All Blacks vs Pumas II
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@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@tim Are you kidding. One of my favourite players.
I absolutely do not believe that you ever expressed that sentiment until now.
In 2018, when Steve Hansen, riding Henry's coat tales, selected every player in NZ other than Ioane - was he one of your favourites then? He was just as good. Were you lamenting the selection of awful players like Luke Whitelock, Gareth Evans (fuck me!), and Shannon Frizzel over Akira Ioane?
This was his form then:
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@tim said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@bones Just watch the videos
Eh? There's only one video and it's highlights of one game. Fill your boots if you think picking a few best bits out of one game makes your point, but it's prolly not gonna convince me.
First few seconds shows how awesome JGB is though, absolutely carving up in close. Should have been an AB 😁
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@tim Nope! Just went back and reread my comments for some reason... Made a critical comment in 2019 but if you were thinking he should have been in the ABs that year (or even the Maori team), I think you need to listen to the man himself!
Actually, quite critical of Frizzell! -
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@bones said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@tim said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@bones Obviously test match level, you absolute nimrod.
That's really cool man. What do nimrods do?
1 you are a biblical king and a mighty hunter.
2 Or, he is using US slang.But he's a learned man and so it must be option 1.
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@nostrildamus you should see my mighty hunt.
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@bones Yeah, credit goes to Plumtree for me. The forwards look great with everyone putting their hand up. The Fiji tests i feel was a real good wake up call for the side where found out a lot about the side which is quite funny as a lot of people were slating the series, but it did quite the opposite for this team.
Maybe Fiji were actually quite good?
Yeah, they were, and it exposed a few of our players, as well as show who were the better players in our squad.
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@tim Hansen's spell from 2017-2019 was a disaster. He was exposed badly and ran the team into the ground, not that anyone seemed to care or take notice. Everyone just took his word as gospel (fans and media). He made some absolute howlers in that time and it has taken a little while to build the team back to where it should be, but we're getting there, cleaning up the mess that Hansen left the side in.
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@tim said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@bones Buddy, if you watched 2018 NPC and didn't realise the quality of Akira Ioane, then you would be beyond help.
Don't think anyone doubted his quality, more his attitude.
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@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
@tim Hansen's spell from 2017-2019 was a disaster. He was exposed badly and ran the team into the ground, not that anyone seemed to care or take notice. Everyone just took his word as gospel (fans and media). He made some absolute howlers in that time and it has taken a little while to build the team back to where it should be, but we're getting there, cleaning up the mess that Hansen left the side in.
You may be a bit harsh on Hansen, but I have to agree he didn't leave the team in a great place and was focussed on getting over the line for a 3rd RWC win in a row, rather than continuity.
Fozzie seem to have building a good squad (I'm reserving judgement until we beat the Boks) but the way he's turned around players like Akira, looked for stability in key areas and developed depth in a lot of positions can't be denied.
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@victor-meldrew And his plans for getting us over the line were a disaster. He made some shocking selections to go with some shocking game plans. He was all over the place it can't be denied. 3 opensides and Scott Barrett at 6 in the match day 23 in a WC semi, with an incredible Brodie Retallick? What a clown. 2 first fives starting, a midfield combo that seemed to change every week, Kieran Read being kept on for about 4 years too long, don't get me started on Akira, his treatment towards him was a disgrace and he failed him miserably (something Henry wouldn't have done) as he ended up picking about 96 loosies who were never long term options at test level with Liam Squire seen as the man to be the 6 going forward which he never was, only to drop him before the WC, Jordie Barrett on the wing with George Bridge and Steve Reece, with Rieko Ioane being left out after an average test leading up to the world cup. The more I think about it, the more I think how much of a failure Hansen really was in the last few years as coach.
He only escaped criticism because of the team from 2012-2015 being possibly the best side we'll ever see in Black.
Sorry to ramble on about the past on a different topic haha.
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From what I saw George bridge made a knock on. He had otherwise had a solid but unspectacular match. 7/10. Would not be surprised to see him named vs SA he is good in the air.
Rieko also made a knock on. He also blew a certain try by not passing to unmarked players. However the try was only on in the first place because of his step and speed. I don’t like Centres who don’t pass. They look like wingers playing centre. Rieko at 11 for me.
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@billy-tell said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
I don’t like Centres who don’t pass. They look like wingers playing centre. Rieko at 11 for me.
I'd probably reframe it as centres who 'can't' pass. He can pass, and often does - in that try buildup he chose not to (you see him look, and hold the ball). That said, he's 24 and learning the position - with 30 test tries under his belt. Remarkable given how long he's been in the environment. I think his passing is a work in progress, but it's getting that knack of finding people in dynamic situations.
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@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs Pumas II:
You may be a bit harsh on Hansen, but I have to agree he didn't leave the team in a great place and was focussed on getting over the line for a 3rd RWC win in a row, rather than continuity.
My opinion of his 2016-2019 work has been tainted by what happened afterwards. He wanted to quit in 2017, and I did not want him to. In hindsight, it would probably have been the best option.
