Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18
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@Machpants said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
"All Blacks don't cry"
Ok so what is it that you are doing, plums?
Someone needs media training. "You saw what you saw, the ref can only adjudicate on what his team sees and on the field we need to do a better job responding".
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@Kiwiwomble said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
Wallaby fans must find it hilarious to see the hyperventilating about BB and RM, when they have O'Connor at 10. Excellent player but not a test standard flyhalf.
in fairness i thought he did well on the weekend
Bieber's step off both feet to leave Ofa grasping at air was funny for all the wrong reasons.
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@mariner4life total bitch move
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@Stargazer said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
Grant Fox just said it's a 3-test Bledisloe.
Just watched it on YouTube. Have never seen Foxy this defensive and stressed before. Very unlike the cool and measured person we have seen over the last few years.
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@akan004 said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Stargazer said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
Grant Fox just said it's a 3-test Bledisloe.
Just watched it on YouTube. Have never seen Foxy this defensive and stressed before. Very unlike the cool and measured person we have seen over the last few years.
Yeah the 'nz needs to understand' is bullshit. Proof is in the pudding and since 2017 the ABs Plum Duff has had more rat dung and cat vomit in it as time has gone on.
Interesting Squidge about Japan beating Boks in 15. I was watching that at (soccer type) bro in laws house, so just checking in once every so often. By the end we were all around the TV! But they played very much off 9, with long passes. That is something the ABs could learn from AKA Lions Test 1, certainly something to think about, with Aaron's bullet pass
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@Machpants Incredible isn't it that we seemingly had worked out how to unlock the rush D in Lions Test 1 by playing off 9 and then never used that tactic again for whatever strange reason.
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Just on BB, I am having trouble explaining what is going on there. It's like he has something major on his mind and rugby just isn't doing it for him anymore. He has just been off all year, did he miss Wellington that much or is married life not all he thought it would be?
Or is it possible he has always wanted to play 10 and has just got the shits the Fozzie has forced him to play 15 and influenced the Blues for him to play there also?
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@Bones said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@chimoaus yeah he hasn't seemed to have the "spark" we're used to seeing. Maybe he's lost that extra yard of pace that made a difference? Maybe trying to change his game? Or as you say, maybe just not "into it".
He's barely played this year. But when he turned out for the Blues, his steadying influence was noticeable
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Don't get the Dmac hate after last week's game. He had a shit year for the Chiefs and y'all know that I was a massive critic of him on here, but dude played well during NvS and the test last week. I'd have no issues with him on the bench and if he had to start at 15 it wouldn't bother me.
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@canefan said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Bones said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@chimoaus yeah he hasn't seemed to have the "spark" we're used to seeing. Maybe he's lost that extra yard of pace that made a difference? Maybe trying to change his game? Or as you say, maybe just not "into it".
He's barely played this year. But when he turned out for the Blues, his steadying influence was noticeable
How many Blues games did he miss?
It’s been a disrupted year for all, but he’s still played quite a bit.
I don’t know what influence AB selectors have over the franchises, but to me the Blues selections were more about weighing the positives of a Black/Barrett 10/15 combo over Barrett/anyone else. Quality fullback options for the Blues were pretty light on from what I remember.
Ideally you want your best options in each position playing there but to me Barrett was both the best 10 and best 15 in the Blues squad.
I agree he has looked less than his best and down on his regular confident and sometimes high risk play.
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@ACT-Crusader yeah I thought he played a decent amount of SRA.
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I think Beauden has played 10 games this year.
7 x Super Rugby Aotearoa (zero original Super Rugby)
North/South
2 x TaranakiI thought he looked far better in the 5 more recent games after he shifted to 10 (2 x Super Rugby Aotearoa, 2 x Taranaki, North/South).
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@mariner4life said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@African-Monkey said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
Oh yay Mo'unga to get another start at 10......
he was never getting cut
And i don't mind that. He will hopefully learn a few lessons, either that, or given the time to prove he's not the guy. The bigger problem is, if he is not the guy, then who the fuck is? Jioane has "solid backup" written all over him. And that's it.
Trask
@Bones ...
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@mariner4life said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Stargazer said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Bovidae I think that's good news. I prefer only making a few minor changes and just want all players to lift their game. Find an answer to the rush defence, go faster to the rucks, make your tackles. If the forwards and midfielders do their job well, they make it easier for the halves to do their job well.
It was only the first test match. Making too many changes, especially to the spine, after only one match, is just a bad idea.
this post could have been made any time over the past 3 years to be honest. and that is the real problem.
Makes me think again we're trying to be too cute.
Over the last few years when we were dominant I always thought if our guys played to their potential and their guys played to their potential, regardless of who "they" were, we'd be better.
If we pick our best XV I still think that.
But am not sure we're picking our best XV as we're trying to "reinvent" rugby.
So I don't think that any more.
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Beauden is a senior player that likes to call the shots. There's no doubt in my mind whatsoever that he would rather play 10. Being shunted to 15 for the likes of Mo'unga who has not stepped up to test level at all would not sit well with him despite going along with it for "the benefit of the team".
Mo'unga should be on the bench as impact while he finds his feet, same as what Beauden did when he first made the ABs. We have no need for Beauden at 15 now with Jordie playing there, and we didn't need him there at the RWC with Ben Smith in the squad.
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@akan004 said in Bledisloe Two: Auckland, October 18:
@Machpants Incredible isn't it that we seemingly had worked out how to unlock the rush D in Lions Test 1 by playing off 9 and then never used that tactic again for whatever strange reason.
They kept that powder so dry that they forgot the combination to the waterproof safe.
But on a more serious note, it is a complete mystery. They pulled that same game plan out for a short period against England on one of the EOYTs but have played this other shitty non direct, counter attack/kick the ball away game 99% of the time for the last 3 years.
Would love to know why.
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Also re: the Blues, they were crazy not to play him at 10 from the get go and get him into form there. Pure madness at that level when you want him touching the ball as much as possible. That's not to say Black played poorly, but he will never offer what BB does.
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@No-Quarter BB played fullback in most SRA games because Black at 10 and BB at 15 was a better combo than BB at 10 and "someone else" at 15. The reason for this was Pefofeta's season-ending injury. IIRC, they only moved BB to 10 when Black got injured (concussion) in the game against the Canes (?).
