All Blacks 2023
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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.
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@friedrugby said in All Blacks 2023:
@Kiwiwomble I think it is hilairous that we got dumped out the World Cup four years ago, largely because we picked a lock on the blindside (S Barrett) and a first five at fullback (B Barrett) and four years later we look set to do the same thing all over again expecting a different outcome.
I agree 100%.
It has to be Jordan or Stevenson at FB.
We can’t repeat the mistakes of 2019.
Beaudy doesn’t score tries anymore and we can’t have an Allblack fullback who doesn’t score tries.
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
We can’t repeat the mistakes of 2019.
Or even, perhaps, the mistakes of '99 when we played a Fullback in the midfield...
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
We can’t repeat the mistakes of 2019.
Or even, perhaps, the mistakes of '99 when we played a Fullback in the midfield...
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
We can’t repeat the mistakes of 2019.
Or even, perhaps, the mistakes of '99 when we played a Fullback in the midfield...
Broke my fucking heart......
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Broke my fucking heart......
You don't know what pain is. I was in Cardiff for the 2007 QF.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Broke my fucking heart......
You don't know what pain is. I was in Cardiff for the 2007 QF.
I have a vague memory of being there as well, though I’m still hoping it’s a dream.
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@scribe said in All Blacks 2023:
I have a vague memory of being there as well, though I’m still hoping it’s a dream.
"vague memory" ?
You lucky bastard.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Broke my fucking heart......
You don't know what pain is. I was in Cardiff for the 2007 QF.
Barnes didn't see one penalty infringement from France in the last 50 odd minutes in that game.
Truly remarkable given how pedantic he has gone on to become.
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Broke my fucking heart......
You don't know what pain is. I was in Cardiff for the 2007 QF.
Barnes didn't see one penalty infringement from France in the last 50 odd minutes in that game.
Truly remarkable given how pedantic he has gone on to become.
I don't think he has become pedantic. He's actually quite a good ref now (except he saves up errors for one big brain fart decision a game).
He simply wasn't ready to ref a game of that magnitude at the time and he's not to blame for his selection.
His main trait that he has never really fixed is that he gets in the way of play quite a bit. Whether that is simple positioning or poor 'feel' for the game I'm not sure but he really does seem to get into tangles more than others. -
@Victor-Meldrew Twickenham 99 was like a funeral procession back to the train...
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Broke my fucking heart......
You don't know what pain is. I was in Cardiff for the 2007 QF.
me too, had had a few great nights in cardiff after AB's games....not that night, copped a bit of flak from the locals too which was a surprise
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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.
Who knows - but, can't really see how he makes it.
He fell behind Christie last year and by the end of the EOYT Christie seemed to have fallen behind TJ (at least).
This year, Roigard has looked made for test rugby, so I want him. Folau has been caught behind Smith, and has had to make a lot of play himself - so less chance to impress as a test halfback.
If Fozzie picks Roigard and Folau, he'd have 40 minutes of test experience between them. Doesn't seem a good idea.
I guess if last year is a guide, Christie will get picked over Weber - so AS, FC, CR - but, I wouldn't put the house on it!
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@Chris-B in fairness he fell behind christie because he was injured, if we want someone that plays like a young smith (not quite as good) then his protege is what you want
in saying that roigard does look the goods
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@Kiwiwomble Was he injured for TRC? My memory is he got injured just before the EOYT?
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@Chris-B true although i didn't think he had been surpassed during the RC so much as they were testing options
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@Kiwiwomble I think Aaron started them all and Finlay was on the bench for all, so I think FC might have the inside track.
That being said, it looked to me that TJP had slipped into second spot at the end of last year, so if he can get some games under his belt before they name the RWC squad, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him picked then.
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At this moment, Smith is locked in as the starting 9, but the rest is anyone's guess. From memory, Weber and TJP had a bit of have a go between the As and Bs whilst Christie was parked in the stands because he wasn't quite up to scratch. My guess is one of Fakatava and Roigard will be in the 36-man squad, because Perenara won't be fit yet... could well be that there is four halfbacks, because my thinking is that the three positions will be a loose forward/lock, a prop and a miscellaneous back.
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@friedrugby said in All Blacks 2023:
At this moment, Smith is locked in as the starting 9, but the rest is anyone's guess. From memory, Weber and TJP had a bit of have a go between the As and Bs whilst Christie was parked in the stands because he wasn't quite up to scratch. My guess is one of Fakatava and Roigard will be in the 36-man squad, because Perenara won't be fit yet... could well be that there is four halfbacks, because my thinking is that the three positions will be a loose forward/lock, a prop and a miscellaneous back.
What seems logical to me (and therefore is probably well off the mark) is that you have your first choice halfback that you plan around (Smith), someone with a similar style as understudy (so you don't have to change if an injury happens) and someone that is a specialist sub.
In my mind that sub brings a point of difference so that the on field picture changes. That sub is ideally a territory gainer (good kick) a good defender AND (if behind) a runner that can identify weak tiring defenders and target them.
In the past we have had TJP and TKB in that role. Roigard seems to be the current option. Great boot, solid defender, eye for a chance, excellent support runner.
That understudy job will go to either of Weber or Christie. Both have their ups and downs but are the closest we have to a fast recycling, passing halfback. I don't think there's much in the decision.
I would be a bit disappointed if we took three and they were Smith, Christie and Weber.
Fakatava hasn't really shown a decent kicking game and probably hasn't had much opportunity recently to show much of support running. Not out of the picture by a long shot but probably hampered by being at the Highlanders.
