Italy v All Blacks
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How do the other players feel about the selections of Blackadder, Havili, and Fihaki? Do they feel, as some of us feel, that some players receive special treatment and others don't? How do they feel about seemingly getting selected based on strong SR form only to not be given a chance in any meaningful games or games against tier 1 opposition? I guess Plummer made his feelings known by signing to play in France. I expect Sotutu to do the same soon. If Razor doesn't start managing the ABs as a meritocracy the greater the risk that we lose more valuable players
@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:
How do the other players feel about the selections of Blackadder, Havili, and Fihaki? Do they feel, as some of us feel, that some players receive special treatment and others don't? How do they feel about seemingly getting selected based on strong SR form only to not be given a chance in any meaningful games or games against tier 1 opposition? I guess Plummer made his feelings known by signing to play in France. I expect Sotutu to do the same soon. If Razor doesn't start managing the ABs as a meritocracy the greater the risk that we lose more valuable players
Which AB book was it where when Cory Flynn made the ABs they asked him on TV when he knew he was an AB and Tony Brown was at a pub in Dunedin and shouted our "when I signed with the Crusaders"?
Or did I hear that second hand and not read it in a book? Annoying, aging memory. At any rate it's not like the players would be oblivious to it.
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@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:
How do the other players feel about the selections of Blackadder, Havili, and Fihaki? Do they feel, as some of us feel, that some players receive special treatment and others don't? How do they feel about seemingly getting selected based on strong SR form only to not be given a chance in any meaningful games or games against tier 1 opposition? I guess Plummer made his feelings known by signing to play in France. I expect Sotutu to do the same soon. If Razor doesn't start managing the ABs as a meritocracy the greater the risk that we lose more valuable players
Which AB book was it where when Cory Flynn made the ABs they asked him on TV when he knew he was an AB and Tony Brown was at a pub in Dunedin and shouted our "when I signed with the Crusaders"?
Or did I hear that second hand and not read it in a book? Annoying, aging memory. At any rate it's not like the players would be oblivious to it.
@Nepia said in Italy v All Blacks:
@canefan said in Italy v All Blacks:
How do the other players feel about the selections of Blackadder, Havili, and Fihaki? Do they feel, as some of us feel, that some players receive special treatment and others don't? How do they feel about seemingly getting selected based on strong SR form only to not be given a chance in any meaningful games or games against tier 1 opposition? I guess Plummer made his feelings known by signing to play in France. I expect Sotutu to do the same soon. If Razor doesn't start managing the ABs as a meritocracy the greater the risk that we lose more valuable players
Which AB book was it where when Cory Flynn made the ABs they asked him on TV when he knew he was an AB and Tony Brown was at a pub in Wellington and shouted our "when I signed with the Crusaders"?
Or did I hear that second hand and not read it in a book? Annoying, aging memory. At any rate it's not like the players would be oblivious to it.
Funny
.Part of the rationale behind budding AB coaches going away for a NH OE before ascending to the top job was so they would lose loyalties to certain players that would hinder the potential of the team. Maybe Foster and Razor are evidence that the rationale is valid. Razor still has time to prove us wrong on that one
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In theory, Havili should be better suited to 13 with his skill set, but outside a player like Lam/McLeod....
@Bones said in Italy v All Blacks:
In theory, Havili should be better suited to 13 with his skill set, but outside a player like Lam/McLeod....
Throwing intercepts and kicking cross field into touch were skills Conrad Smith didn't need during his tenure as best centre in the world
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Considering how troublesome finding a 6 has been, considering he isn't that big and plays at 8, throwing Sititi in there was inspired. Or ballsy. Or desperate. But well done him. I'm also on the Sititi as future AB captain bandwagon. Hope that isn't a jinx.
@nostrildamus said in Italy v All Blacks:
Considering how troublesome finding a 6 has been, considering he isn't that big and plays at 8, throwing Sititi in there was inspired. Or ballsy. Or desperate. But well done him. I'm also on the Sititi as future AB captain bandwagon. Hope that isn't a jinx.
It looked like a Hail Mary at the time of selection
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@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
I don’t have such a problem with Havili on the bench. But it does my head in that it’s not
10 McKenzie
15 Love
22 Perofeta (or swap with Love)And the argument for Havili over Lam in the 23 jersey for this hypothetical backline would be what exactly? Given the 3 players above all cover 10 and 15?
