All Blacks v Argentina II
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@pakman said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@Bones Well, if we assume Holland comes in next year, lock will be quite crowded.
Can they bring Fabian Holland as a pre eligibility apprentice on EOYT, just to train with the team or is that forbidden?
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Lord has the physical dimensions and sure he’s still a young pup but I think they’ll persist with him at least whilst he’s fit and there are injuries to two frontline locks.
The key physical dimension he doesn't have is a weight of 125 kegs.
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@pakman said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Lord has the physical dimensions and sure he’s still a young pup but I think they’ll persist with him at least whilst he’s fit and there are injuries to two frontline locks.
The key physical dimension he doesn't have is a weight of 125 kegs.
Whenever he's actually been able to string games together I've been impressed though, he definitely plays above his apparent weight. Whitelock seemed a bit of a lightweight to start with too.
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@Jet said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@pakman said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@Bones Well, if we assume Holland comes in next year, lock will be quite crowded.
Can they bring Fabian Holland as a pre eligibility apprentice on EOYT, just to train with the team or is that forbidden?
You can do what you want as long as they don't play for the abs
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Come on Foz you got this. I mean Razor
No wonder the ABs are on a slide. What with @Chris and @Bones and now you demanding your head coach put late-career John Holmes to shame. Your man’s got no time to select, let alone coach. You’ve got him so busy climaxing simultaneously with Ryan, splattering Fozzie like a plasterer’s radio, ejaculating on some random guy and if that’s not enough, the exhausted fella’s supposed to engage in some revolting act known only as “phrasing.” I shudder to think what that entails.
Makes one long for simpler times, when AB coaches only forced players to drink themselves stupid(er) after thrashing the boks or wallabies with Mexted’s astute commentary to keep your thoughts pure.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
So maybe the plan is to move Barrett/Vaai to 6 once the locks are all fit? Hence not bothering to invest in a blindside and making sure Blackadder gets in plenty of time in all positions for his move to the bench.
Ace.
I had thought of this , won’t be surprised if we end up starting 3 locks
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@Smuts said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Come on Foz you got this. I mean Razor
No wonder the ABs are on a slide. What with @Chris and @Bones and now you demanding your head coach put late-career John Holmes to shame. Your man’s got no time to select, let alone coach. You’ve got him so busy climaxing simultaneously with Ryan, splattering Fozzie like a plasterer’s radio, ejaculating on some random guy and if that’s not enough, the exhausted fella’s supposed to engage in some revolting act known only as “phrasing.” I shudder to think what that entails.
Makes one long for simpler times, when AB coaches only forced players to drink themselves stupid(er) after thrashing the boks or wallabies with Mexted’s astute commentary to keep your thoughts pure.
You OK, hon?
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
So maybe the plan is to move Barrett/Vaai to 6 once the locks are all fit? Hence not bothering to invest in a blindside and making sure Blackadder gets in plenty of time in all positions for his move to the bench.
Ace.
I hope not, because neither of those guys are very good at 6.
I think not, because if that were the medium-term plan then doing the exact opposite and selecting midgets is no way to prepare the team for that plan. -
Blackadder and TJ are the obvious problems. Managing Cane to his 100 is stupid as well.
Clarke will help massively with his work close to the ruck, and paper over a few forward problems with ball carrying. Much better in the air as well.
RI's pace will help blunt the Argies centre attack that embarassed us last week. ALB is too slow for centre, but could be a good option for 12.
Squad selection means this is as good as it's going to get.
The boks are going to demolish this group. Look at what happened in the last quarter when the pressure came on. Imagine 80mins of that. Fun.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
So maybe the plan is to move Barrett/Vaai to 6 once the locks are all fit? Hence not bothering to invest in a blindside and making sure Blackadder gets in plenty of time in all positions for his move to the bench.
Ace.
If that’s the plan, it is, at least a plan.
However, since Finau was selected as the backup lock / 6, you’d expect him there now in that pattern even if he is 3rd choice.
