Blues v Highlanders
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@Stargazer Hall looked poor when he started for Crusaders vs Highlanders. He had looked good off the bench for the Blues in the past too. I'd hold the horses on declaring him a much different player just yet.
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@KiwiMurph I think the difference between starting and coming off the bench is marginal. He was excellent against the Reds off the bench, scoring two very important tries.
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@Stargazer the argument about Fekitoa has been done to death, he admitted himself he had the wrong attitude up there.
Edit: Someone like Li you could argue he has been in that one environment for such a long time, touted as a star form his schoolboy days, never quite getting there, but still gets given plenty of chances, right in his comfort zone...he moves to another environment, outside his comfort zone, works his arse off to prove himself and finally starts looking the player people expected.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:
I actually think West has reached his potential - not every player has the ability to be a superstar. He was passed over by NZ franchises, he spent some time as a wider training member for the Chiefs and brought in as a injury replacement for the Blues. He has never been a player to drive a game - more of a complimentary piece which is why his best Super Rugby has come when he's had someone at 12 to take the pressure off (e.g. Nonu or Francis, not that im comparing Nonu and Francis as players)
I think ideally West would be a really good Super Rugby bench 10.
One player i'd like to see at 10 for Blues is Otere Black - but it doesnt look like happening. Be interesting how Perofeta goes if he gets some time later in the season.
I think you're spot on. I think the less responsibility he has, the better he plays. I think Francis taking the kicking off him last year also helped, because if West misses an easy kick or two, he tends to let it affect his overall game.
It's too bad Perofeta is injured because he's missing out on getting good game time against Development teams filled with Super and NPC players. He didn't play much 10 for Taranaki last year, which makes it hard to gauge where he is in his development.
I have a feeling the Chiefs will get Black next year.
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@taniwharugby Rene always requires lots of rugby to get into shape. He always has looked good going forward ( he is a power runner ) and lazy going back but I would love to have him back for Northland. For me good coaches get great performances out of their players - the Blues seem to manage the opposite year after year. To me they never seen to have the right mix of players - namely guys that run into space and pass the ball well.
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With Rene turning 31 this year and coming off two major injuries, it was always a bit of a long shot for Rene to be anywhere close to what he once was. I don't think he'll be at the Blues next year, but I'm thinking he can still salvage one last big payday overseas before his stocks get too low.
It would be nice if he went back to Northland. He probably only signed with Harbour because he wanted to live in one place for all his rugby.
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@Dice He looks a lot lighter than he used to be.
Some serious question marks have to be asked of Tana's outside back recruitment.
He lost Li and Lam, didn't want Visinia and brought in Collins, O'Donnell and Ambrose Curtis. He also missed out on promising Northlander Solomon Alaimalo. Trainor has yet to be sighted except for the Brisbane 10s where he looked poor.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:
Some serious question marks have to be asked of Tana's outside back recruitment.
He lost Li and Lam, didn't want Visinia and brought in Collins, O'Donnell and Ambrose Curtis. He also missed out on promising Northlander Solomon Alaimalo. Trainor has yet to be sighted except for the Brisbane 10s where he looked poor.
Yeah the outside back selections have been strange
Also not signing GPT at hooker. He was one of the last signings for the Highlanders. With Parsons having concussion issues, Moulds not good enough at lineout time it seems crazy not to select a good set piece hooker who has been in great form in the last two NPCs.
Last year selecting Matenga ahead of Fatialofa and Seu is unforgivable. That talent from the region is probably lost for good.
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Not selecting Fatialofa was a rugby CRIME. He had been outstanding for Auckland in the NPC.
I can understand not selecting GPT this season though. He has been struggling with a serious injury since midway through last year's NPC season, and is still injured. Not selecting him in 2016 was dumb though.
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@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:
Some serious question marks have to be asked of Tana's outside back recruitment.
He lost Li and Lam, didn't want Visinia and brought in Collins, O'Donnell and Ambrose Curtis. He also missed out on promising Northlander Solomon Alaimalo. Trainor has yet to be sighted except for the Brisbane 10s where he looked poor.
Yeah the outside back selections have been strange
Also not signing GPT at hooker. He was one of the last signings for the Highlanders. With Parsons having concussion issues, Moulds not good enough at lineout time it seems crazy not to select a good set piece hooker who has been in great form in the last two NPCs.
Last year selecting Matenga ahead of Fatialofa and Seu is unforgivable. That talent from the region is probably lost for good.
Parsons concussion issues only arose part way through npc, so there's no way you could know that was going to happen. GPT and Moulds were both wider training the previous year at the same time. They both got little to no game time. Both had good NPC seasons. They both had serious injury issues last NPC season. So really signing of Q McDondald was out of left field. Blues could have retained both.
Moulds had excellent impact off the bench v Landers and the Blues lineouts were all won from there on in.
Parsons had massive issues at line out time and he's usually bang on, so what's the issue? Probably lots of small things making a big mess. -
@Number-10 what % NZ Rugby player numbers do Auckland make up?
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@Number-10 said in Blues v Highlanders:
According to the 2016 Auckland RU Annual report, page 28
28% of all players in the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup competition came through the Auckland system.
How do they define "came through the Auckland system"? Does that include every player who went to an Auckland school for one or two years on a scholarship but did all their age grade, club and other school rugby in another region?
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@Stargazer said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Number-10 said in Blues v Highlanders:
According to the 2016 Auckland RU Annual report, page 28
28% of all players in the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup competition came through the Auckland system.
How do they define "came through the Auckland system"? Does that include every player who went to an Auckland school for one or two years on a scholarship but did all their age grade, club and other school rugby in another region?
Would a kid who gets a scholarship at an Auckland school be playing club rugby as well or would they be playing exclusively for the school whilst on the scholarship?
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@ACT-Crusader is interesting, these kids get identified young, but you could argue many become better players through the Auckland school system than they would have if they had stayed where ever else they come from (although will always be exceptions)
I know plenty of Northland kids get picked up by Auckland schools, 3 of the more high profile ones in recent times were the Goodhue twins and Sam Nock, but would the Goodhues have been better staying in Kawakawa instead of MAG and Nock at Kerikeri instead of St Kents? Best thing is they all decided to come back.
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@Dice said in Blues v Highlanders:
I have a feeling the Chiefs will get Black next year.
What makes you say this?
DMac is being developed to be Cruden's replacement at the Chiefs with Stevenson moving to FB.
I doubt Black moves to sit on the bench (again).
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@Bovidae maybe he wants to be part of a winning culture...?
