Blues 2023
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@Kirwan said in Blues 2023:
@KiwiMurph My point is that BB's good play is completely ignored in the current pile on. He's not playing half as bad as you guys are making out.
I was encouraged by his last 15 or so minutes when he started running the ball - looked the best he has all season imo.
However - the first 65 minutes - he failed at either getting the attack functioning or directing the Blues around the field with his boot. His inability to take on the line really stifles the Blues attack which is fairly basic as it is.
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@KiwiMurph We didn't have the ball for the first 30mins, 75-2 for the tackles. The team was completely fatigued.
The Crusaders actually deserve some credit you know.
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@KiwiMurph Yes, and it can also be true that the criticism of BB is now just a mental groove with people just repeating the same thing every week despite what he does on the field.
All the tens are doing these stupid bombs, it's clearly the tactic of the year. Only one is getting constant criticism about it. (Note the word constant).
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@Kirwan said in Blues 2023:
Only one is getting constant criticism about it. (Note the word constant).
Mo'unga has been constantly criticised all year on here.
If DMac played all year like he did vs Reds he would be constantly criticised too.
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@Kirwan Beauden has been heavily criticised on here for most of the year and rightfully so, to be blunt he's been average at best for the Blues and he's failed to execute to the high standards that are expected of a player like him for most of the campaign.
I think a lot of us know how deadly he can be when he takes on the line because it opens up space around him for other players to take advantage of. We saw glimpses of his running game against the Crusaders when he finally decided to stop kicking aimlessly and the Blues started to reap the benefits, infact they looked like a team that was capable of knocking over the Crusaders, but probably left it a little too late.
He needs to keep that attacking mindset going into the playoffs. The Blues have weapons all over the park so it's upto Beauden as key playmaker to make sure the right players are getting the ball, especially in the red zone when it matters most.
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The abnormal stat that shows signs of a deliberate plan for Beauden Barrett
With one final chance at the Rugby World Cup later this year, Barrett has to be forgiven for working to a clear preservation plan to get him there.
With one final chance at the Rugby World Cup later this year, Barrett has to be forgiven for working to a clear preservation plan to get him there. There is one stat in particular that indicates clearly what is going on with Barrett this season. With nine games of Super Rugby and 720 minutes of action played, he has made just 20 tackles all season. That is one every 36 minutes, almost a half a game of rugby. He went through one fixture against the Hurricanes in round three without logging a single tackle or tackle attempt. Combined with the most kicks in the competition it is clear Barrett is working to a plan to come through this Super Rugby season unscathed.Are those tackle stats accurate?
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Even if they aren’t, it speaks to something that Duluth was pointing out earlier where wasn’t taking on the line much. He’s started doing that recently, but it’s clear hes minimising contact.
For the ABs, in a World Cup year that’s great. For the Blues and Super Rugby as viable comp, less so.
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@Kirwan said in Blues 2023:
@nostrildamus It's cute you put so much stock in Marc Hinton's opinion, I'm more interested in Leon's.
Hinton was quoting the coach and extrapolating. You can argue with his extrapolation but I'm just quoting the actual article.
Actually, I think it is cute that you defend BB. Even though he played well tonight the backline this season has stuttered and placekicking is primarily the 10's role. BB should be a seasoned field general by now if he wants to be a regular AB 10. -
Still going on that huh? Like I said before, I don’t care about journalist’s opinions, it was silly of you to quote it.
Just take the L.
As for BB, over the last month he’s started running, and the backline looks great when he does. There have been another couple of articles since that one where it’s clear that he’s on a scheduled ramp up of his involvements.
I don’t agree with how they ABs get managed like that, but it makes your criticism look, at best, completely ignorant.
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I was at the Blues v Reds game last night. Much better from BB. More direct and picked out his runners really well.
One thing I noticed was how much talking Zarn Sullivan does. He was constantly yelling instructions to BB telling him what the Reds wingers and fullback were doing.
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A foot injury was cited as the reason for Barrett's early exit, however while an update from the Blues as to its severity will come, MacDonald can breathe a sigh of relief that his first-five hasn't suffered an injury to his knees, or previously troublesome Achilles.
"Beauden came off with a gash to his heel," MacDonald clarified. "He'll need some stitches in that.
"He couldn't put his boot back on basically." -
D Duluth forked this topic on
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@nzzp said in Blues 2023:
@Tim still blows my mind that you have more tries for ABs than Provincial team. Just shows how little NPC sees of All Blacks
Rok was one of the strangest examples of that. He had ~20 Tests before he made his NPC debut
Auckland debut in 2004 after playing for the ABs in 2003 & the early 2004 Tests
He scored 85 points in 2003 for the AB's and scored a total of 80 points for Auckland