I honestly don’t know what they are trying to achieve - the line out has descended to a fucking mess and they don’t seem to care.
However, the coaches do seem confident about their plan - the solution it seems was that we needed one more 7 on the bench. I hope it works out.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Blackadder and TJ are the obvious problems. Managing Cane to his 100 is stupid as well.
Clarke will help massively with his work close to the ruck, and paper over a few forward problems with ball carrying. Much better in the air as well.
RI's pace will help blunt the Argies centre attack that embarassed us last week. ALB is too slow for centre, but could be a good option for 12.
Squad selection means this is as good as it's going to get.
The boks are going to demolish this group. Look at what happened in the last quarter when the pressure came on. Imagine 80mins of that. Fun.
sounds about right, its the original squad selection thats resulted in a few of these questionable decisions
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Squad selection means this is as good as it's going to get.
The boks are going to demolish this group. Look at what happened in the last quarter when the pressure came on. Imagine 80mins of that. Fun.
Playing the boks will be ugly and by that I don't mean that it will be record thrashings making us look like RWC minnows in pool play. But I just don't think that the AB's will ever be in control of a game against SA this season, we'll be competitive, we might even get close but I can't see this team being able to control, or dictate play against SA.
I really, really do hope I'm wrong, but this season so far hasn't been a case of one step forward and two steps back - just merely going around in circles.
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Blackadder and TJ are the obvious problems. Managing Cane to his 100 is stupid as well.
Clarke will help massively with his work close to the ruck, and paper over a few forward problems with ball carrying. Much better in the air as well.
RI's pace will help blunt the Argies centre attack that embarassed us last week. ALB is too slow for centre, but could be a good option for 12.
Squad selection means this is as good as it's going to get.
The boks are going to demolish this group. Look at what happened in the last quarter when the pressure came on. Imagine 80mins of that. Fun.
sounds about right, its the original squad selection thats resulted in a few of these questionable decisions
it's an interesting comment. If you look at the team, there is an incredible amount of continuity from 2023
The front row group remains unchanged baring the loss of Sami T to injury.
Locks had last years 4th in line promoted, and Patty T who was constantly around the squad. Darry is an injury enforced replacement who looks like he might turn in to a find.
The loosies are super similar, with squaddie EB promoted for the departed SF. Cane and DP have swapped spots.
Halfback probably the greatest change, with a retirement, and injury and a justified dropping resulting in 3 new faces (one a retread)
DMac was basically the back up 10 promoted for a departure.
11-15 all the same. Even ALB on the bench. Telea still in the 23.This is the same AB team as last year where possible. And there is enough circumstantial evidence to suggest if last year's 10 and 6 were available they would be playing.
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
sounds about right, its the original squad selection thats resulted in a few of these questionable decisions
Original selections that resulted in a de-powered forward pack that results in the type of game issues one would expect from a de-powered forward pack.
If the criticism of Akaria and Sotutu was their defense and the people they picked were so much better the Argies kinda made a mockery of that statement on the weekend didn't they?
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@pakman said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
Lord has the physical dimensions and sure he’s still a young pup but I think they’ll persist with him at least whilst he’s fit and there are injuries to two frontline locks.
The key physical dimension he doesn't have is a weight of 125 kegs.
Whenever he's actually been able to string games together I've been impressed though, he definitely plays above his apparent weight. Whitelock seemed a bit of a lightweight to start with too.
Sam was very slight to start out and continued to put on weight in those early AB days. Retallick was the same.
Lord is only 23 so he has time to pack on more. But I don’t think we need him at 125. If he’s up around 115-118 range would be more than adequate
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@Jet said in All Blacks v Argentina II:
The backrow have all been 7's and the backline 10-15 are all historically outside backs.
Where have the specialists gone?
Razor has said he wants people who can play multiple positions. I'm guessing he's of the belief that success comes from an ability to cover injuries.
