All Blacks 2022
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2022:
Missed a lot of super rugby this year compared to the past .
Really enjoyed this thread to get me up to speed before the internationals start .
Lots of discussion around the backs and loosies which should be an area of strength given our depth .
How we looking in the tight 5 , that is still our area of concern yeah ?
That’s because backs win rugby matches (and get the hot women). And loosies just wish they were backs.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
And loosies just wish they were backs
it's true, we all want to play midfield
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@ACT-Crusader which is probably where the biggest drop off has come for AB rugby the past few years with little to no impact from our props around the park, even our hookers (exc ST) have had thier time where they have been well of thier game too.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader which is probably where the biggest drop off has come for AB rugby the past few years with little to no impact from our props around the park, even our hookers (exc ST) have had thier time where they have been well of thier game too.
I actually don't think Coles has been off his game, he's just been out of the game too often.
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An article about the loosie selections. Some similar points have been made in this thread, it’s still a reasonable summary:
Ethan Blackadder's injury could prolong some All Blacks careers
Ian Foster was going to struggle to narrow down his loose forward selections for the All Blacks' upcoming test series with Ireland but the loss of Ethan Blackadder to injury will perhaps make the picture a little bit clearer.
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@Darren said in All Blacks 2022:
I'd just do the Blues 10,12,13. I think there is a lot to say for a combination of guys that train and play together.
Then have the option to move JB in case RTS is out of his depth, which I highly doubt.Goodhue on bench as insurance. Also gives several tactical options in terms of whom he replaces.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2022:
I agree Frizell will be there. He wouldn't be in my squad but they'll pick him.
Big problem I have is that this is shaping like a squad which is very close to the EOYT one. That underwhelmed.
Sure the boys were burnt out by too much PlayStation, but I'd have thought one or two would have been identified as not quite top test standard.
If which case we need to see some new blood, surely?
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On the basis that playoff rugby matters for the AB selections:
PGS has no chance
Weber played himself into the Maori squad
Tupaea needs RTS to shit the bed to stay
Ta’avao might get a reprieve
Ross’ stocks likely went up
Jager won’t be an AB
Grace helped his chances -
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm really looking forward to seeing how RTS goes now. The chiefs 12 was cake, if he's our guy for the ABs we're in trouble.
He really shit the bed tonight and has a huge amount of redeeming to be done. Pity as he had been playing really well.
Neither of the Saders midfielders did much with the ball so hard to judge attack and the Saders defence is absorbing so even though their tackles were made they were still allowing chances to be created (just not taken)
Ball is in RTS’ court for sure. -
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.
An always injured pie eater.Any others I've missed?
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.Any others I've missed?
2017 U20 World Championship winning no.12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen? Now weighing in at 108kg.
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@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.Any others I've missed?
2017 U20 Championship winning no.12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen? Now weighing in at 108kg.
He's too small, call me back when he hits 114kg.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.Any others I've missed?
2017 U20 Championship winning no.12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen? Now weighing in at 108kg.
He's too small, call me back when he hits 114kg.
TUJ featured in the team that thrashed England 64-17 in the Final.
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@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.Any others I've missed?
2017 U20 Championship winning no.12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen? Now weighing in at 108kg.
He's too small, call me back when he hits 114kg.
TUJ featured in the team that thrashed England 64-17 in the Final.
No need for his whole CV, he's on the list, I was only joking about his weight.
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@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
I'm not sure AB selectors write a player off after one poor performance in a bad team match, shit actually scratch that they wrote of Reiko and Ben Smith that way. QT is done.
So our 12 options are:
A dude who shit the bed tonight.
A dude who flopped in test rugby last year.
A league player.
A fullback.Any others I've missed?
2017 U20 World Championship winning no.12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen? Now weighing in at 108kg.
But always injured.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:
@Frye said in All Blacks 2022:
Is it even conservative to pick Goodhue for a test when he hasn't shown any form since his injury? Seems like it would actually be the riskier move.
If he goes reasonably OK, I'd think Foster will think it's less risky than picking a bloke who's played less than 10 games of top-level Union and zero Tests, or a relative novice like QT, than a bloke with 70 games and 19 Tests.
Sensible action you would think would be to just pick the best performer from RTS, JG or QT over the next 2 weekends?? I know it's a wild idea right?? Especially since they are all in action and super rugby playoff rugby is as close to test rugby as you're gonna get.
I'd think and hope the selectors take a bit more notice of a player's ability than 2 games of Super Rugby. They have in the past - otherwise Ma'a would have been dropped in 2010 or 2011.
Although apparently SBW didn't perform very well in 2010 for the ABs. So RTS is obviously not going to either?
Not sure the point you are making here, though it might be a reference to my earlier comment that SBW's lack of RU experience, despite nearly 2 years in top-flight Union, was exposed by Wales and was a risk which didn't pay off, and he was pulled halfway thru the match.
Let's just overlook the fact that SBW hadn't actually played super rugby yet, he'd only NPC. Actually he hadn't even played NPC playoff rugby as the All Blacks were pulled before then. Definitely a fair equivalence to compare the two then..... lol
I think we need to be a bit more humble and not think that NZ Super rugby is so much better and superior to NH & NH Premiership rugby (just check out our performance against NH sides recently).
I'd also argue that the idea that a bloke with 8 games at Super Rugby level is as prepared and experienced for Test level as the likes of Gary Ringrose, Bundi Aki & Robbie Henshaw and that playing him at Test level doesn't carry a big risk, is a bit fallacious.
Very natural progression for RTS to play finals super rugby and then move up to a home test series. If this was a Bledisloe or a Bok test at altitude then I'd be inclined to agree but it's not.
It's the perfect opportunity to blood him.
Again I don't think SBW is a fair comparison because RTS simply would have played a higher standard of competition than what SBW had played up to that point. They're different players anyway.
Of course it's still somewhat moot, RTS still needs to do the business tomorrow. Hopefully pundits will be barracking for him to do well rather than hoping for a barry crocker so they can win arguments on the internet....
