Scotland v All Blacks
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@nostrildamus said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
I know people have bagged Jacobson but I thought he was the Chiefs best forward this year and he is a better loose forward than all of the others in the squad apart from Savea. Of the current squad the ABs would do a lot better with Jacobson at 7 and Savea back to 8. I'd put Finau at 6 and continue with him.
Probably Lakai on the bench.
Sititi and Paps are lower-ranked for you than Savea LJ Lakai and Finau? or just don't fit as well?
Paps is not in the squad. I do think he should be in the squad and the starting 7.
Sititi I think has been hugely inconsistent and is massively overrated. He needs to mature quite a bit. Im not convinced hes suited to test rugby. Hes another Savea like player who is too small for 8 but doesnt have the requisite skills for 7.
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@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Sititi I think has been hugely inconsistent and is massively overrated. He needs to mature quite a bit. Im not convinced hes suited to test rugby. Hes another Savea like player who is too small for 8 but doesnt have the requisite skills for 7.
He's made a good fist of coming off of the bench the last 2 tests. Encouraging
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@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@nostrildamus said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
I know people have bagged Jacobson but I thought he was the Chiefs best forward this year and he is a better loose forward than all of the others in the squad apart from Savea. Of the current squad the ABs would do a lot better with Jacobson at 7 and Savea back to 8. I'd put Finau at 6 and continue with him.
Probably Lakai on the bench.
Sititi and Paps are lower-ranked for you than Savea LJ Lakai and Finau? or just don't fit as well?
Paps is not in the squad. I do think he should be in the squad and the starting 7.
Sititi I think has been hugely inconsistent and is massively overrated. He needs to mature quite a bit. Im not convinced hes suited to test rugby. Hes another Savea like player who is too small for 8 but doesnt have the requisite skills for 7.
Yeah but being big in itself isn't everything. Look at Parkers ( non ) impact.
Sititi is an ideal guy to bring on carrying hard against tired defences. I agree he has been disappointing after last year though.
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@nostrildamus said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Interesting question. I'd suspect Beauden is a little banged up. Lakai-not sure about, he worked hard, but I just don't really see him as nailing down that 8 position. I can see Sititi starting at 6 or 8 and Parker out of the 23, thought he lacked presence and impact.
Lakai isn't an 8. He should be selected at 7 or nothing.
I wouldn't mind seeing Finau get a chance to put a shot on Russell. Let him sit deep in the pocket for 60mins!
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@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@nostrildamus said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
I know people have bagged Jacobson but I thought he was the Chiefs best forward this year and he is a better loose forward than all of the others in the squad apart from Savea. Of the current squad the ABs would do a lot better with Jacobson at 7 and Savea back to 8. I'd put Finau at 6 and continue with him.
Probably Lakai on the bench.
Sititi and Paps are lower-ranked for you than Savea LJ Lakai and Finau? or just don't fit as well?
Paps is not in the squad. I do think he should be in the squad and the starting 7.
Sititi I think has been hugely inconsistent and is massively overrated. He needs to mature quite a bit. I m not convinced hes suited to test rugby. Hes another Savea like player who is too small for 8 but doesnt have the requisite skills for 7.
Strange comment? Sititi is only 23 but already 10kg heavier than Savea.
Wallace Sititi - Chiefs
North Harbour loose forward Wallace Sititi is the son of Semo Sititi, the former Manu Samoa captain who also played for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. Sititi was deputy head […]
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@restofit said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Strange comment? Sititi is only 23 but already 10kg heavier than Savea.
Wallace Sititi - Chiefs
North Harbour loose forward Wallace Sititi is the son of Semo Sititi, the former Manu Samoa captain who also played for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. Sititi was deputy head […]
Yes and despite 'official' stats, from photos of them together, I think he is taller than Savea too (but most international 8s probably are).
Looks like he may have worked out how to be bulky and keep some speed-hope that balance continues. -
@brodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
He’s giving Squire Vibes a bit at the moment, as tbf, does Finau. Might be able to bully around against the less physical packs but might lack the edge against really physical sides.
In Parker’s defense, unlike the Chiefs, the ABs don’t have a clean-up specialist and don’t seem to take advantage of his strengths. He’s anonymous at LO time, and hardly used with ball in hand.
I’m becoming less and less convinced about Ryan - I cant think of a player, maybe Newell excepted, who actually looks the same or better at this level - that’s been a trademark of great ABs, as the level of play goes up, their performance rises alongside.
Despite his scoring achievements, for that reason I’m not prepared to say that Jordan is nearing ‘great AB’ status. Jordie can get there, maybe Clark if he stays healthy, Taylor might be the only other forward, but I don’t know if he is ‘better’.
Definitely none of the loosies are playing at ‘great’ level.
