All Blacks vs Wales
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<p>Didn't Messam give that beanie to that same rich kid that got SBW's winner's medal after flying in from Dubai for the day to watch the final?</p>
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<p>"I say kind sir, one's head is being buffeted by the elements. Do lend me that quaint dock workers' hat with that striking flowery insignia."</p>
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<p>king hit by security </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Immenso Rapido" data-cid="580853" data-time="1463697758">
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<p>I'm pretty confident, actually.<br><br>
Wind back to 1998. A decimated England let us live a few more weeks of obliviousness before the TriNations resulted in a complete dudding. The TriNations could be brutal like that if the other teams are strong.<br><br>
In 1998 both SA and Aus were strong and on the rise.<br><br>
Wind forward to 2016, I see SA and Aus as being as similarly hollowed out as NZ (although that may make SA stronger as they carried a lot of old dead weight).<br><br><strong>I don't see this rebuilding phase getting ugly as no one is in a position to put the foot on our throat.</strong><br><br>
However I do think the next 2 years or so will be fascinating.</p>
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<p>Excellent point. It is noticeable that the relative lack of strength of the opposition this year does not give anyone great cause to be concerned despite our player losses. Of course this is an external factor that we don't control.</p>
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<p>The good thing is that confidence about the year ahead is mostly to do with factors within our control - Hansen consciously developed a significant level of depth within his 2012-15 squad and about 30 of those players who will anchor the team of this era. That depth was developed whilst not making "experiemental" selections which means the probable replacements for the biggest losses in the 1st XV e.g. Cane, Cruden, Fekitoa are already quality test players. </p>
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<p>Then there is the domestic depth - so many good players performing consistently at SR level who are uncapped or barely capped e.g. Naholo, Sopoaga, Ngatai, Dixon, McKenzie, Weber, A. Savea, Todd.</p>
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<p>We're only going to have to dip into the untested stocks in a few instances - a third hooker (Harris or Elliott?), a 5th prop (dunno), perhaps one or two loosies (Squire?), perhaps a 4th midfielder (Moala, Tamanivalu?).</p> -
<p>Losing Conrad's organisational ability particularly on defence is a potential area of concern but overall at the risk of being hubristic I'm more interested in developing towards the Lion's tour than worried about this year.</p>
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<p>Super results are always a bit misleading. Sure we might have 4/5 of the top sides but the opposition only have to come up with a squad of their best 22.</p>
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<p>If Oz hadn't also had their player losses they might have looked a worry but they've struggled for replacements more than we have it seems</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dogmeat" data-cid="580961" data-time="1463722274">
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<p><strong>Losing Conrad's organisational ability particularly on defence is a potential area of concern</strong> but overall at the risk of being hubristic I'm more interested in developing towards the Lion's tour than worried about this year.</p>
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<p>Super results are always a bit misleading. Sure we might have 4/5 of the top sides but the opposition only have to come up with a squad of their best 22.</p>
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<p>If Oz hadn't also had their player losses they might have looked a worry but they've struggled for replacements more than we have it seems</p>
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<p>Is this a bit of reverse racism ? ie Conrad Smith is white so will have no pace, power or explosiveness but he's such a good organiser, without his guidance all the brown boys will tackle late and round the neck ?</p>
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<p>What I'm trying to say is is it a case of "shit, let's get a like for like replacement in Ryan Crotty rather than risk an explosive darker player like Fekitoa or Moala"</p>
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<p>Is CS going to be as missed as others is what I'm trying to get at......</p> -
<p>we're all stupider for reading that</p>
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<p>you really got a way with words there MN5! </p>
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<p>Or was it Friday drinks talking more shit than normal?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="580974" data-time="1463726872">
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<p>we're all stupider for reading that</p>
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<p>I think you're just being a cock, I also think TR has some kind of radar out ready to 'like" your posts too.</p>
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<p>What I'm getting at is wondering if Smiths amazing "organisation" is being a bit overstated that's all.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="580975" data-time="1463726928">
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<p>you really got a way with words there MN5! </p>
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<p>Or was it Friday drinks talking more shit than normal?</p>
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<p>I have been drinking all afternoon, what's your point ?</p>
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<p>What I'm saying does make sense ( to me ) but I've probably been a bit 'Steven Adams" about getting it across. Luckily I'm just another nobody on the interweb.</p> -
<p>no, your post is retarded. You brought the white boy angle in from no where, the mistrust of the brown guys from no where. Then you ignored a 10 year AB career where Smith's main attribute was the way he organised our back line from the centre channel. And all the plaudits he received for that role. It's like you never watched the bloke play. </p>
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<p>So either you know something about the on-field leadership that we don't know about. Or you are making up crap. Again. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="580978" data-time="1463727889">
