All Blacks 2024
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@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
whenever he's been in career-best form in the past he's not transferred that to Test rugby and the selectors never trusted him against the bigger teams, so not sure what exactly has changed
this argument gets thrown around about a lot of players, and i think it is really unfair.
A lot of the "fringe" guys over the past couple of years have only been given sporadic opportunities, often after playing nothing for an extended period of time. A guy like Sotutu might get a game here or there at best, because the last coaching group, rightly or wrongly, played the same guys when ever they are available (not unreasonable given tests are about winning, and there was often nice spacing of games). Vaai is in teh same boat, at best he's the fourth lock, so he doesn't exactly get a lot of shots at it.
Only the very very best arrive in test rugby and instantly look to the manor born. Most need time to work it out. So many guys, especially in certain positions, just never get that time, and get written off for it.
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Sotutu also has a the problem of being a specialist. He's one of the few loosies in NZ that genuinely only plays one position. He doesn't even get moved late in games
That counts against him if he's not a starter. It's more disruptive to fit a guy like that on the bench.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Mr-Fish Lakai at 10%, you're kidding right. He's well in the frame.
I have him at 50%?
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@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Mr-Fish Lakai at 10%, you're kidding right. He's well in the frame.
I have him at 50%?
dude, it's caners, anything less than 300% is a mortal insult that can only be rectified with a duel
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@Mr-Fish I'd switch Lio-Willie and Lakai around. The only reason Lio-Willie is really in the conversation is because he's a Crusader. Realistically Jacobsen, Lakai and Iose should have more of a chance of making it on form, especially now Ioane is leaving.
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Jimmy Tupou haha. Shows the benefit of being in a winning team eh. A 31-yead-old battler and gets a mention. Give me our big boy Oli Haig anytime.
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Shows the benefit of being in a winning team eh
bro didn't Frizzell the lessor get the 6 jersey from your bench?
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Shows the benefit of being in a winning team eh
bro didn't Frizzell the lessor get the 6 jersey from your bench?
Was an incumbent already though. He did come good at the World Cup too
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Mr-Fish I'd switch Lio-Willie and Lakai around. The only reason Lio-Willie is really in the conversation is because he's a Crusader.
That's not accurate. He's been the form Saders loose forward this season by some distance. The problem he faces is the same as Sotutu that @Duluth mentioned - he's a specialist that needs to demand selection. He hasn't been as good as Sotutu so...
Realistically Jacobsen, Lakai and Iose should have more of a chance of making it on form, especially now Ioane is leaving.
Finau is the standout blindside who'll be here next year.
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@antipodean Lio-Willie has been inconsistent, he's had some great games this year mixed in with a few shitters. He's an AB XV player for me because he hasn't been as good as either Sotutu or Iose.
Finau is 100% in for me, he's our only genuine 6 option, just hope he starts showing that ruthless defence on bigger players rather than small tens.
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Shows the benefit of being in a winning team eh
bro didn't Frizzell the lessor get the 6 jersey from your bench?
Was an incumbent already though. He did come good at the World Cup too
Pretty sure Frizell made the ABs from the Highlanders bench in first year - i.e. before he was an incumbent.
Not sure getting carded early in the World Cup Final is 'coming good'
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@KiwiMurph he did..."from the bench" slightly over simplifies things as theyer were mainly rotating through loosies opponent specific, but yea, he wasnt the regular starter at 6 when he made the AB's
...and not sure i agree he came good either, 1.5 good games isnt a good strike rate
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@Canes4life I'm not suggesting Lio-Willie should bee in the AB squad, merely he was easily thier best, with Christie second. Christie is too limited IMO unless the coaches want a terrier on the field.
If I was picking, Lakai would easily get in the squad, as would Finau. Just depends on how many loose forwards they want. Two dedicated 8s, two 7s, a six and a 6/8 ?
Ardie Savea - 100%
Hoskins Sotutu - 100%
Dalton Papali'i - 100%
Peter Lakai - 100%
Samipeni Finau - 100%
Ethan Blackadder - 100% (if fit)
Luke Jacobson - 40%
Christian Lio-Willie - 10% -
@antipodean you missed 1
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Shows the benefit of being in a winning team eh
bro didn't Frizzell the lessor get the 6 jersey from your bench?
Was an incumbent already though. He did come good at the World Cup too
Pretty sure Frizell made the ABs from the Highlanders bench in first year - i.e. before he was an incumbent.
Not sure getting carded early in the World Cup Final is 'coming good'
Hey, he made one tackle and a few runs for less than 20m - Star!
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To put it another way, the only difference in World Cup final stats between me and Shannon Frizzell is a single tackle. I'm doing okay
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life I'm not suggesting Lio-Willie should bee in the AB squad, merely he was easily thier best, with Christie second. Christie is too limited IMO unless the coaches want a terrier on the field.
If I was picking, Lakai would easily get in the squad, as would Finau. Just depends on how many loose forwards they want. Two dedicated 8s, two 7s, a six and a 6/8 ?
Ardie Savea - 100%
Hoskins Sotutu - 100%
Dalton Papali'i - 100%
Peter Lakai - 100%
Samipeni Finau - 100%
Ethan Blackadder - 100% (if fit)
Luke Jacobson - 40%
Christian Lio-Willie - 10%I agree, Lio-Willie was the Crusader's best loose forward this year and will be in the frame in the future.
