All Blacks 2024
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A journo looks at the stats and attempts to figure out the Sotutu omission
All Blacks: The telling stats that provide clarity to Hoskins Sotutu's snub
Blues star Hoskins Sotutu was a major omission from Scott Robertson's first All Blacks squad of the year after a brilliant Super Rugby Pacific season.
EDIT: and ignore the click bait headline (headline editors are fluffybunnies) it is a bit more thoughtful than SOTUTU SHIT AT THIS ZOMFG
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Oh gee here's Dan telling us he agrees with the selectors and everything is awesome
They wrote the Lego movie about you Dan
Sorry did I miss the bit where it's compulsary to know more than the selectors. Big deal I like the team they picked and I say so. Some like to say how clever they are and they know more, hell I know my limitations.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
So just to be clear: The team that couldn't make a finals series of top eight in a 12 team competition has more All Blacks than the team that won?
They won how many in a row?
All the crusaders haven't turned to poo because their coach has.
(Not supporting the Bell pick though)
So form means nothing. Got it.
Only if last year you wanted the ABs to be largely Crusaders, by your same logic.
A couple of Blues had very ordinary form in super last year but were still picked. Now it's the crusaders turn.
Nepo Laulala
Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Dalton Papali’i
Finlay Christie
Beauden Barrett
Rieko Ioane
Caleb Clarke
Mark TeleaWhich of those had a legitimately better player miss out? Keep in mind I think Laulala offered zero outside of his scrummaging, but if you wanted a rock in that regard I could see why he was picked.
I would not have ever picked Finlay Christie for the RWC. Nor would half the Fern
Caleb Clarke could consider himself lucky last year, and I thought there were better at the time. He was running powerfully, but his defence remains awful.
I wouldn't pick Beauden Barrett either, then or now. If are talking about people getting in because of their history, then he's top of the list -- more so than any of the veteran Crusaders.
People are getting worked up about Bell, but if the choice is the small and 29 year old Riccitelli, then really? Is RR the future?
The only bad home pick, in my opinion, is Blackadder, who I don't rate and is always broken anyway.
I think in your comment on half the Fern wouldn't pick Christie may some uo why all us Ferners are just internet experts and not actually picking and coaching teams of any real meaning. I doubt whether many of us even know what plan the ABs will have , and so why these players have been selected.
I'm a rugby savant so I'll tell you what the plan is: Station Finau wide so he can't put a shoulder on close to rucks and terrify five-eighths running too close to the line making Papali'i tire himself out doing three loose forwards' work on defence. Be one injury away from a hooker that can't throw. Throw slow, loopy passes from rucks once the opposition have got back onside and fanned out. Be an injury away from asking an ageing fullback to take over at 10 and bringing on a defensively frail fullback who offers no counter attacking threat of note.
There's nuances of course, but that's the underlying strategy.
I agree I am somewhat surprised about Bell being there, but they obviously confident enough to think they can sort out his throwing.
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
So just to be clear: The team that couldn't make a finals series of top eight in a 12 team competition has more All Blacks than the team that won?
They won how many in a row?
All the crusaders haven't turned to poo because their coach has.
(Not supporting the Bell pick though)
So form means nothing. Got it.
Only if last year you wanted the ABs to be largely Crusaders, by your same logic.
A couple of Blues had very ordinary form in super last year but were still picked. Now it's the crusaders turn.
Nepo Laulala
Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Dalton Papali’i
Finlay Christie
Beauden Barrett
Rieko Ioane
Caleb Clarke
Mark TeleaWhich of those had a legitimately better player miss out? Keep in mind I think Laulala offered zero outside of his scrummaging, but if you wanted a rock in that regard I could see why he was picked.
I would not have ever picked Finlay Christie for the RWC. Nor would half the Fern
Caleb Clarke could consider himself lucky last year, and I thought there were better at the time. He was running powerfully, but his defence remains awful.
I wouldn't pick Beauden Barrett either, then or now. If are talking about people getting in because of their history, then he's top of the list -- more so than any of the veteran Crusaders.
People are getting worked up about Bell, but if the choice is the small and 29 year old Riccitelli, then really? Is RR the future?
The only bad home pick, in my opinion, is Blackadder, who I don't rate and is always broken anyway.
I think in your comment on half the Fern wouldn't pick Christie may some uo why all us Ferners are just internet experts and not actually picking and coaching teams of any real meaning. I doubt whether many of us even know what plan the ABs will have , and so why these players have been selected.
