All Blacks 2022
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
I excluded Goodhue, hence "fit midfielders" caveat. Playing both 12 and 13 at international level is very different to playing there in SR, as you have much less time and space in the former. I didn't include Tupaea as a player who can play both for that reason either, as he is much more suited to 12.
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
Havili started at 12 really well, but got badly exposed against better sides. Frankly, I can see his primary value in the squad as a utility, and even that's marginal. It's a pity; he played some good games early doors, but we seem intent on putting out small backlines at times.
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@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:
It's a sensible approach on the assumption Havili has improved his game.
Has he though?
He is the same type of player - a jinky 12 with a kicking game. -
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
I excluded Goodhue, hence "fit midfielders" caveat. Playing both 12 and 13 at international level is very different to playing there in SR, as you have much less time and space in the former. I didn't include Tupaea as a player who can play both for that reason either, as he is much more suited to 12.
One thing I will say is that if Foster and co stick with the status quo and use Havili at 2nd 5, nothing will change. We need a 12 that can bend the line to give the outside backs more space.
I agree and I’m not debating the merits, I’m predicting that he will definitely be there now that ALB is injured.
I would say that RTS, TUJ, and PUJ are fighting for the fourth spot with Ennor and (edit: Leicester - probably selected as a wing) as (IMO) Goodhue, Rieko, and Havili are likely already locked in.
I’d personally like the coaches to make some big calls but they’ve no history of it, so I cant see it happening now.
I honestly believe things will get worse before they get better. I think we are looking at at a 1998 season (probably not that bad as Oz isn’t that good).
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
There certainly doesn't need to be as many players chosen for a home test series so some of the players used last year will be cut. Ennor adds nothing. Havili would be a useful squad member but wouldn't be in my 23. Losing ALB is a huge blow because he has the ability to play 12 or 13, which none of the other fit midfielders really do.
A Jordie-Rieko midfield combo against Ireland would pose a much different threat.
I assume that Goodhue will come back regardless of form as he’s the only one (apart from a PUJ or Nankivell) who is established and can play both.
A much better 13 than 12 from what I've seen. His statment game against the Bokke was at 13 in Wellington.
Man, I miss Smith/Nonu
agree. Nothing more than servicable at 12. Our standard are dropping so low if we see "servicable" as "can"
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@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
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@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2022:
@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
is his defence, error rate and kicking game up to international 15 level? I haven't seen enough of him to know
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@gt12 Ennor is on the outside looking in too. And once Goodhue is fit, he won't even be a starter for the Crusaders.
If we need a squad wing/centre I'd take Fainga'anuku over Ennor. And speaking of Leicester, Wiki says his full name is Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga'anuku. That would be a commentators dream to mention that.
If PUJ isn't starting/playing regularly for the Hurricanes he isn't going to be in the frame for the ABs.
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@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2022:
@victor-meldrew Jordan to 15 - he is the inevitable future there- maybe Jordi see's it that way and is keen to bed himself at 12 to secure himself a spot.
Much as I like Jordan, I think I prefer Jordie at 15 in test matches, tend to think need a slightly different skill set in tests. Though there not a lot in it, just how I see test matches played.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
you know, this whole thread just makes me pine for the absolutely never going to happen but whish it would
actual, frank discussion about why players are picked, or why they are not. And real talk too, not vaguaries.
Where is the real harm? Oooh we might give something away to the opposition? What, that they don't have already on the hours and hours of video available everywhere, and the people they employ to look at said video?
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2022:
Havili are likely already locked in
god i fucking hope not
Me too, but I have very little trust left. I’m not sure if they’ll take Leicester!
you know, this whole thread just makes me pine for the absolutely never going to happen but whish it would
actual, frank discussion about why players are picked, or why they are not. And real talk too, not vaguaries.
Where is the real harm? Oooh we might give something away to the opposition? What, that they don't have already on the hours and hours of video available everywhere, and the people they employ to look at said video?
Absolutely.
I’m usually not a hate on the media person, but the NZ rugby media is terrible now. Almost everything released is an editorial often either stealing ideas discussed here or pitching something to generate discussion (outrage).
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Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
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@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
It wouldn't be the first time. Previous AB coaches convinced themselves that the industry of Caleb Ralph and Zac Guildford trumped the abilities of their rivals, just to name two
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2022:
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
It wouldn't be the first time. Previous AB coaches convinced themselves that the industry of Caleb Ralph and Zac Guildford trumped the abilities of their rivals, just to name two
On behalf of Roger Randle, James Kerr, Bruce Reihana and Hosea Gear amongst others I always get triggered reading this.
