Japan v All Blacks
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Hear what you say, but I think things have changed radically in Test Rugby with coaching talent being distributed, stronger domestic competitions and some decent game development strategies being put in place - and we are now seeing the results of that.
"Easy" teams like Japan & Italy are no longer easy and the likes of Japan are starting to hold their own against the best teams in the world - esp. at home. If you look at that and consider the AB team was pretty much a scratch, inexperienced one, today's game and close result was pretty understandable (that doesn't mean the AB's played well - they didn't).
I want us to win every game going and smack the opposition off the park and yes, losing or playing badly hurts like hell. But there's also a little part of me which really likes the way the global game is growing, that countries like Japan are capable of giving the best Test countries a real scare and the game is putting down deep roots in new places.
And the best bit about today's game? There were 61,000 mainly Japanese fans at the stadium bringing their own unique style and atmosphere - and that's something I think is, in many ways, probably more important than the score sheet.
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@sparky said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Joans-Town-Jones He's in the Crusaders squad for 2023. I don't think he's played for England since 2020 so he might be eligible to switch.
Isn't it 3 years? Oh I guess next year...
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Interesting reading all the comments about Japan's relative standing in the game at present.
This Brave Blossoms side is currently not as good as the team that All Blacks belted in 2018 (with a junior squad) and likely won't make it out of their pool at next year's World Cup.
So I do think that it's a bit optimistic (for Kiwi supporters) to write off the poor performance as a product of facing a good Japan side. Sure, they tackled their hearts out - but a half decent NZ side should still have the won this match at a canter.
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@mariner4life Personally it is not for a lack of joy in my life just that my expectations for this team are lowered. It's become laughable really.
Yes the Japanese played well and absorbed a lot of pressure and are well coached. But we still get lost after 4 or 5 possessions and not gaining huge chunks of land that we expect to. We resort to poor kicking and almost like league, because it's the 6 set, we have a go in the backs. We are still not earning it up front. Maybe some signs of playing it more in the forwards but the halfback can ruin that plan.
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@MiketheSnow said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Im so downbeat about the Allblacks these days. I didn't get up to watch a game for the first time ever. And it seems I was right to skip it.
The team has no character and no characters. Empty shirts most of them.
Bleach blond highlights, frosted tips, mullets, red boots. You need to earn the right to look like that ala Nonu or Jerry Collins (I say half tongue in cheek, half serious).
We don't have a fly half in the squad for knockout test rugby.
Our captain is a hell of a warrior but the embers are burning out. He isn't the best in his spot and it is plain to see. Still love him though.Samisoni or bust....Coles and Taylor are miles off.
Vaii looked like a player who had very few minutes in the jersey. Worrying.
Perofeta will be eaten alive by NH teams.
ALB is a genuine centre, but he was vanilla in 2019 and is still vanilla but older now.
We know how knockout rugby at the RWC is reffed. We know what those games look like and how they feel. This team is not equipped for it. No chance.
Aside from the Allblacks , im even more downbeat about the state of the game. I think it is gone to the dogs. Cards every game. Im bored sick of it.
You feeling ok boy?
Not the match I watched. And thoroughly enjoyed.
And the cards will continue to be waved for as long as players are dumb, dirty or both.
Maybe im in bad form, Im not sure. 37 years old and losing my love for it. Don't like the coach, not a fan of a good chunk of the "starting" lineup and not too enthused about the youth coming through.
Most seasons gone by we would have a new Milner Skudder, Sivivatu, Smoking Joe to unleash on the world. It has all gone a bit meh, Samisoni aside.
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@Mr-Fish said in Japan v All Blacks:
Interesting reading all the comments about Japan's relative standing in the game at present.
This Brave Blossoms side is currently not as good as the team that All Blacks belted in 2018 (with a junior squad) and likely won't make it out of their pool at next year's World Cup.
So I do think that it's a bit optimistic (for Kiwi supporters) to write off the poor performance as a product of facing a good Japan side. Sure, they tackled their hearts out - but a half decent NZ side should still have the won this match at a canter.
Fully expect them to get belted at the World Cup. Not sure why they are being talked up so much.
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@mariner4life said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Stargazer nah man. I was entertained. Didn't think we were as bad as it's being painted, and thought Japan played as well as I have ever seen them play.
Good game.
And we scored some cool tries. Reece's was thr best AB set.move I've seen in years. Sotutus was the end of some power running. Ennors had some sick passing. Even Retallicks had a sweet variation on the ubiquitous wrap around.
Might even say the coaching was working
We are turning into Joe Schmidts Ireland. Only able to score off pre planned set piece moves yet utterly bereft of ideas in phase play.
