All Blacks 2021
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All Blacks side full of 'character' could use some more talent in search of new identity
We are gathering further evidence that this approach will end the same way. Right now Foster is just proving Scott Robertson is a better coach by rolling out his Crusaders players but with inferior results.
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This article basically sums up what I've stated previously.
Razor's hugely innovative systems get the most out of relatively limited players - Foster then takes these same limited players & substitutes them directly into his (much less effective..) systems and people wonder why it doesn't exactly work out seamlessly.
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I sort of agree. But there have been plenty of “power” backs who are just average rugby players and they too get found out at the top level.
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@frank said in All Blacks 2021:
Peter Umaga Jensen should have been picked despite an average Super rugby season.
I believe Hansen did that several times with players he deemed to be good fits for the ABs.
There's still time.
I not convinced PUJ is a test player. We are a bit week at 12, but I think Tupaea has a better look doesn't he? PUJ hasn't had a good NPC either.
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@dan54 said in All Blacks 2021:
@frank said in All Blacks 2021:
Peter Umaga Jensen should have been picked despite an average Super rugby season.
I believe Hansen did that several times with players he deemed to be good fits for the ABs.
There's still time.
I not convinced PUJ is a test player. We are a bit week at 12, but I think Tupaea has a better look doesn't he? PUJ hasn't had a good NPC either.
What have you been watching? He’s been the shining light in a crap Lions team and has somehow managed to still run up the metres on attack. He’s been quite dominant actually.
He had a fantastic 2020 campaign including dominating his clashes with his AB rivals, but fell out of favour with Holland even though he was clearly the most consistent midfielder in the Hurricanes. Which bewildered most of us.
I think if he gets another crack at test footy he will shine.
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@canes4life said in All Blacks 2021:
@dan54 said in All Blacks 2021:
@frank said in All Blacks 2021:
Peter Umaga Jensen should have been picked despite an average Super rugby season.
I believe Hansen did that several times with players he deemed to be good fits for the ABs.
There's still time.
I not convinced PUJ is a test player. We are a bit week at 12, but I think Tupaea has a better look doesn't he? PUJ hasn't had a good NPC either.
What have you been watching? He’s been the shining light in a crap Lions team and has somehow managed to still run up the metres on attack. He’s been quite dominant actually.
He had a fantastic 2020 campaign including dominating his clashes with his AB rivals, but fell out of favour with Holland even though he was clearly the most consistent midfielder in the Hurricanes. Which bewildered most of us.
I think if he gets another crack at test footy he will shine.
Holland is a dope. He and the board should be shown the door. That is all.
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I am reserving judgement on QT until after the next Super season. While he has done OK with the ABs I wonder if he has done anything more with the ABs than someone like Nankivell would have achieved. I don't yet see what sets QT apart from other options.
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@crazy-horse said in All Blacks 2021:
I am reserving judgement on QT until after the next Super season. While he has done OK with the ABs I wonder if he has done anything more with the ABs than someone like Nankivell would have achieved. I don't yet see what sets QT apart from other options.
I agree. I support him getting gametime in the ABs and can see his value/ potential but all in a development sense and because our options are currently slim.
But yes, I would like to see him show why he deserves to keep the black jersey by showing out a bit in Super -
@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks 2021:
@chris said in All Blacks 2021:
Normally I don't rise to this sort of comment, but...
You are blinded by your Love for Foster,
Where have I said I love - or even admire Foster?
How do we know if we don’t change ,
A simply ridiculous point. It's like arguing Robertson should be sacked as Crusaders coach as another coach might win by bigger margins and, until we sack Robertson, we won't know.
All we know it what we have now which is poor.
You one sensible and obvious comment. To which I refer you to the entirety of my post where I took the time to think and set out what I thought the problems were.
By your reckoning Foster should have the job forever no matter what his record of success is,because you are scared of change.
In case in doesn’t work.Having spent a moderately successful career helping organisations adapt and change to improve the quality of their output, the idea that I'm scared of change is really fucking silly. But I've seen too many cases where change without considering the root causes of the problem, not only didn't work, it made things worse.
And no change were things get worse yes.