I'm a rugby savant so I'll tell you what the plan is: Station Finau wide so he can't put a shoulder on close to rucks and terrify five-eighths running too close to the line making Papali'i tire himself out doing three loose forwards' work on defence. Be one injury away from a hooker that can't throw. Throw slow, loopy passes from rucks once the opposition have got back onside and fanned out. Be an injury away from asking an ageing fullback to take over at 10 and bringing on a defensively frail fullback who offers no counter attacking threat of note.
There's nuances of course, but that's the underlying strategy.
I agree I am somewhat surprised about Bell being there, but they obviously confident enough to think they can sort out his throwing.
If Taukei'Aho was fit he's not there, so Bell as 4th string hooker vs an ageing Ricci is not a massive controversy
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Was this mentioned yesterday?
In addition to the aforementioned names, impressive Hurricanes loose forward Peter Lakai will train with the squad as an “emerging player”.
Yup. Probably the right place for him right now. He has plenty of time
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@Machpants said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
A journo looks at the stats and attempts to figure out the Sotutu omission
Blues star Hoskins Sotutu was a major omission from Scott Robertson's first All Blacks squad of the year after a brilliant Super Rugby Pacific season.
EDIT: and ignore the click bait headline (headline editors are fluffybunnies) it is a bit more thoughtful than SOTUTU SHIT AT THIS ZOMFG
That is a great bit of analysis and starts to make sense.
Has no place on TSF.
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@MajorRage said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
A journo looks at the stats and attempts to figure out the Sotutu omission
Blues star Hoskins Sotutu was a major omission from Scott Robertson's first All Blacks squad of the year after a brilliant Super Rugby Pacific season.
EDIT: and ignore the click bait headline (headline editors are fluffybunnies) it is a bit more thoughtful than SOTUTU SHIT AT THIS ZOMFG
That is a great bit of analysis and starts to make sense.
Has no place on TSF.
I am deeply chagrined
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@ruggabee said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@ruggabee said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
We are going to absolutely dominate this World Cup cycle under this new coaching group.
I'm hopeful but more cautious given the lack of test experience in the coaching group
Hansen coached Canada's attack for a year (2014) and Japan's defense for 3 years (2019-22)
Razor coached Brazil as part of Canterbury rugby's partnership back in 2013.
Ryan spent two years coaching Fiji's forwards, joined All Blacks 2022.
McDonald coached the All Black's XV for 2 years.
As I said - a lack of test experience. Tier one test experience only comes from Jase Ryan and Hansen's 3 years at Japan.
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I would have found a spot for Lakai, Sotutu, Plummer and Love
Who for?
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I would have found a spot for Lakai, Sotutu, Plummer and Love
Who for?
I would have aswell! Perofeta,blackadder,beauden Barrett and Jacobson I would have left out
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A good old fern meltdown,
I picked a good time to wander back in 😀
I suspect end of the day we will be judged on how we play, as per normal
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@family-man said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I would have found a spot for Lakai, Sotutu, Plummer and Love
Who for?
I would have aswell! Perofeta,blackadder,beauden Barrett and Jacobson I would have left out
Thanks
Wasn't missing the sentiment, but it was just half the story.
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
A good old fern meltdown,
shit, if we lose to a battle hardened England this will look like a gentle warming
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It feels like I am reading an alternative Fern when I see people upset that RR was not selected. The same RR that has been ridiculed as an angry toddler and every rag doll moment of his gets pointed out? Up until this season of course.
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Yep, and I genuinely think one thing we tend to do is say players in certain positions should do certain things , and perhaps not accepting that the game and team needs to evolve, and players need different skills. Hells teeth we have got a couple of props that were loosies, in Tosi's case just a 3-4 years back. Goes against this idea that players can't learn new skills and adapt pretty quickly.
I was surprised with Bell getting in, thought some of his lineout work was iffy, but don't know how much was his fault, or how much was jumpers, lifters etc. And if they see they can sort out what's wrong easily. I will say Crusaders lineout looked best when Barrett was playing, and he wasn't throwing. -
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
It feels like I am reading an alternative Fern when I see people upset that RR was not selected. The same RR that has been ridiculed as an angry toddler and every rag doll moment of his gets pointed out? Up until this season of course.
I think the annoyance is that Bell feels a bit like the teacher's pet. He hasn't had to work for his AB selection at all - but is auto-picked as the next hooker after the main 3 regardless of form.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Prop I think could be an interesting one. Though Tu'ungafasi and Williams can both play tighthead, they pretty much only play loosehead these days. Ryan has tended to pick specialists, which means those two + EDG, Numia and Bower are playing for three spots.
Would leave a gap at tighthead, and with few options to fill it. Ta'avao for a recall? Tosi as a bolter? Dyer?
Good call from more than 3 weeks ago.
Hang it in the Louvre
