All Blacks 2024
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 but why is Grace more ready than Finau? Jackson Hemopo is looking like a decent loss right now.
Anyway bring back Luke whitelock.
He may also need time but based on what I saw on the weekend, Finau isn't playing like Finau. If they are trying to get Finau to be a Crusader 6, I imagine it will take time and they may be better just choosing the guy doing the role they imagine.
Hopefully, Finau is just adjusting to the pace of international rugby.
Beyond him, I can't think of any other real 6s who have actually been playing in that position.
Flanders would be the same as Finau and Grace with less height (he looks like an 8 to me), Ioane is seemingly never going to be picked, and the young guy from the Landers is a mile away (he has class, but he's not close yet). Those and toaster hands are the options, yet Blackadder was chosen as the backup.
Finai is listed as 1.96
Grace and Flanders as 1.93
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@Winger said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 but why is Grace more ready than Finau? Jackson Hemopo is looking like a decent loss right now.
Anyway bring back Luke whitelock.
He may also need time but based on what I saw on the weekend, Finau isn't playing like Finau. If they are trying to get Finau to be a Crusader 6, I imagine it will take time and they may be better just choosing the guy doing the role they imagine.
Hopefully, Finau is just adjusting to the pace of international rugby.
Beyond him, I can't think of any other real 6s who have actually been playing in that position.
Flanders would be the same as Finau and Grace with less height (he looks like an 8 to me), Ioane is seemingly never going to be picked, and the young guy from the Landers is a mile away (he has class, but he's not close yet). Those and toaster hands are the options, yet Blackadder was chosen as the backup.
Finai is listed as 1.96
Grace and Flanders as 1.93
OK, then fuck that idea!
He is the only other loose forward / lock (he has played there) running around though I think.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
He is the only other loose forward / lock (he has played there) running around though I think.
Suafoa. However he didn't get much game time this year for medical reasons
100% for the future. If his medical issues are behind him, he will also clearly have the mental fortitude to deal with test rugby.
I'd have him 100 locked in for the Blues 6 next year.
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@george33 said in All Blacks 2024:
@Kiwiwomble there were photos of Blackadder training in full contact, don't no about the niggles, can't be much in it.
They found a ground hard enough so he wouldn't break it?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully some further improvement to come from Scott Barrett.
Just rewatching the first half and he is in absolutely everying. Extraordinary motor - so many involvements. I'm very very impressed - missed it live but his workrate is off the charts.
He covers so much ground and runs excellent lines defensively. I was watching him pretty closely on ruck involvement during a replay and was thinking how is he at that one when he was at the last one! And he’s sticking his shoulder in with a bit of feeling.
But our back 5 combination (4-8) are still finding out what the others are doing. I never underestimate the value of time and combination when it comes to the small stuff that needs to be done well consistently - at the ruck, in phase play, at set piece. We look disjointed at times mixed with some good play with bodies in motion. I’m optimistic about our chances in Sth Africa because there is something to build from.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
He is the only other loose forward / lock (he has played there) running around though I think.
Suafoa. However he didn't get much game time this year for medical reasons
Blues say 196.
Cameron Suafoa Player Profile — Blues Rugby
Find out more about Cameron Suafoa and his history playing for the Blues Super Rugby team.
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Akira 22 caps Frizzle 33 caps...same same.... A couple of good games amongst many anonymous efforts.
Let it go
We need someone consistently busier and harder than those two.
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With Zach Gallagher coming to the Canes next year I wouldn't mind the Canes shifting Caleb Delany back to 6 where he helped the Lions win an NPC. Great carrier of the ball, awesome lineout jumper but probably needs to work on becoming more of a dominant tackler At 115kg and 197m, he could be an option for the ABs going forward after having a superb season at lock before injury struck.
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how is Savea everyone's hard on for 7 when the shit he is worst at are what we want from a 7?
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@mariner4life people are just desperate for him to land somewhere where he doesnt pose more questions than he answers....to see him the way the rest of the world seems too....and 7's kind of the only option
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@Nepia with not other considerations....i would definitely have BB and Savea nailed on as my bench, would be the foundation of a devastating weapon for the final 30min, teams would shit themselves if after playing 50-60 mins of test match rugby.....those two ran on....plus both can play multiple positions, starting xv more traditional selection based around combinations, locks that play together, front rows, loosies etc
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@mariner4life Don't bother trying to debate it, it gets you nowhere on here.
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@mariner4life because 7s are allowed to be short-arses who are shit in lineouts.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
Halfbacks. If our plan is fast and wide, then playing shitty passing halfbacks is an enormous handbrake.
Midfield. Should be settled, probably isn't. I see the sentiment on here is still "play Reiko on the wing, he can't distribute" even though that is never happening. Looks to me like they are being asked to play narrow and straight to try and give DMac space to loop them and get out wide. Problem is, neither of our midfield are actually great passers of the ball. Jordie passes late, and often very inaccurately, putting everyone under pressure. Reiko is not a natural either. I still think this is our best combination, JB can really carry in traffic, and Reiko has pace. They just need to work out the new system. Defensively they are adequate, but neither rock solid.
I don't really see what the plan is except to use DMacs passing to outflank the rush, or to loop him and get him in the wider spaces. Carrying needs work as the English rush defence was sitting guys down as soon as they got the ball. The way the Irish set up their forward runners compared to ours is night and day different.
This is the crux of the backline problem. The plan is to use McKenzie's passing to beat the rush, or in the 2nd wave. And to use Jordie on the hit-up with Rieko off the shoulder.
None of it works if the halfback can't pass (and we can't get some momentum at the ruck). McKenzie can't outflank a rush defence that is already in our line when he gets the ball. Our midfielders don't have the hands to deal with ball and tackler at the same time.
