RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks
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Well I really think I have to rethink my opinion of a player, Jacobson I have called for to be there when needed, I still think he has real hard shoulder at tackle, but isn't probably hard enough in other parts of game.(I think it was why Vai'i was tried at 6) If you got him and Papali'i on field together there none who hammers hard at breakdown etc. I think Papali'i is nowhere near hard enough, and said it before. He to me is ok at 7 with a couple of hard nuts with him, but I not a huge fan. He the kind of player that probably has good stats, but how often do we see him making dominant tackles etc? Just an opinion, I think we need someone doing dirty work, why I prefer Cane, and why I believe Blackadder is coming as replacement. I wouldn't be surprised if Cane got injured, they will consider Blackadder at 7, he has played there enough.
Just an opinion, and could be miles off the correct reasoning. -
G’day mate, whatever people think of Jabobsen - he is still a loose forward and picked to perform as one.
Whoever thought Vaai was up to playing as a 6 in this match really needs to be questioned.
We have had a problem at 6 since Kaino retired and have had c.70 test matches in that time to find 2 suitable players who can do the job.
I know Frizzell was injured but to get to the point we’re we have to put a young inexperienced light lock (who plays 10kgs lighter than he actually is) in our starting lineup show we have completely squandered a chance develop quality and depth in a know problem position.
If Jacobsen can’t be trusted and we have to play the above player then I really question the point of bringing him in the first place.
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@TheMojoman said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@Windows97 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@nostrildamus said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
This is such an uplifting thread.
Poster A: The current ABs are crap.
Poster B: You forget, they have been crap before.Well the positives are...
- The game-plan worked for 40 minutes
- We have a lot of injured players to come back into the team - who will make a difference.
- We beat a lot a defenders and created opportunities (didn't capitalize on them unfortunately).
There are positives we can work on but man, two games in a row where our forward pack sort of disappeared. I am certain we can recover and beat Boks/Ireland in the qtrs but I'm not so confident we can win 3 big games in a row.
I'm going to (perhaps wishfully) give Fozzie a bit of credit for taking a professional approach to this RWC.
He let very few of his ABs play any significant time in the NPC. Most of our guys hadn't played any proper rugby for three or four weeks prior to the Jaapie game - and we looked it.
We looked better vs France, but still a fair way off the pace. Well short of the sort of physical effort we put in vs SA in the Rugby Championship.
Losing to France is a bit like losing to one of the top teams in Round 8 of Super Rugby - it's not going to have much bearing on outcomes five weeks hence.
We have to win three hard games - I reckon the stats suggest (and unfortunately for Fozzie's redemption) that each of NZ, Ireland, SA and France has about a 20% chance of winning the whole thing - with the remaining 20% shared between the rest.
I doubt anything significant has changed as a result of the France game. Pretty sure Fozzie had it on his list of "nice to have's", but he won't be losing sleep over that.
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@Chris-B I also think the Beauden/Mo'unga combo looked very promising in that first 40. Both were kicking well, and regularly winning kicking duels with the French, which is not something we've seen a lot from them.
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
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@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
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Two loses with record margins for two games in a row and are they are repeating failings at an alarming rate discipline, poor set-piece,basic errors, aimless kicking, aimless attack play.
That is what we have but that will not be a worry for Fozzie either. -
@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but
it's a good one.thats the one we gotFIFY
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@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
is no one else really nervous with the idea of targeting a QF as the expense of pool games, thats very much all our eggs in one basket and this team hasnt exactly convinced me they can win games just because they want to
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@Kiwiwomble said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
is no one else really nervous with the idea of targeting a QF as the expense of pool games, thats very much all our eggs in one basket and this team hasnt exactly convinced me they can win games just because they want to
Well you have to target QF, as that is it , you lose you out as we (well and all teams) have found in past.
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@Kiwiwomble said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
is no one else really nervous with the idea of targeting a QF as the expense of pool games, thats very much all our eggs in one basket and this team hasnt exactly convinced me they can win games just because they want to
Not even slightly - it's what I would do.
Fozzie's sole job is to win the World Cup. The best chance IMO is to solely target the play-offs, and use the pool games to build up. If that means losing to France, I'm prepared to wear it.
I refuse to entertain any prospect of losing to Italy - that's massive wet blanketry!
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@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
I refuse to entertain any prospect of losing to Italy - that's massive wet blanketry!
"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."
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@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
Powder dry for final?
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I haven't been able to post until now so I've had plenty of time to reflect on the game. I would say I went from being apathetic, to a bit excited and even optimistic, and then disappointed and back to apathetic.
That game pretty much defined the Foster era. The odd bit of brilliance, but mostly substandard execution, poor discipline, poor leadership, poor tactics, and zero ability to respond when under the pump. And that's a shame because there is actually so much potential here. If unleashed, that backline could carve the heart out of anyone. But it can't be unleashed without a platform being established by the forwards, and at times they were a complete shambles. Wtf was that pass from Taylor? MynameisGroot looked like a rabbit in headlights. And Vaa'i....good christ.
Mind you, the backs shouldn't be let off the hook. BB started really strongly then went back to kicking like a total bitch. ALB was farking Anton the anonymous, and Jordan was the definition of a headless chicken. He perhaps demonstrated why he shouldn't be the starting fullback. The less said of the Ginga the better.
