All Blacks 2022
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all this chat of depth is so overrated. How many more players do we need?
Right now we have two guys who can play fullback to a decent level.
3 really good wings.
1 nailed on centre, one guy who has played well there previously
3 guys who would do a good job at 12
2 guys at 10
2 guys at 9
8 is skinny, but Sotutu appears to have the tools
2 guys at 7
2 guys at 6 and a lock who can go there too
3 locks
Props appear to have the rotation sorted
Hooker has a genuine star to start and two guys with experience behindThat's a world cup squad nailed on. They also seem to know who the best 23 is. And the squad has guys who can slot in.
Generally what people mean is "we are running out of tests for my favourite players to get a run and prove to everyone that i knew best"
If he was rotating players every week people would be on here lamenting that "we are running out of tests to build combinations!! pick and stick!"
The team is what the team is going to be. If we lose a bunch of players at the same time we'll probably be fucked. But that is the same for every other side in world rugby.
(aside: the deepest World Cup squad ever assembled also got bundled out in the quarters in that country's worst ever result. depth is overrated)
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Just to counter "we don't have enough tests"
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De Groot didn't play the Irish series so in the space of 6 TRC tests is our starting loosehead (with Moody injured)
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Lomax since TRC has come on leaps and bounds (6 tests)
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Sevu Reece played 3 tests (including the Tongan game) before RWC 2019
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NMS played 2 tests before RWC 2015
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It took probably 5 - 6 tests last year to realise Samisoni is built for test rugby - it was clear by the end of year tour last year he was our best hooker
Etc etc.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
Generally what people mean is "we are running out of tests for my favourite players to get a run and prove to everyone that i knew best"
Exactly right bro. Just to add, on one hand there is lamenting that there aren’t enough tests for such and such to get experience etc but then on the other hand one test is enough for such and such to be the answer!
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@ACT-Crusader i think part of it is we all remember the old adage that to win the world cup you ned x number of players who would be named in a World XV
I'm not sure that holds true any more, given the spread of talent. The top sides are all very even, and there are very good players scattered across the top 10. Hell, Kerevi would be the 12 and the Wallabies are what? 23rd or something? A couple of Argentinians would be in the conversation as well.
Turn up, have your identified best 23 fit and firing, and you are a shout. And hope the draw works out in your favour.
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@mariner4life I agree. And given that evenness, I don’t think recent form or team performances going into the RWC is the guide we think it is. Draw and health in the squad during the campaign are probably far more important.
To take nothing away from the occasion and the drama and feeling that came from the 2011 final, and I don’t want this to come across as some arrogant kiwi talk, but a fit DC in that final and I think that game goes a bit different.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life I agree. And given that evenness, I don’t think recent form or team performances going into the RWC is the guide we think it is. Draw and health in the squad during the campaign are probably far more important.
To take nothing away from the occasion and the drama and feeling that came from the 2011 final, and I don’t want this to come across as some arrogant kiwi talk, but a fit DC in that final and I think that game goes a bit different.
hell, Dagg doesn't hungus and passing to Nonu on the run and that game goes very differently.
The 3 years leading up to a World Cup matter far less than it's made out. Basically it has become a "get out of jail free" card for losing coaches.
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@ACT-Crusader IIRC, Graham Henry said that Carter would be worth 20 additional points in that game.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader i think part of it is we all remember the old adage that to win the world cup you ned x number of players who would be named in a World XV
I'm not sure that holds true any more, given the spread of talent. The top sides are all very even, and there are very good players scattered across the top 10. Hell, Kerevi would be the 12 and the Wallabies are what? 23rd or something? A couple of Argentinians would be in the conversation as well.
Turn up, have your identified best 23 fit and firing, and you are a shout. And hope the draw works out in your favour.
The draw part is my biggest concern , have a really tough quarter final , and its a big ask to do it for another 2 consecutive games compared to starting off the knockout phase with a less intense quarter
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
8 is skinny, but Sotutu appears to have the tools
Even that is not as bad as people have been claiming
Yes Sotutu needs more game time. Hopefully that happens on the EOYT
The 3rd option is Ioane. He subbed on twice at no 8 in the Championship. The first time barely counted because SF got a YC immediately after so it wasn't time as a regular 8. The second time he was tidy off the base in the buildup to the winning try vs Aus. He has started almost 50 times in that position at SR level
Each of the loose forward positions have the same cover - 2 specialists and 3rd option who is a specialist in another position
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T Tim forked this topic on
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
To take nothing away from the occasion and the drama and feeling that came from the 2011 final
I threw out my old sofa a few months ago, and the teeth marks from that game were still there...
But back to your point about the draw and health, I'd add team spirit and momentum as being just as, if not more, important. The team itself looks way more together than at the start of the season and seem to have a lot of faith in the coaching setup - hope the EOYT builds on the momentum side of things.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
all this chat of depth is so overrated. How many more players do we need?
Right now we have two guys who can play fullback to a decent level.
3 really good wings.
1 nailed on centre, one guy who has played well there previously
3 guys who would do a good job at 12
2 guys at 10
2 guys at 9
8 is skinny, but Sotutu appears to have the tools
2 guys at 7
2 guys at 6 and a lock who can go there too
3 locks
Props appear to have the rotation sorted
Hooker has a genuine star to start and two guys with experience behindThat's a world cup squad nailed on. They also seem to know who the best 23 is. And the squad has guys who can slot in.
