All Blacks 2021
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Sky Super Rugby Transtasman: All Blacks vs Blues - Akira Ioane's coaching conundrum
One of the many challenges elite rugby players juggle is attempting to satisfy multiple coaching ideals.
The All Blacks may want an athlete to play a certain way or in a specific position, only for their Super Rugby franchise to hold different views.
Damian McKenzie was case in point. During his time as All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen wanted McKenzie to play first five-eighth for the Chiefs. Dave Rennie viewed McKenzie solely a fullback - and therefore played him there.
Such differences in opinion stretch further than positions to style of play, too. It's why the All Blacks are always rusty in their first outing of each year as they attempt to integrate players from five Super Rugby teams into one functioning unit.
Differences in game plans has relevance in Akira Ioane's case this year.
Ioane finished last year as the All Blacks' preferred blindside flanker after significantly improving in his work-rate and adopting a tighter style that involved making repeat dominant tackles and ball carrying efforts.
Ioane will always be capable of eye-catching offloads, but the All Blacks instead demand he regularly imposes his physical attributes.
This year the Blues have largely used their loose forwards in the wider channels, limiting their collective involvement particularly during their disappointing Aotearoa campaign where their big men in the middle of the park struggled to achieve go-forward.
That's partly why Hoskins Sotutu has battled to recapture the form that catapulted him into the All Blacks last year.
Following the Blues' game plan has effectively hurt Ioane's All Blacks aspirations in that he is not playing the tight, abrasive role they want from him.
Last week, making a rare start at No 8 for the injured Sotutu after falling behind Tom Robinson at blindside, Ioane made 14 tackles, 16 carries and 63 metres in his busiest performance of the season against the Waratahs.
Finding the middle ground between roaming wide and being involved in the middle of the park remains a challenge, though, as does attempting to please different coaching views.
"When I'm with the Blues we have our own game plan which is different to the All Blacks," Ioane said this week. "I'm not going to jeopardise myself in here to impress the All Blacks coaches. I'll do what's best for the team I'm playing for and that's the Blues at the moment so if it is stay wide then I'll stay wide and do my part but there's things I need to work on; I need to get off that wing a little bit more.
"I'm trying to find that balance. Some games I'm doing both; some games I'm doing more of one than the other.
"There's little things I can bring that the All Blacks coaches told me to work on when they need me to play that tight game, but if we're trying to play expansive rugby the Blues would rather have me out on the edge. I can't really argue with the coaches here because then I get dropped and don't play at all so it's about doing my part.
"It does suck that you can't impress both parties at the same time."
When assessing players' form in regards to All Blacks selection, coaching instructions and specific roles often aren't taken into account by punters.
"It's hard, especially when people don't really know what the go is or what our plans are. There's always going to be those keyboard warriors that don't really know what they're up to."
After several years of on the fringe of the All Blacks Ioane broke through to earn his test debut last year, featuring in three of six games which included two starts. He's keen for more this season, but knows competition is fierce with Luke Jacobson and Ethan Blackadder among those staking claims.
"I enjoyed my time in the All Blacks," Ioane said. "It was just a little taste of if I work hard that's the rewards I'll get. I'm not trying to think too far ahead. The way I perform and play in this campaign should help my cause but there's a lot of good loosies out there so it's going to be tough. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and no doubt we'll see at the end of this competition."
For now, Ioane is intent on pushing for more regular starts with the Blues in the remaining weeks of Super Rugby Transtasman that continues with attempting to maintain his side's 2-0 start against the Brumbies at Eden Park on Saturday.
"I got through a lot of work and it was good to get the start and play the full 80 – it had been a while. I'm glad my legs were in it all the way. I'm happy with what I did and looking forward to the Brumbies this week.
"We haven't played the Aussies in a while so I think they're just getting used to us. No doubt the last four weeks the Aussie teams will start showing up so you can't button off - you've got to treat every team with respect."
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
"It does suck that you can't impress both parties at the same time."
Really? I'd have thought the AB coaches should be aware of what the Super coaches are doing and if the player is being used differently to how they will be playing.
If you are playing well, you are playing well, and that is the sign of a good coach, seeing a good player but getting them to fit your gameplan.
This year the Blues have largely used their loose forwards in the wider channels
I dont think that has changed at all, Akira & Tom were often stationed wide for the blues in 2019/2020.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2021:
Really? I'd have thought the AB coaches should be aware of what the Super coaches are doing and if the player is being used differently to how they will be playing.
If you are playing well, you are playing well, and that is the sign of a good coach, seeing a good player but getting them to fit your gameplan.If you're looking for a bruising defender who makes positive carries in tight, then players who do that week in, week out are going to be graded higher than the guy stationed wide. Even if he'd still be better than the rest of them.
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The tight five selections for the next squad seem pretty locked in now (Moody is out), except for 3rd tight head prop.
Props
Karl Tu'inukuafe
Aidan Ross
Alex Hodgman
Nepo Laulala
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
?Hookers
Codie Taylor
Dane Coles
Asafo AumuaLocks
Sam Whitelock
Brodie Retallick
Patrick Tuipulotu
Scott BarrettTrain with the team:
Tamaiti Williams
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Tupou Vaa'i -
@tim I read on another thread PT is off to Japan, I assume they meant big Patrick. If true, maybe his spot should go to Vaa'i? Patrick hasn't exactly demanded the jersey and Vaa'i looks like he could be a good one long term.
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@crazy-horse There is a rumour of a sabatical next year for the Super Rugby season. He's signed on with NZ Rugby through the next World Cup.
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@tim daylight is a distant 2nd.
IMO Nock has the closest game to Smith but he is a fairway off the ABs, inconsistent and can't start for the Blues (although as I've mentioned all year this is part of the issue at the blues for 9)
Had Fakatava not been injured i think he'd have been a shoe in for the squad, but we have TJP or Webber to back up...
I wouldn't be keen on Christie, TTT, Hall or Steve Smiths twin...so the cupboard is bare.
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@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
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@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
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@canes4life Yeah, guys like him and Roe are too young yet. Maybe worth giving them some time training with the squad though.
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
Not at all keen on Weber or Christie
I think Christie probably will get picked though. Apparently he was going to get called up last year but got sick
With the lack of depth they might want to cap him before Scotland do
I can't remember the last time the halfback depth was this shitty?
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
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@machpants said in All Blacks 2021:
Play DMac there as an emergency measure, then keep him in the pocket as an RWC back up!
TBH playing at halfback seems a silly way to utilise DMacs skills. He is best as first or second receiver on multiple phases. He basically carried the Chiefs this year doing that.
I don’t think just because he’s small that should automatically make him a halfback. If that was the thinking let’s give Mo a go there too.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
Wah, my two Crusaders are being overlooked. (Just thought I’d translate that for any newcomers). 😏
