Springboks vs All Blacks 2
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Finau did fuck all in the Super season outside of a couple of highlight reel hits.
He was picked on his physical attributes and potential.
Played poorly in his starts, dropped from the starting 23 altogether, and then came back on as a sub and played poorly.
Terrible season so far and probably the single most disappointing player in the ABs this season.The non-selection of Akira and Sotutu borders on insanity
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@Frank said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
Finau did fuck all in the Super season outside of a couple of highlight reel hhits
Yeah he's the biggest disappointment for the ABs so far IMO. He's offered absolutely no impact whatsoever.
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@Frank agree Finau didn't do enough to warrant his call-up to the ABs, and he got taught a lesson by Akira in the final. His selection was based purely on potential and it has backfired badly.
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@No-Quarter said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@Frank agree Finau didn't do enough to warrant his call-up to the ABs, and he got taught a lesson by Akira in the final. His selection was based purely on potential and it has backfired badly.
Hard to disagree with this based on what we have seen.
Finau looks a flat track bully as it stands and would want to get the finger out and do a bit of head down arse up graft next time he gets a gig.
With every passing week the evidence suggests the folks calling for Sotutu and Akira have been vindicated.
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Re Sotutu, do we know why he has been absent from the Auckland team lately?
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@Crazy-Horse said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
Re Sotutu, do we know why he has been absent from the Auckland team lately?
Because he's playing for Counties?
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@antipodean said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@Crazy-Horse said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
Re Sotutu, do we know why he has been absent from the Auckland team lately?
Because he's playing for Counties?
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@No-Quarter said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
The focus for change should be on the loose forwards, but the squad selection has left us nowhere to go there.
Ardie's form warrants being benched, but we don't have anyone to replace him as we left Sotutu out despite him being in career best form so we only have complete rookie Sititi to fall back on.
Cane and Paps are as good as we have at 7, so either of them is fine.
Blackadder is really struggling with the physicality needed at 6. He hasn't played badly, and he has a high work rate, but he does not make dominant tackles and has zero impact with ball in hand. The coaches made their bed with rookie Finau but surprise surprise, he's finding the step up to test level a bit tough. Again we've left ourselves nowhere to go as we let Akira in career best form leave NZ rugby altogether.
That's where the ABs biggest weakness by miles is right now, and it was SAs loosies that got them over the line in the end. Our tight 5 and backline are outstanding - Vaa'i and Darry have been revelations in the locking department - but we're being let down big time by our loose forwards.
Voice of fucking reason right here, agree with every word.
I'd also like to see Ratima start,. but that's not really going to shift the dial massively.
And agree with the sentiment on BB, it really looks like time to move on here - amazing career, thanks for everything, but it's time for new blood.
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On the loose forwards, it does concern me that a bunch of people on a forum known for awful analysis, incorrect conclusions and zero insight could see the problems with the squad selections as soon as they were announced, but the coaching group being paid the big bucks couldn't.
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@antipodean said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@Crazy-Horse said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
Re Sotutu, do we know why he has been absent from the Auckland team lately?
Because he's playing for Counties?
Fuck I am getting old!
Edit - just checked and he wasn't in the listed team this week for Counties. He wasn't a couple of weeks ago too when I bothered to take a look. Is he injured?
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@nzzp said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@No-Quarter said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
The focus for change should be on the loose forwards, but the squad selection has left us nowhere to go there.
Who's responsible for loose forward selection again?
only mildly trolling - but the loosies selection got grief at the time for being 'samey' and you can see it play out poorly now. That was a really bad loss for us - where do you go now with the squad you've got?
I have a theory that Robertson may have a blind spot to players that were like him as a player. It would explain the predominance of 6.5 that we selected. Who knows though.
or he could have a preference for the types of players that have have served him well so far, which is at super rugby level ,
workrate grafters over physically dominant types who win collisions
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@kiwiinmelb said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
workrate grafters over physically dominant types who win collisions
60 letters to type 'Ethan Blackadder'
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@kiwiinmelb said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@nzzp said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
@No-Quarter said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
The focus for change should be on the loose forwards, but the squad selection has left us nowhere to go there.
Who's responsible for loose forward selection again?
only mildly trolling - but the loosies selection got grief at the time for being 'samey' and you can see it play out poorly now. That was a really bad loss for us - where do you go now with the squad you've got?
I have a theory that Robertson may have a blind spot to players that were like him as a player. It would explain the predominance of 6.5 that we selected. Who knows though.
or he could have a preference for the types of players that have have served him well so far, which is at super rugby level ,
workrate grafters over physically dominant types who win collisions
It's the cantablacks all over again. Mitch and Deans always had a horn for a good journeyman
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@No-Quarter said in Springboks vs All Blacks 2:
but he does not make dominant tackles and has zero impact with ball in hand
The bit that irks me is watching him try to attend a breakdown and getting spat out the back. And then everyone loving that he's a real pest at the breakdown despite being probably the most manhandled player.
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Howzit gents. I was at the game on Saturday and it was every bit as physical as you can imagine. Heard the collisions - a top notch heavy-weight encounter that did justice to our sport. Anyway that being said I think this week in Cape Town could be very interesting. I suspect (from Rassie comments) that we will see some backline tweaks. I will not be surprised to see Grant Williams start at 9 with Lukhanyo Am coming in at 12. With Arendse out Canan Moodie most likely to fill that spot. Siya is out so will be interesting to see what happens there. And then #10 is going to be quite the debate. Solid money says Sasha continues but some of Rassie's comments makes me think he could do something weird there... I prefer he sticks with Sasha but then I am not the Bok coach
Look forward to another epic clash.
