All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023
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@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@booboo said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@booboo said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
Not so sure that many.
I just named that many.
You named 3 which isn't 6. Only one of which I agree with.
Saders locks = 2 or more. What does Vaai bring to the table that the others don't?
Not to exactly answer your question, but I think at least one (or more) of those Saders locks (plus PPP) were injured and without BBBR the Chiefs makeshift locks did a reasonable job of securing ball and shifting bodies, which is how he got his chance.
At this point, even though a player such as Strange or Dunshea might actually be better, we hardly get to see them and they get few opportunities to develop as when it counts it will be Whitelock and Barrett, so I'm happy that they went with a player who was seeing significant gametime.
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@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@gt12 oh yeah I definitely see why he was selected initially, was worth a punt. I just don't see what he offers now that even Frizzel couldn't offer?
He's busy, I'll give him that, but he's just such a "lite" player.
I dunno, maybe that's a fair assessment of where he is right now, because it sounds like many of our players to me...
I thought he did quite well on the weekend (edit, especially given it was his first Super game back), he played 57 minutes (compared to Lord's 64 and BBBR's 80) and managed 5 passes, 6 runs, 14 metres, which puts him behind Lord but miles ahead of BBBR, with 8 tackles, none misses (BBR 11,1 and Lord 9,0). So, I think all in all he's contributing. Whether he's significantly better than MSK or another player such as Goodhue will be up to them to show form over the season.
I'm not convinced of him, but he's not even 23 yet, so I'm interested to see how things shake out this year.
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@mn5 said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@gt12 any stats on Dickson! I've been quite impressed with his aggression since bulking up.
Roid Rage
Works for the Russians, he can just play without the fern on his AB jersey
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@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@gt12 any stats on Dickson! I've been quite impressed with his aggression since bulking up.
He led the team in tackles against the Chiefs (16,1) with 4 passes, 4 runs, 5 metres. Sadly they don't have data for lineouts. He had similar invovlements against the Saders and again led the team for tackles (19,2). Against the Canes, he was probably a bit more involved (7 passes, 7 runs, 17 metres, 2 defenders beaten) but was less effective on the other side (7 made, 2 missed).
One work on might be discipline/accuracy - he had 1 penalty against the Chiefs, and 2 against the Saders, plus at least one turnover in every game I think.
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@tim said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
So, when was the last time Retallick had a decent game for the All Blacks?
It wasn't last year, and it sure as hell wasn't in 2019.
Four fucking years ago he had a good game. Better spend all the money on his contract.
There has never been a player who has had an easier ride. And has produced nothing.
He is only 30 years old so let's hope he can regain some form for the coming winter. I am more worried by the props. None of the eight who toured in November would be starters for France, Ireland, England, Scotland and maybe Wales if they were eligible for these countries. They are just not good enough. The young props making their grade in the SRP (Norris, Williams, Ma'u), who are potential FABs, are still too green.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@chris the heart of the problem is that out tight 5 is consistently outplayed by decent opponents. So we get reamed, the backs get ball under pressure. Everything comes back to that.
Our cattle either aren't up to it, too old, or not being coached and played to a style that suits they're strengths
I would say that the backs also compound the pressure they are under and / or fail to make proper use of what decent ball they get through their own poor skills and - more crucially - decision-making. That our inside backs (bar A Smith) can't seem to play rugby without an armchair ride is just as a big a concern as the forwards' inability to provide said armchair ride.
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@junior said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@chris the heart of the problem is that out tight 5 is consistently outplayed by decent opponents. So we get reamed, the backs get ball under pressure. Everything comes back to that.
Our cattle either aren't up to it, too old, or not being coached and played to a style that suits they're strengths
I would say that the backs also compound the pressure they are under and / or fail to make proper use of what decent ball they get through their own poor skills and - more crucially - decision-making. That our inside backs (bar A Smith) can't seem to play rugby without an armchair ride is just as a big a concern as the forwards' inability to provide said armchair ride.
Basic handling skills have been abysmal the last couple of years. Our best back from last year probably shelled half a dozen serious opportunities with basic errors.
