All Blacks v France Test 3

[Bones]

@cgrant nice to see a couple of token North islanders.

I'm still perplexed as to why people think a world beating winger who's been nothing but ordinary at centre (at best) want to see him at centre. In test rugby.

[Bones]

Bloody good on Hemopo if so. Seemed like NPC might be his limit, came out and bruised up the lions and hasn't looked back. I like his style, really plays above his weight and gets busy.

[Bovidae]

And Hemopo has leapfrogged Franklin unless they also like him as a 6?

[cgrant]

@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@cgrant nice to see a couple of token North islanders.

I'm still perplexed as to why people think a world beating winger who's been nothing but ordinary at centre (at best) want to see him at centre. In test rugby.

Ioane was mostly used as 2nd five eight by Umaga, in a shit team. He has all the attributes to become a world class centre.

[Bones]

@cgrant said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@cgrant nice to see a couple of token North islanders.

I'm still perplexed as to why people think a world beating winger who's been nothing but ordinary at centre (at best) want to see him at centre. In test rugby.

Ioane was mostly used as 2nd five eight by Umaga, in a shit team. He has all the attributes to become a world class centre.

Just like Ardie Savea then.

Hayman really should've played 8 huh?

[Tim]

@bones Yeah, there's the same difference between flanker and centre as there is between wing and centre, and it's also super rare to go from the wing to the midfield.

Great post all around.

[mariner4life]

I am many disappoint that most, including it appears the selectors, want to drop who i thought was best on ground last week. And for a rookie and a has-been who has barely played in 12 months

[Bones]

@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@bones Yeah, there's the same difference between flanker and centre as there is between wing and centre, and it's also super rare to go from the wing to the midfield.

Great post all around.

But but Ardie played in the midfield at schoolboy level, he has all the attributes to play there now.

We have:
Goodhue
Laumape
Crotty
SBW
ALB

With other proven, very good midfielders hanging around like:
Buckman
Thomson
Proctor

Why the fuck should we bother throwing Ioane there? Oh he played there in schoolboy rugby. Plus he's shown amazing form in the midfield. If he's good enough, why doesn't that show out a level down? Oh, crap team, of course. But wait, he still looks great on the wing in said crap team! How puzzling.

[Tim]

@bones I'm not advocating him for the AB's this season, but I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a very good centre. He's played their for the ABs, had a couple of decent games there for the Blues last year, and was generally pretty good at 13 (not at 12) for the Blues this year - tidy defence and good go-forward. Not as good as on the wing though.

[Bones]

@tim I'd gamble him making a very good centre, especially at international level, is a looooong way off. We have a lot of young guys already showing they are very good centres and a winger is going to throw his hat in the ring and usurp them?

[Tim]

@bones I think we only have one top-notch 13 candidate at the moment - Goodhue, and he is untested at that level. ALB is tidy and skilful, but nothing special at the moment.

There's a lot of good 13s in NZ, but no excellent ones.

I don't think Ioane will be a fulltime centre for at least another two seasons.

[MN5]

@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@bones Yeah, there's the same difference between flanker and centre as there is between wing and centre, and it's also super rare to go from the wing to the midfield.

Great post all around.

But but Ardie played in the midfield at schoolboy level, he has all the attributes to play there now.

We have:
Goodhue
Laumape
Crotty
SBW
ALB

With other proven, very good midfielders hanging around like:
Buckman
Thomson
Proctor

Why the fuck should we bother throwing Ioane there? Oh he played there in schoolboy rugby. Plus he's shown amazing form in the midfield. If he's good enough, why doesn't that show out a level down? Oh, crap team, of course. But wait, he still looks great on the wing in said crap team! How puzzling.

You forgot to mention Ngatai. The fern is disappointed.

[Bones]

@mn5 and here I thought you were making an effort to attempt to keep up to date...

[Gunner]

Goodhue will be the long term centre, Ioane can therefore keep being the worlds best winger for a few more years.

[taniwharugby]

@mn5 said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

@bones Yeah, there's the same difference between flanker and centre as there is between wing and centre, and it's also super rare to go from the wing to the midfield.

Great post all around.

But but Ardie played in the midfield at schoolboy level, he has all the attributes to play there now.

We have:
Goodhue
Laumape
Crotty
SBW
ALB

With other proven, very good midfielders hanging around like:
Buckman
Thomson
Proctor

Why the fuck should we bother throwing Ioane there? Oh he played there in schoolboy rugby. Plus he's shown amazing form in the midfield. If he's good enough, why doesn't that show out a level down? Oh, crap team, of course. But wait, he still looks great on the wing in said crap team! How puzzling.

You forgot to mention Ngatai. The fern is disappointed.

how can you let anyone forget!

[booboo]

@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:

Some top level whining bullshit:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/104875518/fifteen-against-16-for-every-test-against-all-blacks-claims-french-prop

"We've got nothing to lose, we've got 80 minutes to play and we'll see what happens."

Including your self respect after that whinge.

[booboo]

Anyone else think he's a candidate for WR to charge him with bringing the game into disrepute?

[Stargazer]

@booboo WR would be afraid of the NH media backlash. They wouldn't have the guts to charge him, even if they wanted to.

[Chris B.]

So Atonio is arguing that refs from all countries except New Zealand (since they never ref the ABs) are useless cheating fluffybunnies!

I'd be outraged if I wasn't a New Zealander - but, I knew that we're the best!

[junior]

@bones I don't think Ioane playing at centre in the long-term should be dismissed. Inevitably, he will hit an age where he is no longer able to keep it up on the wing (as all our wingers inevitably do), but he could have an Umaga-like career path where he gradually transitions to the midfield. He certainly has the body-shape and ball-skills to do it. I agree that this week might be too soon for that though.