All Blacks EOYT
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
Christ, this again.
Akira is gone. You are pretty bloody unlikely to get selected if you're leaving unless you've been a fixture in the ABs.
Sotutu was the best player in Super rugby. Better than Jacobson and Dalton and Finau too. If Cane and Savea had been playing, he would have been better than them too - shoulda been selected, no argument there. But I don't think it's a stretch to say Blackadder has outperformed Jacobson, Dalton, Finau and Cane in the ABs since being selected.Blackadder actually (finally) played a game against the Blues this super season, with Sotutu and Ioane both playing. The pretty woeful Crusaders won against the champion Blues and Blackadder scored a try and made 27/27 tackles.
As for selection leeway, the ABs have had a 'don't lose your spot from injury' policy for ages - and Blackadder might be there forever based on his injury rate, so you may as well get used to it.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks EOYT:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
Christ, this again.
Akira is gone. You are pretty bloody unlikely to get selected if you're leaving unless you've been a fixture in the ABs.
Sotutu was the best player in Super rugby. Better than Jacobson and Dalton and Finau too. If Cane and Savea had been playing, he would have been better than them too - shoulda been selected, no argument there. But I don't think it's a stretch to say Blackadder has outperformed Jacobson, Dalton, Finau and Cane in the ABs since being selected.Blackadder actually (finally) played a game against the Blues this super season, with Sotutu and Ioane both playing. The pretty woeful Crusaders won against the champion Blues and Blackadder scored a try and made 27/27 tackles.
As for selection leeway, the ABs have had a 'don't lose your spot from injury' policy for ages - and Blackadder might be there forever based on his injury rate, so you may as well get used to it.
He wasn't nec. arguing for them but pointing out the weakness of the argument.
And if Havili is an AB fixture well I have no words. I agree Cane is a fixture, he moves like one! -
@reprobate said in All Blacks EOYT:
As for selection leeway, the ABs have had a 'don't lose your spot from injury' policy for ages - and Blackadder might be there forever based on his injury rate, so you may as well get used to it.
On track to be the first AB to be a team fixture for over a decade and get less than 50 caps.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
You can argue the merits of Sotutu (I won't, I'm bored of it), but Ioane just isn't obviously better. I'm not saying he isn't better, but you're missing the point of what I am getting at.
I think Sititi, Lakai and Haig could be a generational loose forward trio, who simply blow the others out the water and become undeniable. Sititi has already done this I think (at least for now) and I expect that if Lakai gets the chance on the EOYT he'll do the same.
When I argue about the ABs not having the cattle, I refer to the fact that we might be 2nd or 3rd best in the world... but what we have coming through (particularly in the forwards) is generational. The three above + Holland and Bell all started in the same U20 team, and I wouldn't bet against them all starting a test together in the next four years.
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@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks EOYT:
England Squad for EOYT named
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cwylz933wvxo
So pretty much a full complement
No excuses
Erm Mitchell and Ford, top 9 and 10 says not full complement
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@Machpants said in All Blacks EOYT:
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks EOYT:
England Squad for EOYT named
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cwylz933wvxo
So pretty much a full complement
No excuses
Erm Mitchell and Ford, top 9 and 10 says not full complement
Mitchell became the top 9 (deservedly) because of injury to the top 9 at the time who’s in the squad
Ford is back up to Smith
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@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Machpants said in All Blacks EOYT:
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks EOYT:
England Squad for EOYT named
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cwylz933wvxo
So pretty much a full complement
No excuses
Erm Mitchell and Ford, top 9 and 10 says not full complement
Mitchell became the top 9 (deservedly) because of injury to the top 9 at the time who’s in the squad
Ford is back up to Smith
regardless of any impeccable reasoning I suspect there will be excuses (win draw or lose!)
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@frugby said in All Blacks EOYT:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
You can argue the merits of Sotutu (I won't, I'm bored of it), but Ioane just isn't obviously better. I'm not saying he isn't better, but you're missing the point of what I am getting at.
Well I will grant you Blackadder is obviously better at getting injured far more often and playing far less often.
Quite frankly his continual selection may be damaging to his health.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby said in All Blacks EOYT:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
You can argue the merits of Sotutu (I won't, I'm bored of it), but Ioane just isn't obviously better. I'm not saying he isn't better, but you're missing the point of what I am getting at.
Well I will grant you Blackadder is obviously better at getting injured far more often and playing far less often.
Quite frankly his continual selection may be damaging to his health.
It's tough, torn vaginas are very unpredictable to recover from
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@canefan said in All Blacks EOYT:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby said in All Blacks EOYT:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
You can argue the merits of Sotutu (I won't, I'm bored of it), but Ioane just isn't obviously better. I'm not saying he isn't better, but you're missing the point of what I am getting at.
Well I will grant you Blackadder is obviously better at getting injured far more often and playing far less often.
Quite frankly his continual selection may be damaging to his health.
It's tough, torn vaginas are very unpredictable to recover from
Tak
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@canefan said in All Blacks EOYT:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby said in All Blacks EOYT:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks EOYT:
@frugby so if we put aside the two players that are obviously better than Blackadder, there hasn't been any players obviously better? That's not the strongest argument I've ever heard..
You can argue the merits of Sotutu (I won't, I'm bored of it), but Ioane just isn't obviously better. I'm not saying he isn't better, but you're missing the point of what I am getting at.
Well I will grant you Blackadder is obviously better at getting injured far more often and playing far less often.
Quite frankly his continual selection may be damaging to his health.
It's tough, torn vaginas are very unpredictable to recover from
Are you talking from experience ?
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@canefan said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks EOYT:
FFS Lio - Willie over Sotutu. Probably not too surprising because Lio - Willie is closer to the hybrid loosie they seem to prefer. It's getting like the Black Caps and their pop gun 'all rounders'.
Clearly Razor doesn't subscribe to the win the collision up front idea. I seem to recall Wayne Smith's AB teams as being similar, very good ball playing, but lacking the physicality to go down the middle (I could be wrong)
Depends is you subscribe to the loopy theory that he was the actual coach of the Chiefs winning teams, those teams were all about physicality.
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Oh look....
FFS
Hoskins Sotutu is on the radar of Gallagher Premiership giants Saracens and Leicester Tigers after speaking to England coach Steve Borthwick about switching his international allegiance from the All Blacks. The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific player of the year, who won the last of his 14 Test caps against England at Twickenham in November 2022, recently turned down the chance of an All Blacks recall for their autumn tour of Europe. All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is maintaining the party line that Sotutu, who also qualifies for Fiji, has a knee injury. However, it is an open secret that he has had talks with England boss Borthwick about playing for the Red Rose. -
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@KiwiMurph Yeah, Saracens are going for him in a big way apparently.
After being so publicly spurned by Robinson, who can blame him for choosing a bucket load of cash and the opportunity play Test Rugby, rather than grinding it out as an All Blacks XV replacement.
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Sititi is an exciting talent but let's not forget that he struggled in the collisions against SA like he did in the Super Rugby final and in all those instances he was part of a losing team.
He's stood out against Australia, done OK against SA as the game developed, and failed big time against Argentina. He was a big part of that Argentina loss giving away 3 penalties in 20 minutes.
Sotutu is also a generational talent - arguably the most talented loose forward for creating tries in the last 10 years. Ultimately rugby is about scoring more tries.
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Without Papali'i, Sotutu wouldn't have had the season he did. The foundation of the Blues carry game close in and winning collisions, winning the breakdown, and the best defense, was built on Papali'i.
He hit the most rucks and made the most tackles of any NZ player in Super Rugby.