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@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@junior said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@chris the heart of the problem is that out tight 5 is consistently outplayed by decent opponents. So we get reamed, the backs get ball under pressure. Everything comes back to that.
Our cattle either aren't up to it, too old, or not being coached and played to a style that suits they're strengths
I would say that the backs also compound the pressure they are under and / or fail to make proper use of what decent ball they get through their own poor skills and - more crucially - decision-making. That our inside backs (bar A Smith) can't seem to play rugby without an armchair ride is just as a big a concern as the forwards' inability to provide said armchair ride.
Basic handling skills have been abysmal the last couple of years. Our best back from last year probably shelled half a dozen serious opportunities with basic errors.
Toeava?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@junior said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@chris the heart of the problem is that out tight 5 is consistently outplayed by decent opponents. So we get reamed, the backs get ball under pressure. Everything comes back to that.
Our cattle either aren't up to it, too old, or not being coached and played to a style that suits they're strengths
I would say that the backs also compound the pressure they are under and / or fail to make proper use of what decent ball they get through their own poor skills and - more crucially - decision-making. That our inside backs (bar A Smith) can't seem to play rugby without an armchair ride is just as a big a concern as the forwards' inability to provide said armchair ride.
Basic handling skills have been abysmal the last couple of years. Our best back from last year probably shelled half a dozen serious opportunities with basic errors.
Toeava?
God no, half the nation would explode if he'd made the same errors. He certainly wouldn't be in the reckoning for world player of the year.
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@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@bones said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@junior said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@nzzp said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
@chris the heart of the problem is that out tight 5 is consistently outplayed by decent opponents. So we get reamed, the backs get ball under pressure. Everything comes back to that.
Our cattle either aren't up to it, too old, or not being coached and played to a style that suits they're strengths
I would say that the backs also compound the pressure they are under and / or fail to make proper use of what decent ball they get through their own poor skills and - more crucially - decision-making. That our inside backs (bar A Smith) can't seem to play rugby without an armchair ride is just as a big a concern as the forwards' inability to provide said armchair ride.
Basic handling skills have been abysmal the last couple of years. Our best back from last year probably shelled half a dozen serious opportunities with basic errors.
Toeava?
God no, half the nation would explode if he'd made the same errors. He certainly wouldn't be in the reckoning for world player of the year.
Paging Davidav.......
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Big indicator of NZ forward weakness has been Super Rugby teams' aggressive recruitment of "experienced" has-beens.
Brynn Evans and Hohneck and the Highlanders.
Matera at the Crusaders.
Bird, May, and Franks at the Hurricanes.
Romano at the Blues.
None of those guys would have gotten close to a squad when Super Rugby was high end.
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On Matera - one thing i've noticed is that he seems in much different physical shape than he was a couple of years ago. He looks to have dropped weight.
I'm wondering if he's been asked to change his shape to suit the up-tempo Super Rugby style?
To expand on that - I was wondering if it was an example of Super Rugby drifting further away from confrontational test rugby played by the likes of France, England, South Africa?
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@kiwimurph I wonder if we're playing too much rugby in "summer". Hard fast tracks and a comparatively short competition season so that suits these "athletic frames".
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@kiwimurph Matera said in an interview two weeks ago that he had lost several kgs due to the high pace at training. So it's a consequence of training; not because he was asked.
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@kiwimurph said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:
On Matera - one thing i've noticed is that he seems in much different physical shape than he was a couple of years ago. He looks to have dropped weight.
I'm wondering if he's been asked to change his shape to suit the up-tempo Super Rugby style?
To expand on that - I was wondering if it was an example of Super Rugby drifting further away from confrontational test rugby played by the likes of France, England, South Africa?
If you look at the URC, Prem, and Top 14 they are all playing much much faster than used to be the case. I'm not saying every team is like a NZ/Oz SR team, but they have really sped up. However they are coming from a base of forward dominated rugby, and some teams still play that way. Being able to pick and choose from those types seems to be better that the advantages the ABs get from playing all a similar style. The problem is that style is not enough against the much improved NH teams anymore
