The Silver Fern

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2025:

I assume autofocus is a very expensive option?

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@nzzp said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@ARHS said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@W32 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

Give razor what he wants and judge him on that.

Are you an ex-Crusader angling for a bigger pay cheque and international exposure? That is the vibe you give.

It’s about winning

Beaudy at 10? That's 'winning'?

Tight 5 aside, the team has been very disappointing

That’s my point. Picking any player he wants will result in more winning. Mo’unga would be a better choice.

Picking any Crusaders he wants you mean. Your post relies on the premise he always picks the best available players.
Mounga didn't actually walk on water, he hung out the back and waited for far props to enter from the bench before he tried anything, not sure he is even still in the form he was.

Oh and Sititi isn't in the tight five. Clarke has got better and Lakai, Proctor and Love showed promise. Damn I just promoted too many Hurricanes...

Learnings:

• Learn NH ref interpretations.
• Play people in their correct position.
• Experience only counts if they are fast enough to get near the ball.
• Change the bench when needed, not when practised
• Restarts. Are meant to be Restarts. Nail them.
• Learn to leverage your advantages (scrum, lineout, speed in certain positions).
• Don't choose players who recently stepped out of a hospital ward.
• Don't undermine your current players by continually pleading for shiny grass is always greener players overseas.

@African-Monkey said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:

Good to read that the five SR CEOs are unanimous in their push-back of Robertson wanting to select from overseas. Their reasons are exactly what has been discussed here.

As should be the case.

It also helps a lot when people like Stephen Donald come out and slam the idea in public.

That was such a rant, wasn't it!
He might have been motivated to defend his Chiefs pal DMac, but boy I enjoyed it.

@SBW1 said in ABs picking overseas players - inevitable?:

So he obviously wants Richie Mounga, Frizzell, LF etc before they officially return.

Nah he wants Akiria Ioane, Plummer, and Sotutu

Playing the long game

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Imagine he'd had half the chances Reece/Jordan etc have been given. We'd actually know and supposed top coaches would be able to work with him on his supposed weaknesses!

Not being from Canterbury is his biggest weakness of all

Actually I think it could be concentration and mental strength.
When he is on fire he is definitely on fire.

Scotland have won 40 of their 71 encounters in games played in Scotland.
In Ireland, not so much. Overall though it is 71 games each!! (If you count the 5 draws and 66 outright Scottish wins as all Scottish wins, not a strategy likely to be appreciated by the Irish, who are still a bit ginger about it, then again, so are the Scotts)...
And while it may be sailing close to the truth that Scotland haven't won against Ireland since 2018, it's Scotland's year!

@Chris said in Crusaders 2025:

@nostrildamus said in Crusaders 2025:

@darylmitchell said in Crusaders 2025:

@Chris Why are Crusaders always so in-house and insular with their coaching picks?

Two heads are better than one?
At least that is what they tell me in Tasmania.

You shouldn't talk to your relatives about that sort of thing.

Oh they're several times removed.
But once the police leave, they keep coming back.

@darylmitchell said in Crusaders 2025:

@Chris Why are Crusaders always so in-house and insular with their coaching picks?

Two heads are better than one?
At least that is what they tell me in Tasmania.

That drop by Ioane, coachkiller.

I am finally getting to watch the game and it is so incredibly different to the match thread. Sure BB lacked impact, Reece wasn't fast, the halfbacks had some struggles but the French were very good, fit, strong on the carry if not particularly imaginative, defensively powerful, had faster wings, and played the ref far better than us. They still looked pretty scared at times out there.

Gee, the Mighty Williams, Sititi and Vaa'i had good games, SB had some good touches but he seems less dynamic these days, Savea looked more engaged at 6/7 in the open than he has been at 8. DMac sparked more than BB to my mind. Jordan wasn't crap, just not his normal flukey self, and suddenly doesn't look fast up against the French backline.
We could have used Clarke better as well.
There were some neck-high tackles, playing on the ground, and interesting interpretations of onside by the French but hey if the ref doesn't notice them..

Oh and our midfield has no incisive ability, worsening when JB went off, yes it was obvious.

Well they still seem to have major depth problems, but I like where the Wallabies team is going, though I do suspect 1 or 2 of their locks could be better, time to poach from AFL?

@NTA said in Ireland v Wallabies:

Skelton back to LaRochelle, so probably Frost/Williams in the second row

how do you rate Skelton? Seems to me he isn't always that effective, for such a big lump.

@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:

Apparently they had an armchair ride from the rest of the tight five and only played one side of the ball

@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:

Yeah, imagine if he had a good SR season, he and the Blues loosies might have actually won something!

Especially if his back row had played half way decent

ok now it's really beginning to chafe!

@MN5 said in Italy v All Blacks:

@nostrildamus said in Italy v All Blacks:

@MN5 said in Italy v All Blacks:

@nostrildamus said in Italy v All Blacks:

I honestly, at the start of the year, did not expect to hear whisperings, whisperings mind you, that SB might not be considered a locked in locking spot by the end of the season.
Or maybe I am hearing the wrong whisperings...

Whisper it quietly but no one expected Tuipulotu and Vai’i to improve like they have

and Darry to be ok! [Someone has to remember the Blues "Other Guys"]

Outstanding movie but I don’t get the reference at all

That's Hoskins Sotutu and Akira Ioane practising their tactics to get into the ABs...

So any change I get I'll mention the AB forwards who actually got picked...

@MN5 said in Scotland v Australia:

They’ll get a chance on the EOYT next year. Hopefully they can recruit a few more South Africans before then

Passing the entrance exam is sure tough these days:

@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:

Whisper it quietly but no one expected Tuipulotu and Vai’i to improve like they have

Especially, in the case of Paddy, considering how he had such a shit SR season... 🙄

Yeah, imagine if he had a good SR season, he and the Blues loosies might have actually won something!

@MN5 said in Italy v All Blacks:

@nostrildamus said in Italy v All Blacks:

I honestly, at the start of the year, did not expect to hear whisperings, whisperings mind you, that SB might not be considered a locked in locking spot by the end of the season.
Or maybe I am hearing the wrong whisperings...

Whisper it quietly but no one expected Tuipulotu and Vai’i to improve like they have

and Darry to be ok! [Someone has to remember the Blues "Other Guys"]