All Blacks 2023
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@friedrugby said in All Blacks 2023:
I personally think Frizell has been superior, because when he has his good games, he does the hard yards. Akira Ioane never has and never will. Does it against the Aussies, goes missing versus the Boks.
My candidate for hyperbole of the year award! And you do realize "never has" means he can't have done it against the Aussies?
Oh well I will leave you to the Blues fans on the above but I will ask this question:
Three of the six loose forwards will be Cane, Savea & Papalii. I think despite his great form, that probably rules out Harmon, because it would be a bizarre balance.
How many times has Foster and co. worried about loosie balance?
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2023:
.they also said someone had dropped to 100%
Yes dropped from 100% in the squad and starting, to 100% in the squad but not starting. It is also focussed on the weekend just gone's performance. It's not tricky
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@Machpants tricky enough i missed it i guess i just find it a bit silly, anyone saying anything is 100% when they dont actually have any influence over it, its just an opinion piece dolled up to look like facts
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bones So sports forums, by your definition, are repetitive?
Bang goes the illusion you even have a spreadsheet of my posts.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2023:
I think his only real weakness at hte moment is his ongoing propensity to run upright. He had success at lower levels doing it, but it's a terrible habit for higher honours.
That said, he's had storming games in black; MOTM on more than one occasion, but you wouldn't know it with the blinders some folk wear.
Yep. He's come along hugely in the last 2-3 years and his propensity for dickheadedness has almost vanished. He's clearly worked hard so credit to him and the coaching team for that. Some of his D this year has been fantastic.
If there's any criticism it's that he he seems to go off the boil at times in Tests and you get the sense can still lose his composure at times.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
you get the sense can still lose his composure at times.
I think it's maybe a hangover from his "bad" years. I'd thought he'd been starting to get niggly again, but there's a lot less handbags and seems to be more measured - he's not half as bad as Coles anyway.
As soon as I see him scruffing someone's hair though, I'm raising my scope.
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I am not convinced by Lio-Willie. Big workrate but not big enough physically if you have to face the French or SA loose forwards, especially when you already have two smallish (Cane and Savea) players.
I am not convinced either by Scott Barrett playing with the 6 jersey, as Iose showed it two weeks ago. -
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bovidae I reckon he will be. Fozzie happily picked two rookies last year.
My main question mark is Christie or Weber?
Is Folau out of the equation?
I reckon it will be the hardest decision. I hope Roigard because he’s an abrasive type and whilst not the finished product, he has all the ingredients. But taking a rookie has some risk.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2023:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bovidae I reckon he will be. Fozzie happily picked two rookies last year.
My main question mark is Christie or Weber?
Is Folau out of the equation?
I reckon it will be the hardest decision. I hope Roigard because he’s an abrasive type and whilst not the finished product, he has all the ingredients. But taking a rookie has some risk.
That's why you select Roigard and give him some tests before the RWC. Need to see if he can handle test match footy. See NMS 2015.
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@KiwiMurph Nehe is a bit of an outlier though. Plus wing and halfback are very different propositions when going into a RWC given how the majority of knock out footy is played. Pressure on all players to perform but the halfbacks role is where you need a bit of nous and experience given so much relies on them.
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@ACT-Crusader Folau only has 2 tests so far anyway and Roigard started all year for Canes and played well in a knockout game vs Brumbies.
As a Blues fan Christie scares the hell out of me so they are going to have to go with someone.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:
On locks - was really impressed with Lord last week. Really hope he can stay injury free, was like a young Brodie!
Lord will be a Chiefs starter next season but I'd be surprised if he makes the RWC squad if all locks are fit. Next year though...
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:
On locks - was really impressed with Lord last week. Really hope he can stay injury free, was like a young Brodie!
Lord will be a Chiefs starter next season but I'd be surprised if he makes the RWC squad if all locks are fit. Next year though...
I think he's already better than Tupou Vaa'i and has a far higher ceiling. If he can stay injury free over the next few weeks, I would much rather see him selected for the RWC than Vaa'i.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:
On locks - was really impressed with Lord last week. Really hope he can stay injury free, was like a young Brodie!
Lord will be a Chiefs starter next season but I'd be surprised if he makes the RWC squad if all locks are fit. Next year though...
I can see us with 5 locks, with Barrett covering 6.