Poll: Best AB coach - professional era
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@Chris-B I lurked in the background in 2002 and 2003, but I think I joined in 2004 as Sparky (with a capital S), deleted that account in 2009 and then rejoined in 2010 as sparky with a small s.
Yeah, I was one of those two guys arguing for Ma'a in 2007.
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@sparky Nonu hadn’t played any footy at 12 at that stage - only wing and centre - so he would’ve been considered as a centre option going into the Boks QF test I reckon.
The first concern was the goal kicking. Secondly keeping some stability which was the Auckland boys in the back 3 and the 10-12 combo of Carlos and Mauger which had been pretty effective.
Selections at RWCs aren’t easy. Mitchell, Henry and Hansen learned some tough lessons.
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@sparky said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@Chris-B I lurked in the background in 2002 and 2003, but I think I joined in 2004 as Sparky (with a capital S), deleted that account in 2009 and then rejoined in 2010 as sparky with a small s.
Yeah, I was one of those two guys arguing for Ma'a in 2007.
You must have folded early, because it was just me and Mojo at the end - and we took some heat!
One of my finest hours - along with the Andy Ellis debate, when I became the Fern's expert on halfback play!
n.b. @Nepia - have you seen that the Mighty Kahn has been selected for the Heartland team at age 43 (I think)!
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@sparky He's hosting a TV show about shifting houses and I believe he might have won an award at the Chelsea flower show.
He had a brief period whre he was first choice AB halfback and everyone said he was shit. I said he wasn't and he'd be picked again - and I was right, again, and again.
My memory is that actually @Kirwan agreed with me - which is about as rare as Nepia!
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Maybe a bit unfair, but I think Hansen simply continued Ted's work rather than moved the team on. Not all Hansen's fault, but I feel the rot set in under him.
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@Victor-Meldrew I thought Hansen did an utterly fantastic job from 2012 to 2016. It was a brave decision to go for an even faster game after the 2011 win.
But yeah the rot set in.
We spilled the 2017 Lions series when it should have been a 3-0 win. Too many rough diamonds were left unpolished. 2019 was always going to a tough RWC to win, but some poor selections didn't help matters.
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@No-Quarter said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
A wonderful coach and a wonderful person as well.
Not just Rugby.
Welsh friend's wife is a head teacher. Went along to a Ted talk on education (nothing to do with Rugby) and though it game-changing. Was blown away by his thinking and knowledge on the subject.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
And this might be your most broken record post….
I'm sure it's not even close, I have a lot of broken records.
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@Victor-Meldrew You might find Gregor Paul's book on Hansen quite interesting.
Foundations were definitely set by Sir Ted - but, Hansen had the challenge of, now we've finally won the World Cup again - what next?
He set the target - initially - of being the most dominant rugby team of all time - and after 2015 (when they thought that might be achieved), I think exteded it to the most dominant sports team ever.
It's pretty interesting if you're interested in the transitions between the coaches. Biography, so Hansen doesn't really speak (very disappointing), but lots of the people surrounding do.
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@Jet said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@nzzp said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@sparky said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
Sir Ted.
By some margin. Reinvented the ABs and peeled off some real statement wins early on. 2004 France away was extraordinary - destroyed them up front and in the backs, when people (aka the Walrus) thought they'd dust us up front.
Best haka ever too that game, closely followed by first Kapa O Pango.
Both Tana.
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@Nepia said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
And this might be your most broken record post….
I'm sure it's not even close, I have a lot of broken records.
If you take out anything involving Hawkes Bay you’re actually one of the more measured fellows around here.
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@MN5 said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@Nepia said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
And this might be your most broken record post….
I'm sure it's not even close, I have a lot of broken records.
If you take out anything involving Hawkes Bay you’re actually one of the more measured fellows around here.
Don't encourage him! FFS!
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@MN5 said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@Nepia said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
And this might be your most broken record post….
I'm sure it's not even close, I have a lot of broken records.
If you take out anything involving Hawkes Bay, Cullen, Mitchell, Crusaders/Canterbury, Hammett, you’re actually one of the more measured fellows around here.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@MN5 said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@Nepia said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
And this might be your most broken record post….
I'm sure it's not even close, I have a lot of broken records.
If you take out anything involving Hawkes Bay, Cullen, Mitchell, Crusaders/Canterbury, Hammett, you’re actually one of the more measured fellows around here.
oh, and any number of movies that he feels strongly about too
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Oh @Nepia was completely reasonable about Hammett, it was his defenders that were completely unreasonable!
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@No-Quarter said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
Oh @Nepia was completely reasonable about Hammett, it was his defenders that were completely unreasonable!
Hammer was much maligned - and, I say this as someone who may have succeeded him in his job!
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@Nepia said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
@ACT-Crusader said in Poll: Best AB coach - professional era:
Went for Mitchell.
Dark days between 98-02 (signs started in 97 too) and he IMO got it back on track and started to build the foundation of our success for the years ahead.
Picked some very young players too that had talent but still had big question marks.
03 RWC, outcome was unfortunate but an experienced Aussie team had a night.
This might be your most contrarian post ever.
Mitchell's period of success in 2003 was based on Henry's Blues gameplan, and then he neutered it at the RWC by not allowing the forwards to ruck.
Henry had to completely overhaul pretty much everything that went on during Domeheads reign of psychobabble. Pretty much every player's book from that era mentions how fucked the culture was.
That team would have been better with Deans as the head coach, instead he hitched his wagon to Mitchell and blew his chance to be AB coach.
@ACT-Crusader i assume you caught the very fish you were baiting