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<p>no, your post is retarded. You brought the white boy angle in from no where, the mistrust of the brown guys from no where. Then you ignored a 10 year AB career where Smith's main attribute was the way he organised our back line from the centre channel. And all the plaudits he received for that role. It's like you never watched the bloke play. </p>
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<p>So either you know something about the on-field leadership that we don't know about. Or you are making up crap. Again. </p>
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<p>Settle. Don't get all fucken race relations on us. I'm not making anything up, the All Blacks have lost McCaw, DC and Nonu.......huge holes to fill. All I'm saying is I wonder if Smiths role is as irreplaceable as those three.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="580886" data-time="1463700940"><p>I'm less worried about wing TBH, we tend to pull them out of the bag when needed. I think a guy like James Lowe would iron out his kinks in an AB environment and do a bloody good job if the risk was taken on him. Hell, in 2011 we chucked out reserve centre on to one wing and the other guy took half his professional career to finally get the AB call up.<br></p></blockquote>
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But those two you mention demonstrating some special stuff from a pretty early age - Jane in 7s and Kahui in age grade and provincial. <br><br>
People were talking up Lowe last year and yet in very extended squads he didn't feature. Moala a midfielder got a run on the wing ahead of him. I personally don't see much there. -
<p>I best not like M4L's post as MN5 might get jealous...</p>
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<p>Point is, assumed if you have been drinking, it probably contributed to you having made a complete hash of saying what you probably wanted to say.</p>
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<p>I personally think Conrad is a huge hole, ABs were often shown up when he was not there, coupled with Nonu, they forged arguably the best centre pairing in the game, ever. So that is a huge fecken hole to fill however you slice it.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="580979" data-time="1463728212"><p>
Settle. Don't get all fucken race relations on us. I'm not making anything up, the All Blacks have lost McCaw, DC and Nonu.......huge holes to fill. All I'm saying is I wonder if Smiths role is as irreplaceable as those three.</p></blockquote>
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That's not what you said -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="580982" data-time="1463729268">
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<p>I best not like M4L's post as MN5 might get jealous...</p>
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<p>Point is, assumed if you have been drinking, it probably contributed to you having made a complete hash of saying what you probably wanted to say.</p>
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<p>I personally think Conrad is a huge hole, ABs were often shown up when he was not there, coupled with Nonu, they forged arguably the best centre pairing in the game, ever. So that is a huge fecken hole to fill however you slice it.</p>
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<p>I agree with much of that, I don't reckon he will be as missed as the others, that's my main point.</p>
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<p>Jump down my post, rip it apart, I don't really give a fuck, I mentioned the "stereotypes" of players, you missed my point, took it the wrong way, again, who cares ?</p>
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<p>I should have just said Conrad=big loss......Richie/DC/Nonu=HUGE losses.</p> -
Nobody missed your point about stereotypes, it just didn't apply to dogmeat's post.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="580981" data-time="1463728796">
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<p>But those two you mention demonstrating some special stuff from a pretty early age - Jane in 7s and Kahui in age grade and provincial.<br><br>
People were talking up Lowe last year and yet in very extended squads he didn't feature. Moala a midfielder got a run on the wing ahead of him.<strong> I personally don't see much there.</strong></p>
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<p>Meh, different strokes ... Moala is another one fits my point that we can find wings.</p>
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<p>Furthermore, if you'd watched Jane in his time for HB or NMS in his first year in the Poo after returning from Sydney you wouldn't have expected that the ABs would be in the future.</p>
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<p>Hell, if FABJM can be marked as a possible AB then FABJL should easily make the 'potentials' list.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="580864" data-time="1463698680"><p>
I'm more "worried" about NMS missing (he was probably due 2nd year blues anyway) and Savea not looking in any way effective.</p></blockquote>
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Yeah Skudder was a revelation last year. After dominant Super rugby form, he carried his try scoring and line breaking ability straight into test footy. So it was no surprise that Hansen and co appeared to be directing more of the footy down his way than Savea's. <br><br>
So hopefully Naholo can stay fit and he can step it up this year. <br><br>
The fall back I guess is moving Bender back to wing and playing one of Dagg/McKenzie/Barrett at fullback. <br><br>
I wonder if the AB coaches will want have a closer look at Faddes pace, given the reports of him being the quickest in the Landers squad. -
Is this faddes really that quick? I though fonotia was a carthorse.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Provincial Stalwart" data-cid="581108" data-time="1463742255"><p>Is this faddes really that quick? I though fonotia was a carthorse.</p></blockquote>
I recall someone saying he's the quickest in the squad<br><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="580979" data-time="1463728212"><p>Settle. Don't get all fucken race relations on us. I'm not making anything up, the All Blacks have lost McCaw, DC and Nonu.......huge holes to fill. All I'm saying is I wonder if Smiths role is as irreplaceable as those three.</p></blockquote>
Having played most of my not as stellar career in the same position I can tell you it is. -
<p>Ben Smith named as Vice Captain. Full team named next Sunday.</p>
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<p> <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/80252749/highlanders-fullback-ben-smith-confirmed-as-all-blacks-vicecaptain-for-2016-season'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/80252749/highlanders-fullback-ben-smith-confirmed-as-all-blacks-vicecaptain-for-2016-season</a></p>