Generally what people mean is "we are running out of tests for my favourite players to get a run and prove to everyone that i knew best"
If he was rotating players every week people would be on here lamenting that "we are running out of tests to build combinations!! pick and stick!"
The team is what the team is going to be. If we lose a bunch of players at the same time we'll probably be fucked. But that is the same for every other side in world rugby.
(aside: the deepest World Cup squad ever assembled also got bundled out in the quarters in that country's worst ever result. depth is overrated)
You and your "logic".
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life I agree. And given that evenness, I don’t think recent form or team performances going into the RWC is the guide we think it is. Draw and health in the squad during the campaign are probably far more important.
To take nothing away from the occasion and the drama and feeling that came from the 2011 final, and I don’t want this to come across as some arrogant kiwi talk, but a fit DC in that final and I think that game goes a bit different.
hell, Dagg doesn't hungus and passing to Nonu on the run and that game goes very differently.
The 3 years leading up to a World Cup matter far less than it's made out. Basically it has become a "get out of jail free" card for losing coaches.
The lead up to an RWC means so much to us Kiwis because when we don't win the RWC we have to prove we're the best. Must win everything to do so.
On top of that, we're always considered the best,and will be the target for all and sundry, and will sonetimes be tripped up by another team that is playing out of their skins.
As ABs we have to be the best always.
Or be vulnerable.
Kinda think I know what I meant by this post ..
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
all this chat of depth is so overrated. How many more players do we need?
Right now we have two guys who can play fullback to a decent level.
3 really good wings.
1 nailed on centre, one guy who has played well there previously
3 guys who would do a good job at 12
2 guys at 10
2 guys at 9
8 is skinny, but Sotutu appears to have the tools
2 guys at 7
2 guys at 6 and a lock who can go there too
3 locks
Props appear to have the rotation sorted
Hooker has a genuine star to start and two guys with experience behindThat's a world cup squad nailed on. They also seem to know who the best 23 is. And the squad has guys who can slot in.
Generally what people mean is "we are running out of tests for my favourite players to get a run and prove to everyone that i knew best"
If he was rotating players every week people would be on here lamenting that "we are running out of tests to build combinations!! pick and stick!"
The team is what the team is going to be. If we lose a bunch of players at the same time we'll probably be fucked. But that is the same for every other side in world rugby.
(aside: the deepest World Cup squad ever assembled also got bundled out in the quarters in that country's worst ever result. depth is overrated)
Why is it that every now and then you talk sense and force me to like a post
There's also the 'irresistible form' possibility that Wayne Smith talked about the other day. He used Milner-Skudder as an example. Came out of the blue, right place, right time. Irresistible form and was a player of the tournament.
I am dreaming a little here but what if a lock bulked over summer, found their sweet spot size/performance wise then performed like a demon during Super? It could happen and could change the dynamic of the team as far as ball carrying and ruck cleaning went.
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This post is deleted!
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@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
I am dreaming a little here but what if a lock bulked over summer, found their sweet spot size/performance wise then performed like a demon during Super? It could happen and could change the dynamic of the team as far as ball carrying and ruck cleaning went.
No chance Foster would pick him.
He couldn't even see who the best forward in his team was, and he was in the squad.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
all this chat of depth is so overrated. How many more players do we need?
Right now we have two guys who can play fullback to a decent level.
3 really good wings.
1 nailed on centre, one guy who has played well there previously
3 guys who would do a good job at 12
2 guys at 10
2 guys at 9
8 is skinny, but Sotutu appears to have the tools
2 guys at 7
2 guys at 6 and a lock who can go there too
3 locks
Props appear to have the rotation sorted
Hooker has a genuine star to start and two guys with experience behindThat's a world cup squad nailed on. They also seem to know who the best 23 is. And the squad has guys who can slot in.
Generally what people mean is "we are running out of tests for my favourite players to get a run and prove to everyone that i knew best"
If he was rotating players every week people would be on here lamenting that "we are running out of tests to build combinations!! pick and stick!"
The team is what the team is going to be. If we lose a bunch of players at the same time we'll probably be fucked. But that is the same for every other side in world rugby.
(aside: the deepest World Cup squad ever assembled also got bundled out in the quarters in that country's worst ever result. depth is overrated)
There's also the 'irresistible form' possibility that Wayne Smith talked about the other day. He used Milner-Skudder as an example. Came out of the blue, right place, right time. Irresistible form and was a player of the tournament.
I am dreaming a little here but what if a lock bulked over summer, found their sweet spot size/performance wise then performed like a demon during Super? It could happen and could change the dynamic of the team as far as ball carrying and ruck cleaning went.
Interesting one, but it depends on the player position, I guess. A Lock would be great as we seem to have good cover with SB, SW & BBBR and that would slot right in, but if a demon 12 appeared during SR, that could poss. screw building midfield combinations pre-RWC2023.
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@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
I am dreaming a little here but what if a lock bulked over summer, found their sweet spot size/performance wise then performed like a demon during Super? It could happen and could change the dynamic of the team as far as ball carrying and ruck cleaning went.
No chance Foster would pick him.
He couldn't even see who the best forward in his team was, and he was in the squad.
Sorry. Excuse the ignorance but please exploin...