I think Havili was in the squad and Lam was added later. It would therefore be odd to promote Lam. The coaches also have to think of squad harmony etc. If you parachute players in and play them ahead of original squad picks, Qs will be asked.
So Havili shows no form all year - gets picked on reputation (both as injury cover in July and then in the main squad for The Rugby Championship and End Of Year Tour) - shows nothing in the tests he does play this year - but because of squad harmony Havili must be picked ahead of Lam who has forced his way into the squad on form.
What kind of squad culture is that?
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
I don’t have such a problem with Havili on the bench. But it does my head in that it’s not
10 McKenzie
15 Love
22 Perofeta (or swap with Love)And the argument for Havili over Lam in the 23 jersey for this hypothetical backline would be what exactly? Given the 3 players above all cover 10 and 15?
I think Havili was in the squad and Lam was added later. It would therefore be odd to promote Lam. The coaches also have to think of squad harmony etc. If you parachute players in and play them ahead of original squad picks, Qs will be asked.
So Havili shows no form all year - gets picked on reputation (both as injury cover in July and then in the main squad for The Rugby Championship and End Of Year Tour) - shows nothing in the tests he does play this year - but because of squad harmony Havili must be picked ahead of Lam who has forced his way into the squad on form.
What kind of squad culture is that?
It does seem very poor to select him. I highly doubt he will be there next year.
The All Blacks are meant to be a high performance organisation. The best we have. Selecting Havilli who has shown nothing all year (or ever) is the complete opposite of high performance
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@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
I don’t have such a problem with Havili on the bench. But it does my head in that it’s not
10 McKenzie
15 Love
22 Perofeta (or swap with Love)And the argument for Havili over Lam in the 23 jersey for this hypothetical backline would be what exactly? Given the 3 players above all cover 10 and 15?
I think Havili was in the squad and Lam was added later. It would therefore be odd to promote Lam. The coaches also have to think of squad harmony etc. If you parachute players in and play them ahead of original squad picks, Qs will be asked.
So Havili shows no form all year - gets picked on reputation (both as injury cover in July and then in the main squad for The Rugby Championship and End Of Year Tour) - shows nothing in the tests he does play this year - but because of squad harmony Havili must be picked ahead of Lam who has forced his way into the squad on form.
What kind of squad culture is that?
It does seem very poor to select him. I highly doubt he will be there next year.
The All Blacks are meant to be a high performance organisation. The best we have. Selecting Havilli who has shown nothing all year (or ever) is the complete opposite of high performance
@DaGrubster said in Italy v All Blacks:
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
@KiwiMurph said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell said in Italy v All Blacks:
I don’t have such a problem with Havili on the bench. But it does my head in that it’s not
10 McKenzie
15 Love
22 Perofeta (or swap with Love)And the argument for Havili over Lam in the 23 jersey for this hypothetical backline would be what exactly? Given the 3 players above all cover 10 and 15?
I think Havili was in the squad and Lam was added later. It would therefore be odd to promote Lam. The coaches also have to think of squad harmony etc. If you parachute players in and play them ahead of original squad picks, Qs will be asked.
So Havili shows no form all year - gets picked on reputation (both as injury cover in July and then in the main squad for The Rugby Championship and End Of Year Tour) - shows nothing in the tests he does play this year - but because of squad harmony Havili must be picked ahead of Lam who has forced his way into the squad on form.
What kind of squad culture is that?
It does seem very poor to select him. I highly doubt he will be there next year.
The All Blacks are meant to be a high performance organisation. The best we have. Selecting Havilli who has shown nothing all year (or ever) is the complete opposite of high performance
Don't forget that one time in Joburg....!
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Just bring on the game already! Having to wade through Ireland and SA first is bloody awful.
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Is there any chance we can get better pre match, commentary and post match crew next year.? They seem more obsessed with the Haka and talking about the sky crews breakfast before they try to hype up this match....
Struggling to see why some in the wider squad even got to go on the tour - I also don't buy in to the nonsense around some of the old heads required to be there to help navigate the precious young'uns through the trauma of an international tour - its not a fucking group therapy session for ffs
This game is a nothing game really - ABs should win by lots with a clinical performance... but suspect we will win by a bit, with a lot of errors and some highlight reel stuff....