And you jumped right out of the water and took the bait.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2021:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2021:
@gt12 said in All Blacks v France, 2021 NH Tour:
Ian Foster has signed a two-year contract extension as All Blacks head coach through to the 2023 World Cup, the Herald can reveal. After much conjecture, the Herald understands New Zealand Rugby has moved to give Foster and his management team security as they prepare to lead the All Blacks for 14 weeks away from home. Foster's assistants John Plumtree, Brad Mooar, Scott McLeod and Greg Feek are expected to re-sign alongside Foster in the coming weeks.If his assistants are yet to sign or be offered deals, the NZRFU should not be extending those now
That quote said it would happen before they went on tour, so don't hold out much hope.
I can't find a source which confirms their appointment though, so there is some hope.
Assuming you can't get rid of Foster, I'd look for two or perhaps three new assistants:
Forwards: If Plums is the voice behind Ardie at 8, he should go. I like Coventry, who else is there?
Defence: Robertson started as a defense specialist, correct @Chris ? Who else?
Attack: Brown is the obvious one to try to get, but I don't think they can get him. Who else?
Scrum/set piece: How happy are we with Feek here? Ryan could be good here as well.Mate Robertson,Ryan and Brown would be awesome,I wouldn't mind McDonald being involved as well.
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@kirwan said in All Blacks 2021:
NZRU need to decide if they want to win the World Cup or not.
We have no chance with the current coaching setup. Time for a big decision.
My review of the All Blacks 2021.
Positives
Held on to the Bledisloe again.
Won the Rugby Championship again.
Some very good youngsters coming through.
Scored 101 tries.
Nice to have some money coming in from new sponsorsNegatives
We look a billion miles from a side that is going to win the World Cup in two years time.
The backline defence is awful.
Our forwards struggle against big packs.
Our inside back struggle against the rush defence.
We don't cope with pressure well and make too many mistakes.
We no longer have an advantage in fitness and conditioning against the top sides.
A number of players in our squad have 30+ caps but have not developed into world-class players.Conclusion
Current coaching set up is not good enough.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@kirwan said in All Blacks 2021:
NZRU need to decide if they want to win the World Cup or not.
We have no chance with the current coaching setup. Time for a big decision.
My review of the All Blacks 2021.
Positives
Held on to the Bledisloe again.
Won the Rugby Championship again.
Some very good youngsters coming through.
Scored 101 tries.
Nice to have some money coming in from new sponsorsNegatives
We look a billion miles from a side that is going to win the World Cup in two years time.
The backline defence is awful.
Our forwards struggle against big packs.
Our inside back struggle against the rush defence.
We don't cope with pressure well and make too many mistakes.
We no longer have an advantage in fitness and conditioning against the top sides.
A number of players in our squad have 30+ caps but have not developed into world-class players.Conclusion
Current coaching set up is not good enough.
I'll counter slightly...
Scrum and lineout have been better than ok most of the time. Lack of a true third lineout option has meant the ABs defensive lineout work has not been as good as in the past. It is an area the ABs used to apply pressure and disrupt. It needs to become that again.
Scramble defence has had a lot of practice and in the main has been working. The effort is there which if it wasn't, would say that the players have lost faith with the coaching team.
ABs still have genuine game breakers in their team. When the passes stick, even the best defensive structures are being broken. The issue is when the passes don't stick or the team has to grind it out. Too much ball is being turned over which is just inviting pressure and problems.
That's the positives.
I think Savea is the conundrum the AB coaches have to solve in the back row. If they are hell bent on him playing to utilise his ball carrying and leg drive in close, then they have to select the supporting cast that will best accentuate his strengths. Or they can bench him and use him as an impact player and go with a different starting trio. The trouble with that is that he may leave to go overseas as a result.
That's one of the biggest problem the ABs have at the moment IMO. Several of the top players have taken sabbaticals in Japan and have returned in less than ideal shape. I would expect BBBR, Whitelock and BB to return in better shape next year with a proper pre-season in them. The ABs used to be the international team with the most cohesion. Like an international club team at times. But now, with injuries, retirements, sabbaticals and COVID, the cohesion isn't there so much. Add into this a lack of experienced combinations and you have a recipe for the current malaise. And that's even before you get to judging whether the current coaching set up is good enough.