Beauden was a great AB, and Dmac will never get the chance.
Agree with everything here apart from the Squire comment. Squire played with far more intensity than Parker.
I’m not interested in running him down, given the difficulties he faced, but he was Tarzan against Australia and Jane against the Springboks.
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@No-Quarter said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 the Jordan thing annoys me, he would be approaching "great" status if he stayed on the wing. At fullback his weaknesses are amplified. It's like if you tried to chuck Jonah at fullback, he'd get found out despite being such a threat ball in hand, so his performances would always be marred by defensive mistakes, poor passing etc. Jordan is the worlds best winger in my opinion, he's nowhere near the worlds best fullback.
Produces magic out of a hat on the wing. Been pretty anonymous at 15 for me - even in the latter parts of the game when there's more broken play
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@Victor-Meldrew perfect bench player.
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@Bones said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew perfect bench player.
Think he's more value starting on the wing. We have enough utility players to cover 15.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@Bones said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew perfect bench player.
Think he's more value starting on the wing. We have enough utility players to cover 15.
Nah, bring him on when the opposition are tiring, there's more space and his
selfish playbasic errors are less costly. -
@No-Quarter said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
defensive mistakes, poor passing
Yes to the second, no to the first, in my view.
I think it's harsh to portray Jordan as a poor defensive fullback when he made some excellent reads in defence against the Irish. One in the first half, stopping an overlap on the edge by jumping out the line and tackling Crowley, ball and all. And one in the second half when he anticipated Crowley's grubber in behind. A lot of players wouldn't have reacted as quickly there, and that would've become a real scoring opportunity.
The passing, and the turnovers in general with Jordan, are however a real issue. There were multiple opportunities out wide against Ireland - potential outside break for Clarke, potential carry with space in opposition 22 for Tupaea - that Jordan messed up due to poor skill execution.
That said, I don't think you fix the latter by just putting him on the wing. He'll still be expected to roam as a winger, as his biggest strength is his ability to both spot and take a gap. He just needs to fix his passing and decision-making. For example, there was no reason for the pump fake before the Clarke pass, O'Brien was already turning inwards so a simple draw and pass was more than sufficient. I still have hope that he can fix his decision-making - it has improved over the last few seasons - but Saturday's Test against Ireland was bad. It's not a performance he can afford again on this tour.
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@antipodean said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@nostrildamus said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Interesting question. I'd suspect Beauden is a little banged up. Lakai-not sure about, he worked hard, but I just don't really see him as nailing down that 8 position. I can see Sititi starting at 6 or 8 and Parker out of the 23, thought he lacked presence and impact.
Lakai isn't an 8. He should be selected at 7 or nothing.
I wouldn't mind seeing Finau get a chance to put a shot on Russell. Let him sit deep in the pocket for 60mins!
Not a bad shout that.
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@Mauss said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@No-Quarter said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
defensive mistakes, poor passing
Yes to the second, no to the first, in my view.
I think it's harsh to portray Jordan as a poor defensive fullback when he made some excellent reads in defence against the Irish. One in the first half, stopping an overlap on the edge by jumping out the line and tackling Crowley, ball and all. And one in the second half when he anticipated Crowley's grubber in behind. A lot of players wouldn't have reacted as quickly there, and that would've become a real scoring opportunity.
The passing, and the turnovers in general with Jordan, are however a real issue. There were multiple opportunities out wide against Ireland - potential outside break for Clarke, potential carry with space in opposition 22 for Tupaea - that Jordan messed up due to poor skill execution.
That said, I don't think you fix the latter by just putting him on the wing. He'll still be expected to roam as a winger, as his biggest strength is his ability to both spot and take a gap. He just needs to fix his passing and decision-making. For example, there was no reason for the pump fake before the Clarke pass, O'Brien was already turning inwards so a simple draw and pass was more than sufficient. I still have hope that he can fix his decision-making - it has improved over the last few seasons - but Saturday's Test against Ireland was bad. It's not a performance he can afford again on this tour.
After watching J Barrett play fullback at Leinster, I really think J Barrett 15, Jordan 14 gives us the best combo. Barrett is wasted at 12 despite often being the best back on the pitch
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Any update on Scooter & Jordie?
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@jimmyb said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
After watching J Barrett play fullback at Leinster, I really think J Barrett 15, Jordan 14 gives us the best combo. Barrett is wasted at 12 despite often being the best back on the pitch
With Tupaea's form and the proven effectiveness of big midfield carriers in recent Tests (Tupaea, Fainga'anuku and Clarke), I think it's worth a shot.
Added to that, if you have Tupaea and Fainga'anuku in midfield, you need a better playmaker at fullback than what Jordan (currently) presents, so that would be either Jordie or McKenzie.