Yeah maybe I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning .. or it could be this is just persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby....
How long until the NPC kicks off again?
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Is there any chance we can get better pre match, commentary and post match crew next year.? They seem more obsessed with the Haka and talking about the sky crews breakfast before they try to hype up this match....
Struggling to see why some in the wider squad even got to go on the tour - I also don't buy in to the nonsense around some of the old heads required to be there to help navigate the precious young'uns through the trauma of an international tour - its not a fucking group therapy session for ffs
This game is a nothing game really - ABs should win by lots with a clinical performance... but suspect we will win by a bit, with a lot of errors and some highlight reel stuff....
Yeah maybe I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning .. or it could be this is just persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby....
How long until the NPC kicks off again?
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Is there any chance we can get better pre match, commentary and post match crew next year.? They seem more obsessed with the Haka and talking about the sky crews breakfast before they try to hype up this match....
Struggling to see why some in the wider squad even got to go on the tour - I also don't buy in to the nonsense around some of the old heads required to be there to help navigate the precious young'uns through the trauma of an international tour - its not a fucking group therapy session for ffs
This game is a nothing game really - ABs should win by lots with a clinical performance... but suspect we will win by a bit, with a lot of errors and some highlight reel stuff....
Yeah maybe I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning .. or it could be this is just persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby....
How long until the NPC kicks off again?
@Mattasaurus said in Italy v All Blacks:
persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby
Same. I used to arrange my weekends around All Blacks; now not so much. I still take an interest, but just don't care like I used to. Started in 2017 for me with the Lions tour carry-on ...
Contrasting with NFL the quality of commentary, analysis and the whole ecosystem around the sport is just chalk and cheese. Just turned on to see Dagg and Stanaway segueing into Wilson with just brainless, inane comments. I've gone on mute. FFS.
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@Mattasaurus at least you don't have these idiotic British/Irish presenters.
"Captain Sam Cane" says Monye.
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@Mattasaurus said in Italy v All Blacks:
persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby
Same. I used to arrange my weekends around All Blacks; now not so much. I still take an interest, but just don't care like I used to. Started in 2017 for me with the Lions tour carry-on ...
Contrasting with NFL the quality of commentary, analysis and the whole ecosystem around the sport is just chalk and cheese. Just turned on to see Dagg and Stanaway segueing into Wilson with just brainless, inane comments. I've gone on mute. FFS.
@nzzp said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Mattasaurus said in Italy v All Blacks:
persistent malaise that is seeping in to my once passionate support for the ABs as the result of the last few years of AB rugby
Same. I used to arrange my weekends around All Blacks; now not so much. I still take an interest, but just don't care like I used to. Started in 2017 for me with the Lions tour carry-on ...
Contrasting with NFL the quality of commentary, analysis and the whole ecosystem around the sport is just chalk and cheese. Just turned on to see Dagg and Stanaway segueing into Wilson with just brainless, inane comments. I've gone on mute. FFS.
This is me 100% , I'm taking the kids out golfing at half time .and will watch the rest tonight or potentially not at all.. which would have been unheard of pre 2017...my wife even asked me with genuine concern "are you ok?" ... more concerningly my son who played 10s all day on Friday, and we watched a local charity game yesterday ... is hardly bothered with watching the ABs anymore.... and half his team is much the same.. most of them would struggle to name more than 3 current players..... and yet they still love playing the game
Agree entirely regarding the NFL, they are not so obsessed with ex-players in key roles of commentary and analysis
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Fuck yeah, the electric guitar version of the anthem!
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Fuck yeah, the electric guitar version of the anthem!
@Darth-Sader Well sort of.....not exactly Slash
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I was waiting for them to break into “we are sailing”
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@Bones Ugo Moyne must be the single worst Rugby pundit in the world. Ignorant, seemingly blind and with his head up his own arse.
@sparky said in Italy v All Blacks:
@Bones Ugo Moyne must be the single worst Rugby pundit in the world. Ignorant, seemingly blind and with his head up his own arse.
Last week he was an absolute genius when he agreed with my assessment of the England coaching.
