Scotland v All Blacks
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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.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
If we are building around Ardie then someone like Jacobson to me is the perfect sort of player to have in the mix.
It's not that I disagree but I'm interested in hearing what it is specifically that you like about Jacobson's game and how it complements a player like Savea. Would Jacobson go at number 8 then?
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@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.
I think Ryan has done an excellent job with tight five.
But aren't the loosies in Ray's purview?
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@ACT-Crusader said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@ACT-Crusader said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Big difference between Crusaders side to side and Chiefs style fast ruck rugby. I look at these guys are being used and I wonder if the roles suits the skill set. Sounds like a good question for @Mauss
Part and parcel with being an AB. I look at a guy like Rodders and as an AB he played very different to how he played for the Canes and probably what was expected. And to me he was a class number 8 in his mix with Jerry and McCaw.
If we are building around Ardie then someone like Jacobson to me is the perfect sort of player to have in the mix.
Then we are basically getting to the same thing, even though I fundamentally disagree with the premise.
Parker is not a Jacobson like player, and would likely be a much better fit alongside Savea if we paired him with a Jacobson. I’m not sure Lakai is that guy but we’ll find out I guess.
I like Lakai, but it’s Lakai or Savea, not both. And I would put Sititi in that camp too. We can get away with one starting and one on the bench.
I think we might see a couple of changes beyond injuries for this Scotland test.
I maybe imagining things, but to date I had Lakai down as more of a hitter/cleaner than either of RD and Wally, whom I see as 'loose' loosies. I'd quite like to see Lakai get a run at 7 on this tour.
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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.
On Saturday he showed that he's perfected the pass to no one.
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@pakman said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@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.
On Saturday he showed that he's perfected the pass to no one.
I guess at least now he's trying to link? Or pretending to...
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Any update on Scooter & Jordie?
Both out Beehre called into ABs
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I'd go with something like:
- De Groot 2. Taylor 3. Newell 4. Holland 5. Lord 6. Parker 7. Savea 8. Sititi 9. Roigard 10. DMac 11. Clarke 12. Tupaea 13. Leicester F 14. Jordan 15. Love
Taukei'aho , Williams, Tosi, Darry, Lakai, Ratima,
B. Barrett, R.Ioane -
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@nzzp said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
lose 10 and 12
call in a utility lock/6
<imagine a gif here>
<Chef's kiss ferning>
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@pakman said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@ACT-Crusader said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@ACT-Crusader said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@gt12 said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Big difference between Crusaders side to side and Chiefs style fast ruck rugby. I look at these guys are being used and I wonder if the roles suits the skill set. Sounds like a good question for @Mauss
Part and parcel with being an AB. I look at a guy like Rodders and as an AB he played very different to how he played for the Canes and probably what was expected. And to me he was a class number 8 in his mix with Jerry and McCaw.
If we are building around Ardie then someone like Jacobson to me is the perfect sort of player to have in the mix.
Then we are basically getting to the same thing, even though I fundamentally disagree with the premise.
Parker is not a Jacobson like player, and would likely be a much better fit alongside Savea if we paired him with a Jacobson. I’m not sure Lakai is that guy but we’ll find out I guess.
I like Lakai, but it’s Lakai or Savea, not both. And I would put Sititi in that camp too. We can get away with one starting and one on the bench.
I think we might see a couple of changes beyond injuries for this Scotland test.
I maybe imagining things, but to date I had Lakai down as more of a hitter/cleaner than either of RD and Wally, whom I see as 'loose' loosies. I'd quite like to see Lakai get a run at 7 on this tour.
IIRC Mauss had that a couple of games ago. So it's probably correct
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@sparky said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
I'd go with something like:
- De Groot 2. Taylor 3. Newell 4. Holland 5. Lord 6. Parker 7. Savea 8. Sititi 9. Roigard 10. DMac 11. Clarke 12. Tupaea 13. Leicester F 14. Jordan 15. Love
Taukei'aho , Williams, Tosi, Darry, Lakai, Ratima,
B. Barrett, R.IoaneIt’s only Scotland. A midfield of ALB and Ioane would be fine.
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@Mauss said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@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.
In a podcast a month or two ago , Victor matfield said , one thing we used to fear playing nz , was big fast physical backs that were difficult to tackle one on one and you don’t have that at the moment .
If the South Africans feared that , imagine what some of the others did .
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@kiwiinmelb said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@Mauss said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
@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.
In a podcast a month or two ago , Victor matfield said , one thing we used to fear playing nz , was big fast physical backs that were difficult to tackle one on one and you don’t have that at the moment .
If the South Africans feared that , imagine what some of the others did .
With Jordie out and Fainga'anuku ( I appreciate being able to cut and paste that rather than trying to spell it myself ) making a decent fist of things perhaps injury is the best selector again ? Three Power runners in the backline as opposed to the zero that were there previously.
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@taniwharugby said in Scotland Vs All Blacks, 8th November 2025:
Both out Beehre called into ABs
Finally you're the Beehre of good news!