Positives? Well I don't like him at 13 but Ioane was really good. Him and Talea were always dangerous despite not having not much to work with. Ardie was Ardie, and SB didn't get sent off. I also though Dalton P was very solid. And of course A Smith did the job. Cane and Jordie will be coming back and while I don't worship at the alter of Frizzell or Blackadder, both are preferable to poor Vaa'i.
While this team isn't a patch on McCaw and Co I really don't think we have a cattle problem. We have the players to win this thing. But I don't think we have the structure or, most importantly, the leadership to win. World Cup winners still win even when they're having an off day. When this team has an off day they get thumped and unfortunately that's more often than not.
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@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@TheMojoman said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@Windows97 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@nostrildamus said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
This is such an uplifting thread.
Poster A: The current ABs are crap.
Poster B: You forget, they have been crap before.Well the positives are...
- The game-plan worked for 40 minutes
- We have a lot of injured players to come back into the team - who will make a difference.
- We beat a lot a defenders and created opportunities (didn't capitalize on them unfortunately).
There are positives we can work on but man, two games in a row where our forward pack sort of disappeared. I am certain we can recover and beat Boks/Ireland in the qtrs but I'm not so confident we can win 3 big games in a row.
I'm going to (perhaps wishfully) give Fozzie a bit of credit for taking a professional approach to this RWC.
He let very few of his ABs play any significant time in the NPC. Most of our guys hadn't played any proper rugby for three or four weeks prior to the Jaapie game - and we looked it.
We looked better vs France, but still a fair way off the pace. Well short of the sort of physical effort we put in vs SA in the Rugby Championship.
Losing to France is a bit like losing to one of the top teams in Round 8 of Super Rugby - it's not going to have much bearing on outcomes five weeks hence.
We have to win three hard games - I reckon the stats suggest (and unfortunately for Fozzie's redemption) that each of NZ, Ireland, SA and France has about a 20% chance of winning the whole thing - with the remaining 20% shared between the rest.
I doubt anything significant has changed as a result of the France game. Pretty sure Fozzie had it on his list of "nice to have's", but he won't be losing sleep over that.
So lets say this is true, this is what ABs rugby has sunk to. Losing is ok as long as we win the big one. In less than four years NZRU and the rugby public have allowed this to sink into the fabric of ABs rugby. And probably the worst of all, other than Justin Marshall, no former ABs have come out expressed their hurt at Foster's reign. We're going to lose tests from time to time but the frequency, the manner, the opposition we lose to is just unacceptable. I'll ask again, at what point over the last 4 years has Foster given us any confidence at all the ABs will get passed the QF. Hell, I'd even question we'd get passed Wales or Fiji at this point.
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@Chris-B said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
@No-Quarter said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
Injuries have hurt us to date, but we have a series of easy games now to build some form and fitness into the quarter final, which is the match we have been targeting for a very long time. I'm still super amped for this comp and our chances!
I reckon that's the plan.
It might not work, but it's a good one.
It's the only plan left.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks:
I haven't been able to post until now so I've had plenty of time to reflect on the game. I would say I went from being apathetic, to a bit excited and even optimistic, and then disappointed and back to apathetic.
That game pretty much defined the Foster era. The odd bit of brilliance, but mostly substandard execution, poor discipline, poor leadership, poor tactics, and zero ability to respond when under the pump. And that's a shame because there is actually so much potential here. If unleashed, that backline could carve the heart out of anyone. But it can't be unleashed without a platform being established by the forwards, and at times they were a complete shambles. Wtf was that pass from Taylor? MynameisGroot looked like a rabbit in headlights. And Vaa'i....good christ.
Mind you, the backs shouldn't be let off the hook. BB started really strongly then went back to kicking like a total bitch. ALB was farking Anton the anonymous, and Jordan was the definition of a headless chicken. He perhaps demonstrated why he shouldn't be the starting fullback. The less said of the Ginga the better.
Positives? Well I don't like him at 13 but Ioane was really good. Him and Talea were always dangerous despite not having not much to work with. Ardie was Ardie, and SB didn't get sent off. I also though Dalton P was very solid. And of course A Smith did the job. Cane and Jordie will be coming back and while I don't worship at the alter of Frizzell or Blackadder, both are preferable to poor Vaa'i.
While this team isn't a patch on McCaw and Co I really don't think we have a cattle problem. We have the players to win this thing. But I don't think we have the structure or, most importantly, the leadership to win. World Cup winners still win even when they're having an off day. When this team has an off day they get thumped and unfortunately that's more often than not.
100%
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I'm sure it's been posted about a lot, but so many times when an NZ ball carrier made an extra metre or more, the cleanout was really late or non-existent. Gave France so much time over the ball. Apparently in the second half, France earned many times the turnovers we did.
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@Tim was obvious how poor we were in that regard, the Welsh and especially the Fijians were both light years better than us. We are slow as hell to get into the ruck and we don't commit enough numbers. We've gone from being unable to defend, committing more to the ruck, to committing less to the ruck and being too slow to get there. It's just crap all round. The biggest improvement in the RC was in the defense but it didn't show up our ruck as we weren't put under any real pressure in those games. The NH sides are going to rip us a new one and yeah I reckon we could lose to Italy unless they do something rapido to fix it. The work rate from our pack is awful and what do we expect when we have geriatrics at 4 & 5 who should have been put to pasture in 2019. There's no quick fix for this, that bird has flown.