One thing I would add regarding coaching is that the AB squad has been away together for 18 weeks. That's a really good stint for a coaching team to work with the players, without off field distractions. Sure, there would be fatigue (physical and mental) as a result, but the patterns and messages the coaching team have been impressing on the players should be starting to show. The 1st 40 mins last night was as bad as I've seen from an ABs side since 2009 when they did their best headless chicken act without Dan Carter at 10. That suggests the coaching message isn't getting through or it isn't working as intended. Next year is a big year.
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Personally, the ABs should look to shore up the defence. Before the EOYT, statistically they had become the 2nd best defence in world rugby. I think I heard that on a Squidge video.
With teams now taking the game to the ABs, the days of we'll score more tries than you have gone. So the first objective has to be to reduce the number of tries being conceded. You don't win world cups without a world class defence. This EOYT showed the ABs don't have one, for a myriad of reasons.
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@nevorian said in All Blacks 2021:
Not sure how world ranking points work but is it possible that us All Blacks will be slipping a few places lower once the likes of Ireland, England and Francehave played out the upcoming Six Nations?
Yep. I can see at least one of those teams jumping above the ABs. With Ireland still to play today, latest rankings are:
1 South Africa 90.61 (-1.22)
2 New Zealand 88.75 (-1.28)
3 England 87.83 (+1.22)
4 Ireland 86.30
5 (↑6) France 85.53 (+1.28)
6 (↓5) Australia 83.92 (-1.17)
7 Scotland 83.05 (+0.28)
8 (↑9) Wales 81.56 (+1.17)
9 (↓8) Argentina 80.81
10 Japan 78.26 (-0.2)So I can see England and Ireland overtaking NZ in 6N and possibly France. That would put NZ in around 4th or 5th spot. Which right now, feels about right.
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@stodders said in All Blacks 2021:
@nevorian said in All Blacks 2021:
Not sure how world ranking points work but is it possible that us All Blacks will be slipping a few places lower once the likes of Ireland, England and Francehave played out the upcoming Six Nations?
Yep. I can see at least one of those teams jumping above the ABs. With Ireland still to play today, latest rankings are:
1 South Africa 90.61 (-1.22)
2 New Zealand 88.75 (-1.28)
3 England 87.83 (+1.22)
4 Ireland 86.30
5 (↑6) France 85.53 (+1.28)
6 (↓5) Australia 83.92 (-1.17)
7 Scotland 83.05 (+0.28)
8 (↑9) Wales 81.56 (+1.17)
9 (↓8) Argentina 80.81
10 Japan 78.26 (-0.2)So I can see England and Ireland overtaking NZ in 6N and possibly France. That would put NZ in around 4th or 5th spot. Which right now, feels about right.
It’ll be another to add to Foster’s CV, our lowest ever ranking. His AB and head coach CV is packed with records and firsts!
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@stodders said in All Blacks 2021:
@nevorian said in All Blacks 2021:
Not sure how world ranking points work but is it possible that us All Blacks will be slipping a few places lower once the likes of Ireland, England and Francehave played out the upcoming Six Nations?
Yep. I can see at least one of those teams jumping above the ABs. With Ireland still to play today, latest rankings are:
1 South Africa 90.61 (-1.22)
2 New Zealand 88.75 (-1.28)
3 England 87.83 (+1.22)
4 Ireland 86.30
5 (↑6) France 85.53 (+1.28)
6 (↓5) Australia 83.92 (-1.17)
7 Scotland 83.05 (+0.28)
8 (↑9) Wales 81.56 (+1.17)
9 (↓8) Argentina 80.81
10 Japan 78.26 (-0.2)So I can see England and Ireland overtaking NZ in 6N and possibly France. That would put NZ in around 4th or 5th spot. Which right now, feels about right.
yeah, i no longer see this as a blip after the world cup loss, other countries are very much in the ascendency and are scrambling, not like we have DC and McCaw just out with injury or something
Ian Foster signs new deal with All Blacks after tense standoff
