All Blacks 2024
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
gone are the days of a soft tune up via Fiji or Samoa. And when a tour that had a trip to Ireland or Wales was a bit of a doddle. There are so many good teams now, anyone in the top 10 and you have to take it seriously.
Lots of games on the road this year as well
Couldn’t agree with you more mate.
It also proves the point that rugby is certainly not dying. As much as some people wish it was.
while i am not enamored with the on-field product most of the time, test rugby has literally never been better. There are so many good teams, and they all play a different style. Winning lots and lots gets harder every year.
There is plenty from on field that could (and I’m sure it does) turn even ardent fans away. It’s genuinely hard to watch 80 minutes of test footy without being frustrated, dismayed and bewildered by what we see.
With all that though, the levelling out of the international game has resulted in greater interest and an attitude of ‘every test counts’. That comes greater pressure and scrutiny on players, coaches, refs, administrators that the game hasn’t seen before. With that pressure the margin for error is so small.
What lies ahead for the ABs this year looks to be a pretty tough road so blooding new unproven test players will be a challenge. But there will be pressure to start afresh and use this year to get see what a crop of younger players could do.
But if combinations don’t click and results don’t come that pressure will start to mount rightly or wrongly.
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@ACT-Crusader Dunno, under GH you could see what they were trying to do and the progression towards that. GH made some horrendous errors, like trying to avoid lineouts vs the 2009 Boks, but you could see how the "issues" were addressed. So the public were more understanding (at times....) It has been the lack of progression and innovation that has frustrated and confused AB fans in recent years.
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Bloody hell the Razor defenders are out in force before he's even coached a test. I'd say a loss to England at home and two loses to SA on the road will have him on the path to receiving the same level of vitriol that Fozzie got. Razor is about to find out that you can't lose games as AB coach, even if you win all the trophies bar one like Fozzie did.
Is that fair? No, the international game has absolutely leveled out but that didn't save Fozzie and won't save Razor either.
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@No-Quarter lol "i just hope everyone has fun"
Maybe the real KPI was the friends we made along the way
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Bloody hell the Razor defenders are out in force before he's even coached a test. I'd say a loss to England at home and two loses to SA on the road will have him on the path to receiving the same level of vitriol that Fozzie got. Razor is about to find out that you can't lose games as AB coach, even if you win all the trophies bar one like Fozzie did.
Is that fair? No, the international game has absolutely leveled out but that didn't save Fozzie and won't save Razor either.
12 years as an AB coach, not sure it was about saving, but rather time to move on and start anew
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@ACT-Crusader Dunno, under GH you could see what they were trying to do and the progression towards that. GH made some horrendous errors, like trying to avoid lineouts vs the 2009 Boks, but you could see how the "issues" were addressed. So the public were more understanding (at times....) It has been the lack of progression and innovation that has frustrated and confused AB fans in recent years.
Not sure I agree with your view of that time.
No doubt it did come together eventually but I do remember a good period when our forwards seem to have lost their way. People were scathing especially about Hansen. I’m sure “FGH” started around that time too…There was a shake up within the coaching assignments and new ideas and things were tried. There were personnel changes too.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Given this era of red and yellow cards, I'd say 11-4 would be a pass mark - anything better will be pretty good.
That's a win ratio of less than 75%.
Depends on the context of the losses, of course, but if Robertson slips 4 games there will be serious questions asked - esp. after the hype.
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I genuinely can't think of or have a pass mark. As @mariner4life points out the competition in test rugby has probably never been better. Ok we want to win everything, but we don't anymore, noone really does. I would take more notice of how team plays, and it's great!
And it even shows in my life, I going away overseas later in year, will miss 2 Bledisloe tests, but not to worried as I really think the ABs have a lot better/hard tests to play this year and will catch all them , at least on tv!! -
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Have just been told the All Blacks will be holding a mini style camp on Wednesday(obviously minus the players in the teams in the final) for 2 or 3 days. It will be interesting to see if those who are attending will be announced/shown to the public.
Following up on my earlier message for anyone that is interested.
The camp is being held in Wellington. Read into that what you like…
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@Landers92 Wellington is where they store the barrels of dry powder
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@Windows97 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Windows97 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
It's quite funny how we've gone from a complete lack of depth at 8 to now overflowing. I'd be very tempted to put Savea back to 7 and give Sotutu and Sititi a go - they've both really deserved it.