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I know Goodhue has been mentioned, but lets say he comes back and hits the field running, it will put him right in contention, and if he is playing well, I expect the combination with Havili will appeal to Fozzie and his crew.
One thing Goodhue does bring that is (was) better than other contenders is his defence - given how poor our defence has been, this would be a bonus.
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@mn5 said in All Blacks 2022:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2022:
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
It wouldn't be the first time. Previous AB coaches convinced themselves that the industry of Caleb Ralph and Zac Guildford trumped the abilities of their rivals, just to name two
On behalf of Roger Randle, James Kerr, Bruce Reihana and Hosea Gear amongst others I always get triggered reading this.
Don't forget Jonah Lomu! I overheard a woman at the 2003 ABs England test in Wellington say Caleb was better than Jonah. Bah! Jonah would have been better even still connected to his dialysis machine
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2022:
@mn5 said in All Blacks 2022:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2022:
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Wouldn’t be shocked if they have convinced themselves that some measure of “workrate” is all important, and are ignoring what is right in front of them.
Would explain a senile Grant Fox’s great enthusiasm for the utterly hopeless George Bridge.
It wouldn't be the first time. Previous AB coaches convinced themselves that the industry of Caleb Ralph and Zac Guildford trumped the abilities of their rivals, just to name two
On behalf of Roger Randle, James Kerr, Bruce Reihana and Hosea Gear amongst others I always get triggered reading this.
Don't forget Jonah Lomu! I overheard a woman at the 2003 ABs England test in Wellington say Caleb was better than Jonah. Bah! Jonah would have been better even still connected to his dialysis machine
Might have been my mates wife who hooked up with Caleb years ago.
He always chastised her for not picking up a better All Black !
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Just like people had idiotic levels of expectations of blindside flanker (they have to be the new Kaino), they have also have idiotic levels of expectations of the second five (they have to be the new Nonu). Gradually, the understanding seems to set in that the new 6 doesn't have to be another Kaino and that it is also ridiculous to continue making that comparison. There is only one Kaino. We don't need a new version; we need the balance of the backrow to be right. If the physicality can come from 7 and 8, if the 6 offers other advantages, then the 6 doesn't have to be that physical blindside. We need to look at the best combos, not just at the individual players making up the combos.
The same reasoning can be applied to the midfield. If the 12 isn't the physical specimen that Nonu was, it can still work if the balance of the midfield is right. It can work with a physical 13 (Rieko, Fainga'anuku offer that physicality in particular; Goodhue & ALB when healthy, although not as physical as the first two).
Havili has shown invaluable worth for the Crusaders in defence: he's one of the top tacklers in the backs in NZ and is very good at organising the defence. For the Crusaders, he's also a creator of tries. He's made try assists in practically every Crusaders game. Last year, he was excellent in the games until the SA test, but there were plenty that struggled from then on (Akira Ioane for example, do people want to dump him, too?).
It was clear, last year, that the ABs coaches used a game plan that didn't work and still stuck with it. Players had to stand too flat and were kicking too often. They were forced into structures that didn't suit their style of play. The ABs got away with it against all opponents except the stronger teams: South Africa, Ireland and France.
If the ABs coaches can come up with a game plan that uses the players' strengths, Havili (and others) can be huge assets to the ABs. It's not merely a case of the best SR players struggling with the step up to test level. It's Foster and co. struggling to design a game plan that works at test level. That includes forming the right combos and making them gel. Stick with them instead of chopping and changing.
I'm totally open to shifting Havili to the bench for someone else, if we can come up with someone else who's proven to be better. Jordie is promising at 12, but his problem is that he tries to do everything himself (defending, attacking, kicking, tackling) instead of directing others to do it. He's not an organiser (yet), but will learn (hopefully). RTS has proved himself at league test level, not rugby. He still has time, but it's premature to say he should be picked. Goodhue is more a 13 than a 12. Tupaea has 2nd season syndrome and has been very average, this year. PUJ and TUJ, how many SR games have they each played, played well and didn't break? Ridiculous to even suggest they should be considered, at the moment.
So maybe stop living in the past (Nonu/Smith) and realistically look at the best we have - and that definitely includes Havili - and improve the coaching. Make that backline gel, stick to combos, use game plans that uses their strenghts. And innovate, because we're too predictable.
Edit:
Oh, and stop being so negative!