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@Mr-Fish said in Japan v All Blacks:
Interesting reading all the comments about Japan's relative standing in the game at present.
This Brave Blossoms side is currently not as good as the team that All Blacks belted in 2018 (with a junior squad) and likely won't make it out of their pool at next year's World Cup.
So I do think that it's a bit optimistic (for Kiwi supporters) to write off the poor performance as a product of facing a good Japan side. Sure, they tackled their hearts out - but a half decent NZ side should still have the won this match at a canter.
Hard disagree that this Japanese team is worse than the 2018 team.
And I certainly think they're a chance against Argentina to make the quarters.
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@MiketheSnow said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Im so downbeat about the Allblacks these days. I didn't get up to watch a game for the first time ever. And it seems I was right to skip it.
The team has no character and no characters. Empty shirts most of them.
Bleach blond highlights, frosted tips, mullets, red boots. You need to earn the right to look like that ala Nonu or Jerry Collins (I say half tongue in cheek, half serious).
We don't have a fly half in the squad for knockout test rugby.
Our captain is a hell of a warrior but the embers are burning out. He isn't the best in his spot and it is plain to see. Still love him though.Samisoni or bust....Coles and Taylor are miles off.
Vaii looked like a player who had very few minutes in the jersey. Worrying.
Perofeta will be eaten alive by NH teams.
ALB is a genuine centre, but he was vanilla in 2019 and is still vanilla but older now.
We know how knockout rugby at the RWC is reffed. We know what those games look like and how they feel. This team is not equipped for it. No chance.
Aside from the Allblacks , im even more downbeat about the state of the game. I think it is gone to the dogs. Cards every game. Im bored sick of it.
You feeling ok boy?
Not the match I watched. And thoroughly enjoyed.
And the cards will continue to be waved for as long as players are dumb, dirty or both.
Im not defending Retallick by the way....Just saying if there are that many cards on a week to week basis, the players are not learning, or what is being asked of them is unrealistic. Akin to Bundee Aki's correct red against the Sharks im not exactly sure what part of the jackler him or Retallick are supposed to hit? Crocodile rolls are as bad, and many an ACL has been snapped by them. Dan Leavy and Jean de Villiers come to mind.
Some will say "they lost the contest, so stay out of the ruck". But that's not sport either is it? Maybe we shouldn't be putting jacklers in those positions in the first place. I know it was something Pocock was regularly fuming about. "how many cleans do you want me to survive ref" he once said to a ref (Barnes I think). Maybe no hands in the ruck at all, and you just have to drive over the ball and secure possession that way.
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@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
@MiketheSnow said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Im so downbeat about the Allblacks these days. I didn't get up to watch a game for the first time ever. And it seems I was right to skip it.
The team has no character and no characters. Empty shirts most of them.
Bleach blond highlights, frosted tips, mullets, red boots. You need to earn the right to look like that ala Nonu or Jerry Collins (I say half tongue in cheek, half serious).
We don't have a fly half in the squad for knockout test rugby.
Our captain is a hell of a warrior but the embers are burning out. He isn't the best in his spot and it is plain to see. Still love him though.Samisoni or bust....Coles and Taylor are miles off.
Vaii looked like a player who had very few minutes in the jersey. Worrying.
Perofeta will be eaten alive by NH teams.
ALB is a genuine centre, but he was vanilla in 2019 and is still vanilla but older now.
We know how knockout rugby at the RWC is reffed. We know what those games look like and how they feel. This team is not equipped for it. No chance.
Aside from the Allblacks , im even more downbeat about the state of the game. I think it is gone to the dogs. Cards every game. Im bored sick of it.
You feeling ok boy?
Not the match I watched. And thoroughly enjoyed.
And the cards will continue to be waved for as long as players are dumb, dirty or both.
Im not defending Retallick by the way....Just saying if there are that many cards on a week to week basis, the players are not learning, or what is being asked of them is unrealistic. Akin to Bundee Aki's correct red against the Sharks im not exactly sure what part of the jackler him or Retallick are supposed to hit? Crocodile rolls are as bad, and many an ACL has been snapped by them. Dan Leavy and Jean de Villiers come to mind.
Some will say "they lost the contest, so stay out of the ruck". But that's not sport either is it? Maybe we shouldn't be putting jacklers in those positions in the first place. I know it was something Pocock was regularly fuming about. "how many cleans do you want me to survive ref" he once said to a ref (Barnes I think). Maybe no hands in the ruck at all, and you just have to drive over the ball and secure possession that way.