Finau - Savea - Sotutu/Sititi has a lot of power to it. It's a bit tough on Papps but it's an excitng combination.
When did we have a complete lack of depth at No 8?
Read was always a permanent fixture leading up to 2019 and since then we've had Savea, Jacobson and Sotutu all playing well (at Super Rugby level).
At the start of the year we Savea oversea's, Sotutu was someone who hadn't lived up to his potential and Sititi was completly unknown. Not exactly flush with depth.
It was wide open for someone to put their hand up as a 8, thankfully Sotutu and Sititi have done that this year.
Sotutu hasn't lived up the hype now any more than he had at the start of the year. If anything, he's got even more hype around him. He's always been a good player for the Blues, particularly in the last couple of years. Whether he can carry that into the Test season is anyone's guess (as it was last year and the hear before).
I'd say the hype around Sititi is even worse at the moment. He's had one great game against the Hurricanes and one great game against Moana Pasifika. Otherwise, he's failed to replicate that similar form in the games in between. He could absolutely become a Test great but it's not like he's had an absolutely standout season for the Chiefs, just a few great games (one in a semi-final when the world is watching).
The Super Rugby sides haven't struggled for top number 8s and while the All Blacks might have lacked depth, I wouldn't say anything's changed this year on that front - a few guys with great potential but still no one really proven to back up Savea.
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A few names below of Hurricanes boys who have have had calls to attend the 3 day camp.
Billy Proctor, Ruben Love, Peter Lakai, Asafo Aumua, Brayden Iose, Brett Cameron, TJ Perenara and Jordy Barrett. Quite possible there’s more but that’s the only oil I have for now.
Starting losing your minds over Brett Cameron in 3,2,1…… go!
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You can't get away from the fact Razor was ignored after winning a truckload of SR titles while the ABs had a selection process and gameplan like a dogs dinner.
Meanwhile we find out the Silver lake deal hasn't been as profitable as hoped. Equity dilution ludicrous.
I'm hopeful this year will be different as NZR haven't been up to it. -
@Landers92 Not worried about Cameron being there, every chance he will be there or thereabouts for the AB vx later in year?
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Given this era of red and yellow cards, I'd say 11-4 would be a pass mark - anything better will be pretty good.
That's a win ratio of less than 75%.
Depends on the context of the losses, of course, but if Robertson slips 4 games there will be serious questions asked - esp. after the hype.
Actually it's a bit worse, because we're only playing 14 games - so 10-4 for my pass mark.
It's a tough schedule in a rebuilding year and I expect us to get dudded by cards/refs in at least one game.
I can't really take the hype into consideration - just go with what I think is reasonable.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
A few names below of Hurricanes boys who have have had calls to attend the 3 day camp.
Billy Proctor, Ruben Love, Peter Lakai, Asafo Aumua, Brayden Iose, Brett Cameron, TJ Perenara and Jordy Barrett. Quite possible there’s more but that’s the only oil I have for now.
Starting losing your minds over Brett Cameron in 3,2,1…… go!
9 crusaders also attending that camp I believe it includes extended squad members who may not be in the 32 come Next Monday.
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Geez I hope Leon wasn't serious on Breakdown in saying the AB squad of 32 has been picked for some time. Quite novel and ingenious to ignore form in finals matches.
What an auspicious way to start a new regime! Brett Cameron and TJP will be grateful.There was a final selection meeting held in ChCh the week before the Semi Finals so I heard.
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Landers92 Not worried about Cameron being there, every chance he will be there or thereabouts for the AB vx later in year?
Very likely.
Was more just a joke in reference to the game thread for the semi final on Saturday night haha
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@ARHS said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Geez I hope Leon wasn't serious on Breakdown in saying the AB squad of 32 has been picked for some time. Quite novel and ingenious to ignore form in finals matches.
What an auspicious way to start a new regime! Brett Cameron and TJP will be grateful.There was a final selection meeting held in ChCh the week before the Semi Finals so I heard.
Huh, well there you go. Finals rugby is really no consideration for selection when the crusaders aren't involved.
