All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II
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Hospital pass for Razor next year without Smith, Whitelock, Retallick, you would have to say. As to Christie, the question has to be asked again. What do they see in him?
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
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@JayCee said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Not one of ST's finest games, lineout throwing was wonky and was quiet around the field. Don't remember any dominate pick and goes from him.
He doesn't seem as physically dynamic and impactful as he did earlier in his career, perhaps he is being worked out better by the opposition?
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
Yeah, his anticipation is second to none, you almost never see him running/jogging to a ruck where the ball is already being presented.
Still, thought McKenzie had a bit of a mare. Crap attacking kick option, needlessly kicked dead once, shit defense on Hooper.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
I will counter by saying, I'm not sure that is as much of a criticism of Christie as it is a praise of Smith. Nobody in the world offers the speed and consistency and service he does - not even Dupont. In that regard, he is the best.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
The time from the player tackled to pass away was halved with Smith, it was that obvious.
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@frugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
I will counter by saying, I'm not sure that is as much of a criticism of Christie as it is a praise of Smith. Nobody in the world offers the speed and consistency and service he does - not even Dupont. In that regard, he is the best.
Nah man, Christie was slow to get there and then compounded that by being slow to make a poor decision. Which leads to things like props throwing the ball to no one.
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@His-Bobness That is why he is probably trying to change rules to allow offshore selection. RM will be the first he calls on if he gets it through.
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@frugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
I will counter by saying, I'm not sure that is as much of a criticism of Christie as it is a praise of Smith. Nobody in the world offers the speed and consistency and service he does - not even Dupont. In that regard, he is the best.
Yes but no one else in the ABs radar (Weber, Roigard, TJ, Fakatava) is twice as slow as Smith. Fakatava is almost as fast, as is Roigard, with Weber and TJ slower. Christie is so slow, and really doesn't have that knowing where the ruck is going to be awareness, so arrives late. decides slowly, clears slowly. Obviously he's still good, but not ABs good.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@frugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
I will counter by saying, I'm not sure that is as much of a criticism of Christie as it is a praise of Smith. Nobody in the world offers the speed and consistency and service he does - not even Dupont. In that regard, he is the best.
Nah man, Christie was slow to get there and then compounded that by being slow to make a poor decision. Which leads to things like props throwing the ball to no one.
Find me a halfback with something even close to the speed of delivery of Smith. Weber is probably the nearest, but even then it is a noticeable drop.
Not to say Roigard and Fakatava aren't really good, but they aren't close to Smith when it comes to speed of delivery.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
By the end of the game it was very hard for me to watch the other players, his ability to not just get to but predict accurately where every ruck and breakdown was about to happen and position himself was like a free masterclass. We have been very lucky to have Aaron Smith in the All Blacks.
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@Tordah said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Still, thought McKenzie had a bit of a mare. Crap attacking kick option, needlessly kicked dead once, shit defense on McReight.
His insistence on playing out from deep looked to me like he was playing what he'd been told. An uncomfortable game plan combined with crap ball could throw anyone. I'd have been throwing the ball at the coach, it's pretty unfair.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Tordah said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Still, thought McKenzie had a bit of a mare. Crap attacking kick option, needlessly kicked dead once, shit defense on McReight.
His insistence on playing out from deep looked to me like he was playing what he'd been told. An uncomfortable game plan combined with crap ball could throw anyone. I'd have been throwing the ball at the coach, it's pretty unfair.
Yes because that earlier game where he was playing flat he was a different player. I wonder if they were trying something out or they just don't think Christie can handle passing to a flat 10?
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@frugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@frugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Australia - Bledisloe II:
Its speed of clearance and decision making
The first period of play when Smith came on made it the most evident. Was just bang bang bang. Smith was at every breakdown before it even happened and just feeding players. Those 2-3 seconds are huge when you're trying to hit lines or runners
I will counter by saying, I'm not sure that is as much of a criticism of Christie as it is a praise of Smith. Nobody in the world offers the speed and consistency and service he does - not even Dupont. In that regard, he is the best.
Nah man, Christie was slow to get there and then compounded that by being slow to make a poor decision. Which leads to things like props throwing the ball to no one.
Find me a halfback with something even close to the speed of delivery of Smith. Weber is probably the nearest, but even then it is a noticeable drop.
Not to say Roigard and Fakatava aren't really good, but they aren't close to Smith when it comes to speed of delivery.
It's not about being Smith good, it's about being halfback good.
At least pick one of the 3 facets there to get right - arrival, distribution or decision making.
Not tackling.
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Seems to me Lomax, De Groot are our top two, Newell and WIlliams (in that order) have potential, Laulala is back in the rear, not sure exactly where I'd put Ofa, doesn't really stand out anywhere but didn't make obvious errors to me either..
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Is Finau really challenging Shannon? I'd imagine Shannon shades him in the lineouts (as that is "apparently" a perceived strength) but Finau looks more physical. If Jacobson is the clear utility backup, that makes things even harder for Akira (also a 6/8).