It was lost
Reset for next contest
Dumb and cheap
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This post is deleted!
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@MiketheSnow said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
@MiketheSnow said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Im so downbeat about the Allblacks these days. I didn't get up to watch a game for the first time ever. And it seems I was right to skip it.
The team has no character and no characters. Empty shirts most of them.
Bleach blond highlights, frosted tips, mullets, red boots. You need to earn the right to look like that ala Nonu or Jerry Collins (I say half tongue in cheek, half serious).
We don't have a fly half in the squad for knockout test rugby.
Our captain is a hell of a warrior but the embers are burning out. He isn't the best in his spot and it is plain to see. Still love him though.Samisoni or bust....Coles and Taylor are miles off.
Vaii looked like a player who had very few minutes in the jersey. Worrying.
Perofeta will be eaten alive by NH teams.
ALB is a genuine centre, but he was vanilla in 2019 and is still vanilla but older now.
We know how knockout rugby at the RWC is reffed. We know what those games look like and how they feel. This team is not equipped for it. No chance.
Aside from the Allblacks , im even more downbeat about the state of the game. I think it is gone to the dogs. Cards every game. Im bored sick of it.
You feeling ok boy?
Not the match I watched. And thoroughly enjoyed.
And the cards will continue to be waved for as long as players are dumb, dirty or both.
Im not defending Retallick by the way....Just saying if there are that many cards on a week to week basis, the players are not learning, or what is being asked of them is unrealistic. Akin to Bundee Aki's correct red against the Sharks im not exactly sure what part of the jackler him or Retallick are supposed to hit? Crocodile rolls are as bad, and many an ACL has been snapped by them. Dan Leavy and Jean de Villiers come to mind.
Some will say "they lost the contest, so stay out of the ruck". But that's not sport either is it? Maybe we shouldn't be putting jacklers in those positions in the first place. I know it was something Pocock was regularly fuming about. "how many cleans do you want me to survive ref" he once said to a ref (Barnes I think). Maybe no hands in the ruck at all, and you just have to drive over the ball and secure possession that way.
It was lost
Reset for next contest
Dumb and cheap
But its not lost until it is lost....you know what I mean? There is no contest then. So either both teams must drive over the ball or we have our current situation of jacklers surviving missiles from the other team which sometimes get punished and sometimes don't.
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@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Mr-Fish said in Japan v All Blacks:
Interesting reading all the comments about Japan's relative standing in the game at present.
This Brave Blossoms side is currently not as good as the team that All Blacks belted in 2018 (with a junior squad) and likely won't make it out of their pool at next year's World Cup.
So I do think that it's a bit optimistic (for Kiwi supporters) to write off the poor performance as a product of facing a good Japan side. Sure, they tackled their hearts out - but a half decent NZ side should still have the won this match at a canter.
Fully expect them to get belted at the World Cup. Not sure why they are being talked up so much.
If you'd asked me 3 months ago I'd have agreed 100%.
But now? We seem to have some momentum and that's really important and I'm a heck of lot more optimistic, though the next 4 weeks will be a better indicator.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Mr-Fish said in Japan v All Blacks:
Interesting reading all the comments about Japan's relative standing in the game at present.
This Brave Blossoms side is currently not as good as the team that All Blacks belted in 2018 (with a junior squad) and likely won't make it out of their pool at next year's World Cup.
So I do think that it's a bit optimistic (for Kiwi supporters) to write off the poor performance as a product of facing a good Japan side. Sure, they tackled their hearts out - but a half decent NZ side should still have the won this match at a canter.
Fully expect them to get belted at the World Cup. Not sure why they are being talked up so much.
If you'd asked me 3 months ago I'd have agreed 100%.
But now? We seem to have some momentum and that's really important and I'm a heck of lot more optimistic, though the next 4 weeks will be a better indicator.
Im on about Japan.
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@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Maybe im in bad form, Im not sure. 37 years old and losing my love for it.
thread disruption, but I'm with @Steve in losing my passion for the game. The top level is plain ugly - refs standing around looking at big screens, poor TMO decisions, random cards for head contact and a judiciary lottery. There's some good stuff going on at times, but damned if it isn't hard watching.
the big concern is how do you attract new people to the sport? It's not accessible, and even seasoned watchers start wondering about interpretation changes they missed with the refereeing.
Defence is our achilles heel, and conceding stupid red cards.
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@nzzp said in Japan v All Blacks:
@Steve said in Japan v All Blacks:
Maybe im in bad form, Im not sure. 37 years old and losing my love for it.
Defence is our achilles heel, and conceding stupid red cards.
Blame the man (& coach) not the game
