T. Blue
T. Lander
R. Mo’unga
S. Reece
J. Goodhue
B. Ennor
G. Bridge
W. Jordan -
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@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants I mean, what do you mean about the Fern not having learned lessons and how does that relate to poeple saying Ardie is a 7?
Up thread someone said they look at Ardie playing 8, then it was inferred from that the lesson's weren't being learned by the coaches. It's commentators on the Fern not learning those 'play people in their position, not just whack best players on the field' lessons. Coaches have talked about playing players in their position, and Ardie as a 7 who can play 8 ( and BB as a 10 that can play 15). I think it's unfair to call out the ABs coaches for what people think/want to see on the Fern.
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@pakman said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Not sure Ta’avao is match fit.
Yeah, Ta'avao has looked way off the pace since returning from that horrific injury.
But agree it looks like he’s going to be focussed on TH.
There are 3 specialist LHs in the squad now, unlike last year.
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@shark said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Yep, we would have SMOKED the Poms had we had that sort of dynamism on the left wing. What a fuck up that was.
seriously, go back and watch the Ireland game. Bridge is solid and low error rate. In the Irish game, with some great ball he takes some average options, fails to beat people in space, and runs into contact. The smackdown that we laid on them papered over some of the issues, but look at that game for an example of his limits at the top level.
Reece offers real dynamism - when you look at the Bok game (2019) we had 5 minutes of magic and won the game. In 2015 it wasn't that different - but with DC dropgoal magic and a McCaw led forward pack (with a still outrageous Whitelock lineout steal with the game on the line).
